About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2018)
Nick Bowman Features Editor | 770-718-3426 | life@gainesvilletimes.com W&t Sttncs gainesvilletimes.com Sunday, December 9, 2018 Rami Malek plays Freddie Mercury in a scene from “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Photo courtesy TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX I For Associated Press Freddie Mercury’s relative in Gainesville reflects on her time with the shy’ superstar BY LAYNE SALIBA lsaliba@gainesvilletimes.com When Nairika Cornett thinks back on her child hood, she can’t help but drift to Freddie Mercury. Not because Cornett grew up with his music, or even because of the new movie about Queen now in the aters — it’s because they’re family. “We belong to a very tiny community, including Fred die,” said Cornett, who grew up in Bombay, India, which is now called Mumbai. Cor nett now lives in Gainesville. “The largest population of Zoroastrians today is in Bom bay, which is where Fred die’s original family came from. We all tend to be related because we are a tiny, tiny, tiny community. ” Cornett and Freddie Mer cury, whose real name was Farrokh Bulsara, are cous ins. She would visit him in London while traveling for ballet in the late 1980s. She said worldwide esti mates of Zoroastrians, one of the world’s oldest religions, are 350,000-strong. Cornett’s grandmother and Freddie’s mother are sisters, but most people in Mumbai call him “our Freddie,” now anyway. Growing up in India, Cor nett said she didn’t hear a lot about her famous sec ond cousin. His music didn’t make its way to India until after his death in 1991, and the Zoroastrian community didn’t accept him because the stories “that would trickle into the community were about him being flam boyant, him being gay.” But on a few different occasions, Cornett visited Freddie at his apartment, which she said was just as colorful as he was on stage as the lead singer of the famous British rock band. She said that’s what Zoro astrians do. If they’re going to a new town, they have to visit fellow Zoroastrians, especially if it’s family. “Because of our commu nity being so small, you’ll find his relatives abundant in that tiny community,” Cornett said. “He never grew up for any length of time in Bombay. He went to the same school as my father, but just for a year, and at that time being a child, he was not Fred die Mercury. He was Farrokh Bulsara that nobody knew.” But when Cornett was about 10 years old, she spent time with him on those trips to the Royal Ballet, still not understanding exactly who Freddie was. “I truly didn’t understand his fame,” Cornett said. She didn’t understand a lot about him. “I almost used to think he was extremely weird,” Cor nett said. “He was extremely aware of his teeth, and he would never smile without covering his mouth.” And when they went out into his Kensington, London, neighborhood, there was a lot of covering his mouth. Even though the neighbors that lived there didn’t make a big deal of it, the ones that didn’t know he lived in the area couldn’t help but stop to ask for an autograph. “I would just kind of want to step aside, but he wouldn’t let me,” Cornett said. “He would keep me close because I don’t think he knew if there would ever be a mob or something. ” Cornett said she always saw Freddie as shy. “He was very soft spoken, almost to the point where he would mumble almost,” Cor nett said. When out in public, he would walk with his head down. She’s not sure if it was because he didn’t want to be recog nized or didn’t like being rec ognized. But even with a shy demeanor, peo ple noticed him. Still, young Cornett didn’t understand. “I just thought he had like a tremen dous amount of friends in London that were just really happy to be around him,” Cornett said. To get away from that, Cornett said they spent time at his apartment. Although it was filled with large pieces of art, she said it “never had that museum feel. ” “It was large, but very cozy,” Cornett said. “The lighting wasn’t loud but there was a lot of color. It was a very warm house. The walls were filled with art, plush furnishings. He definitely enjoyed the good things in life. There’s no doubt about that.” ■ Please see MERCURY, 4E ‘Because of our community being so small, you’ll find his relatives abundant in that tiny community’ Nairika Cornett Freddie Mercury’s cousin MARLII* UV8I roofvfo BOHEMIAN rhapsody SCOn ROGERS I The Times Gainesville’s Nairika Cornett has many memories of her cousin, Freddie Mercury. Cornett, who works at the Arts Council, talked with The Times about her memories with her cousin — painting a picture of a painfully shy artist who found peace, and strength, on the stage. In the farewell for President Bush, a national lesson on manners We have reached a point of great informality in this country. I think it is healthy that we dust off our good manners and good things every now and then. I don’t know if it pushes the pendulum back toward a time of decorum, but it just seems like the right thing to do. My mother grew up on a share cropper farm. When she did acquire a nice set of china and a service of silverware, she used it. Her words are forever etched in my mind, “You can have a peanut butter sandwich on good china, if you want.” On the eve of Thanksgiving, I was polishing that silverware to a lustrous shine. It looked pretty on the table. Young brides today seldom select formal china and silverware. It goes back to that whole casual thing. There is nothing wrong with eating Thanksgiving dinner on paper plates with plastic forks, but I just know how much satisfac tion my mama got from setting a pretty table. I am pleased to report that her only granddaugh ter is just as enamored with hav ing a beautifully arranged table. We also dusted off the high stan dards of decorum last week as we said our national goodbye to for mer President George H.W. Bush. There have been 45 men who have served as president. It is an awesome responsibility. I think HARRIS BLACKWOOD hblackwood@gmail.com that a full measure of pomp and circumstance is appropriate. We showed it well last week. The Joint Task Force — National Capital Region had the responsibility for the military portion of the funeral. Most presi dents have detailed funeral plans on file and the plans are carried out according to military protocol and the wishes of the family. The uniformed personnel who represent the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard are no strangers to preci sion work. Among them are those who serve as body bearers for military funerals and guards of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The last time a president laid in state in the U.S. Capitol was former President Gerald Ford in 2006. Never knowing when they might be called to duty, they rehearse the precision moves that were on display last week. The task force also includes The Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” one of the finest musical units in the military. They play selected hymns, the national anthem, “Hail to the Chief” and also provide the “Ruffles and Flourishes” that honor the late leader. A president is the only person to have four “Ruffles and Flourishes” played. There are pages upon pages of details, as well as a complete manual of protocol. The late President Bush opted not to have a horse-drawn procession or the comparisoned horse, a saddled, but riderless horse with boots fac ing backwards in the stirrups. (By the way, there is a complete set of ■ Please see HARRIS, 4E
