Frank Skinner recently at Osho Leela in Gillingham, Dorset
Frank Skinner's departure speech (video link)
Tough Gig – Frank Skinner at Osho Leela
ITV recently had a, to me, rather bizarre notion to present a series of programs featuring well-known comedians doing a gig based on their experiences of living in a commune for a week. Frank Skinner was one of the comedians chosen and he in turn elected to go to Osho Leela in Dorset because he had co-incidentally just heard from a friend who had been in Poona and had had a great experience there.
Many of us saw the program which in my long experience of rotten programs about us was relatively non-negative which is saying a lot for our media ‘friends’! Frank himself appeared to be very open and accepting and interested in the community’s way of living. I talked to Tarisha who had co-ordinated the visit and she said that the community had felt it was a good chance to open themselves up to exposure to the outside world and they very happy with the whole experience. They felt Frank had joined in and really connected and it felt like his responses were genuine and not just an act for the camera. His natural sense of humour was a big plus!
Possibly the best experience for everybody was the ‘sharing’ they had on Frank’s third day there. He asked why the community was so mistrustful of him and mentioned that actually he was putting his career on the line by doing this program. The community responded that they felt the producers had not been entirely honest with them. The outcome was a very deep communication which Frank said blew his mind as he hadn’t before experienced such a depth of honesty and openness between people.
As the week progressed the community felt that not only Frank but also the producer and camera crew melted into things. The producer said that they had all had an authentically happy time and a real experience and he hoped that that would come across in the show.
Frank left with some beautiful parting words. He said he felt that Osho Leela was full of people who really don’t care about what doesn’t matter and who really care about what does matter.
A very beautiful tribute to the Osho Leela community!
More links:
VIDEO ON VideoGoogle (wait through the black advert gap)
www.itv.com
short video clip when Frank arrives at Osho Leela
concluding speech before leaving Osho Leela
www.osholeela.co.uk
Frank Skinner - myspace
text by Veena – June 2007
