"His family and fans are devastated, a tweet from Elton John, the world Genius is used too often but, an icon of a generation, RIP ( insert name of celebrity here) yadda, yadda, yadda." I never liked the music of George Michael.
His personal life was far from perfect but let us gloss over the fact that he drove cars when off his head on drugs and move quickly on as to how he campaigned for LGBT rights. I agree with George that who you have sex with is your decision and yours alone. Most of us agree with that. But the assertion that it is your right to have sex with complete strangers in public places because you are gay is something George & I might disagree on. Cottaging is not an essential human right for the gay community or is it, these days, a hate crime to make that assertion?
The Mrs loved George Michael. As part of our marriage vows she agree to come to watch West Ham at least twice a season (she has Welshed on that one) and also not to inflict any more than two George Michael/Wham songs on me in any car journey. She has kept to that one. But yesterday, as we set off on a two hour trip to see my father, I feared that every radio station would be playing wall to wall George in tribute.
Luckily it was Boxing day so most stations were on pre-record and so oblivious to the demise of Saint George who, according to the BBC, was already sitting at the right hand of the father teaching the Angels the words to Last Christmas.
Frantically the Mrs looked among the CDs for her "best of" Saint George collection but it seems that she had taken it inside the house some weeks ago to inflict on poor Joshua on days when I was elsewhere. I was thus spared for a whole journey. There is a God.