Just A Minute

 
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Why I love Just a Minute

Messages in this topic: 1
Robert L. TorresJan 9, 2008
 

 
I think i'd like to share if not memories of actually being there
for some of the Just a Minute recordings, then my own particular
memories of what it was like for me as an American to journey
through the recordings over the years listening to the various
panelists talk on various subjects and the enjoyment I experienced
while driving my car to and fro from different places.

Although the show is structured like a game show, it isn't really a
game show per se because even if there's a winner, there's no prize
involved. Yet it is very difficult NOT to get caught up in the
competitive side of the program even with those thoughts in mind.
for the most part you do tend to enjoy the comedic value and
contribution being given by those individuals who decide to take
part in the show, which is why I often get in a tizzy each time
Nicholas cuts in and breaks the enjoyment the audience is having
whenever he has to remind them that challenging another person is
part of the rules of the game. Not to mention how flustered I
personally get for all the mistakes he makes in his challenges and
the way he gets so self-righteous about his decisionmaking even when
he's wrong and he doesn't even realize he's wrong. Essentially he
gives off this persona sometimes that he is always right, and
frankly it's those moments especially whenever a panelists puts
Nicholas in his place that I get the most enjoyment because it
knocks him off his high horse and brings him crashing down to Earth
with the rest of us mere mortals.


I first stumbled onto Just a Minute I think back in the late 90's or
the early part of the new millennium. I was a fan of the old
British version of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' and I had found an
excellent website dedicated to the show as it evolved over the years
to include the shows done by Drew Carey and company. On the website
was a link to Just a Minute because Greg Proops also happened to
appear on that show as did Paul Merton, Tony Slattery and some of my
other Whose Line favs. it was then that my interest was piqued.


through the use of a filesharing program I was able to gain access
to audio recordings of Just a Minute, not realizing of course just
how massive the collection would be and just how long the show had
been running and that it was still running even now. so I made it a
point to try and download as many of the episodes as I could find,
sort them into order by date, hopefully, and then go through them
listening to each one in the hopes of weeding out the ones that were
the most entertaining and the ones that were just plain dull. When
I had finished I decided to burn those episodes onto CDs for
personal enjoyment, perhaps to listen to in the car or listen to
while working, things like that. When I was done, I had over a
hundred CDs each one pertaining to a certain era in the show's
history, whether it be the late 60's the 1970's, the 1980's the
1990's and even now in the year 2008, so in many ways the collection
continues to grow.


Now as I listened to the program I obviously started with what I
felt to be the beginning, since the audio quality of the actual
pilot episode left a lot to be desired and subsequent eps also
didn't have great audio quality either. However, the very first
episode I listened to had Derek Nimmo, Clement Freud, Aimi MacDonald
and Andre Melly on the show, the opening subject was 'How To Stay
Lovely' and since then I've started and never turned back, except
occasionally to relisten and to relive the days of the Original
Foursome, of good ol' Kenneth whose unadulterated antics would seem
almost contradictory but in hindsight it was all just in good fun
because the one thing that Kenneth was first and foremost was a
comedic actor that obviously adored performing and bringing joy,
happiness and humor to those around him. Even when goes into a male
chauvinistic tact, it's nothing serious, it's just to get laughs
really. Derek Nimmo, oh what a loveable traveller, the man who has
seem to have gone everywhere in his life, also a great comedic
performer as well. With a always reliable 'what ho ol fruit', in a
sort of Edwardian or Estonian manner or whatever the word is. Peter
Jones, very witty and acerbic sometimes, always competitive but also
contributing loads of comic value as well, Clement Freud, perhaps
the ultimate straight man, even better than Nicholas Parsons, if its
possible. sounding very much at times like Ben Stein, but perhaps
Ben got that monotone style from Clement who knows. The man seems to
have done it all and has made his stamp on the show, especially
since he is the only surviving original panelist from when the show
first began, and that's gotta be a much higher achievement than
being in Parliament or even being knighted.


And of course the various guests that would appear from time to time
including the lovely cavalcade of ladies like Sheila Hancock or
Andre Melly, Geraldine Jones, Aimi MacDonald and so on. More often
than not it is very difficult for any member of the female sex to
come on to the show and do well against the more experienced males,
and sometimes they tend to be either intimidated by the panelists or
intimidated by Parsons, who knows? still it is a great joy to hear
the latest generation of females come onto the show and are able to
play it just as well as the men. Prime examples are: The Late
Linda Smith, Wendy Richard, Jenny Eclair, and Sue Perkins.


Hearing the show evolve over the years and hearing it change as well
as people no longer take part in the series or go on to other
avenues or unfortunately pass away and leave this mortal coil, it is
always sad when that happens. I would never have known when
Kenneth, Derek or Peter passed away if it hadn't been for the
announcements they made on the show. I do miss those three
wonderful chaps, but knwoing that they will forever be immortalized
in the show basically means that whenever I want I can pop in an CD
and sit back and enjoy those wonderful gentlemen as they argue with
each other, with the chairman, and generally entertain us all.


among my favorite panelists who are ladies from the early days are
of course Andree Melly, she was a smart and competitive woman who
definitely had loads of clever challenges, and just a pleasing
presence who was able to stand up the the abuse delivered by Kenneth
Williams. She wasn't the sort to tell jokes or to consciously go
for the comedy aspect, she was very amusing, clever, and just a
delight to have around, and I miss her a great deal. Then there's
Aimi MacDonald, England's answer to Goldie Hawn, who was able to
portray the dumb blonde even better than Goldie. i loved her voice,
her sort of soft spoken child like baby sort of voice was always a
joy to hear. One thing you never heard her do was scream at anyone
or be generally angry with anyone, she may have been cross or stern
in her voice, but she was so delightful, that you can't help but
feel good inside because of Aimi, she made you feel great, she was
able to to get the audience on her side even more so than Kenneth,
and each time she appeared on the show it was just wonderful, I miss
her a great deal as well.

I still remember the first time I came across the four episode arc,
if you will, in which Magnus Pyke appeared each time. he was
absolutely fabulous, because he fit the mold of the show
exceptionally well. he may not have been a comedian or a comedic
actor, but he managed to bring loads of comedy and humor and
enjoyment to each of his appearances. its a shame he didn't make
any more than four, cuz he would be equally as welcome as Patrick
Moore was.


I also love the new generation of performers that have come to the
show as well, each semi- regular adds their own spin on things, and
also bearing in mind that a majority of these performers are also
stand up commedians or some sort of celebrity in some way shape or
form, and it is always a joy to hear people Like Paul Merton, Ross
Noble, the late Linda Smith, Julian Clary, and Graham Norton, and
many others basically take the show to new heights regardless of
what the subject happens to be. I enjoy the show now even more
because of the possibilities that lay ahead for new people to come
on the show and dazzle the audience with their comedy, their wit,
and repartee, but then of course, sometimes it can be a bit of a
double-edged sword because sometimes you give a certain person or
persons a shot on the show, and they don't really do all that well,
in point of fact, they tend to be utterly silent for much of the
proceedings which is sad and you often wonder, why were they even
asked to be on in the first place. but sometimes you have to take
chances, otherwise you never know if that certain person will be a
fresh new contributor to the proceedings.


Then of course there is Nicholas Parsons, I've railed against him
many times not just for his sometimes shoddy chairmanship, but for
these inane and ridiculous comments that he makes which quite
frankly are just annoying and irritating. However, I do give him
credit though because he's been the only chariman for the show since
it first began, and has been there to witness many of the changes
that have come about and even instituted some changes as well. The
fact that he can take such abuse from people is absolutely
incredible in hindsight, but on the other hand he does bring it upon
himself more often than not, in spite of his many vocal
protestations and objections to when the audience laugh at the
insults hurled at him. Whether he's haranging and berating the
audience, or his unabashed flirting with women half his age, through
it all he just makes himself look like an even bigger fool, and we
all enjoy it too which is probably the best part. some of the best
parts of the show are when the panelists have a go at Nicholas, of
course he makes himself look like an even bigger fool when he tries
to stop them and then acts like someone else challenged, or some
other such thing. still its all part of the fun of the show. and
we all enjoy it greatly when Nicholas is sent up.

Something else to be admired has to be that at no point in the
show's history has Nicholas ever called in sick. in fact, there is
plenty of recorded evidence that showcases that Nicholas will turn
up in spite of being sick, and will go through the proceedings, even
as his voice becomes raspier and raspier through laryngitis.
although it does show great dedication and determination, you have
to ask yourself, how much longer can he last, because it's gonna get
to a point when he's just going to drop dead on the show and that'll
be a tragedy not just for Nicholas but for the panelists and the
audience as well. still, we can only hope that Nicholas will come
this realization himself and will decide to step down of his own
accord before its too late.

Anyway, I still continue to enjoy the show immensely because you
never know what's going to happen at any given moment. and its that
spontanaeity that is the lifeblood of this show and why it continues
to be a personal favorite. you never know what subjects will be
given, you never know who will be on the panel, or even how Nicholas
will be sent up once again for whatever reason. such is the fun of
the show as it exists here and now, the enduring mystery that
compels you to tune in to find out just what will happen.

That is why I love Just a Minute. thank you.

 
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