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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Manning penned his own obituary | Manning penned his own obituary |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Controversial comic Bernard Manning wrote his own obituary four months before his death. | Controversial comic Bernard Manning wrote his own obituary four months before his death. |
| Manning, who died in hospital on Monday aged 76, defends himself against accusations of racism in the eulogy, published in the Daily Mail. | Manning, who died in hospital on Monday aged 76, defends himself against accusations of racism in the eulogy, published in the Daily Mail. |
| He said the term racist was "just an easy, catch-all term of abuse bandied around by the media elite" against those who did not follow its "agenda". | He said the term racist was "just an easy, catch-all term of abuse bandied around by the media elite" against those who did not follow its "agenda". |
| Manning added that he was a descendant of Jewish immigrants. | Manning added that he was a descendant of Jewish immigrants. |
| He railed against critics such as the Commission for Racial Equality, who "forgot that the only point of jokes is to make people laugh". | He railed against critics such as the Commission for Racial Equality, who "forgot that the only point of jokes is to make people laugh". |
| "Well, at least I won't be seeing any of the po-faced, politically-correct brigade where I'm going. I had quite enough of them in my lifetime," he wrote. | "Well, at least I won't be seeing any of the po-faced, politically-correct brigade where I'm going. I had quite enough of them in my lifetime," he wrote. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Like him or loathe him there was no way of ignoring him Slog Onwards, UK Send us your comments class="" href="/1/hi/entertainment/6767191.stm">'The most generous man' Tributes have continued to come from those who admired Manning's comedy and his charity work. | |
| 'Working-class hero' | 'Working-class hero' |
| And his son Bernard Junior, 46, said on Tuesday that his father was a "working-class hero" who went out of his way to help others. | And his son Bernard Junior, 46, said on Tuesday that his father was a "working-class hero" who went out of his way to help others. |
| "I'm incredibly proud to be his son," he added. | "I'm incredibly proud to be his son," he added. |
| "I won't have a bad word said against him - he was the best father a son could ever want." | "I won't have a bad word said against him - he was the best father a son could ever want." |
| "Whatever people said about him, he couldn't care less. He was just happy to be himself and spend his life helping people." | "Whatever people said about him, he couldn't care less. He was just happy to be himself and spend his life helping people." |
| Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said the comic's death was a "sad day" for the city. | Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said the comic's death was a "sad day" for the city. |
| "In my 20 years in Manchester, there have been fewer people who contributed as much to Manchester life as Bernard," he said. | "In my 20 years in Manchester, there have been fewer people who contributed as much to Manchester life as Bernard," he said. |
| 'Heavyweight' | 'Heavyweight' |
| "His generosity, time and personality touched everyone. I can say no more than he was a good friend to me and many, many more," he added. | "His generosity, time and personality touched everyone. I can say no more than he was a good friend to me and many, many more," he added. |
| Manning said he would have "the last laugh" | Manning said he would have "the last laugh" |
| Sir Cyril Smith, former Rochdale MP and friend of Manning, said: "Bernard was a heavyweight in more ways than one. A heavyweight to the literally hundreds of charitable causes that he supported all his life and raised thousands of pounds for. | Sir Cyril Smith, former Rochdale MP and friend of Manning, said: "Bernard was a heavyweight in more ways than one. A heavyweight to the literally hundreds of charitable causes that he supported all his life and raised thousands of pounds for. |
| "Bernard was kind, generous, honest and straight and will be missed. He was often maligned and wrongly so." | "Bernard was kind, generous, honest and straight and will be missed. He was often maligned and wrongly so." |
| Manning wrote in the obituary that he had decided what he would like written on his gravestone - engraved in very small letters so visitors would have to look closely to read it - "Get off! You're standing on my privates." | Manning wrote in the obituary that he had decided what he would like written on his gravestone - engraved in very small letters so visitors would have to look closely to read it - "Get off! You're standing on my privates." |
| He spoke of his tough upbringing in Manchester - sharing a bed with his five siblings - and of his call-up to the army just as World War II ended. | He spoke of his tough upbringing in Manchester - sharing a bed with his five siblings - and of his call-up to the army just as World War II ended. |
| 'Undermined true comedy' | 'Undermined true comedy' |
| "I was one of the armed guards watching over the Nazi hierarchy locked up in Spandau prison. For a 16-year-old, it was a bizarre experience, standing over the likes of Rudolf Hess and Albert Speer with a Bren gun," he wrote. | "I was one of the armed guards watching over the Nazi hierarchy locked up in Spandau prison. For a 16-year-old, it was a bizarre experience, standing over the likes of Rudolf Hess and Albert Speer with a Bren gun," he wrote. |
| Although evidently frustrated by being "barred from the airwaves" and his TV appearances being reduced in the 1980s, Manning said: "I wouldn't have changed any of it for a moment." | Although evidently frustrated by being "barred from the airwaves" and his TV appearances being reduced in the 1980s, Manning said: "I wouldn't have changed any of it for a moment." |
| "And as I look down now on all the over-paid executives who have made such a mess of television and undermined true comedy, and as I sense the affection from the mass of the British public, I know that I am the one having the last laugh." | "And as I look down now on all the over-paid executives who have made such a mess of television and undermined true comedy, and as I sense the affection from the mass of the British public, I know that I am the one having the last laugh." |
| His funeral is expected to take place on 26 June. | His funeral is expected to take place on 26 June. |