Doing the Decent Thing

SteynOnline ^ | 7/17/2013 | Mark Steyn

[grimalkin]

Fifty years ago, it was the Summer of Profumo in London, commencing with a ministerial resignation that brought down a Conservative Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, and eventually his successor, Lord Home, too. Half-a-century on, it remains Britain's most famous sex scandal, and sufficiently potent that later this year Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton will unveil their West End musical on the subject. Here's what I had to say, with a personal reminiscence of the lady involved, in my obituary of John Profumo. This essay appears in my book Mark Steyn's Passing Parade:

[grimalkin]

This was an enjoyable piece and especially interesting in light of today's events. There is a big difference in what happens to scandalized politicians today compared to several decades ago. Think if Weiner and Spitzer.

[Tax-chick]

She was living in poverty in a "council flat" (British for housing project) and had nothing to retail but those few months in the early Sixties ... For all she's got from the attempts to cling to her celebrity, Miss Keeler might as well have joined Profumo at Toynbee Hall and done charity work for four decades.

I thought this was very sad, and an image of dozens - hundreds? - of women who have imagined that they matter because they could get a politician to have sex with them.

[SMARTY]

I remember reading at the time there was some discussion about Keeler’s nationality/ethnicity (?)...it was said that she was Czech.

A comedian said...’She went from check to cash.’ :)

[iowamark]

Profumo was forced to resign because he lied to the House of Commons. A quaint concept.

[grimalkin]

I thought it was sad, too.

[ScaniaBoy]

From Dr Szamuely's Conservative History Blog:

Fifty years ago

Compare and constrast Clinton (and HRC), Weiner, Spitzer etc etc. Profumo in the end did the decent thing, something that isn't even considered today.

[stanne]

You mean democrat politicians, no?

[BwanaNdege]

Lewinsky in a decade?

[Jack Hammer]

Is there ANY political scandal or contretemps that has NOT become the subject of a West End play or Hollywood movie. provided only that the scandals occurred during conservative/Republican administrations?

[Tax-chick]

Lewinsky in a decade?

In a way, it's as bad or worse for Monica now. She may not be living in public housing, yet, but she's universally held in contempt - a byword for "ignorant trollop" - and has failed at every attempt in having a real life.

She gets hit with society's ultimate condemnation, "FAT," while Bill Clinton sails on, untouched by anything but the physical ravages of his misbegotten lifestyle.

[sport]

The words any parent dreads, “Mom, Dad, I want you to meet the girl I intend to marry, Monica Lewisinsky”.

[Twotone]

Steyn ping...

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

It's not really right to mention the Profumo scandal without showing the naughty, but Safe For (most) Work pictures of the, at the time, young women in the center of the scandal.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

When you think of the Profumo scandal, it’s hard not to think of the movie Dr. Strangelove, filmed the same year but released the next.

[Tax-chick]

Oy, that overbite!

[JLS]

Mark Steyn ping.

Freepmail me, if you want on or off the MarK Steyn ping list.

Thanks for the ping Twotone.

[P.O.E.]

Steyn is always a treat.

I had to go back to look up some of the names - they sounded familiar, but it was a long time ago.

Thanks for the ping.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

‘Think of Weiner and Spitzer.’

Too close to lunchtime for THAT!

[TheOldLady]

I only have a vague recollection of the scandal. My family, all adults, at least 11 years older than I, when I was still in school, only whispered about things like that when I was around.

Thanks for the details after all these years.

And can we deep-six our current crop of democRATS for lying to congress and the American people as well?

[kabumpo]

You need to see a color photo to know her true beauty. She had red hair, was gorgeous and quasi-ethereal - the puzzle is why she was a hooker - she had suchca radiant beauty, she could have done/been anything.