Astrology of Today’s News

Television celebrities who become familiar friends on the box in the corner are shining superstars for their fans and nonentities to everyone else. The unholy fuss over the king of daytime tv Philip Schofield is a case in point. He has been at the top in his own narrow orbit for decades with a particular skill in live presenting and is described by the Mail as “so powerful at ITV that he could hire or fire anyone he wanted.” 

   From hero to zero he has landed with a dull thud following a falling out with his co-presenter Holly Willoughby once his protégé and his brother being imprisoned for child sex offences. Now his admission of a clandestine relationship with a young employee has put the final nail in his career. He met him when he was 15, found a job for him, lied about their liaison before coming out as gay – and is now only coming clean because the young man, now in his twenties, became tired of lying.

  Headlines even in the upmarket newspapers did seem like overkill since it was – apparently – not an under-age fling. And the only reason it is worth pausing over is interesting astrology.

  Born 1 April 1962 2 am (from memory) Oldham, England, he has a quick witted Aries Sun in the 3^rd house. But what is eye-catching is an 8^th house Pluto on the focal point of a Yod inconjunct Sun sextile Saturn. Such a Pluto would start out in life disconnected from people but it can raise the individual to an influential position where he has control. The downside is a tendency to manipulate or coerce. Pluto in the 8^th would give him the ability to project an authoritative power though in a hidden way. He also has Uranus in his 8^th – and the combination of both Pluto and Uranus in the 8^th does suggest a turbulent family background and inner life, driven by forces he does not always understand or have a good grip on.

  His Aquarius Moon and Saturn oppose an 8^th house Leo North Node square Neptune in Scorpio. An 8^th house North Node is similar to a Scorpio NN and tends to have extreme levels of possessiveness for money and people, low self-control for self-discipline – and can trip into sexual misadventures. Transformation for this Node is difficult until everything is let go and the individual learns to walk lightly and not look back.

  At the moment tr Saturn is moving through his low profile First Quadrant which is a less successful time when banana skins often appear for the over ambitious – and unresolved psychological and emotional issues surface.  His 4^th house Venus in Aries also caught the April Solar Eclipse which usually brings an emotional crisis; and the May Lunar Eclipse was conjunct his Neptune, dragging secrets into the open.

  Industry insiders say his career is finished for good. Astrologically he won’t emerge into a more progressive career patch for a few years. But his 8^th house planets could give him the ability to make a successful businessman. 

Despite being an Aries with an Aquarius Moon, the main drift of his chart is much more Plutonic.

ADD ON: Eamonn Homes, another daytime TV presenter, is putting the boot in with a vengeance in the aftermath, describing Scofield as a narcissist and spilling the beans about his nights out with his young lover. Holmes, 3 December 1959, is an outspoken Sun Jupiter in Sagittarius and that squares his Pluto giving it an extra punch. Plus he has a real sting-in-the-tail Mercury Mars in Scorpio.

  Holmes’ Sun Jupiter square Pluto crashes into Scofield’s Pluto opposition Mars so it will be a clash of the mini-Titans.  Their relationship chart has a seriously aggravated composite Saturn Mars Jupiter Mercury opposition Venus – a reservoir of dislike in there; with an evasive and disconnected composite Sun square Neptune.  

Pots and kettles and point scoring – all a touch unprofessional and unseemly even if the tabloids and the punters lap it up.

Uranus, the sky god, is a trailblazer, a catalyst for change and a lightning striker, illuminating what has become stuck and needs a sharp wake up call. Uncompromising and uncooperative, it fights for tolerance and freedom but can be anarchic and lawless as well as an idealist and humanitarian.

  A Uranus Return comes round every 84 years having moved for an individual through the post-teenage rebellion of the first Uranus square at 21 and the midlife crisis of the opposition at 42 years old.

  For countries the Return does appear to coincide with historic markers.

  The USA had its first Uranus Return in 1860 as the Civil War rapidly approached, spilling out into open clashes in 1861 when Uranus was only one degree over the natal position. Next time round in 1943-44, the USA had just joined WW11 after Pearl Harbor in December 1941 which immediately preceded the Uranus Return. Immediately following the Hiroshima bomb was dropped in 1945. Their next Uranus Return will be in 2027/28.

The UK had its first Uranus Return in 1885 – when the Berlin Conference carved up spheres of influence in Africa for European colonization. The first Irish Home Rule Bill saw an outbreak of hostilities between Catholics and Protestants.

  The next Uranus Return in 1969 saw the Irish Troubles start in earnest in Belfast. There were also problems in Southern Rhodesia with Ian Smith splitting away from the UK, declaring independence and a Republic.

In France their first Uranus Return in 1877 oversaw a constitutional crisis which led to the defeat of the Royalists. The second Uranus Return in 1960 saw an insurrection in the French colony of Algeria with outbreaks of violence; and the following year the Paris police infamously massacred unarmed and peaceful pro-Algeria demonstrators, between 40 and 200. Gabon and Mauritania became independent as the French empire went the way of the British. Algeria followed.

 Germany’s first Uranus Return in 1955 (after 1871) saw the Cold War hotting up as W Germany joined NATO and the USSR signed a treaty with East Germany.

Russia 1917, had their first Uranus Return in 2000 when Vladimir Putin took over and a particularly brutal 2^nd War was being fought in Chechnya.

  What does seem to be common themes in the above are divisions and disagreements with political rivals – or with previously dependent countries, demanding freedom.      

Celine Dion has cancelled all her remaining live shows after being diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS)a rare neurological disorder. She said the disorder was causing muscle spasms and was “not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to”. The tour was to have been Dion’s first global concert tour in a decade and the first without her husband-manager Rene Angelil, who died from cancer in 2016.

SPS is a rare condition and not well understood,  characterised by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms. While there is no cure for SPS, there are treatments – including anti-anxiety medicines and muscle relaxants – which can slow down its progression.

She was born 30 March 1968 Charlemagne, Canada with conflicting birth times of 12.15pm or 12.30 am. She has her Aries Sun conjunct a hard-working, forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn. Her Aries Moon is trine Jupiter in Leo and may be conjunct Mars in early Taurus.  She also has Venus Mercury in musical Pisces opposition Pluto Uranus in Virgo and trine Neptune.

  I would be inclined to go for the circa 12.15pm birth time since it puts Neptune on the cusp of her performing 5^th house; and a career oriented Sun conjunct Midheaven and Saturn, Moon and Mars in her career 10^th.

  Tr Pluto is square her Aries Moon in 23/24 on this birth time and in recent years both tr Pluto and tr Saturn were moving through her 6th house. She looks understandably anxious ahead with tr Neptune opposition her Uranus this year and tr Uranus opposition her Neptune in 2024; plus a frustratingly trapped tr Pluto square her Mars in 24/25.

  It would be a tough diagnosis for anyone but for a pro-active Aries it will be doubly difficult slowing down and accepting her condition.

Leader of the far-right militia Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes,  has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the US Capitol riot, the longest yet given to a January 6 rioter. Prosecutors had asked for 25 years. Three other members were sentenced to 12 years, eight and a half and four years respectively in jail.

  The judge expressed concern about Rhodes’ violent rhetoric, including a threat to hang former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

  The Oath Keepers was founded 22 October 2009 by Rhodes, no birth date only 1966, and the organization has an aggressive Sun square Mars in Leo which is being ground down by tr Pluto square the Sun in 23/24 and tr Pluto opposition the Mars for a complete dead-halt in 2025 if it hasn’t happened before.

  The dictatorial, autocratic Uranus opposition Saturn in a controlling and unyielding square to (Moon) Pluto is being undermined by tr Neptune over the next three years. Basic meltdown time.

  From a previous post May 5 2023:

The Proud Boys follow the Oath Keepers – both USA far-right, anti-government militia groups – in paying the price for their hell-raising attack on the Capitol on January 6^th 2021 with the aim of preventing Biden from taking office. Hundreds of other rioters have already been jailed for their roles in the armed siege, during which one protester was shot dead and hundreds were injured, including more than 150 police officers. One officer who was beaten by Trump supporters died the next day. Four more took their own lives in the weeks that followed.

 Several members of the Oath Keepers, have already been convicted of seditious conspiracy and now four Proud Boys’ leaders have been convicted in what has become the biggest DoJ investigation ever. The leader Enrique Tarrio was not in Washington on the day of the riot, but prosecutors said he had planned and directed the attack on the Capitol. The jury were told the Proud Boys saw themselves as “Trump’s army”. Tarrio’s defence team tried to put the blame on Trump, claiming the group was incited by the president during his address outside the White House before the riot, when he urged his supporters to “fight like hell”. Trump himself faces a criminal investigation into his role in the attack.

  The Proud Boys, an exclusively male North American far-right neo-fascist organization was set up on 5 September 2016, which gives a Virgo Sun North Node trine Pluto and opposition Neptune square Saturn Mars in Sagittarius. Mars Saturn has military overtones. A focal point Mutable Saturn is a malcontent and self-righteous; and a focal point Mutable Mars is impatient, inclined to scattergun anger. There is also a more traditionally revolutionary Uranus in Aries square Pluto.

  This conviction occurs as the Saturn has moved by Solar Arc to exactly conjunct the Proud Boys Mars – which is a classic collision-setback influence. That chart would certainly fit with the Sibly USA Sag rising chart.

  The Oath Keepers, 22 October 2009, is tied into the USA chart through its Capricorn North Node hooking into the USA Mercury opposition Pluto in Capricorn. Its under extreme pressure this year with undermining circumstances continuing into 2024 – with tr Pluto square the Sun for a wipe-out transformation and tr Neptune moving to oppose the Saturn also in 2024.

   The January 6^th attack happened when tr Pluto Mercury in Capricorn on the Midheaven were triggering the fanatical/rabble-rousing USA Mercury in Cancer opposition Pluto. Worse the transiting Pluto Mercury were square Mars which is ruthless and brutal – and also tied into Saturn in Aquarius conjunct Jupiter which squares Mars Uranus in Taurus. An incendiary moment which lit up the USA chart in quite the wrong way.

  The rhetoric is not quite as raucous as it was but Pluto won’t clear its transit to the USA Pluto (and Mercury) till the end of this October and being Pluto will take time to wind down. Once the Pluto Return is over and done with perhaps along with mopping up lose ends from January 6^th it may be time to wipe the slate clean and see where a rebuild for a new phase can begin.

Please add below. Older posts under News on the top bar – though may be an hour or two for the past month since a cyber goblin ate four weeks’ worth and they are having to be manually reinput.

Moira Woods was a campaigning firebrand who emerged from a troubled childhood to spearhead advances in women’s health and  oversaw Europe’s first sexual assault treatment clinic in Ireland. She led a hectic, varied and passionate life – all of which is perfectly portrayed in her chart.

 She was born 26 September 1934 in London with a colonial civil servant father and a difficult mother, moving constantly abroad with his postings, eventually ending up in various boarding schools from which she was expelled. She was sent to live with her father in Kenya aged 15 and went on to study medicine at Trinity College Dublin, at 16, winning awards for work in psychiatry and surgery while studying.

  She ended up in a 20-year relationship with Cathal Goulding, the former chief of staff for the IRA; protested the Vietnam War, posed as a judge while conducting a mock trial of Richard Nixon; during the Troubles she sat in a church pew and set her coat alight in defiance of Catholic violence. And she co-founded the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement. By this time she had six children whom she regularly took on marches.

 She opened the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre in 1979, Ireland’s first menopause clinic in 1980 and became director of Europe’s first dedicated sexual assault treatment unit for both women and children in Dublin in 1985. She was found guilty in 2002 of misdiagnosing the sexual abuse of children in three families though many colleagues thought the conviction unfounded. After the hearing she moved to Tuscany and for 26 years lived with an Italian-American partner, who shared her love of cooking, before returning to Ireland in 2021.

  An obituary said: “Woods was outspoken, irreverent and dismissive of societal norms — though she still enjoyed the finer things in life, such as haute cuisine and designer clothes.”

 She had a Libra Sun inconjunct wayward Uranus. But there were two configurations in her chart that really define her. One was an adventurous, risk-taking and enthusiastic Jupiter Mercury in Libra opposition Uranus in a rebellious/revolutionary square to a controlling Pluto. Such a Pluto would make her run into resistance and she’d be ahead of her time with some of her thinking which would arouse resistance. But she was influential and Jupiter Pluto would give her the self-assurance to push ahead.

  The other is a Mars in Leo opposition Saturn possibly square a Taurus Moon. It would certainly indicate experience of an unkind and unfair mother, breeding a simmering anger in her about injustice. She turned her ‘victimised’ child into a helper of those blighted by life with the aid of her pushily confident Jupiter Pluto. Her North Node in Aquarius would seek a cause to focus her energy on.

  Intriguing woman – and in Ireland of all places.

  Astrologically she is interesting since she turned round what could have been a problematic chart and made best use of the difficult aspects.

 Her leaving-a-legacy 17^th harmonic was strong linking together Mars Pluto (= rape) plus Venus plus Saturn.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and richer than Midas, has become engaged to his girlfriend of several years Lauren Sanchez, a US media personality, entertainment reporter and news anchor. They got together while both were still married elsewhere and divorces in each case followed.

  Bezos, 12 January 1964, no birth time, has a stellium in Capricorn with Sun, Mars, Mercury and maybe Moon there with his Sun square a lucky and pro-active Jupiter in Aries and trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo. He also has a cool, scientific Venus Saturn in Aquarius square Neptune. Mainly Earth Air which is an unemotional combination.

  Lauren Sanchez, 19 December 1969, is a Sun and Venus in Sagittarius, with her Sun probably conjunct his Moon. She has an enthusiastic Mars in Pisces trine Jupiter in Scorpio; with her Jupiter in an up and down opposition to Saturn in Taurus. She also has a Taurus Moon which fits with his Capricorn planets. Her Venus in Sagittarius is also OK with his Venus in Aquarius.

  Their relationship chart has a frivolous, enjoy-the-high-life composite Venus Jupiter conjunction trine Pluto Uranus and on the midpoint of a mini-Grand Trine of Neptune trine Saturn – so a mix of light and shade, and a relationship that will go through distinct phases. There will be an emphasis on conspicuous wealth and glittery trimmings with such an emphasized Venus Jupiter.

  It is not such a together relationship as he had with his wife of 26 years  MacKenzie, 7 April 1970, who helped him with Amazon in the early years. She has an Aries Sun conjunct his Jupiter and a stellium of five planets including Moon, Venus, Saturn and Mars in Taurus which fits his Capricorn bunch. Like Lauren her Saturn opposes Jupiter. That relationship chart may have a composite Sun Moon conjunction, making them feel more whole when together, plus an enthusiastic though workaholic  Mars Venus Saturn conjunction. With the composite Mars opposition Pluto, trine Neptune and sextile Jupiter. Not easy and one partner would be asked to sacrifice a fair amount but there’s more substance to this relationship.

  Bezos himself is not having an easy run ahead with a frustrating tr Pluto conjunct his Mars in 2023/24 and a run of hitches, glitches and some disasters from the middle of this year on into 2024. Plus tr Uranus square his Saturn and Venus in 2023/24. It may affect other areas of his life, professional and financial, but there will be a few tremors in their relationship. Tr Neptune will conjunct the composite Saturn into 2024 and oppose the Uranus; as well as tr Uranus opposition the composite Neptune from this August.  Nothing terminal in terms of a split but much worry. 

Medical astrology in ye olden days was one of the principal uses of the celestial art though it fell out of fashion with the advance of scientific medicine. Certain general attributes of parts of the body to particular signs and similarly houses to certain conditions appear to hold a grain of truth. But astrology is not a good diagnostic tool either for psychological or physical ailments.  Having said that, it is also not my speciality so feel free to pitch in.

  Parkinsons’ disease is a neurological disorder and should by rights be flagged up by Mercury, the ruler of the nervous system. Mars is also mentioned in relation to Parkinsons. But Michael J Fox, who was diagnosed with early onset P. aged 30, 9 June 1961 12.15 am Edmonton, Canada, has not much that is illuminating about his Mercury.  He does have a 2^nd house Taurus Moon Venus trine Pluto, North Node in Virgo and opposition an 8^th house Neptune square a 12^th house Jupiter – so a fairly loaded Moon. But his Mercury does not look overly stressed.  His Sun is sextile an excitable Mars Uranus in Leo.

  Bill Connolly, who contracted Parkinsons in his 70s, born 24 November 1942 4.30am Glasgow, has his Mercury in late Scorpio conjunct Sun, Venus in Sagittarius trine Jupiter and opposition an 8^th house Uranus square North Node in Leo. His Moon is inconjunct Mars and not otherwise well integrated into his chart.

  There’s nothing much that leaps out of either chart as similar or indicative of a chronic ailment.

 Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune disorder and associated by the Hamburg School with Sun/Mars; and by researchers with suppressed anger.

Actress Selma Blair, 23 June 1972 8.30 am Southfield, Michigan, was diagnosed with MS in 2018. She is a Sun Cancer, with a 12^th house Mars conjunct South Node trine a 4^th house Scorpio Moon and sextile Pluto.

 Jaqueline du Pre, the cellist, 26 January 1945 11.30am Oxford, England, also had MS and died aged 42. She had an 11^th house Aquarius Sun opposition Pluto, trine Uranus and trine Neptune – with a 10^th house Mars in Capricorn conjunct South Node opposition a Cancer Moon. So a driving Pluto and a stressed Mars tied into the South Node.

  Nadia Carmichael, 14 August 1976 3.36 am Dunedin, NZ, who had MS and died aged 29.  She had a 3^rd house Sun; with an Aries Moon on the Midheaven opposition Pluto, trine Saturn and trine Neptune as well as inconjunct Uranus North Node. Like Jaqueline du Pre her Pluto is the driving planet from a Kite, formed by the opposition to one leg of a Grand Trine.

  With the exception of Jaqueline du Pre none of these examples have anything in the 6^th house. Some 12^th house activity but nothing out of the ordinary.

  My recollection from the time that Jaqueline du Pre died was that her powerful though over controlled Pluto might be an indicator.  But many people have that without contracting MS.

  I’m none the wiser so any suggestions welcome.

The one and only Tina Turner has died, a powerball of dynamic and frantic energy on stage and unforgettable musicality, she channeled her anger about a neglected childhood and abusive marriage into a stunning stage and recording career.

She was born 26 November 1939 at 10.10.pm, Nutbush TN, with parents she said did not care for her since they were always fighting. She worked in the cotton fields with them, her mother leaving when she was 10, her father three years later. Her much publicized first marriage to Ike Turner was violent and controlling, and when she left she was broke and homeless. With amazing resilience she relaunched her career and hit the heights. Her second long partnership with German EMI executive Erwin Bach she met when she was 47 was a revelation. He stayed with her as she latterly suffered multiple life-threatening illnesses of cancer, strokes, and gave her a kidney when hers failed.

Despite her success and ultimate emotional stability she was under no illusions about her experiences. “It wasnʼt a good life,” she said in documentary. “The good did not balance the bad. I had an abusive life, thereʼs no other way to tell the story. Itʼs a reality.

Itʼs a truth. Thatʼs what youʼve got, so you have to accept it.”

In recent years she lost one son to suicide and another to cancer.

She had a 4th house Sagittarius Sun Mercury opposition a Gemini Moon square Mars in Pisces in her 7th. Mars in Pisces is often seen with dancers who combine energy with grace. On the focal point of a Mutable T Square it is highly strung, a whirlwind, impulsive, scattered and frenetic. In the 7th it would attract her to Martian partners, hence Ike. It also fits with two warring parents with the Sun and Moon both tied in. She also had a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries.

Her Venus in adventurous Sagittarius in her performing 5th house squared onto Jupiter in her financial 8th opposition Neptune which would to some extent soften down the rougher edges of her Mars.

Her 10th house Moon designed her for a public career. Her Uranus in the 10th for an unconventional path in life.

Erwin Bach, 16 years her junior, 24 January 1956, was a love-at- first-sight-meeting for her when she was 47 and although not always easy it worked. He had a Gemini Moon like hers which would help with his Aquarius Sun in trine. His super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Leo fell in her 1st house boosting her confidence. His Venus fell in her 7th house which is ideal for a love match.

Though his Uranus was conjunct her 12th house Pluto so he would shake her up at an unconscious level and bring changes to her life. His Saturn Mars in Sagittarius fell in her 4th conjunct her Sun Mercury opposition her Moon and square her Mars – which does not look to be without its irritations, but he would be able to put aside his own needs at times to bring order to her life.

Their relationship chart had a helpful Grand Trine of Moon Jupiter trine Saturn trine Neptune which would bring shared interests with Jupiter smoothing round rough edges and bringing optimism.

Ike Turner, 5 November 1931, had his Jupiter on her Ascendant so he did boost her image. Like Erwin Bach he had his Mars in Sagittarius in her 4th hitting her T Square. But Ikeʼs Sun, Mercury, Venus in Scorpio in a controlling trine to Pluto would sit uneasily with her Sagittarius/Gemini Sun/Moon.

The Tina/Ike relationship chart had a dominating, cruel composite Mars opposition Pluto (Moon) so not good news.

Another musical icon gone.

Rolf Harris who joined the unholy ranks of fallen national treasure when he was defrocked as a sexual predator of children, has died. He scaled the dizzy heights of BBC stardom, was beloved by animal lovers, children and the Queen whose portrait he painted and produced chart-topping chuckles in Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport, Sun Arise, and Jake the Peg – and was what one commentator described as “a paragon of spotless family fare.” In the wake of Jimmy Savileʼs exposure as a serial paedophile, the police Operation Yewtree, eventually charged Harris with 12 counts of indecent assaults on adolescent girls and he was sentenced to nearly six years in jail. Like the outing of Bill Cosby in the US, the sleazy Harris behind the affable exterior shook the nation to the core.

Harris, born 30 March 1930 3.15 am Perth, Australia, was a New Moon in Aries conjunct Mercury and Uranus in his financial 2nd house – giving him a flare of making money in unconventional

ways. His Sun Uranus were on the point of a Cardinal T Square to Pluto in Cancer in the 5th house of opposition Saturn – not short on ego and self-confidence, defiant with a tendency to lawlessness which is a negative trait of Uranus. His Saturn opposition Pluto would give him a tough, hard streak and Saturn square Uranus can be dictatorial, autocratic, and does not practice what it preaches.

His Aries Moon is tied into his Sun Uranus and widely square Saturn and widely sextile Jupiter as well as inconjunct Neptune but does not seem to be a driver in his chart.

His Pluto in the 5th can be creative, a good performer, but tends to be controlling where children are concerned and it was in a seductive square to Venus and to wayward Uranus as well as in a ruthless trine to Mars. Uranus square Pluto is alluded to by Sakoian & Acker as ‘having serious lessons to learn regarding the sexual function. The aspect coincides with a period of history in which there is much sexual abuse.ʼ [I must confess to being puzzled by that since it isnʼt an attribute I would intuitively attach to Uranus Pluto.]

Bill Cosby, 12 July 1937 12.30am Philadelphia, PA, has Sun, Mercury, Pluto in Cancer opposition Jupiter trine, sextile an ultra- determined Mars in Scorpio which is turn opposes Uranus. He has an Earth Grand Trine of Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune (Moon) in Virgo. A marked 4th house Pluto will be controlling in emotional terms and he has a ruthless streak not obvious from his amiable persona on TV of old. His Venus in Gemini is square his Moon – what Richard Idemon described as the ‘poison appleʼ of sexualised mother love.

Jimmy Savile, 312 October 1926, no birth time, was a Sun Venus in Scorpio opposition a formidably determined Mars in Taurus and trine Pluto in Cancer. Like Harris he has a Jupiter square Mars which can be an opportunist. And like Cosby he has a Virgo Moon. In his case trine Mars and maybe sextile Venus.

Sexual predators come in all shapes and sizes with varying characteristics. Pluto in Cancer did have the affect of

damaging/destroying or irrevocably altering family relationships in the long years between 1914 and the late 1930s – and my own experience is that in certain individuals it warped their emotional responses.

On the harmonics of all three above – the 10th harmonic is not surprisingly strong – symbolised by the wheel of fortune, it indicates rise and fall from high position. The pleasure-seeking 9th is also heavily aspected with Harris and Savile and the 18H ( 9X 2) with Cosby.

One thought about sex offenders was a comment by a professional who worked with them who said they were all very different but if there was one characteristic that was usually evident it was a sugary sweetness, a false charm – helpful in a public performer whose popularity was bought by manipulating a gullible public.