MAN ABOUT TOWN

The blog of a 44 year-old gay man living in Melbourne, Australia: a writer, broadcaster, arts worker, arts lover, and Collingwood supporter. Should contain moments of angst about being single, reviews of various arts events, and sporadic humour.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Sad, angry and confused


I've just found out that an old friend and housemate of mine, Pip Starr, a talented and dedicated documentary maker who was passionately dedicated to social justice and setting the world to rights, took his own life yesterday.

I'm sad, and angry, and confused.

You silly bastard, Pip. What did you have to go and do that for?

7 Comments:

At 23/1/08 14:46, Blogger caoin said...

Sorry to hear it Richard.

Those emotions sound about right (& a bit too familiar). It’s a bitch that it’s so often the most interesting and unique people who get off the ride before the end.

I.O.U. a hug.

 
At 23/1/08 18:11, Blogger mskp said...

i'm very sorry to hear that too, dear. sad, angry and confused is the way of things in the wake of such a loss.

sending love...x

 
At 23/1/08 23:33, Blogger YarravillePaul said...

Sorry to hear of a tragedy so close to you Richard.
Hugs.

 
At 24/1/08 09:40, Blogger Bonnie Conquest said...

Hugs, hugs hugs and love. No sadder thing than suicide. Pip was a lovely warm and generous person and I know he'll be missed.

 
At 24/1/08 11:55, Blogger richardwatts said...

Thanks folks. Hugs right back at ya.

 
At 26/1/08 16:14, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is really sad for me too. I'm a climate scientist in Hobart. Pip interviewed me last year about sea-level rise in the Pacific. While in Hobart, he learned of some other work I had done looking at sea-level rise over the past 160 years at Port Arthur, Tasmania - he decide that, on another occasion, it would be good for him to visit Port Arthur with me to add a bit of further footage to his documentary. He contacted me a week or so ago and we agreed to go down to Port Arthur on Tuesday, 22 January. I and some colleagues were to meet him at Hobart Airport on Tuesday morning and drive him down to Port Arthur. We made the final arrangements late afternoon, Monday. He never turned up and I never heard from him again. I hardly knew him, but as well as being devastating for his friends, it is sad that his work of broadcasting the importance of climate change is now over.

John Hunter

 
At 27/1/08 13:44, Blogger Harriet said...

Hi Richard, I came across yr website by "pure chance" today - heartfelt feeling to all.x.

A celebration of Pip's life will be held on Tuesday 29th Jan 2pm at Footscray Park Melbourne

(melway ref. 42 D2)

Shine on...

H*rriet

 

Post a Comment

Links to this post:

Create a Link

<< Home