Home  

Members  

Join  

Search  

Listings  

 
<<<<   2368   >>>>

Topic: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 1 / 8
lapsedcatJun 9, 2008
 

 
There was a mention of this subject on last night's Feedback (Radio 4) -
apparently the Feedback inbox has been "inundated" with suggestions
sent in by the great unwashed. The usual names have cropped up - Jack
Dee, Jeremy Hardy - but I actually choked on a barbecued chicken kebab
when the name Russell Brand was raised. I couldn't believe it. His
potential suitability for the role was explained by the mooncalf who
championed him as being "because he would be so different from Humph".
By that reasoning, you could nominate Ross Kemp or my mate Ned. Please
please PLEASE BBC, do what you do so well (ie, ignore Feedback
completely) and don't give that dandified muppet the gig. Give it to
Fry and be done with it.

 
<<<<   2369   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 2 / 8
thomaswake16Jun 9, 2008
 

 
I wouldn't have thought that Russell Brand would be seriously
considered by anyone with any sense. Of course, you can't tell these days.

Whose decision would it ultimately be? Jon Naismith, or some other BBC
higher-up?

Me, I'd be quite happy for the show to end. There's still potential
for some great comedy there, but Humph's absence would just be hanging
in the air the whole time.

--- In just-a-minute@..., "lapsedcat" <lapsedcat@...> wrote:
>
> There was a mention of this subject on last night's Feedback (Radio 4) -
> apparently the Feedback inbox has been "inundated" with suggestions
> sent in by the great unwashed. The usual names have cropped up - Jack
> Dee, Jeremy Hardy - but I actually choked on a barbecued chicken kebab
> when the name Russell Brand was raised. I couldn't believe it. His
> potential suitability for the role was explained by the mooncalf who
> championed him as being "because he would be so different from Humph".
> By that reasoning, you could nominate Ross Kemp or my mate Ned. Please
> please PLEASE BBC, do what you do so well (ie, ignore Feedback
> completely) and don't give that dandified muppet the gig. Give it to
> Fry and be done with it.
>

 
<<<<   2370   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 3 / 8
Dean BedfordJun 9, 2008
 

 
On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at 07:40 AM, thomaswake16 wrote:

> I wouldn't have thought that Russell Brand would be seriously
> considered by anyone with any sense. Of course, you can't tell these
> days.
>
> Whose decision would it ultimately be? Jon Naismith, or some other BBC
> higher-up?

This is a good question. As Jon Naismith has been producing the show for
what, 20 years?, he will surely have a big say, as I imagine will
Graeme, Barry and Tim, especially Graeme who devised the show after all.
But there will surely be one or more BBC bosses having a say as well.

I think the chances of Stephen Fry agreeing to do it are minimal. My
guess is Graeme or Barry to become chairman with Jeremy Hardy becoming
the third regular - in other words the smallest possible change.

 
<<<<   2372   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 4 / 8
kj.naughtonJun 10, 2008
 

 
--- In just-a-minute@..., "lapsedcat" <lapsedcat@...>
wrote:

>
>... but I actually choked on a barbecued chicken kebab
> when the name Russell Brand was raised. I couldn't believe it. His
> potential suitability for the role was explained by the mooncalf who
> championed him as being "because he would be so different from

Humph".

> By that reasoning, you could nominate Ross Kemp or my mate Ned.

Please

> please PLEASE BBC, do what you do so well (ie, ignore Feedback
> completely) and don't give that dandified muppet the gig. Give it to
> Fry and be done with it.

It's great that we're so tolerant of people with differing opinions,
isn't it?

All opinions below are, of course, in my humble opinion only.

I think it would be a mistake to continue with "minimal change" (as
someone mentioned on another post). A Clue that tries to be similar
to the previous incarnation is doomed to failure. Humph can't be
replaced and shouldn't be replaced. Anyone who sits in that chair and
does roughly the same things as Humph did is likely to draw
unfavourable comparisons.

The show must evolve. It must move on. It must NOT be allowed to
become a sorry post-Humph shadow of itself. Much as most of us wish
the show continued as before and that Humph was still here to present
it, he isn't. He's gone and so has that particular flavour of Clue.
Just as the show moved to a different dynamic post Willie Rushton, it
must do the same again to survive.

Russell Brand wouldn't be my choice, but I certainly don't think it's
worth vilifying someone for suggesting it. In some ways Brand may be
better than Stephen Fry precisely because he is less like Humph. It's
good to see suggestions being made "outside the box". After all, if
the originators of Clue had stuck to the "box" of ISIRTA then we'd
never have had Chairman Humph at all.

So, grandees at the BBC, please surprise me. Don't just drag in
another Radio 4 regular because that's the easy thing to do. Pick
someone who can add another element to the show. Someone who won't
try to be Humph. Someone who can keep the show alive.

kN

 
<<<<   2373   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 5 / 8
lapsedcatJun 10, 2008
 

 
I feel suitably chastened and genuinely sorry for my outburst. The
cat had been dirty on the new hall carpet and I was ornery.

I just find the Cult of Brand puzzling and worrying. Maybe because
he's everything I'm not - successful, attractive to females,
published.


--- In just-a-minute@..., "kj.naughton" <kj.naughton@...>
wrote:

>
> --- In just-a-minute@..., "lapsedcat" <lapsedcat@>
> wrote:
> >
> >... but I actually choked on a barbecued chicken kebab
> > when the name Russell Brand was raised. I couldn't believe it.

His

> > potential suitability for the role was explained by the mooncalf

who

> > championed him as being "because he would be so different from
> Humph".
> > By that reasoning, you could nominate Ross Kemp or my mate Ned.
> Please
> > please PLEASE BBC, do what you do so well (ie, ignore Feedback
> > completely) and don't give that dandified muppet the gig. Give it

to

> > Fry and be done with it.
>
> It's great that we're so tolerant of people with differing

opinions,

> isn't it?
>
> All opinions below are, of course, in my humble opinion only.
>
> I think it would be a mistake to continue with "minimal change" (as
> someone mentioned on another post). A Clue that tries to be

similar

> to the previous incarnation is doomed to failure. Humph can't be
> replaced and shouldn't be replaced. Anyone who sits in that chair

and

> does roughly the same things as Humph did is likely to draw
> unfavourable comparisons.
>
> The show must evolve. It must move on. It must NOT be allowed to
> become a sorry post-Humph shadow of itself. Much as most of us

wish

> the show continued as before and that Humph was still here to

present

> it, he isn't. He's gone and so has that particular flavour of

Clue.

> Just as the show moved to a different dynamic post Willie Rushton,

it

> must do the same again to survive.
>
> Russell Brand wouldn't be my choice, but I certainly don't think

it's

> worth vilifying someone for suggesting it. In some ways Brand may

be

> better than Stephen Fry precisely because he is less like Humph.

It's

> good to see suggestions being made "outside the box". After all,

if

> the originators of Clue had stuck to the "box" of ISIRTA then we'd
> never have had Chairman Humph at all.
>
> So, grandees at the BBC, please surprise me. Don't just drag in
> another Radio 4 regular because that's the easy thing to do. Pick
> someone who can add another element to the show. Someone who won't
> try to be Humph. Someone who can keep the show alive.
>
> kN
>

 
<<<<   2375   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 6 / 8
lindaJun 10, 2008
 

 
hi dean . john naismith has been producer of isihac since 1991 so
almost 20 years but not quite .
barry cryer has already said none of the exisiting 3 regulars will
take on the job of hosting the show , if it goes on . i read an
interview with him in the last few days where he has said nothing has
been decided yet . i hope humphs family get a saw in wheather the
show goes on too .
if you listen to barry cryer hosting it in season 1 he is totally
wrong for it . too avuncular . he is a good host for other shows but
humph was a better one for clue . he will be hard to replace
i agree 100% with lapsedcat . o please no to russell brand .
presenting clue is not about hey look i am a big celebrity . im fact
humph played it down a lot .
there already has been one show without humph . the last clue live
show . it was presented by rob brydon and by all accounts he was
good . personally though i agree with whats been said here so far .
stephen fry or jack dee who has the same kind of world weary air as
humph and like stephe fry is known to be a fan of the show . failing
that rob brydon who has already done it .
if it does go on i hope people will give it a fair listen before
diciding wheather they like it or not . it will be different without
humph that goes without saying .
cheers
Linda

 
<<<<   2376   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 7 / 8
Dean BedfordJun 10, 2008
 

 
On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at 08:59 PM, kj.naughton wrote:

> I think it would be a mistake to continue with "minimal change" (as
> someone mentioned on another post). A Clue that tries to be similar
> to the previous incarnation is doomed to failure. Humph can't be
> replaced and shouldn't be replaced. Anyone who sits in that chair and
> does roughly the same things as Humph did is likely to draw
> unfavourable comparisons.
>
> The show must evolve. It must move on. It must NOT be allowed to
> become a sorry post-Humph shadow of itself. Much as most of us wish
> the show continued as before and that Humph was still here to present
> it, he isn't. He's gone and so has that particular flavour of Clue.
> Just as the show moved to a different dynamic post Willie Rushton, it
> must do the same again to survive.

But isn't the real appeal of Clue its very familiarity, that it is
in-jokey, repeating the same jokes again and again? As the Observer said
in an editorial, you get the feeling that you're part of a club of funny
friends and routines you know so well. I mean whatever the joke is about
Mornington Crescent, it's clearly the same one every time. Similarly
Samantha keeping score, the Scottish pair, Gordon Bennett, Lionel Blair,
the panel is old, Jeremy can't sing, etc etc etc.

If you put in something totally different, I fear the fans will not be
happy.

 
<<<<   2380   >>>>

Topic: Re: (ISIHAC) Suggested replacements for Humph

Message 8 / 8
Dean BedfordJun 11, 2008
 

 
On Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at 06:10 AM, linda wrote:

> hi dean . john naismith has been producer of isihac since 1991 so
> almost 20 years but not quite .
> barry cryer has already said none of the exisiting 3 regulars will
> take on the job of hosting the show , if it goes on .

yes but they also said they wouldn't go on without Humph at all. Look
I'm just speculating and it's no better than anyone else's guesses but I
think they are likely to give it to someone very familiar.

Rob Brydon doing a live show with the team - he was available one night
to perform before a thousand - they will be looking for someone to take
over for a few years to perform before millions. He has had an audition
I guess but I don't see that as a major factor in the decision.