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Topic: Re: Paul Merton: Innovative Rebel turned Strait-Laced Co...

Message 1 / 6
delmelzaApr 13, 2010
 

 
Very good post. I have heard before about how Paul 'looked after" Clement and there was a nice picture of the two of them online that reflected their relationship and of course that Tribute radio special Paul did for Clement. Miriam

Photo link for those who have not seen it

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2007/04/27/mertonfreud460.jpg

--- In just-a-minute@..., Snideuk@... wrote:
>
>
> Firstly hello to the group. I've read all the posts for years, but don't
> think I've ever posted (sorry Dean).
>
> Forgive me responding to an old post as well (just catching up on a month's
> worth!), but this was such an interesting one, I felt the urge to add my
> thoughts.
>
> I see Nick has taken a bit of a knock over some of the posts, and I think a
> little unfairly. It is true that he is getting on in years, and certainly
> in the last 5-10 years his responses seemed to have slowed. However I think
> that for someone of his age, it's only reasonable. That he manages to
> control the show as well as he does is amazing. I wonder how many of us will
> still have our faculties at that age!
> I've been fortunate to attend a fair number of recordings and my view on it
> is that the editing of some shows seem to make Nick seem worse than he is.
> In addition, he does have his stock "pieces" such as the opening of the
> show, the rules of the game, the end of the game.
> Sometimes he gets thrown because of something that happens at the time, and
> then he often loses his place, which can make him appear a bit doddery.
> Certainly in recent years I noticed there were very few pick ups at the end
> of the recordings. This leads me think there is less care in the editing
> of the show these days. Or vice-versa, there was more attention to editing
> the shows in the earlier years.
>
> As for his relationship with Paul - I think there is nothing but great
> respect for each other. As Dean says, if you listen to the introductions they
> do on the Classic CD's then I think you can feel and hear it.
>
> What some people seem to forget is that Paula has now been a panelist on
> the show, for longer than Kenneth was. Now for me Kenneth was Just A Minute,
> and I only started listening to it properly the year he died. Since then
> I've listened to nearly all the old episodes and you can see why he was such
> a lynch pin of the show. I think Paul has slowly taken on this role over
> the years.
> He understands the show so well, and also cares so much for it, that I
> think (perhaps with Nick's passing years, and he not being so quick as he used
> to) he often does half the chairman's job himself, in a very covert way.
>
> Very often you hear him refer to the old team of Nimmo, Williams, Freud and
> Jones. His occasional comments of "Very good chairman" always bring a
> smile to my face, because you know he is echoing Williams in a very loving and
> affectionate way.
> Even at recording of the shows, when Clement was alive, you'd see him
> putting himself out to make sure Clem was okay. Even to the lengths of helping
> him on and off the stage.
> I don't think anyone can deny the love of the show that Paul has and I
> think this is what (slowly) has changed his way of performing. With Clem now
> gone, he is the last of the "old" clan. No longer the new kid on the block.
> Perhaps that is why he has slowly changed (as well as obviously maturing
> over the years - are any of us like we were twenty years ago?) and now adopts
> a slightly different way of playing the game.
>
> Whatever the reason I think without Paul or Nick the show would be lost,
> and quite honestly, I'm unsure whether it would continue, and even if it did,
> whether it would be the show I am used to hearing.
>
> Anyway, nuff said I think.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

 
<<<<   4138   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul Merton: Innovative Rebel turned Strait-Laced Co...

Message 2 / 6
SnideukApr 13, 2010
 

 

That's a really nice picture, and certainly reminds me of those recordings where Clem would sit very quietly, almost sadly in a strange sort of way, and then Paul would whisper something in his ear and he's give a little chuckle. Or the way that Clem would pass a note to Paul and get the same response.

 

Indeed, I think those moments sort of explain even more greatly how Paul feels and cares about the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a message dated 13/04/2010 17:19:24 GMT Daylight Time, delmelza@... writes:

Very good post. I have heard before about how Paul 'looked after" Clement and there was a nice picture of the two of them online that reflected their relationship and of course that Tribute radio special Paul did for Clement. Miriam

Photo link for those who have not seen it

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2007/04/27/mertonfreud460.jpg

 

 
<<<<   4140   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul Merton: Innovative Rebel turned Strait-Laced Co...

Message 3 / 6
StevenApr 13, 2010
 

 
I took a friend to one of the recordings at the Shaw Theatre, and her comment at the end was 'I always thought Clement was so miserable... he always sounds it, but watching him live he never stopped smiling and laughing.'

I fondly recall going to one of his last recordings at Broadcasting House, and at the end of the show he just stood at the front of the stage. Knowing his famed antipathy toward signing autographed I went up and gingerly put out a hand to shake his. He shook mine with a gracious smile. I said how much I had enjoyed everything he had done. A couple of months later he had died.

People should stop knocking Nick... he is the lynch pin of the show, and it will NOT be the same when he can no longer take the chair. I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is NOT what it was without Humph, just a pale imitation. I dread the day Nick is not there to run the show.

 
<<<<   4141   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul Merton: Innovative Rebel turned Strait-Laced Co...

Message 4 / 6
SnideukApr 13, 2010
 

 

Couldn't agree more, on all points, Steve. I think to fully understand Clement's personality on JAM you really had to see him perform in the flesh. As is often the case, anyone with a very dry sense of humour can come across as waspish or miserable. My over-riding memory (admittedly of his latter years) of Clement was a quiet man, who had a wicked sense of humour and whilst I'm sure he could be a git at times, always seemed pleased to be part of the JAM show.

 

As for Nick - I refer to my previous post. When he goes, I think the show (either in spirit or being) will.

 

 

In a message dated 13/04/2010 22:53:16 GMT Daylight Time, stevenwickham@... writes:

I took a friend to one of the recordings at the Shaw Theatre, and her comment at the end was 'I always thought Clement was so miserable... he always sounds it, but watching him live he never stopped smiling and laughing.'

I fondly recall going to one of his last recordings at Broadcasting House, and at the end of the show he just stood at the front of the stage. Knowing his famed antipathy toward signing autographed I went up and gingerly put out a hand to shake his. He shook mine with a gracious smile. I said how much I had enjoyed everything he had done. A couple of months later he had died.

People should stop knocking Nick... he is the lynch pin of the show, and it will NOT be the same when he can no longer take the chair. I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is NOT what it was without Humph, just a pale imitation. I dread the day Nick is not there to run the show.

 

 
<<<<   4146   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul Merton: Innovative Rebel turned Strait-Laced Co...

Message 5 / 6
DeanApr 17, 2010
 

 
 

 
<<<<   4147   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul Merton: Innovative Rebel turned Strait-Laced Co...

Message 6 / 6
DeanApr 17, 2010