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<<<<   2063   >>>>

Topic: Brief But Memorable - Stephen Fry

Message 1 / 5
Robert L. TorresMar 18, 2008
 

 
Not sure why I'm mentioning him in the category of 'Brief But
Memorable' because for all we know there may still lay many more
appearances in the future for this exceptional individual. But I
still think it would be good to talk about him anyway: the one, the
only Stephen Fry.

What can I say? Stephen Fry is an exceptional individual who just
immediately struck the right chords within JAM, being funny,
informative and doing jolly well in the challenges and on speaking on
a variety of topics. It seemed that he simply fit the confines of
JAM like a well worn pair of shoes. NOt only that, but he could
argue and wrangle not only over his own points, but in defense of
others as well.

One prime example of this is from an episode in 2004, when he was on
the panel with Tony Hawks, Clement Freud and Paul Merton. It was
somewhere near the last round, the subject being 'The Person I would
Like to play in a movie', and Stephen rushed to Tony's defense in
regards to Tony being challenged on the grounds of it being deviation
that it would be a surprise for Tony to walk with elegance all dolled
up as Florence Nightingale. it was one of my all time favorite
moments.

Another instance with regards to applying a strange sort of logic to
things I think came in an episode for 2005 or 2006, when he was on
the panel with Tim Rice, Paul and Clement. I think it had to do with
CCTV, in the realm that someone said that someone would challenge for
repetition, Tim challenged saying that it was deviation because they
wouldn't challenge cuz its in the title. Tim starts talking, and
gets challenged because of repetition of CC even though its in the
title.

A wonderful argument and discussion erupts which takes about 5
minutes perhaps, I don't know. but it was incredible, I absolutely
loved it. Stephen Fry is kind of the JAM barrister or something, its
wonderful. What I also love is that in some cases he can be rather
camp, if he allows himself to be, on the one hand can be quite
complimentary towards Nicholas, and on the other being very
derogatory towards him, which is brilliant.

What else can I say about this exceptionally gifted, intelligent and
talented man? What's so strange is that he has exceptional range as
an actor and a performer, and yet he has a very distinctive voice
which is instantly recognizable.

He was part of an exceptionally talented comedy duo with Hugh Laurie,
they had their own sketch comedy show 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie' which
they wrote and produced themselves. They also took part in the
serialized TV adaptation of PG Wodehouse's stories about Bertie
Wooster and his faithful manservant Jeeves in the series 'Jeeves and
Wooster'. Stephen Fry was amongst the first to take part in the very
early days of 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' and proves himself quite
adept with improvisation, which shows the depth of his intellect and
his creative powers.

He's been in numerous films, guest starred all over the place on
television and radio. He was one of the stars of an exceptionally
funny radio series called 'Absolute Power' with John Byrd.

He's also made several appearances on 'ISIHAC', as well as being the
host of his own panel show 'QI' I believe its called.

what's interesting is that I've noticed on his appearances on Whose
Line and ISIHAC, he isn't very adept at singing, and doesn't even
make a effort to do so, but manages to speak his way through, and
still manage to come up with clever and funny rhymes, which is
extraordinary.

But although Stephen Fry does have that penchant for comedy, and is
quite adept at it, many people may not realize he also has a great
talent for dramatic roles as well.

One such example is from a BBC sanctioned Dr. Who audio drama
called 'Death Comes to Time', which allegedy was to serve as a pilot
for bringing the series as a weekly or semi-weekly webcast, even
though the animation was a bit dodgy, it seemed more like a talking
picture book. but anyway, he played a character called 'The Minister
of Chance' and was simply phenomenal.

another excellent example was when he took part in the big screen
adaptation of the graphic novel 'V for Vendetta'. he played a man
named Dietrich, who was the host of a talk show, who held a dark
secret... the fact that he was a homosexual, in a government that is
rather extreme in its views about homosexuality and anything else
that they view as unholy or ungodly. He took a brave step forward by
using his position as a media celebrity to use humor to poke fun at
the government in a slapstick, farcical and satirical manner. Anyone
who has seen the film will know what I'm talking about.

I also seem to recall that he played Oscar Wilde in a made for TV
movie or mini-series for the BBC.

it's interesting the fact that Fry played someone who was a closeted
homosexual, because the fact is... we all know that Stephen Fry is a
very public homosexual. but his sexual preference doesn't keep him
from being embraced by the public at large as an exceptionally
talented individual, and frankly just one hell of a loveable chap all
around.

 
<<<<   2064   >>>>

Topic: Re: Brief But Memorable - Stephen Fry

Message 2 / 5
jon.burton23Mar 19, 2008
 

 
--- In just-a-minute@..., "Robert L. Torres" >

> But I still think it would be good to talk about him anyway: the
> one, the only Stephen Fry.

I agree. His was the first voice I heard on Just A Minute... It was
when I was at university and I turned the radio on and heard a
familiar voice - it was Stephen Fry - I didn't know what the show was
so I continued listening and it was Just A Minute. I loved the show,
still do of course, and so it became a regular listen.


Jon

 
<<<<   2065   >>>>

Topic: Re: Brief But Memorable - Stephen Fry

Message 3 / 5
pjfitchettMar 19, 2008
 

 
Well I think you almost covered everything there Bobby, and well
said too. On Dean's JAM site I think he says in his summary of
Kenneth Williams that you're always waiting for him to speak when
he's on JAM and I must say for me, this is also true for Stephen
Fry. He does indeed have exactly the right mix of humour and
intelligence to make sure that he is both entertaining and can keep
going for a reasonable amount of time without being challenged. It
is of course also entertaining listening to a man of such erudition
talking on just about any subject you care to throw at him. And
with the added bonus, as far as we know, of not having prepared
anything in advance which Kenneth was prone to do. I was recently
listening to the 1994 Christmas special which featured the three
remaining regulars as well as Stephen and thought it was excellent.
I thought whilst listening through to all the episodes in order that
maybe they were still trying people out and that the title
of "Kenneth's replacement" was still up for grabs. Looking through
at the numbers on Dean's site however it does seem that Paul Merton
was appearing more than most. I'm guessing therefore that Paul
simply wasn't available for this planned hour long episode rather
than Anne Jobson wanting to model this special on the earlier
festive editions of the show. It is a great shame that Stephen
doesn't appear more regularly and I hope that we do get much more of
him.

 
<<<<   2066   >>>>

Topic: Re: Brief But Memorable - Stephen Fry

Message 4 / 5
MiriamMar 19, 2008
 

 
I enjoy Stephen alot too-I have seen most of the QI series at our
local Brit TV fangroup and about a month ago we watched his show on
being BiPolar and a very moving episode of Who Do You Think You Are
which traces ones family tree ( many of his family died in the
concenstration camps during WW2)

Yes Stephen was the lead in the theater movie Wilde in 1998 and I
think he was nominated for the Oscar for it ( didn't win)
I was fortunate to see Stephen in person ( didn't get to meet him)
here in Seattle when he premired his film Bright Young Things that he
directed. He did a Q&A before the film and they had passed out cards
to write down questions for him and I asked if he had ever did the
Full minute on JAM ( surprised they actually picked my question)
( I hadn't heard that many of his JAM appearances at the time)
Also for those who didn't know Stephen has a site with blog and
podcasts- he is really into computer/communication 'toys'----miriam
http://www.stephenfry.com/
















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

>
> Not sure why I'm mentioning him in the category of 'Brief But
> Memorable' because for all we know there may still lay many more
> appearances in the future for this exceptional individual. But I
> still think it would be good to talk about him anyway: the one, the
> only Stephen Fry.
>
> What can I say? Stephen Fry is an exceptional individual who just
> immediately struck the right chords within JAM, being funny,
> informative and doing jolly well in the challenges and on speaking

on

> a variety of topics. It seemed that he simply fit the confines of
> JAM like a well worn pair of shoes. NOt only that, but he could
> argue and wrangle not only over his own points, but in defense of
> others as well.
>
> One prime example of this is from an episode in 2004, when he was

on

> the panel with Tony Hawks, Clement Freud and Paul Merton. It was
> somewhere near the last round, the subject being 'The Person I

would

> Like to play in a movie', and Stephen rushed to Tony's defense in
> regards to Tony being challenged on the grounds of it being

deviation

> that it would be a surprise for Tony to walk with elegance all

dolled

> up as Florence Nightingale. it was one of my all time favorite
> moments.
>
> Another instance with regards to applying a strange sort of logic

to

> things I think came in an episode for 2005 or 2006, when he was on
> the panel with Tim Rice, Paul and Clement. I think it had to do

with

> CCTV, in the realm that someone said that someone would challenge

for

> repetition, Tim challenged saying that it was deviation because

they

> wouldn't challenge cuz its in the title. Tim starts talking, and
> gets challenged because of repetition of CC even though its in the
> title.
>
> A wonderful argument and discussion erupts which takes about 5
> minutes perhaps, I don't know. but it was incredible, I absolutely
> loved it. Stephen Fry is kind of the JAM barrister or something,

its

> wonderful. What I also love is that in some cases he can be rather
> camp, if he allows himself to be, on the one hand can be quite
> complimentary towards Nicholas, and on the other being very
> derogatory towards him, which is brilliant.
>
> What else can I say about this exceptionally gifted, intelligent

and

> talented man? What's so strange is that he has exceptional range

as

> an actor and a performer, and yet he has a very distinctive voice
> which is instantly recognizable.
>
> He was part of an exceptionally talented comedy duo with Hugh

Laurie,

> they had their own sketch comedy show 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie'

which

> they wrote and produced themselves. They also took part in the
> serialized TV adaptation of PG Wodehouse's stories about Bertie
> Wooster and his faithful manservant Jeeves in the series 'Jeeves

and

> Wooster'. Stephen Fry was amongst the first to take part in the

very

> early days of 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' and proves himself quite
> adept with improvisation, which shows the depth of his intellect

and

> his creative powers.
>
> He's been in numerous films, guest starred all over the place on
> television and radio. He was one of the stars of an exceptionally
> funny radio series called 'Absolute Power' with John Byrd.
>
> He's also made several appearances on 'ISIHAC', as well as being

the

> host of his own panel show 'QI' I believe its called.
>
> what's interesting is that I've noticed on his appearances on Whose
> Line and ISIHAC, he isn't very adept at singing, and doesn't even
> make a effort to do so, but manages to speak his way through, and
> still manage to come up with clever and funny rhymes, which is
> extraordinary.
>
> But although Stephen Fry does have that penchant for comedy, and is
> quite adept at it, many people may not realize he also has a great
> talent for dramatic roles as well.
>
> One such example is from a BBC sanctioned Dr. Who audio drama
> called 'Death Comes to Time', which allegedy was to serve as a

pilot

> for bringing the series as a weekly or semi-weekly webcast, even
> though the animation was a bit dodgy, it seemed more like a talking
> picture book. but anyway, he played a character called 'The

Minister

> of Chance' and was simply phenomenal.
>
> another excellent example was when he took part in the big screen
> adaptation of the graphic novel 'V for Vendetta'. he played a man
> named Dietrich, who was the host of a talk show, who held a dark
> secret... the fact that he was a homosexual, in a government that

is

> rather extreme in its views about homosexuality and anything else
> that they view as unholy or ungodly. He took a brave step forward

by

> using his position as a media celebrity to use humor to poke fun at
> the government in a slapstick, farcical and satirical manner.

Anyone

> who has seen the film will know what I'm talking about.
>
> I also seem to recall that he played Oscar Wilde in a made for TV
> movie or mini-series for the BBC.
>
> it's interesting the fact that Fry played someone who was a

closeted

> homosexual, because the fact is... we all know that Stephen Fry is

a

> very public homosexual. but his sexual preference doesn't keep him
> from being embraced by the public at large as an exceptionally
> talented individual, and frankly just one hell of a loveable chap

all

> around.
>

 
<<<<   2068   >>>>

Topic: Re: Brief But Memorable - Stephen Fry

Message 5 / 5
Simon WallisMar 19, 2008
 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Miriam

To: just-a-minute@...

Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:26 PM

Subject: [just-a-minute] Re: Brief But Memorable - Stephen Fry

I enjoy Stephen alot too-I have seen most of the QI series at our
local Brit TV fangroup and about a month ago we watched his show on
being BiPolar and a very moving episode of Who Do You Think You Are
which traces ones family tree ( many of his family died in the
concenstration camps during WW2)

Yes Stephen was the lead in the theater movie Wilde in 1998 and I
think he was nominated for the Oscar for it ( didn't win)
I was fortunate to see Stephen in person ( didn't get to meet him)
here in Seattle when he premired his film Bright Young Things that he
directed. He did a Q&A before the film and they had passed out cards
to write down questions for him and I asked if he had ever did the
Full minute on JAM ( surprised they actually picked my question)
( I hadn't heard that many of his JAM appearances at the time)
Also for those who didn't know Stephen has a site with blog and
podcasts- he is really into computer/communicat ion 'toys'----miriam
http://www.stephenf ry.com/

--- In just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com, "Robert L. Torres"
<bobbyshaddoe3004@ ...> wrote:
>
> Not sure why I'm mentioning him in the category of 'Brief But
> Memorable' because for all we know there may still lay many more
> appearances in the future for this exceptional individual. But I
> still think it would be good to talk about him anyway: the one, the
> only Stephen Fry.
>
> What can I say? Stephen Fry is an exceptional individual who just
> immediately struck the right chords within JAM, being funny,
> informative and doing jolly well in the challenges and on speaking
on
> a variety of topics. It seemed that he simply fit the confines of
> JAM like a well worn pair of shoes. NOt only that, but he could
> argue and wrangle not only over his own points, but in defense of
> others as well.
>
> One prime example of this is from an episode in 2004, when he was
on
> the panel with Tony Hawks, Clement Freud and Paul Merton. It was
> somewhere near the last round, the subject being 'The Person I
would
> Like to play in a movie', and Stephen rushed to Tony's defense in
> regards to Tony being challenged on the grounds of it being
deviation
> that it would be a surprise for Tony to walk with elegance all
dolled
> up as Florence Nightingale. it was one of my all time favorite
> moments.
>
> Another instance with regards to applying a strange sort of logic
to
> things I think came in an episode for 2005 or 2006, when he was on
> the panel with Tim Rice, Paul and Clement. I think it had to do
with
> CCTV, in the realm that someone said that someone would challenge
for
> repetition, Tim challenged saying that it was deviation because
they
> wouldn't challenge cuz its in the title. Tim starts talking, and
> gets challenged because of repetition of CC even though its in the
> title.
>
> A wonderful argument and discussion erupts which takes about 5
> minutes perhaps, I don't know. but it was incredible, I absolutely
> loved it. Stephen Fry is kind of the JAM barrister or something,
its
> wonderful. What I also love is that in some cases he can be rather
> camp, if he allows himself to be, on the one hand can be quite
> complimentary towards Nicholas, and on the other being very
> derogatory towards him, which is brilliant.
>
> What else can I say about this exceptionally gifted, intelligent
and
> talented man? What's so strange is that he has exceptional range
as
> an actor and a performer, and yet he has a very distinctive voice
> which is instantly recognizable.
>
> He was part of an exceptionally talented comedy duo with Hugh
Laurie,
> they had their own sketch comedy show 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie'
which
> they wrote and produced themselves. They also took part in the
> serialized TV adaptation of PG Wodehouse's stories about Bertie
> Wooster and his faithful manservant Jeeves in the series 'Jeeves
and
> Wooster'. Stephen Fry was amongst the first to take part in the
very
> early days of 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' and proves himself quite
> adept with improvisation, which shows the depth of his intellect
and
> his creative powers.
>
> He's been in numerous films, guest starred all over the place on
> television and radio. He was one of the stars of an exceptionally
> funny radio series called 'Absolute Power' with John Byrd.
>
> He's also made several appearances on 'ISIHAC', as well as being
the
> host of his own panel show 'QI' I believe its called.
>
> what's interesting is that I've noticed on his appearances on Whose
> Line and ISIHAC, he isn't very adept at singing, and doesn't even
> make a effort to do so, but manages to speak his way through, and
> still manage to come up with clever and funny rhymes, which is
> extraordinary.
>
> But although Stephen Fry does have that penchant for comedy, and is
> quite adept at it, many people may not realize he also has a great
> talent for dramatic roles as well.
>
> One such example is from a BBC sanctioned Dr. Who audio drama
> called 'Death Comes to Time', which allegedy was to serve as a
pilot
> for bringing the series as a weekly or semi-weekly webcast, even
> though the animation was a bit dodgy, it seemed more like a talking
> picture book. but anyway, he played a character called 'The
Minister
> of Chance' and was simply phenomenal.
>
> another excellent example was when he took part in the big screen
> adaptation of the graphic novel 'V for Vendetta'. he played a man
> named Dietrich, who was the host of a talk show, who held a dark
> secret... the fact that he was a homosexual, in a government that
is
> rather extreme in its views about homosexuality and anything else
> that they view as unholy or ungodly. He took a brave step forward
by
> using his position as a media celebrity to use humor to poke fun at
> the government in a slapstick, farcical and satirical manner.
Anyone
> who has seen the film will know what I'm talking about.
>
> I also seem to recall that he played Oscar Wilde in a made for TV
> movie or mini-series for the BBC.
>
> it's interesting the fact that Fry played someone who was a
closeted
> homosexual, because the fact is... we all know that Stephen Fry is
a
> very public homosexual. but his sexual preference doesn't keep him
> from being embraced by the public at large as an exceptionally
> talented individual, and frankly just one hell of a loveable chap
all
> around.
>