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Topic: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)

Message 1 / 6
Clitheroe KidMay 23, 2009

Dean, I'd be interested in your thoughts on a question that puzzled me in
those days. So far as you know, were the panellists ever given advance
notice of the subjects?

You've mentioned the episode in which Kenneth talks about Marcus Aurelius
Antoninus. When I heard first that one, it did occur to me to wonder whether
Kenneth had known in advance that this would be one of the subjects.

Although he was well known for being the most erudite member of the panel,
to know so much about a fairly obscure historical figure seemed unlikely,
unless he was aware that the subject was going to come up.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dean Bedford" <dbedford@...>
To: <just-a-minute@...>
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 6:58 AM
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] What have you learned from Jam?

>
> On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at 04:03 PM, William Clarkson wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Dean,
> >
> > I want to thank you for putting the transcripts online. There isn't a
> > day which goes by that I don't listen to Just a minute. Tonight I found
> > myself trying to remember quotes from the show. It was easy by typing
> > the speakers name and what little dialog I remembered. Tonight I was
> > trying to remember:
> > I burn the candle at both ends, it will not last the night, but oh my
> > friends, and oh my foes, it gives a lovely light.
> >
> > But without Jam, I may have never heard of Stanley Holloway's Albert
> > and the Lion, or known countless other facts,people or poems alluded to
> > over the years. I'm always curious when I don't know something someone
> > (usually Clement) quotes, or refers to, and I look it up online.
> >
> > So what I'm wondering from the rest of the group, what have you learned
> > from Jam?
> >
> > (don't everyone quote PM's educational show joke at once pls)
> >
>
> sorry for the belated reply William - has been a very busy week at work
> and that combined with sleeping very badly has made me a bit lax at
> responding to the email traffic.
>
> First thanks for the very kind words. I know I must sometimes seem like
> a grumpy old bugger, but I really enjoy sharing my love of this show and
> I am very proud of the success of things like this group (we passed 500
> members last week!)
>
> On what I have learned from JAM - lots. I know my spelling isn't always
> very accurate but I will often look up someone on the web to check I'm
> spelling their name correctly. Last week I was transcribing the
> "missing" 195 eppy, "starters" and there was a subject, Marcus Aurelius
> Antoninus. I looked him up and found some material on him and I have to
> say - Kenneth Williams's summary was very accurate. I hadn't heard of
> him before, and I learned something.
>
> I suppose it's too much to expect Paul or Tony Hawks or Sue Perkins to
> bone up on obscure subjects as Kenneth used to do. But personally I
> rather liked the "educational" aspect of the show where Kenneth used to
> talk on these historical or literary subjects. These days they're likely
> just to turn a subject like this into a joke, or declare Marcus to be
> the shopkeeper down the road or something.
>
> I suppose the difference is that even if he had to read up on subjects,
> Kenneth still was something of an intellectual or liked to be thought of
> one anyway. Maybe if Stephen Fry becomes a regular, this aspect could be
> brought back...
>
> Dean
>

<<<< 3152 >>>>

Topic: Re: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)

Message 2 / 6
cymro.gwirionMay 23, 2009

Maybe I can just put my two cents in before Dean gives a definitive answer - I have heard said (here I think or in his Diaries) that Kenneth always wanted to know in advance what 'intellectual' subject he was going to be given because he wanted to study in advance (he would also insist on having these subjects) - which is why he became so worked up if he made a mistake and lost the subject. Also - there is in one show a sort of admission to preparedness - when I think Magnus Pyke had a subject and said "Hold on let me turn to my notes...". Nicholas covered it up as best he could - but I do believe it was an unintended admission that in those days - they did receive prior warning. Having said that - I do also believe it was only if they wanted to know - I can't believe for one moment that Peter Jones ever had or wanted prior knowledge - and neither does Paul these days!

Anyway - over to you Dean.....

--- In just-a-minute@..., "Clitheroe Kid" <clitheroekid@...> wrote:
>
> Dean, I'd be interested in your thoughts on a question that puzzled me in
> those days. So far as you know, were the panellists ever given advance
> notice of the subjects?
>
> You've mentioned the episode in which Kenneth talks about Marcus Aurelius
> Antoninus. When I heard first that one, it did occur to me to wonder whether
> Kenneth had known in advance that this would be one of the subjects.
>
> Although he was well known for being the most erudite member of the panel,
> to know so much about a fairly obscure historical figure seemed unlikely,
> unless he was aware that the subject was going to come up.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dean Bedford" <dbedford@...>
> To: <just-a-minute@...>
> Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 6:58 AM
> Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] What have you learned from Jam?
>
>
> >
> > On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at 04:03 PM, William Clarkson wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Dean,
> > >
> > > I want to thank you for putting the transcripts online. There isn't a
> > > day which goes by that I don't listen to Just a minute. Tonight I found
> > > myself trying to remember quotes from the show. It was easy by typing
> > > the speakers name and what little dialog I remembered. Tonight I was
> > > trying to remember:
> > > I burn the candle at both ends, it will not last the night, but oh my
> > > friends, and oh my foes, it gives a lovely light.
> > >
> > > But without Jam, I may have never heard of Stanley Holloway's Albert
> > > and the Lion, or known countless other facts,people or poems alluded to
> > > over the years. I'm always curious when I don't know something someone
> > > (usually Clement) quotes, or refers to, and I look it up online.
> > >
> > > So what I'm wondering from the rest of the group, what have you learned
> > > from Jam?
> > >
> > > (don't everyone quote PM's educational show joke at once pls)
> > >
> >
> > sorry for the belated reply William - has been a very busy week at work
> > and that combined with sleeping very badly has made me a bit lax at
> > responding to the email traffic.
> >
> > First thanks for the very kind words. I know I must sometimes seem like
> > a grumpy old bugger, but I really enjoy sharing my love of this show and
> > I am very proud of the success of things like this group (we passed 500
> > members last week!)
> >
> > On what I have learned from JAM - lots. I know my spelling isn't always
> > very accurate but I will often look up someone on the web to check I'm
> > spelling their name correctly. Last week I was transcribing the
> > "missing" 195 eppy, "starters" and there was a subject, Marcus Aurelius
> > Antoninus. I looked him up and found some material on him and I have to
> > say - Kenneth Williams's summary was very accurate. I hadn't heard of
> > him before, and I learned something.
> >
> > I suppose it's too much to expect Paul or Tony Hawks or Sue Perkins to
> > bone up on obscure subjects as Kenneth used to do. But personally I
> > rather liked the "educational" aspect of the show where Kenneth used to
> > talk on these historical or literary subjects. These days they're likely
> > just to turn a subject like this into a joke, or declare Marcus to be
> > the shopkeeper down the road or something.
> >
> > I suppose the difference is that even if he had to read up on subjects,
> > Kenneth still was something of an intellectual or liked to be thought of
> > one anyway. Maybe if Stephen Fry becomes a regular, this aspect could be
> > brought back...
> >
> > Dean
> >
>

<<<< 3153 >>>>

Topic: Re: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)

Message 3 / 6
Dean BedfordMay 23, 2009

On Sunday, May 24, 2009, at 03:30 AM, Clitheroe Kid wrote:

>
>
> Dean, I'd be interested in your thoughts on a question that puzzled me
> in
> those days. So far as you know, were the panellists ever given advance
> notice of the subjects?
>
> You've mentioned the episode in which Kenneth talks about Marcus
> Aurelius
> Antoninus. When I heard first that one, it did occur to me to wonder
> whether
> Kenneth had known in advance that this would be one of the subjects.
>
> Although he was well known for being the most erudite member of the
> panel,
> to know so much about a fairly obscure historical figure seemed
> unlikely,
> unless he was aware that the subject was going to come up.

Cymro has answered this really. As he says, Kenneth talks in the diaries
about researching subjects in the week before a recording and David
Hatch also said once when talking about the show that Kenneth used to
ring him or Ian Messiter the week before the recording and demand a list
of subjects so he wouldn't look foolish. Hatch said Kenneth was the only
one who did this regularly and as a result he did end up with the
obscure subjects. He said Kenneth was only shown subjects where he was
starting the round.

The issue was raised in the press a few years ago and the then producer
Claire Jones said the current panellists could see a full list of
subjects before the show. Most did look at it when they arrived for a
recording say an hour before. Not all did - one exception was Clement
Freud who declared that he had always played the game off-the-cuff and
that was that. But even he has been seen to bring notes on to stage in
recent years apparently so perhaps he too used to sneak a peek on
occasions.

Of course both Hatch and Jones went on to say that it's the banter
between the panellists and the fun they have playing off each other that
is the highlight of the show, and the real test of a panellist.

<<<< 3161 >>>>

Topic: Re: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)

Message 4 / 6
Robert TorresMay 24, 2009

I thought it was Marcus Aurelius Paterkulous or however you spell it. When did Kenneth talk about Marcus Aurelius Antoninus?

--- On Sat, 5/23/09, Clitheroe Kid <clitheroekid@...> wrote:

From: Clitheroe Kid <clitheroekid@...>
Subject: [just-a-minute] Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)
To: just-a-minute@...
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2009, 11:30 AM

Dean, I'd be interested in your thoughts on a question that puzzled me in
those days. So far as you know, were the panellists ever given advance
notice of the subjects?

You've mentioned the episode in which Kenneth talks about Marcus Aurelius
Antoninus. When I heard first that one, it did occur to me to wonder whether
Kenneth had known in advance that this would be one of the subjects.

Although he was well known for being the most erudite member of the panel,
to know so much about a fairly obscure historical figure seemed unlikely,
unless he was aware that the subject was going to come up.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dean Bedford" <dbedford@ihug. co.nz>
To: <just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com>
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 6:58 AM
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] What have you learned from Jam?

>
> On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at 04:03 PM, William Clarkson wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Dean,
> >
> > I want to thank you for putting the transcripts online. There isn't a
> > day which goes by that I don't listen to Just a minute. Tonight I found
> > myself trying to remember quotes from the show. It was easy by typing
> > the speakers name and what little dialog I remembered. Tonight I was
> > trying to remember:
> > I burn the candle at both ends, it will not last the night, but oh my
> > friends, and oh my foes, it gives a lovely light.
> >
> > But without Jam, I may have never heard of Stanley Holloway's Albert
> > and the Lion, or known countless other facts,people or poems alluded to
> > over the years. I'm always curious when I don't know something someone
> > (usually Clement) quotes, or refers to, and I look it up online.
> >
> > So what I'm wondering from the rest of the group, what have you learned
> > from Jam?
> >
> > (don't everyone quote PM's educational show joke at once pls)
> >
>
> sorry for the belated reply William - has been a very busy week at work
> and that combined with sleeping very badly has made me a bit lax at
> responding to the email traffic.
>
> First thanks for the very kind words. I know I must sometimes seem like
> a grumpy old bugger, but I really enjoy sharing my love of this show and
> I am very proud of the success of things like this group (we passed 500
> members last week!)
>
> On what I have learned from JAM - lots. I know my spelling isn't always
> very accurate but I will often look up someone on the web to check I'm
> spelling their name correctly. Last week I was transcribing the
> "missing" 195 eppy, "starters" and there was a subject, Marcus Aurelius
> Antoninus. I looked him up and found some material on him and I have to
> say - Kenneth Williams's summary was very accurate. I hadn't heard of
> him before, and I learned something.
>
> I suppose it's too much to expect Paul or Tony Hawks or Sue Perkins to
> bone up on obscure subjects as Kenneth used to do. But personally I
> rather liked the "educational" aspect of the show where Kenneth used to
> talk on these historical or literary subjects. These days they're likely
> just to turn a subject like this into a joke, or declare Marcus to be
> the shopkeeper down the road or something.
>
> I suppose the difference is that even if he had to read up on subjects,
> Kenneth still was something of an intellectual or liked to be thought of
> one anyway. Maybe if Stephen Fry becomes a regular, this aspect could be
> brought back...
>
> Dean
>

<<<< 3162 >>>>

Topic: Re: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)

Message 5 / 6
Dean BedfordMay 24, 2009

If you read back through the thread, all of which was in your post,
you'll see the answer to this.

On Monday, May 25, 2009, at 06:09 AM, Robert Torres wrote:

I thought it was Marcus Aurelius Paterkulous or however you spell it.
When did Kenneth talk about Marcus Aurelius Antoninus?

<<<< 3168 >>>>

Topic: Re: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)

Message 6 / 6
Robert TorresMay 25, 2009

oh I see, from the missing episode with Alfred Marks, the one with the opening subject of 'Starters'. sorry, must've missed that.

--- On Sun, 5/24/09, Dean Bedford <dbedford@...> wrote:

From: Dean Bedford <dbedford@...>
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (was: What have you learned from Jam?)
To: just-a-minute@...
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009, 3:33 PM

If you read back through the thread, all of which was in your post,
you'll see the answer to this.

On Monday, May 25, 2009, at 06:09 AM, Robert Torres wrote:

I thought it was Marcus Aurelius Paterkulous or however you spell it.
When did Kenneth talk about Marcus Aurelius Antoninus?

<<<< 3168 >>>>

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