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<<<< 1552 >>>>

Topic: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 1 / 9
lapsedcatDec 3, 2007

Nicholas Parsons has come in for a lot of stick on JAM. Mostly it has
been pretty light-hearted mockery, but on occasions panellists (Derek
Nimmo in particular) could be quite bilious about him.

Parsons always held it up as a virtue that he could laugh it all off
and emerge unscathed by the criticism.

This is accepted as fact by most serious scholars of Messiter. The
fact that he went home after every recording, drank a pint of gin and
beat the kittens half to death to assuage his bitterness is a less
well-known fact but deserves a wider audience.

See this Saturday's Daily Express for an exclusive serialisation of
my forthcoming tell-all book, "Nicholas Parsons: Booze, Birds &
Blazers" (Harper Collins)

--- In just-a-minute@..., "jeremy_keens"
<jeremy.keens@...> wrote:

>
> This comment from Dean from the KW letters is a springboard for an
> opportunity to stick up for Nick as chairman. I would agree that he
> was a bad chairman from the episode I listened to (and also that

Nick

> was not a good panelist).
>
> KW did not seem to be listening - he basically agreed with a

challenge

> or asked the speaker whether they had repeated or not. Nick does
> seem(mostly)to listen and (whether or not he is being 'clever dick
> parsons' as noted by derek) often mentions repeats that panelists

had

> missed
>
> I would also agree that often his decisions are made with an

objective

> of keeping the flow going or leaning towards someone who seems to be
> doing a bit better
>
> plus his inconsistency is not surprising over so long with such fast
> decisions to make - I am still not sure about hyphenated words or
> homophones or whether you can use sub-sections of the topic [eg if

> was harmony could you use harm? to be extreme!]
>
> Jeremy
> who gets annoted by Nick but think he is great overall
>
>
> --- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@>

wrote:

> >
> > He also says in the letter that he was terrible as chairman....
> > I think he's being a bit hard on himself there.
> >
>

<<<< 1557 >>>>

Topic: Re: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 2 / 9
Robert TorresDec 6, 2007

The reason he seems to emerge unscathed by the insults is because he takes large doses of anti-depressants. Thus his inability to even understand certain moments when someone tries to come to his aid and defend him usually goes with the usual sort of inattentive ignorance Nicholas usually displays.

For example, there was an episode I think from the early 80's, I think the subject was 'Records I'd Most Like to Break', and Clement was talking about taking a record and breaking it over Nicholas Parsons' head, Derek buzzed in, trying (in vain) to pretty much say that what Clem was saying was going over the line, but Nicholas said that he was enjoying it, which prompted Derek to say 'It's the last time I'm ever nice to you, I can tell you. His brain's so thick, nothing can get through'.

lapsedcat <lapsedcat@...> wrote:

Nicholas Parsons has come in for a lot of stick on JAM. Mostly it has
been pretty light-hearted mockery, but on occasions panellists (Derek
Nimmo in particular) could be quite bilious about him.

Parsons always held it up as a virtue that he could laugh it all off
and emerge unscathed by the criticism.

This is accepted as fact by most serious scholars of Messiter. The
fact that he went home after every recording, drank a pint of gin and
beat the kittens half to death to assuage his bitterness is a less
well-known fact but deserves a wider audience.

See this Saturday's Daily Express for an exclusive serialisation of
my forthcoming tell-all book, "Nicholas Parsons: Booze, Birds &
Blazers" (Harper Collins)

--- In just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com, "jeremy_keens"
<jeremy.keens@ ...> wrote:
>
> This comment from Dean from the KW letters is a springboard for an
> opportunity to stick up for Nick as chairman. I would agree that he
> was a bad chairman from the episode I listened to (and also that
Nick
> was not a good panelist).
>
> KW did not seem to be listening - he basically agreed with a
challenge
> or asked the speaker whether they had repeated or not. Nick does
> seem(mostly) to listen and (whether or not he is being 'clever dick
> parsons' as noted by derek) often mentions repeats that panelists
had
> missed
>
> I would also agree that often his decisions are made with an
objective
> of keeping the flow going or leaning towards someone who seems to be
> doing a bit better
>
> plus his inconsistency is not surprising over so long with such fast
> decisions to make - I am still not sure about hyphenated words or
> homophones or whether you can use sub-sections of the topic [eg if
it
> was harmony could you use harm? to be extreme!]
>
> Jeremy
> who gets annoted by Nick but think he is great overall
>
>
> --- In just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com, Dean Bedford <dbedford@>
wrote:
> >
> > He also says in the letter that he was terrible as chairman....
> > I think he's being a bit hard on himself there.
> >
>

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

<<<< 1558 >>>>

Topic: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 3 / 9
lapsedcatDec 7, 2007

I listened to an episode from the early seventies last night (episode
101 or 102 I think) in which Parsons shamelessly favoured the Rather
Squeaky, Dim and Altogether Unlovely Aimi MacDonald by awarding her
points for downright ignorance and ineptness. I am surprised that the
other panellists (including KW) were so restrained and didn't really
challenge his blatantly partisan chairmanship.

The more MacDonald giggled the more NP aurally tumesced, to this
listener's ear at least.

I know it was over thirty-fives years ago, and it's a light-hearted
panel game, and that I probably do need to get a life, but I was
genuinely outraged. So, while my wife fretted over our mortgage
repayments and worried about how to clothe and feed our children, I
was getting irate over a scratchy 1971 recording of Just A Minute.

--- In just-a-minute@..., Robert Torres
<bobbyshaddoe3004@...> wrote:

>
> The reason he seems to emerge unscathed by the insults is because

he takes large doses of anti-depressants. Thus his inability to even
understand certain moments when someone tries to come to his aid and
defend him usually goes with the usual sort of inattentive ignorance
Nicholas usually displays.

>
> For example, there was an episode I think from the early 80's, I

think the subject was 'Records I'd Most Like to Break', and Clement
was talking about taking a record and breaking it over Nicholas
Parsons' head, Derek buzzed in, trying (in vain) to pretty much say
that what Clem was saying was going over the line, but Nicholas said
that he was enjoying it, which prompted Derek to say 'It's the last
time I'm ever nice to you, I can tell you. His brain's so thick,
nothing can get through'.

>
>
>
> lapsedcat <lapsedcat@...> wrote:
> Nicholas Parsons has come in for a lot of stick on JAM.

Mostly it has

> been pretty light-hearted mockery, but on occasions panellists

(Derek

> Nimmo in particular) could be quite bilious about him.
>
> Parsons always held it up as a virtue that he could laugh it all

off

> and emerge unscathed by the criticism.
>
> This is accepted as fact by most serious scholars of Messiter. The
> fact that he went home after every recording, drank a pint of gin

and

> beat the kittens half to death to assuage his bitterness is a less
> well-known fact but deserves a wider audience.
>
> See this Saturday's Daily Express for an exclusive serialisation of
> my forthcoming tell-all book, "Nicholas Parsons: Booze, Birds &
> Blazers" (Harper Collins)
>
> --- In just-a-minute@..., "jeremy_keens"
> <jeremy.keens@> wrote:
> >
> > This comment from Dean from the KW letters is a springboard for an
> > opportunity to stick up for Nick as chairman. I would agree that

> > was a bad chairman from the episode I listened to (and also that
> Nick
> > was not a good panelist).
> >
> > KW did not seem to be listening - he basically agreed with a
> challenge
> > or asked the speaker whether they had repeated or not. Nick does
> > seem(mostly)to listen and (whether or not he is being 'clever dick
> > parsons' as noted by derek) often mentions repeats that panelists
> had
> > missed
> >
> > I would also agree that often his decisions are made with an
> objective
> > of keeping the flow going or leaning towards someone who seems to

> > doing a bit better
> >
> > plus his inconsistency is not surprising over so long with such

fast

> > decisions to make - I am still not sure about hyphenated words or
> > homophones or whether you can use sub-sections of the topic [eg

> it
> > was harmony could you use harm? to be extreme!]
> >
> > Jeremy
> > who gets annoted by Nick but think he is great overall
> >
> >
> > --- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > He also says in the letter that he was terrible as chairman....
> > > I think he's being a bit hard on himself there.
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>

<<<< 1560 >>>>

Topic: Re: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 4 / 9
Dean BedfordDec 7, 2007

On Monday, December 3, 2007, at 09:48 PM, jeremy_keens wrote:

> Nick does
> seem(mostly)to listen and (whether or not he is being 'clever dick
> parsons' as noted by derek) often mentions repeats that panelists had
> missed
>
> I would also agree that often his decisions are made with an objective
> of keeping the flow going or leaning towards someone who seems to be
> doing a bit better
>
> plus his inconsistency is not surprising over so long with such fast
> decisions to make - I am still not sure about hyphenated words or
> homophones or whether you can use sub-sections of the topic [eg if it
> was harmony could you use harm? to be extreme!]

These are all good points Jeremy.

If you carefully read back the yo-yo excerpts I posted a week ago, you
notice that Maureen Lipman had been going a while and was really just
filling time, while Gyles had been going only a few seconds and was
already being witty and clever.

In terms of fairness to the audience Nicholas is usually pretty good...

<<<< 1561 >>>>

Topic: Re: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 5 / 9
Robert TorresDec 7, 2007

fairness to the audience? Oh right, telling them to shut up and chastizing them for being fickle and partisan, having to remind them time and time again when they disagree with a interruption that 'it is the game', yeah that's really being fair I must say.

Dean Bedford <dbedford@...> wrote:

On Monday, December 3, 2007, at 09:48 PM, jeremy_keens wrote:

> Nick does
> seem(mostly)to listen and (whether or not he is being 'clever dick
> parsons' as noted by derek) often mentions repeats that panelists had
> missed
>
> I would also agree that often his decisions are made with an objective
> of keeping the flow going or leaning towards someone who seems to be
> doing a bit better
>
> plus his inconsistency is not surprising over so long with such fast
> decisions to make - I am still not sure about hyphenated words or
> homophones or whether you can use sub-sections of the topic [eg if it
> was harmony could you use harm? to be extreme!]

These are all good points Jeremy.

If you carefully read back the yo-yo excerpts I posted a week ago, you
notice that Maureen Lipman had been going a while and was really just
filling time, while Gyles had been going only a few seconds and was
already being witty and clever.

In terms of fairness to the audience Nicholas is usually pretty good...

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

<<<< 1562 >>>>

Topic: Re: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 6 / 9
Dean BedfordDec 7, 2007

On Saturday, December 8, 2007, at 07:57 AM, Robert Torres wrote:

> fairness to the audience? Oh right, telling them to shut up and
> chastizing them for being fickle and partisan, having to remind them
> time and time again when they disagree with a interruption that 'it is
> the game', yeah that's really being fair I must say.

And the audience laughs when Nicholas says these things. They recognise
he doesn't mean it, just as we recognise you don't mean what you write
here.

Unless you have a fresh point to make on Nicholas, let's let someone
else enter the discussion, your viewpoint and mine are now clear.

<<<< 1563 >>>>

Topic: Re: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 7 / 9
Anthony HobsonDec 7, 2007

If I wanted uptight hoity-toity crap like what I’m reading, I’d listen to Quote, Unquote!

That’s my tuppence.

Ant

From: just-a-minute@... [mailto: just-a-minute@... ] On Behalf Of Dean Bedford
Sent: 07 December 2007 22:50
To: just-a-minute@...
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

On Saturday, December 8, 2007, at 07:57 AM, Robert Torres wrote:

And the audience laughs when Nicholas says these things. They recognise he doesn't mean it, just as we recognise you don't mean what you write here.

Unless you have a fresh point to make on Nicholas, let's let someone else enter the discussion, your viewpoint and mine are now clear.

<<<< 1567 >>>>

Topic: Re: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 8 / 9
Robert TorresDec 8, 2007

Well, the one thing that obviously does work in Nicholas' favor is the fact that whenever you listen to the program, you can tell that he's having just as much fun as the panelists and the audience. in fact, I think the moments that really make me smile have to be when after something extremely hilarious takes place, you can hear Nicholas trying to compose himself, and the fact that he is trying to talk through his laughter, really does showcase how much fun he is having.

Anthony Hobson <antster@...> wrote:

If I wanted uptight hoity-toity crap like what Im reading, Id listen to Quote, Unquote!
Thats my tuppence.
Ant

From: just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com [mailto: just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com ] On Behalf Of Dean Bedford
Sent: 07 December 2007 22:50
To: just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean
On Saturday, December 8, 2007, at 07:57 AM, Robert Torres wrote:
fairness to the audience? Oh right, telling them to shut up and chastizing them for being fickle and partisan, having to remind them time and time again when they disagree with a interruption that 'it is the game', yeah that's really being fair I must say.

And the audience laughs when Nicholas says these things. They recognise he doesn't mean it, just as we recognise you don't mean what you write here.

Unless you have a fresh point to make on Nicholas, let's let someone else enter the discussion, your viewpoint and mine are now clear.

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

<<<< 1568 >>>>

Topic: Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

Message 9 / 9
antster1983Dec 8, 2007

Yeah, that's one of the things that appeals to me on the show - the
sense of humour and the fact that everyone appears to be having fun,
even the Parsons himself.

And sorry for the outburst earlier. I was out of line.

Ant

--- In just-a-minute@..., Robert Torres
<bobbyshaddoe3004@...> wrote:

>
> Well, the one thing that obviously does work in Nicholas' favor is

the fact that whenever you listen to the program, you can tell that
he's having just as much fun as the panelists and the audience. in
fact, I think the moments that really make me smile have to be when
after something extremely hilarious takes place, you can hear Nicholas
trying to compose himself, and the fact that he is trying to talk
through his laughter, really does showcase how much fun he is having.

>
> Anthony Hobson <antster@...> wrote: If I wanted uptight

hoity-toity crap like what Iï¿½m reading, Iï¿½d listen to Quote, Unquote!

>
> Thatï¿½s my tuppence.
>
> Ant
>
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> From: just-a-minute@...

[mailto:just-a-minute@...] On Behalf Of Dean Bedford

> Sent: 07 December 2007 22:50
> To: just-a-minute@...
> Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] Sticking up for Nick was: Re: Two

Kenneth Williams questions - for Dean

>
>
> On Saturday, December 8, 2007, at 07:57 AM, Robert Torres wrote:
> fairness to the audience? Oh right, telling them to shut up and

chastizing them for being fickle and partisan, having to remind them
time and time again when they disagree with a interruption that 'it is
the game', yeah that's really being fair I must say.

>
> And the audience laughs when Nicholas says these things. They

recognise he doesn't mean it, just as we recognise you don't mean what
you write here.

>
> Unless you have a fresh point to make on Nicholas, let's let someone

else enter the discussion, your viewpoint and mine are now clear.

>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.

Try it now.

>

<<<< 1568 >>>>

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