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Re: The end of the binge

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pjfitchettMar 6, 2017
 

 
           

Some very interesting observations there Mark!

I must admit I tried a similar trawl through every episode around 8 or 9 years ago, though I began to flag around the 2003-2004 seasons, once the real core classic panellists were gone.

 

I’m not a Nick ‘admirer’ as such but I do admire his chairmanship at least. As a presenter he definitely has that knack of keeping things going, saying the right things in the right tone of voice etc. The shows where he vacated the chair were mostly an absolute shambles in my opinion. But this is the point really: Everyone should stick to their own role. Nick is not a funny man and can’t gauge humour very well, so it’s when he tries to muck in with the rest  where the problems occur. I realise that after all these years he does feel very protective over the show and of course by now he is basically the God of Jam, and he can do whatever he wants whilst he’s in that chair, but these really are the most cringeworthy parts of the show when he kicks off with any attempt at being funny. Don’t forget also nowadays, after those tumbleweed moments, his new tactic where he comes back with ‘didn’t get much of a laugh but anyway...’ or ‘which no one’s bothered about’. This is to wring out any kind of small laugh he can from the situation.

 

I’ve never been a big fan of Julian Clary, but that’s just probably personal taste. He might be a clever guy, but I don’t find his material reflects it. For me, some of it is not even innuendo, it’s just outright dirty. I’m not offended by this kind of thing, I just think if you’re going to go down that route, at least do it with clever wordplay. For me, Clue’s scripts are smart innuendo, Round The Horne was even smarter, but Clary’s material isn’t. But I know that’s a controversial view and he is very popular both here and with the listenership in general.

 

You are certainly right that both Kenneth and Paul can manhandle the show and direct it where they want, expertly driving it in the right direction. The point about backing off challenges, or carrying them on just for the sake of the show is an interesting one. For me, Kenneth’s best bits were when he wasn’t actually talking on the subject. Whereas I feel Paul can do both, his comedy when he’s left to run on the subject, but also his obstinacy and one liners in between.

 

I do find Gyles quite annoying, though is it just my imagination, or has he actually dropped a lot of his typical party pieces now?

 

I always enjoy Sheila Hancock’s contributions, though I did prefer her when she was teamed up with Kenneth. I really feel in those shows  that their obvious fondness for each other comes across, especially when he’s deliberately picking on her: ‘Now Sheila we CAN not have all these interruptions!’. She was always so good to stand her ground and give as good as she got of course until Kenneth’s cut glass accent broke and he just had to snap at her: ‘ you shut ya row!’ If there’s any awards for double acts on the show over the years I’d have to say these two appearing together were my favourite.

 

I know Peter Jones has been well discussed on this list over the years, but I really wanted to mention his general weariness and derision of the show and how important it is too. I remember one time when Steven Fry was talking and Peter actually just began chattering to him and offering ideas, actually during the minute! Or in a similar programme when Peter buzzed with the challenge of: ‘I didn’t hear the last bit’. Nicholas was right on this occasion with: ‘you play this game differently to everyone else Peter’.

 

I must agree with your opinions on Derek. When talking on the subject, he was hardly what I would call entertaining, and even in between times he was quite dull. Obviously a very well educated man, but considering he was on the show for 30 years plus, and I can’t remember one really funny moment of his, it’s a bit of a shame. The only thing I remember more about him was his harsh bating of Nick. This seemed sometimes to be a bit nastier than it should’ve been. It certainly prompted Nick to assert in his little commentary after Derek’s death, and countless times in his book that this teasing from Derek was ‘always in jest of course’. So many times in fact that I began to feel he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

 

You are probably right that Aimi Macdonald’s performances on jam, as they were on everything else, were playing to her strengths of being dizzy and dopey, but even if she was putting on a very clever act, she’s still extremely annoying with it.

 

Apart from these observations Mark, I wonder if you have a favourite show, or round from all of them? What about a favourite decade, or typical panel? I know these questions are probably already included in dean’s questionnaire he has up, but I was interested now you’re fresh from your long journey.

 

Cheers, Phil

 
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