Last Podcast On The Left
Episode 658: Jimmy Savile Part I – Clowns Get Away with Murder
Release Date: April 3, 2026
Host(s): Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, Ed Larson
Podcast Network: The Last Podcast Network
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode marks the beginning of an extensive, multi-part deep dive into the life and crimes of Jimmy Savile, the notorious British broadcaster and one of the most prolific and protected sexual predators in UK history. The hosts grapple with the challenge of exploring Savile’s evil while keeping their trademark dark humor, focusing on how Savile weaponized celebrity, philanthropy, and cultural eccentricity to evade scrutiny, and the systemic complicity that enabled him for decades.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Why Jimmy Savile is the “British Head” on Their "Mount Rushmore of Evil"
- The hosts introduce the “Mount Rushmore of Evil,” revealing Savile as the second head, representing uniquely British systemic evil and deception.
- Savile’s crimes were both wide-ranging in scope (hundreds, perhaps thousands of victims) and enabled by his manipulation of public trust, charity, and institutional protections.
- Comparison with Jeffrey Epstein: Savile “beats out” Epstein for the list because Epstein’s story “is nowhere near over,” and Savile’s manipulation of good—using charity as cover—adds a particular psychic harm.
Quote
“Savile perverted good for the sake of committing pure evil. This is the type of evil that makes people less trusting of each other. This is the type of evil that destroys people's faith in humanity and therefore makes the world a far worse place.” – Ed Larson (29:00)
Savile’s Career, Persona, and Cultural Context
Eccentricity and the Art of Camouflage
- Savile cultivated a “clown” persona—eccentric, flamboyant, almost cartoonish—to distract and disarm, referencing the “clowns get away with murder” principle (18:05).
- His oddball celebrity made him an institution in England but virtually unknown in the US; his approach exploited uniquely British attitudes toward class, media, and deference to celebrity.
- The hosts repeatedly stress the dark power of “being odd,” noting how Savile leaned into being “weird” to both stand out and hide in plain sight.
Trust Erosion
- By using charity as a smokescreen for his crimes, Savile was granted “unlimited access” to vulnerable people in hospitals and institutions (06:17), enabled by powerful elites in politics and media.
- His deliberate, transaction-based view of morality framed his philanthropic acts as ‘balancing’ his evil; he believed if his good outweighed his bad, he could do anything.
- The hosts highlight the dangers of unchecked celebrity and institutional cowardice, noting the decades-long coverup by the BBC and even police protection.
Early Life & Psychological Roots
Family Dynamics & Childhood Trauma
- Born in 1926 Leeds, “the not again child” (36:09)—youngest of seven, unwanted and unexpected.
- Minimal emotional connection to his father; extremely close (possibly disturbingly so) to his mother (“the Duchess”) who, the hosts speculate, deeply warped his relationship with women.
- Suffered a childhood accident (possibly a contributing factor to later psychopathy) and grew up helping nuns at a home for the aged, where his obsessions with death and detachment surfaced.
- The hosts raise the possibility of early sexual abuse or at least severe emotional neglect helping shape his pathology.
Sociopathy from the Start
- Savile is quoted as saying, “I have no feelings,” openly identifying as essentially a sociopath decades before his crimes became public.
- The “power of oddness” and being emotionally hollow allowed Savile to manipulate people more effectively (16:19).
Quote
“He was wildly smart and has no emotional base. He keeps saying stuff like, 'I have no feelings.' …with psychopathy…you can actually gain access to how other people feel a little bit easier when your own feelings are not in play.” – Henry Zebrowski (16:19)
Early Career: From Dance Halls to National Icon
Ascending the Entertainment Ladder
- Savile started in the black market (scrap metal, gambling), then became a DJ and assistant manager at dance halls, inventing dance floor DJing (77:42), always attracted to situations of power and potential access to young (often underage) girls.
- He becomes a foundational broadcaster, hosting “Top of the Pops” (a UK “Dick Clark”) and “Jim’ll Fix It”—both giving him more access to minors.
The “Clown Armour” & Manipulation Tactics
- Savile’s public persona as an eccentric and “refreshingly” detached man (“no emotions for others”—19:54) was both alarming and, bizarrely, applauded in Thatcherite Britain for its self-reliance.
- The hosts draw parallels to other notorious abusers who used talent, philanthropy, and media presence as camouflage (e.g., Bill Cosby).
Quote
"…he leaned into being odd... it had enough of an effect where Jimmy Savile started leaning in to being weird and somewhat clownish." – Ed Larson (65:48)
Systemic Complicity: Enabling and Protecting Savile
Media, Police, and the Powerful
- BBC executives and rank-and-file covered up or dismissed Savile’s predation for decades (“It is so obvious that it is insane that no one said anything publicly at the time.” – Ed, 23:51).
- British libel laws, institutional reputation management, organizational cowardice, and an “everyone knew, but no one did anything” culture fed Savile’s impunity.
- Savile’s close relationships with top politicians (e.g., Margaret Thatcher), royals (he licked Princess Diana), and the police bolstered his untouchability (21:11).
Open Secrets
- Rumors, allegations, and even court dates for acts like “interfering with young girls” were routinely suppressed—sometimes by Savile bribing the police.
- The approach: admit to “old temptations” or hint at “past bad acts,” always implying redemption and contrition, thus deflecting further questions (87:05).
- The hosts emphasize time and again that these were never “hidden” crimes; rather, British society simply did not respond.
Quote
“Even after the police had to question him…he always had a way to deflect. His go-to was to ask the cops if they had daughters who came to the Plaza, which is a big move.” – Ed Larson (95:10)
The Scope of Savile’s Crimes
Early Reports and Patterns
- Savile’s sexual predation extended to prepubescent children, teens, adults, the disabled, the elderly, and even included necrophilia rumors—his victim pool was “everybody” (15:01, 15:22).
- In the early 1960s there were already allegations of Savile abusing girls as young as 13, court appearances, and settlements/bribery.
- Savile’s “black pad” apartment in Manchester: a den painted entirely black with one red bulb for abusing teenagers (14:14, 121:14).
- Savile’s pattern included using institutional access (charities, hospitals, studios) and private “caravans” (RVs), always in pursuit of more victims.
Notable Examples
- Anecdote: Savile’s calculated rape of the 16-year-old Elvis Presley fan club president, getting her pregnant and then denying it (127:12).
- At least 13 separate allegations in three months of 1963 alone were made; none were investigated (122:15).
- Victims included not just girls, but boys, vulnerable adults, and those in his “care.” Even reports made to the police were ignored or the accuser was threatened with arrest.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)
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“This might be the most angry I’ve been... I think that I like Heinrich Himmler more… than today’s subject.”
– Henry Zebrowski (02:37)
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“If Jimmy Savile thought that he could get away with abusing someone sexually, he did it… his most dangerous supervillain power was an innate understanding of where the line was, what he could get away with.”
– Ed Larson (15:42)
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“He is talking about the very core of Carney, like, personal enchantment… I create an unbelievable silhouette, an iconic version of myself. You’ll never believe I have a real life.”
– Henry Zebrowski (18:05)
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“Jimmy Savile never formed a meaningful bond with any woman throughout his life. Aside, of course, from the unhealthy bond he had with… the Duchess.”
– Ed Larson (41:08)
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“He’s scary. He’s legitimately. Of all of the characters we’ve covered… he frightens me.”
– Henry Zebrowski (67:18)
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“People always knew about Jimmy Savile, but nobody did anything… It was more about maintaining the institution.”
– Ed Larson (23:52; paraphrased throughout episode)
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“There’s footage of Jimmy Savile goosing a teenage girl… and he’s just fucking staring at the camera, delivering his lines. It is so obvious that it is insane that no one said anything publicly at the time.”
– Ed Larson (23:51)
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“He [Savile] said he was in a business ‘fraught with temptations. He said he was an abuser of things, bodies and people, but maintained that those days were behind him.’”
– Ed Larson quoting Savile (87:03)
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“He did not sell people, but he shared people.”
– Henry Zebrowski, distinguishing Savile’s crimes from Epstein’s (30:46)
Important Segments & Timings
- [03:36] – Mount Rushmore of Evil: revealing Savile as the British head
- [04:01]–[06:50] – Overview of Savile’s crimes, charity cover, public persona
- [13:16] – “Jim’ll Fix It” and Savile’s creepy relationship with children’s wishes
- [17:17]–[18:51] – Savile’s “clown” identity and power of eccentricity
- [23:51] – Describes blatant abuse on BBC sets and institutional coverup
- [29:00] – Why Savile “beats out” Epstein and the unique damage he caused
- [35:36] – Main source: In Plain Sight by Dan Davies and other research texts
- [36:09]–[53:40] – Savile’s childhood, family, formative traumas and obsessions
- [65:47] – On the “power of oddness” and why he leaned into being clownish
- [77:42] – Beginning of his broadcasting/DJ innovation
- [86:10] – First known sexual abuse allegations in his 30s
- [121:14] – The "black pad" in Manchester and the wide scale of his abuses
- [127:12] – Story of raping the 16-year-old girl, resulting in pregnancy and forced abortion
Tone, Humor, and Style
- The hosts toggle between rage, disgust, and black humor—especially as a way to cope with the horrifying details.
- They repeatedly call out the absurdity and horror of Savile’s open admissions, the indifference of institutions, and the impossibility of separating “talent” from evil in popular history—comparing Savile to figures like Bill Cosby and even infamous novelty songwriters.
- British culture’s role—deferential, eccentric, and systemically repressive—receives consistent, often biting commentary.
Conclusion & Lead-in for Next Episode
- The episode ends with Savile cementing his status as a major broadcaster and social fixture, and the escalation of his crimes both in scope and institutional protection.
- The hosts stress that, as bad as these stories are, “it only gets worse from here,” promising that Part II will delve even deeper into Savile’s predation, the BBC, and the abuse of power.
For Further Exploration
- Main Source: In Plain Sight by Dan Davies
- Other Sources: The Beast by John McShane; Untouchable Jimmy Savile by Shaun Attwood
Recommended Viewing:
- When Louis Met... Jimmy (BBC, Louis Theroux) – referenced as providing the clearest view of Savile’s psychology (“one of the most interesting, incredible fucking… just talking to a legendary monster”; 55:11)
Final Note
This episode serves as a forensic, sometimes chilling, examination of how a singular predator exploited—and was protected by—twentieth-century British institutions. The hosts walk listeners through both historical fact and cultural critique, promising more revelations and analysis in the episodes that follow.
“If every single person is your friend, then nobody’s your friend… Everything’s shallow. There’s nobody in there except for old Jim the pillow.”
— Marcus Parks (17:01)
End of Summary – Part I
