As a big Paul
Merton I wanted some time to think about this and try to be more objective so here are my thoughts:
Time "mellows' many people including Perfomers-face it some performers look Silly trying to be Anti Establishment after they hit 50+
Paul comes across in being Secure in his talent and not needing to "prove himself" all the time.
Paul like all of us can have an "off" day- it cannnot be easy to Funny/witty on Cue- even if that is your 'living"
I have seen Paul be slow/distracted many times on Have I got news for you but when "It" hits he can really be on a "roll"
I noticed that the last few HIGNFY that I saw while in London last fall Paul was more quiet than he used to be.
Having seen paul perform a couple times at the comdey club improv I have seen his willingness to 'step back' and let someone else have the spotlight ( although usually not for very long LOL he loves to take the mickey out of his
friends- epecilly Josie)
The "best chairman" remark is paul carrying the Torch from Kenneth Wms. and it is Always meant as a Put Down on Nicholas.
Paul shows a true love of JAM still and is still able to take the mickey out of Nicholas or someone like Glyes.
Has Paul's manner of Playing the game changed? well in a way yes-he will sit back and let others do their thing more often but if he sees a good opening he usually does go for it.
Clement changed his game playing over the yrs too.
That is my 2 cents/pence. Miriam
--- In
just-a-minute@ yahoogroups. com, "Bobby" <bobbyshaddoe3004@ ...> wrote:
>
> One thing I've noticed in the fairly recent episodes of Just a Minute is a shift in Paul Merton's behavior. In his youth when he first
came on the show, he was something of a rebel, and an innovative one that not only argued with panelists but argued with Nicholas to no end. Nowadays, he seems to no longer argue with Nicholas' decisions or challenge his authority. In fact, there are some episodes that go by that have Paul pretty much towing the company line, not just with the audience, but with other panelists.
>
> By which I mean, that when a panelist or the audience disagree with the rulings or challenges the rules themselves or show their disappointment at the fact that someone dared to interrupt someone, and it happened to be something they were enjoying, he will now remind them about the rules, as they have been for 40 years now.
>
> I can understand Paul having a great love for the history of the program, but it just gets my goat that he now seems to have become essentially the new Kenneth Williams, the new face of the program who in his later years
seemed to reach a comfort zone with the program and more often than not praise Nicholas for being the 'best chairman they've got'.
>
> Its like he accepts all of Nicholas' decisions without a fight now, just tows the line and accepts his judgement like a good little boy, and that's simply not on. Granted, I'm only listening to the 2008 episodes at the moment, I have no idea what 2009 or 2010 will bring to the table, so maybe Paul gets some of his fire back in those recordings. Who knows?
>