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Topic: Keith Matthews at London recording

Message 1 / 2
Dean BedfordAug 20, 2008
 

 
My friend Keith wrote about the London recording on my blog - it's such
a great post I thought everyone would like to see it






I was late for the Kingston recording and just missed Tilusha's reminder
to switch off our mobiles. I was not going to miss this 700th radio
recording of the game of Just A Minute for anything and was well puffed
out as I took my seat next to fellow long time J.A.M. fan Steph Tickner.

Half way though the first show my infernal mobile let out its ice-cream
van like jingle and Paul was about to locate the stupid arse who had
forgotten to switch their mobile off. In seconds I pressed on a button
which failed to eliminate my friend Richard's cheery voice calling out
luxuriatingly " Hel-l-l-o-o-o Kei--i-i-t-t-h! " I reacted in the only
way I could - I stuffed the mobile between my bountiful arsecheeks and
voila !!!It was silenced - This wasn't such a bad idea because I'd done
this when it had happened once before at a celebration of the Life of
Linda Smith at the Victoria.

I had told Nicholas three weeks before that the 6th show would be their
700th show but he was embarrassed because in interviews he'd been
stating that the figure was between 750 and 800. Chris was certainly the
eye candy with the ladies and indeed some of the men in the audience who
aaahhhed vociferousy when their favourite lost a challenge. But he
opened a can of words by challenging on two letter words for repetition.
The others pounced on him like a pack of wolves. Julian was good in the
first show and a popular winner. I find it hard to believe that Sue has
been in so many shows and not won a single game. She is bloody good at
the game and with Jenny and Sheila would head my list of favourites
should my dream of a first one off all woman team of Just A Minute ever
happen. I hope Tilusha reads these blogs. Drop a hint in an email if you
can Dean. The JAM women that we have a strong and with Pam and Wendy and
ever Aimi would make a change from the all male line-up.

Paul was unbelievable in the closing stages of the 700th show. Word
perfect and with whiplash wit he easily demonstrated why he is the Just
A Minute superstar of the New Age of the game.

On my tickets was marked "After Show Drinks" and so Steph and I were
taken through the warren like backstage area and there they were -
Julian , Chris and Sue like three conspirators having a glass of vino in
one corner, Paul was having a breath of fresh air on this most utterly
humid of nights, recovering like an explorer on his first visit to the
Sahara and there timeless, ageless and completely calm and looking up
for another 700 shows was Nicholas - holding court amongst about 20 or
so enrapt listeners backstage. Nicholas' wife invited us to join the
group and on seeing us Nicholas invited me and Steph over to chat.
Nicholas invited Paul over and the four of us chatted about the games
700th. No-one knew about it until I told Paul. Julian was surprised and
made a jokey comment and Sue was amazed. Paul agreed to announce the
fact at the first of the Edinburgh recordings. Paul spoke about how
privileged he felt at working with Richard Murdoch on his first few
J.A.M.'s. "Here I am working with this marvelous broadcasting legend!"
He went on to praise Richard and I agreed with him that he was certainly
much more than Arthur Askey's stooge and still possessed even into his
eighties a brilliant quick comic mind. We reminisced about the Cheeky
Chappie Max Miller- another hero of Paul's. Paul started quoting from
Max's Blue Book of risque jokes and had us all in fits of laughter.
Nicholas topped it by quoting one of Max's cheekiest jokes, not listed
in his Blue Book but told to Nicholas by the man himself, and even Paul
fell about with tears in his eyes. I remembered how Steve Frost had once
described Paul Merton when he was just starting out on his career when
Steve and I were working on the Wow Show up in Edinburgh ages ago....
"He's like Max Miller on speed!!" Paul was sincerely touched.

It's true I had never seen Paul so consistently brilliant before
dominating what must have been nearly the whole last ten minutes of a
show. Steph praised Nicholas' ability to chair the show for so long with
his ever-sharpening comic mind and professional abilities and the man
who was announced once as "The Man of the Minute" actually blushed!!! It
was a lovely end to a beautiful evening.

 
<<<<   2617   >>>>

Topic: Re: Keith Matthews at London recording

Message 2 / 2
frankntomAug 21, 2008
 

 
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post ---I've got to check your blog
more often. Can't wait to hear the recording.....

--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...> wrote:
>
> My friend Keith wrote about the London recording on my blog - it's such
> a great post I thought everyone would like to see it
>
>