Writer Photos Darrell J Banks

Bye James and Alex

by Darrell J. Banks
cr 2020

SIR SEAN/ SCOTLAND

It’s been a over week since Sir Sean died in his sleep. Some sites said he had dementia. Unlike his counterpart James Bond, Sir Sean went out as most humans do, with a bit of applause, some claps and tears from his loved ones.

The same applied to Alex.

He said he would give a good fight when he acquired pancreatic cancer. He taped hundreds of shows that will run to Xmas and like Sir Sean left the planet with a whisp of air those in the know have experienced.

Having heard and seen relatives talk to the dead and the angels, before they left this blue rock left in the corner of a distant milky way galaxy. It is a terrifying and enlightening experience. As my late Aunt said I had to have the best and what did it amount to.

We are dust and air. If Covid 19, has not reminded us of that on a daily basis.

But are heroes like Sir Sean and of course the daily blast of Alex Trebek, reminded us that life is VERY REAL.

Sir Sean left a legacy of films and his love of Scotland. Alex left us the phrase “This is Jeopardy and please phrase your answer in the form of a question.
In a calm demeanor of a Canadian stuck in America, for decades.

NATIONALISM

You never ever think of Scotland as a nationalist state, maybe if you are watching Mel Gibson in Brave heart. But rarely does Scottish lore come up unless you are watching a film about Queen Elizabeth the First or Mary Queen of Scotland.

RICHARD BURTON/WALES

The only other time nationalism was alive and well, Richard Burton was alive and he reminded everyone he was from Wales, and that he was not English. Which is sort of bizarre, for neither of these deceased actors despite their titles declined an award from Queen Elizabeth the second and became Sir James and Sir Richard accordingly.

Now doing a google dig. I learned that Sir Sean had a son, who had a son, named Dashiell by his mom Mia Sara ( Farris Bueller fame). So I guess technically our loss of Sir Sean will be forever etched in our minds, especially if Dashiell ( of Hammet) fame ever plays his late grandfather’s role or as a MI6 agent. Think about that, in fact reread the above lines to understand my point.

Can Dahiell utilize a Scottish accent? Umh?

Sir Richard produced Kate Burton who in accord with some Wiki digging played a great part on Scandal and Grays Anatomy.

Which takes us to.

ALEX TREBEK/CANADA

Who should really be Sir Alex, for the joy he bought the world through the Jeopardy show? But wait, since 1919, it’s been shunned upon to be knighted or receive titles from an English king or queen in Canada.

Bizarre, for as a teenager, I remember riding through the streets of Windsor ( like in house) on my bike and seeing a Lancaster bomber in a park. The Canadians always dressed and acted British, And then there is that nationalist thing. Red and Black, forever, Roots, eh, etc. ( he he) That English upper or middle class bearing. I mean, when a local radio host says yes, I have cousins in London ( UK not Ontario). Well you see the direct connection to England.

Which brings me back to Sir Sean’s stringent notion of Scottish nationalism.

Wikepedia, indicates that Scotland wants to be free. But how can that be, because James the I of Scotland. ( My English History course, taught by a Canadian Prof) emphasized that James, united England via Protestantism. When in fact according to http://www.gov.scot. 15 percent of the country remains as Catholic ( Mary Queen of Scotts, ala Saoirse Ronan)

NATIONALISM UKISH SAOIRSE AND THE LATE SIR SEAN

Nationalism, can you into a lot of trouble. On twitter I said Saoirse Ronan was UKISH, months later I still get tweets. She’s Irish they say, ( both parents Irish, who lived in the UK and their child was born in America. So when you say Sir James Bond played and English man, but maintained a strong Scottish identity well you might offend EVERYONE.

In the previous post you have Canada, some boats and well, a young man definitely from Ireland.

So what is UKISH, you may ask? Technically it includes Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, Thus, Saoirse is from IRELAND, Alex was from Canada, and the late great SIR SEAN WAS SCOTTISH BY BIRTH AND FOREVER emboldened with the Scottish phrase I will leave you with.

Yer bum’s oot the windae! If you say Ms. Ronan is UKISH again.

Eh!

Ciao