Happy families
Jamie Neale, the young British backpacker who was lost for 12 days in the Blue Mountains recently, and his father, Richard Cass, look to be developing very Corby-like publicity deficit disorder, characterised by the constant need to be in the public spotlight.
Cass, 54, said the relationship with his 19-year-old son had turned "murderously nasty" over the cash he received for recounting his story. Neale was reportedly paid $100,000 for his story by the Channel 9 program 60 Minutes. He said:
"I’m not sure if we’re going to be on speaking terms for a very long time,"
"I feel I have been robbed by my own son. I was so glad when he was found but it’s gone from being such a feelgood thing to being murderously nasty. The son I found isn’t the son I went out to look for,"
"He knows he’s got to give me some of the money and I will be happy. I want him to make that step that will enable us to reconcile. I feel terrible that this dark incident has now blighted Jamie’s return from the dead.
"I would back down in that I don’t want to lose contact with him but it would gnaw away at me. I feel betrayed."
Neale in response has said:
"I had an agreement with my father regarding his involvement in the 60 Minutes interview - he wanted his flights and the rescue party paid for.
"I agreed to that and I intend on honouring that commitment,"
He says he has not been paid yet by 60 Minutes.
Quite wisely, and showing much more maturity and sense than his father, he also said:
"I do not plan to get into a public slanging match with my father and will deal with any issues in private."
Thank god for that! My advice to his father, pull your head in, shut your mouth and return to obscurity. Or to be blunt about it, fuck off, shut up,no-one outside your immediate family and friends actually gives a shit.
See what happens when you give some bogans (whats the English equivalent of a bogan? chav?) money – can’t help but try to get their snouts in the trough, and fight it out in public.
