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<<<<   8184   >>>>

Topic: Musings From A New Member

Message 1 / 18
TroubleshooterJan 17, 2013
 

 
Hi All -

First of all I'd like to apologize for being something of a newbie here in the group and having missed what I'm sure are some splendid discussions from past threads, because i know that I will likely be bringing up some queries and personal observations from time to time that have possibly have been 'done to death' by the members who have been around for several years. In the past few days I have been making it a point to delve back into the discussion archives in order to not feel so inept when asking questions or attempting to open up a discussion on this or that. I am curious as to what fellow JAM enthusiasts believe would be best modern day Gang of Four? I've been giving it some thought and I believe for me it would be Paul, Sue, Graham and Tony...that combination is one which I'm actually watching from last year's TV broadcast.

By no means do I feel that should be set in stone because there are simply too many other players I would miss hearing as a result - I'm always happy to hear Nicholas announcing that players on any given episode include Giles, Ross, or Sheila, or of late, Julian Clary, Stephen Fry, and Jenny Eclair, all of whom I seem to have warmed to as players of late. There are other players I enjoy, but some I just can't seem to warm to. Something I have noticed while listening is probably what seems obvious to more long time listeners than I, that being, you absolutely need two cornerstone type players to make for a really great show, and in fact three are more preferable. I think I came to that conclusion as a result of listening to so many great moments when Paul and Clement were playing together and off of each other; from what little I have heard thus far, the pairing of Paul and Tony, Paul and Julian, Paul and Giles and Sue and Graham seem to make for great comedic chemistry.

I also have to say that it is hard for me to be receptive to some of the new players or players whom have played the game very infrequently; it seems to cause a 'watered down' effect on those episodes, and when there are two such players on an episode I don't have nearly the same interest; in my mind there are so many great, established players who are still great at playing the game, so why dilute the magic? Having quickly taken to several current players, I think I would prefer a small circle of elite JAM players in rotation rather than seeing so many new personalities trying their hand at the game. In the silver years it seems there were always three of the Gang of Four on each show, even if one of the cornerstone players were absent. These days that seems to be less the case.

These are just musings from someone still in his JAM infancy, but I would like to hear the comments or thoughts of other members? Forgive the lengthy post, but I am literally the only person in my actual world who has any idea that JAM even exists!

Louis

 
<<<<   8186   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 2 / 18
Espen KrømkeJan 18, 2013
 

 

 

Hi All -

Welcome!

I am curious as to what fellow JAM enthusiasts believe would be best modern day Gang of Four? I've been giving it some thought and I believe for me it would be Paul, Sue, Graham and Tony...that combination is one which I'm actually watching from last year's TV broadcast.

It's a classic topic but one that deserves to be frequently revisited - at least I will NEVER be tired of discussing this  :)

And my fav 4 changes somewhat each time. Well, two have always been there: Paul and Graham. Those two are bankers. I love everything they do. Pauls travel series, Grahams talkshows... Love it all.

But then it's harder. I think in the past I've always had Ross Noble on that list too, but now I'm not so sure anymore:

I think Julian Clary is only better and better for each passing season. He's got his own very distinct, wonderfully flamboyant style, excellent humour and personality, AND being good at the game. So I'd argue he's a complete panellist and definitely belongs to the JAM elite. This is a guy I'd love to meet at a nachspiel and just trashtalk with. I am sure I'd roll over laughing. :D

I'd also love to hear much more from Stephen Fry.
In addition to his excellent vocabulary he has something not many others do: He actually knows a lot about a lot of stuff, and contributes with interesting (as opposed to funny) content to the mix.
If there are only comedians in the panel it often ends up being a bit too much bullshit and flights of fantasy, at the expense of content that actually makes sense and is interesting to listen to. And noone is better at this than Stephen Fry. Noone.

I also have to say that it is hard for me to be receptive to some of the new players or players whom have played the game very infrequently; it seems to cause a 'watered down' effect on those episodes, and when there are two such players on an episode I don't have nearly the same interest

This I agree with, but everyone has to start somewhere and I see it as a healthy sign that the producers still adds new names to the list, cause that must mean they have long term intentions for the show, doesn't it? Cause if they only intended to keep going until Nic is done as a chairman then they could just as well just used the established players and go off with a bang?

So each time I see a new name on the lineup a sigh of relief is released inside of me!

These are just musings from someone still in his JAM infancy, but I would like to hear the comments or thoughts of other members? Forgive the lengthy post, but I am literally the only person in my actual world who has any idea that JAM even exists!

Can I ask how old you are and where you are from? I'm 43 myself, and from Norway. I work as a programmer and am responsible for keeping the communitys JAM shoutcast stream ("the JAMmer") up and running.

 
<<<<   8187   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 3 / 18
InnerRevolution7Jan 18, 2013
 

 
I agree about Paul and Graham. They are the two obvious mainstays, and rightly so. After that, I maybe love Sue Perkins the most, but just in a biased way because I'm a big fan of The 99P Challenge. (I still relisten to those now and then just because the humor is so good.) But I don't know if Sue would make the Gang of Four in my eyes.

They seem to have cleverly resisted having a solid Gang of Four. It's more of a pseudo Gang of Two, with several excellent regular panelists hopping in and out in a very deliberate rotation.

Off topic, but by the way, don't you love in I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, when Jack Dee does his Nicholas Parsons impression? ("Because the audience loved your response SOOOO much...") Their recurring JAM parody (in the newer episodes since Jack took the chair) is one of my favorite things ever :D

--- In just-a-minute@..., "Espen Krømke" wrote:
>
> On 17. jan. 2013 20:28, Troubleshooter wrote:
> >
> > Hi All -
> >
>
> Welcome!
>
>
> > I am curious as to what fellow JAM enthusiasts believe would be best
> > modern day Gang of Four? I've been giving it some thought and I
> > believe for me it would be Paul, Sue, Graham and Tony...that
> > combination is one which I'm actually watching from last year's TV
> > broadcast.
> >
>
> It's a classic topic but one that deserves to be frequently revisited -
> at least I will NEVER be tired of discussing this :)
>
> And my fav 4 changes somewhat each time. Well, two have always been
> there: Paul and Graham. Those two are bankers. I love everything they
> do. Pauls travel series, Grahams talkshows... Love it all.
>
> But then it's harder. I think in the past I've always had Ross Noble on
> that list too, but now I'm not so sure anymore:
>
> I think Julian Clary is only better and better for each passing season.
> He's got his own very distinct, wonderfully flamboyant style, excellent
> humour and personality, AND being good at the game. So I'd argue he's a
> complete panellist and definitely belongs to the JAM elite. This is a
> guy I'd love to meet at a nachspiel and just trashtalk with. I am sure
> I'd roll over laughing. :D
>
> I'd also love to hear much more from Stephen Fry.
> In addition to his excellent vocabulary he has something not many others
> do: He actually knows a lot about a lot of stuff, and contributes with
> interesting (as opposed to funny) content to the mix.
> If there are only comedians in the panel it often ends up being a bit
> too much bullshit and flights of fantasy, at the expense of content that
> actually makes sense and is interesting to listen to. And noone is
> better at this than Stephen Fry. Noone.
>
>
> > I also have to say that it is hard for me to be receptive to some of
> > the new players or players whom have played the game very
> > infrequently; it seems to cause a 'watered down' effect on those
> > episodes, and when there are two such players on an episode I don't
> > have nearly the same interest
> >
>
> This I agree with, but everyone has to start somewhere and I see it as a
> healthy sign that the producers still adds new names to the list, cause
> that must mean they have long term intentions for the show, doesn't it?
> Cause if they only intended to keep going until Nic is done as a
> chairman then they could just as well just used the established players
> and go off with a bang?
>
> So each time I see a new name on the lineup a sigh of relief is released
> inside of me!
>
>
> >
> > These are just musings from someone still in his JAM infancy, but I
> > would like to hear the comments or thoughts of other members? Forgive
> > the lengthy post, but I am literally the only person in my actual
> > world who has any idea that JAM even exists!
> >
>
> Can I ask how old you are and where you are from? I'm 43 myself, and
> from Norway. I work as a programmer and am responsible for keeping the
> communitys JAM shoutcast stream ("the JAMmer") up and running.
>

 
<<<<   8188   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 4 / 18
Don JudgeJan 18, 2013
 

 

> Off topic, but by the way, don't you love in I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, when Jack Dee does his Nicholas Parsons impression?

> ("Because the audience loved your response SOOOO much...")

> Their

recurring JAM parody (in the newer episodes since Jack took the chair) is one of my favorite things ever  :D

 
<<<<   8190   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 5 / 18
ejumeanJan 19, 2013
 

 
I definitely love the way Jack parodies Nicholas' mannerisms and ways of speaking during Just A Minim. Actually in all honestly, the powers that be could not have chosen a better replacement for Humphrey Lyttelton than Jack Dee. His dour and grumpy persona is so much like Humph's was, that it startles me a bit even now. :)

> Off topic, but by the way, don't you love in I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, when Jack Dee does his Nicholas Parsons impression? ("Because the audience loved your response SOOOO much...") Their recurring JAM parody (in the newer episodes since Jack took the chair) is one of my favorite things ever :D
>

 
<<<<   8191   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 6 / 18
TroubleshooterJan 19, 2013
 

 

--- In just-a-minute@..., "Espen Krømke" wrote:

This I agree with, but everyone has to start somewhere and I see it as a healthy sign that the producers still adds new names to the list, cause that must mean they have long term intentions for the show, doesn't it? Cause if they only intended to keep going until Nic is done as a chairman then they could just as well just used the established players and go off with a bang?

So each time I see a new name on the lineup a sigh of relief is released inside of me!

Here we differ a bit :) as I mentioned, I'm not opposed to one new player with three great veterans because three can still carry the show with a degree of ease; when there are two new or relatively new names I cringe, because in many instances those two might be Paul and someone I don't care for or Paul may not even be on the show, and it's left to someone such as Tony to 'carry' the other three in a sense. I feel there are a good dozen or so great long time players at this point in time and I'd prefer to see them rotated with the occasional one new player in the mix.

I realize all these performers have active professional schedules, but with that many good long time players around I would think that's very doable; also, they have a pretty good idea when JAM will be recorded from one series to the next annually so (I would hope) freeing up a slot or slots would be something they look forward to. Also, of the veteran active players around, most are in or coming into their middle age years and it's fairly safe to say that most of them are capable of playing at a high level of skill and entertainment for the next decade and much longer, so there is no huge need to train a bevy of new players at this point. I would think When Nic is gone having a solid core of well established loved players will be all the more important to the show's survival.


Can I ask how old you are and where you are from? I'm 43 myself, and from Norway. I work as a programmer and am responsible for keeping the communitys JAM shoutcast stream ("the JAMmer") up and running.

I'm 53 and from the US. I am an industrial maintenance person (hydraulics, mechanical, electrical, etc.)by profession and a computer/music/movie geek as a hobby.

If the shoutcast is what is the basis of Just A Minute radio on Tunein, then I'm a product of that effort, having discovered the show by pure accident!

 
<<<<   8192   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 7 / 18
ejumeanJan 19, 2013
 

 
I'm always excited when I read about new players taking the plunge and appearing on Just A Minute. Obviously not all of the newbies are great -- some, I had high hopes for being great, but fell horribly flat. But on the flipside, some did a lot better than I had expected.

With regards to the structuring of the teams, I lean more towards a "gang of 2" approach rather than a full team of regulars that was done to death in the earlier years of Kenneth, Clement, Peter and Derek. I think on the whole I would prefer a small stable of the stronger regulars acting as anchors for each "team" (Paul, Tony, Sue, Graham, Julian, Gyles, etc). Then, one could combine that with two of the less-regular but still strong or improving players (ie. Ross, Liza, Sheila, Josie, etc), or bringing in a new player or much-less-used guest to fill out one of these other two seats.

They definitely need to rely more on the veterans and less on the newbies, as many of the episodes in the last few years where more than one "JAM virgin" on the panel just didn't seem to always work, at least in my opinion.

--- In just-a-minute@..., "Troubleshooter" wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In just-a-minute@..., "Espen Krømke" wrote:
>
> This I agree with, but everyone has to start somewhere and I see it as a healthy sign that the producers still adds new names to the list, cause that must mean they have long term intentions for the show, doesn't it? Cause if they only intended to keep going until Nic is done as a chairman then they could just as well just used the established players and go off with a bang?
>
> So each time I see a new name on the lineup a sigh of relief is released inside of me!
>
> Here we differ a bit :) as I mentioned, I'm not opposed to one new player with three great veterans because three can still carry the show with a degree of ease; when there are two new or relatively new names I cringe, because in many instances those two might be Paul and someone I don't care for or Paul may not even be on the show, and it's left to someone such as Tony to 'carry' the other three in a sense. I feel there are a good dozen or so great long time players at this point in time and I'd prefer to see them rotated with the occasional one new player in the mix.
>
> I realize all these performers have active professional schedules, but with that many good long time players around I would think that's very doable; also, they have a pretty good idea when JAM will be recorded from one series to the next annually so (I would hope) freeing up a slot or slots would be something they look forward to. Also, of the veteran active players around, most are in or coming into their middle age years and it's fairly safe to say that most of them are capable of playing at a high level of skill and entertainment for the next decade and much longer, so there is no huge need to train a bevy of new players at this point. I would think When Nic is gone having a solid core of well established loved players will be all the more important to the show's survival.
>
>
> Can I ask how old you are and where you are from? I'm 43 myself, and from Norway. I work as a programmer and am responsible for keeping the communitys JAM shoutcast stream ("the JAMmer") up and running.
>
> I'm 53 and from the US. I am an industrial maintenance person (hydraulics, mechanical, electrical, etc.)by profession and a computer/music/movie geek as a hobby.
>
> If the shoutcast is what is the basis of Just A Minute radio on Tunein, then I'm a product of that effort, having discovered the show by pure accident!
>

 
<<<<   8193   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 8 / 18
TroubleshooterJan 19, 2013
 

 
I definitely think Sue is Gang of Four material, in fact it seems to me that she is being 'groomed' a bit to take Paul's place should the necessity arise. She is certainly fabulously witty and well versed.

As I learn more about the show and it's hundreds of episodes, the more my opinions change to and fro I think. Some players have grown on me after listening to years and years of their material.

If it is a pseudo Gang of Two those two seem (to me) to be Paul and Sue over the last several series. There are too many fabulous players to keep the Gang of Four a rigid thing, more like a very solid Gang of Twelve in rotation.

--- In just-a-minute@..., "InnerRevolution7" wrote:
>
> I agree about Paul and Graham. They are the two obvious mainstays, and rightly so. After that, I maybe love Sue Perkins the most, but just in a biased way because I'm a big fan of The 99P Challenge. (I still relisten to those now and then just because the humor is so good.) But I don't know if Sue would make the Gang of Four in my eyes.
>
> They seem to have cleverly resisted having a solid Gang of Four. It's more of a pseudo Gang of Two, with several excellent regular panelists hopping in and out in a very deliberate rotation.

 
<<<<   8194   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 9 / 18
Martin McCagueJan 20, 2013
 

 
Hi Louis
Well I agree with all you say. There's nothing worse than people who come on and fluff their lines but try to get audience sympathy by claiming they've never played the game before. In what universe should that be an excuse? Either don't come on or practice.
Some people never get the hang of it and some take to it like a duck to water. All of the people you mention I think are really good.
There are some characters that I don't like because I think they're inept and/or annoying. Unfortunately (for me), they keep being asked back.
But back to your points and I do think there is a synergy with four people, that isn't there even with three. It only takes one lame duck.
It should be the kind of show where newbies are terrified of appearing.
I agree with your points about different personalities like Paul and Tony playing off each other. I think there is an edge to this which goes beyond bouncing off the other person. They can sometimes be really mean with each other. This is all for the good though. In the show there should be no quarter given. When that type of humour comes off it's because it isn't watered down. I believe that being invited to the show gives respect and you
return that respect by doing whatever it takes. If it turns into gladiatorial combat then so be it and may the blood-bath begin. A certain type of edgy young comedian may in fact be too polite to be any good at the job. The gay comedians on the show and they possibly outnumber everyone else are quite brilliant sometimes and can mix it well.
The BBC tinker with a format that works. If they can't make good judgments on what works given the show's history and the audience's enthusiasm it shows to me that they aren't very good at their jobs. End of.
ciao
Martin

 
<<<<   8195   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 10 / 18
SimonJan 20, 2013
 

 
--- In just-a-minute@..., "ejumean" wrote:

>
> I definitely love the way Jack parodies Nicholas' mannerisms
> and ways of speaking during Just A Minim. Actually in all
> honestly, the powers that be could not have chosen a better
> replacement for Humphrey Lyttelton than Jack Dee. His dour
> and grumpy persona is so much like Humph's was, that it
> startles me a bit even now. :)

I agree. Thing was that in the series after Humph died they did three evenings (6 shows) with 3 different chairs, and the other two seemed as if they were stand ins reading a script written for Humph. Whereas Jack filled the same niche in the programme while remaining very much in his own comedy persona. The other two were doing bad pastiches of Humph- Jack was being "Jack Dee" and echoing Humph much better.

 
<<<<   8196   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 11 / 18
Espen KrømkeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 

If the shoutcast is what is the basis of Just A Minute radio on Tunein, then I'm a product of that effort, having discovered the show by pure accident!

Really?! Wow, how incredibly cool to hear!
Yeah as far as I am aware there is only one JAM stream on the internet, and that is indeed the one that stems from this community. We've started to get a lot of traffic from mobile clients.
In fact I mainly listen to internet streams from my mobile too - including JAM, that is standard procedure before I go to sleep. :)

 
<<<<   8197   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 12 / 18
Don JudgeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 
<<<<   8198   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 13 / 18
Espen KrømkeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 

The Tunein stream is called 'Just a Minute Radio' and can be heard here:

http://tunein.com/radio/Just-A-Minute-Radio-s163399/

It says...  Location Sunnyvale, CA

That page has a link to Dean's website.

The link is named "Visit the station website"

 

--
Cheers

Don   __o
      \<,
.....O/ O

---

From: Espen Krømke <espen.kromke@...>
To: just-a-minute@...
Sent: Sunday, 20 January 2013, 15:52
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] Re: Musings From A New Member

Den 20. jan. 2013 07:03, skrev Troubleshooter:

 

If the shoutcast is what is the basis of Just A Minute radio on Tunein, then I'm a product of that effort, having discovered the show by pure accident!

Really?! Wow, how incredibly cool to hear!
Yeah as far as I am aware there is only one JAM stream on the internet, and that is indeed the one that stems from this community. We've started to get a lot of traffic from mobile clients.
In fact I mainly listen to internet streams from my mobile too - including JAM, that is standard procedure before I go to sleep. :)

 
<<<<   8199   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 14 / 18
Espen KrømkeJan 20, 2013
 

 

That's bullshit, they are just wrapping around the Jammer stream.
I've put Deans page as the stations "homepage" in the config of the server.

Their source is this server:
http://stream.beatradar.no/




Den 20. jan. 2013 17:10, skrev Don Judge:

 

The Tunein stream is called 'Just a Minute Radio' and can be heard here:

http://tunein.com/radio/Just-A-Minute-Radio-s163399/

Itsays...  Location Sunnyvale, CA

Thatpage has a link to Dean's website.

Thelink is named "Visit the station website"

 

--
Cheers

Don   __o
      \<,
.....O/ O

---

From: Espen Krømke <espen.kromke@...>
To: just-a-minute@...
Sent: Sunday, 20 January 2013, 15:52
Subject: Re: [just-a-minute] Re: Musings From A New Member

Den 20. jan. 2013 07:03, skrev Troubleshooter:

 

If the shoutcast is what is the basis of Just A Minute radio on Tunein, then I'm a product of that effort, having discovered the show by pure accident!

Really?! Wow, how incredibly cool to hear!
Yeah as far as I am aware there is only one JAM stream on the internet, and that is indeed the one that stems from this community. We've started to get a lot of traffic from mobile clients.
In fact I mainly listen to internet streams from my mobile too - including JAM, that is standard procedure before I go to sleep. :)

 
<<<<   8200   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 15 / 18
Don JudgeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 
<<<<   8201   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 16 / 18
Don JudgeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 
<<<<   8202   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 17 / 18
Espen KrømkeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 

OK I was just telling what I found on the Tunein website - don't shoot me I'm only the messenger...

 

I know - I realized my post could be misunderstood after I sent the mail. My apologies. :)

 
<<<<   8203   >>>>

Topic: Re: Musings From A New Member

Message 18 / 18
Espen KrømkeJan 20, 2013
 

 

 

Ah OK, no probs then, hehe!

I'd never be rude to you, Don. Deep inside you know that. ;)