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The New Breed of JAM Performers - Paul Merton

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Robert L. TorresJun 1, 2008
 

 
I'd like to take this time to begin a series of discussions regarding
the new generation of performers who have come on JAM and become a
core cast of regular performers much in a similar vein to the
Original Foursome.

Who better to start off with than the man who could be seen as the
one responsible for revitalizing the series after the death of
Kenneth Williams: Paul Merton.

Paul Merton was brought onto the show for two episodes in the 1989
season which came following the death of Kenneth Williams. His early
appearances had a more reserved Paul Merton trying his best to
contribute well amongst the more seasoned veterans, but he did manage
to display the very talents which have made him something of an icon
in British comedy.

I remember on one of his first appearances, he had been given the
subject of 'Bottle' and in spite of several slip ups, the subject
wasn't taken away from him. In addition, it was one of the first
examples of his off-the-cuff improv style when he talked about
someone jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, trying to get
back up to the plane, but didn't make it because he fell to the
ground at such speed, he was flattened as a pancake by the time he
hit the ground. And then says, 'And his wife later called his
condition as very satisfactory'. He then gets challenged by Derek
for deviation, saying 'What has this got to do with bottle?' and
Peter springs to Paul's defense, saying 'Well, it certainly takes
bottle to tell a story like that.'

Paul's style was unique and very different amongst those who had been
associated with JAM in the past, although Paul would occasionally
tell anecdotes about his life now and then, more often than not his
material was simply stuff he would think up off the top of his head,
which definitely showcased the depth of his intelligence and
creativity. Not to mention he became very adept at picking up on
other people's material and mining the comedy gold for all its
worth.

Very often the best stuff from Paul would come from his journey into
the surreal, and would very often be allowed to go off in this veing
well past the minute mark.

Paul eventually helped open the door for many of his contemporaries
to appear on the show, people like Tony Hawks, Graham Norton, Jenny
Eclair, Linda Smith, Julian Clary, and so on.

He was pretty much able to breathe much needed life into the series,
which by the time of Kenneth Williams' death, had begun to sound a
bit stale, in that some of the panelists tended be of an older
variety, and there didn't seem to be any attempt on Ed Taylor's part
to appeal to a younger audience.

With Paul in, Ed Taylor was soon out, and in came Sarah Smith, and
then Claire Jones, who would steer the show through the 90's on a
crest of comedy the likes of which no other radio panel show would
exhibit.

Amongst my other favorite bits of Paul's humor is the way he took up
the banner of making fun of Nicholas' age, and soon came up with all
sorts of things to use as ammunition: such as the notion of Nicholas
liking to dress up in women's clothing and go around the streets of
London like a prostitute, or the fact that Nicholas seems to have had
certain sexual dalliances with certain barnyard animals, or the idea
that Nicholas has had sexual dalliances with women three times
younger than he is.

Case in point I believe was during one particular show, I think the
whistle blower at the time was Elaine Wiggley. Anyway, Nicholas
stopped the show for a moment because Elaine was telling him
something, and just before Nicholas could start the next round, Paul
picks up on this and creates this idea that what Elaine was trying to
tell Nicholas was that she was pregnant, which remains one of my
favorite Paul Merton moments.

The first time I ever saw Paul Merton or even became aware of who he
was, was during his appearances on the original 'Whose Line is it
Anyway?'

He was excellent on that series, and displayed his improv skills
exceptionally well.

Amongst his other accomplishments that I am aware of include 'The
Masterson Inheritance' (perhaps one of the funniest shows, and an
excellent example of Paul's brand of comedy), and 'Have I Got News
For You'.

I seem to recall one of the funniest moments on the series came about
when both Paul and Ian spent most of the show making fun of Angus
Deayton for the tabloid reports of him being caught in some hotel
with drugs and prostitutes or something like that.

Paul has also appeared on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, although I'm
not sure what else he's done.

I'd like to open the floor now to anyone else who wishes to discuss
this exceptionally talented and funny individual.

 
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