Death & Funeral of Ari Behn: December 25, 2019/January 3, 2020

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by norwegianne

NRK’s news channel is in talks with the family about having the funeral transmitted on television.

I think the funeral shouldn’t be transmitted. That the girls should be able to have some privacy in the church. When Princess Astrid’s husband died - the media was not allowed in the church from the wishes of the family, but they covered the outside.

Oh no...!! I do hope the Behn family will veto this. There is no reason to broadcast what is really a personal family tragedy.

Why??!!

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you to everyone's kind words in reaction to my post and I'm so sorry to anyone else who has experienced this - especially C4A and Sister Morphine. My condolences to you both.

In regards to television; I hope the funeral is kept private or at least done in a way that's not too intrusive if it has to be publicised.

Originally Posted by Archduchess Zelia

That's not only incorrect, it's very also a very harmful stereotype to perpetuate. The majority of all suicides are rooted in mental illnesses such as depression. You don't become depressed of your own volition, it's not a choice you make. It's an illness that so happens to majorly affect the risk of suicide.

While it makes me happy that a handful of people on here seemingly have had the fortune not to be directly affected by depression, I really would also wish that the same people would then have the decency to refrain from talking out of their asses about a subject they clearly have neither professional nor firsthand knowledge of.

Thank you. I was disappointed but not surprised this is the discussion we are having so soon after Ari's suicide. It shouldn't be a discussion we'd have to have at all but it's particularly tasteless to do so when the tragic event only occurred less than a week ago. The sheer ignorance and refusal of sympathy of some of the posts in this thread doesn't give me hope that mental health will lose the stigma attached to it by those who haven't suffered. And if someone has had experiences with mental health and suicide but still feel that it's selfish and cowardly, I'm even more disappointed - this should be all the more reason to be sympathetic and understanding.

[Muhler]

I believe it is inevitable that the funeral will be covered live on TV.

It is after all such a big story in Norway that it must be considered of public interest.
And however strenuous it will be for the family, I'm sure the NRK, a public network, will cover the event with as much respect for the bereaved as possible, especially the children. - Otherwise the public will crucify them.
I also doubt the Norwegian press will show close-ups of grieving children - unless of course they perform some act where they are in focus - for the same reason. They will not be rewarded by the public for being too intrusive.

Someone asked why people would want to watch this funeral on TV. Well, IMO for the exact same reasons as why we are discussing Ari Behn's suicide and the reactions to it here: General interest.

I happen to be at work, when the funeral takes place but I don't intend to watch it anyway. Ari Behn is after all not that important to me. Had it been say Countess Alexandra in DK who had died under similar circumstances I would have watched at least a summary, because that is closer and involving the DRF.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Oh no...!! I do hope the Behn family will veto this. There is no reason to broadcast what is really a personal family tragedy.

Why??!!

I completely agree and why put the extra strain on his 3 daughters after the horrible Christmas they've had.

I wonder who's idea it was?

[Zaira]

Oh dear...I truly see no reason to have this funeral televised. I understand that Ari had a public profile separate from his role as a member of the NRF (or former) but I still do not think that makes a super public funeral the way to go.

[tommy100]

I'd love to know if, hand on heart, the networks would be interested in broadcasting this if they didn't think possibly the King & Queen, certainly Haakon & MM, ML and possibly some Swedish and Danish royals would be turning up.

They are doing him & his family a disservice IMO by pretending otherwise. Better he has the funeral he would have had if royals were not turning up and let his work and his friendships make their merit.

[Hans-Rickard]

Originally Posted by tommy100

I'd love to know if, hand on heart, the networks would be interested in broadcasting this if they didn't think possibly the King & Queen, certainly Haakon & MM, ML and possibly some Swedish and Danish royals would be turning up.

They are doing him & his family a disservice IMO by pretending otherwise. Better he has the funeral he would have had if royals were not turning up and let his work and his friendships make their merit.

That’s my opinion too. I simply cannot imagine that many norwegians think it would be right to have this funeral on live television ! The journalists are only interested in covering the attending royals and to see if M L’s boyfriend is there...
Let’s be honest, It wouldn’t be much about Ari. It would be about the spectacle that comes with a live broadcast ! Maybe i am wrong but i cannot imagine that there is much public demand to see this. Rather the opposite to protect the children...

NRK should not go inside here and allow this funeral to be about remembering Ari and his rich life as an author, painter, family father and friend. Not just his life as a member of the royal family.

[kalnel]

Just curious: Has the Scandinavian and European press been playing up the connection between Ari's death and Kevin Spacey's weird video about "killing with kindness." I've seen several U.S.-based stories about it. Some seem to be looking for a conspiracy (or at least a conspiracy theory).

[JR76]

Originally Posted by kalnel

Just curious: Has the Scandinavian and European press been playing up the connection between Ari's death and Kevin Spacey's weird video about "killing with kindness." I've seen several U.S.-based stories about it. Some seem to be looking for a conspiracy (or at least a conspiracy theory).

I haven't seen anyone trying to make a connection between Ari's suicide and Kevin Spacey. What's the reason for American media trying to make a connection between the two?

[rominet09]

Originally Posted by JR76

I haven't seen anyone trying to make a connection between Ari's suicide and Kevin Spacey. What's the reason for American media trying to make a connection between the two?

Ari had told previously that Kevin touched him inappropriately below the table (and below too !) when they met.

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by JR76

I haven't seen anyone trying to make a connection between Ari's suicide and Kevin Spacey. What's the reason for American media trying to make a connection between the two?

Because the tragic death of a former member of the Norwegian Royal Family is an international story, and there is a certain element in the American media eager to seize on a way to make the story sleazy enough to interest its audience.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by rominet09

Ari had told previously that Kevin touched him inappropriately below the table (and below too !) when they met.

That's surprising since from what I've heard through a few gay acquaintances in London, Ari was a bit older than the guys Kevin usually went for.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by JR76

That's surprising since from what I've heard through a few gay acquaintances in London, Ari was a bit older than the guys Kevin usually went for.

it was big news at the time:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...bel-party.html


Was Ari part of the celebrity community in Norway? Will there be lots of A/B/Z Listers at the funeral who want to be seen?

[King of the Jungle]

It will be a huge funeral, in support of his three young daughters.

I hope TV coverage is deemed inappropriate. All regard should be given to the wishes of his daughters so that they feel able to farewell their father in a meaningful way.

[Duc_et_Pair]

I hope it will be a covered like the funeral of Prince Friso (who died months after an avalanche) : just showing some arrivals and departures and a bird's view screenshot from inside the church. That was it. A few months ago the same with Princess Christina. Just a shots from some arrivals and departures and not one screenshot from inside. I have not heard ONE complaint about that, as the wishes of family are always leading. I fail to see why there should be a televised funeral. Are the Norwegians that hungry for sensation?

[eya]

"Swedish media reports that Crown Princess Victoria has canceled all her private plans.

She is said to have traveled directly to Oslo to support her good friend Princess Martha after Ari Behn took his own life.

She will also attend Behn's funeral on Friday January 3"

https://twitter.com/OAanmoen/status/...670400/photo/1

"Several hundred people showed up in a torchlight-parade in memory of Ari Behn in his hometown of Moss on Sunday."

https://twitter.com/OAanmoen/status/...349634/photo/1

[wartenberg7]

Originally Posted by King of the Jungle

It will be a huge funeral, in support of his three young daughters.

I hope TV coverage is deemed inappropriate. All regard should be given to the wishes of his daughters so that they feel able to farewell their father in a meaningful way.

I guess there will be a public funeral service, justified by the public and widely known persona Ari Behn has been in Norway, and a very private part on the church yard with only family and close friends allowed.

[Stefanie]

Has there been mentioned somewhere HOW he comitted the suicide?
(We were 4 siblings and my younger brother of all people who had an unknown depression kept my father' s pistol from II World War and killed himself with it last year)

[wartenberg7]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

I hope it will be a covered like the funeral of Prince Friso (who died months after an avalanche) : just showing some arrivals and departures and a bird's view screenshot from inside the church. That was it. A few months ago the same with Princess Christina. Just a shots from some arrivals and departures and not one screenshot from inside. I have not heard ONE complaint about that, as the wishes of family are always leading. I fail to see why there should be a televised funeral. Are the Norwegians that hungry for sensation?

I agree on a lot about your post, but I`m not sure if you can really compare the 3 persons you name. Friso and Christina have been very private people, reluctant about their roles they played they were born into (Pcss Christinas virtually blindness also might have played a role here), which Mr. Behn, despite his mental illness, never was. He was a public figure even before he married ML and remained so, made publications, giving interviews for newspapers and television, knew virtually everyone on the social and cultural scene in Norway.
I don´t think norwegians are "sensation hungry" at all - on the contrary. But Norway is a fundamentally democratic nation. And I guess they want to give everyone interested (obviously much more than what Oslo Cathedral would be able to contain) in this public, unfortunately now deceased person, the opportunity to take part in his farewell.

[Denville]

It seems he was a well liked person, and was famous for his writing etc.. so there are members fo the public who would like to see at least part of the funeral service out of respect and admiration for him....Provided there is no focus on the small kids, I cant see why it should not be broadcast...