Blog No. 26
Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 12:28AM The Penny Readings are an event that’s been held at Liverpool St George’s Hall for the last six years, it’s a sort of Dickensian mix of music and recital and is to benefit The Readers Organisation who run more than 120 weekly read aloud groups across Merseyside, reaching over 600 people, in libraries, schools, GP surgeries, hospitals, Day Centres and workplaces as part of their Get Into Reading project. They say they’re turning non-readers into readers, one page at a time.
I got the train up to Liverpool to do the event last Sunday and as I was walking to Euston Station about 11.30 in the morning I passed a group of lads getting onto a coach, with cans of lager in their hands, obviously going on their Christmas outing. Thery were all wearing those disposable paper suits with hoods that the police give you if you’ve been sick on yourself in the cells and are more commonly worn by SOCOs-Scene of Crime Officers. I wondered what sot of a day out they were planning, presumably it involved, vomit, blood and faeces which sounds pretty good.
Talking about The Wire, a friend of mine who works in TV was saying that’s all everybody talks about in meetings and they say things like “Yeah I’m just up to halfway through season three!”. For God’s sake you can’t talk about the Wire if you’re only halfway through season three! It’s like that idiot Tory shadow minister Chris Grayling mentioning it even though he’d obviously never seen more than ten seconds.
So what I propose is some sort of examination, a test that you shouldn’t be allowed to talk about The Wire unless you can say what Baby Booking is and name Omar’s favourite cereal and Lt Daniels wife. I await a government commision on this important matter as soon as possible.
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Reader Comments (19)
I'm on series 8 episode 14 of The Wire.
I've never even seen 10 seconds....I'm more of a Lie To Me and America's Biggest Loser sorta woman. Sorry. I understand I have let the board down. (!)
xx
The Bill
Forgot to ask, how's the autobiography coming along? I've got a book by a guy named Tony Allen, Attitude (you wanna make something of it), and it has a good lot of references to yourself. And a reproduction of a poster you did for Alternative Caberet 1979. Will we get lots of never-before seen pics in your book?
xx
The Bill. The worst show on TV since Doctors!
The Sweeney. "SHUT IT YOU TART!" And all that sort of thing.
Hello. I haven't been on here for a while as I was beginning to find all the blogs and comments about counselling a bit difficult to enjoy. Since then there have been some dramatic interjections; it was exciting to read through them. I'm not wanting to stir shit up but I thought I could both let Jay know what my favourite Stuff sketch is and suggest to Paddy/VAI etc what I think there is to like about Alexei Sayle (because I don't think anyone actually did, did they?)
Jay - favourite Stuff sketch is the Bishop acting like a cat.
I'm thinking I enjoyed 'The All New AS Show' more though. My favourite sketches (that I can remember) were the puppet pilots ("Is he a puppet, at all?"); the hanging of the cowboy (the horse on the stool); and the man in the pub who can't tell a joke to his workmates and collapses under the pressure... And what about the pub-based cockney bloke who argues about the empirical nature of sticky buns etc? Excellent.
The reason I like them is because of the incongruities and the non sequiturs. I really like Steve Martin's and Eddie Izzard's early stuff for the same reasons. It is massively subjective but I really enjoy the madness of it all. And I especially liked Alexei's stuff because there was a menacing quality in there too. Like - I think there's something intrinsically funny about a bloke about to read a note out loud and asking if his tied-up line of clocks are "ready".
I'm a big fan of Derek and Clive - and I find the absolute profanity of Alexei's "Mister Sweary" similarly hilarious: in the same vein as the comedy operas that Larry David and Stewart Lee & Richard Thomas did years later.
So for me, asking why people like Alexei Sayle is like asking people why they like Steve Martin or Peter Cook. He said funny things in a funny way. He still does. He's a really good writer, too. I'd urge you to try reading his short stories to see if you find anything to like in them.
Anyway - hello everyone.
Russel Jones, good point. In Holland, you can only know Alexei Sayle from watching The Young Ones but as there've been about a million re-runs, lots of people have. A couple of years ago, Dutch tv showed Swing and I was suprised to see mr Sayle looking cool as ever. I googled him and saw that he had published short stories. Just for old times sake I ordered a copy, not expecting much. When I got the book and started reading it, I was hooked. It was so sharp, funny, precise, no flab. I read a lot but I'd never read anything like this.
In daily life there are lots of situations that bring images to mind that he wrote about. Not the most intellectual example of this, is that every time I see a Paulo Coelho book, I burst out laughing, which can be a bit awkward when visiting relatives or in a quiet book store. Read The Weeping Women Hotel and you know what I mean.
Great to have you back on Russell. :) and I agree totally Evelyn, his writing is sharp and funny. I became a massive fan because about 2 years ago I got the Comic Strip box set for myself. in watching all the episodes I remembered vaguely how much i used to enjoy Mr. Sayle when I was younger. Mainly, the one thing that stood out was the Sound Effects department sketch and an aeriel falling from a TV set to simulate lighting. So I bought all the Stuff's on dvd, (£16 each...then I discovered Ebay....damn HMV), got his books, set up a few groups and a fan page and did my research.
I love comedy anyway, but I found that we've a lot to thank Alexei for. New wave guerilla comedy, the Comic Strip, CAK! All these influenced and encouraged so much of the talent we grew up with and have today. He may not be everyones cup of tea, but he saw a chance, took it and became imprinted in the fabric of the 80s and early 90s. Who wouldn't have done the same if they'd the opportuinty? I enjoy the fact he is outspoken, forthright and, having met him, a really lovely person to chat with.
I've wittered on again. sorry. The one thing I can't forgive him for is the skech about the boy with the wooden head. I had nightmares about that when i was 6,7,8, and into my teens, poor sod getting his wooden head kicked all the way down the road! I always thought it was a Smith & Jones sketch for some reason, then I see it on Stuff. Twice! Why twice! to compound my night terrors?!?! lol!
xx
Come, come, Doctors! Surely the Bill isn't quite that bad!?
Just noticed that Alexei will be in "Marple" on ITV on NYE. Oooh how exciting! I hope you are the murderer!
PS. I can't talk about The Wire as I've only seen 6 series of Homicide: Life on the Street...
Deadwood though. It's one of the best things I've ever seen.
Jay - I remember that SFX sketch! With the parping horn for thunder :o)
Arthur and Graham wrote for Smith and Jones, didn't they. And they wrote for AS.... So there's a link of sorts.
Hi Alexei,
just wanted to let you know I went through some old bits and found a exercise book that once belonged to you. It doesn't contain anything to do with school just lots of pictures of Nazis and guns.
If I'm not mistaken your mum molly the lollipop lady gave it to me when I was on my way to school about 20 years ago.
Just wandering if you wanted to see it again.
Later
Dean
Russell - I do seem to remember the sounds effects one more than any other, and I turned the TV over because I didn't find it funny! I'd've been about 11 and was obviously not ready for such humour! And I agree, The All New Alexei Sayle Show is hilarious, especially the lovely Bobby Chariot and shouting insults at people as they walk by through an intercom. There's some really great stuff in Merry-Go-Round as well. Fans do ask me on the page if they'll be released on DVD. It's defeating to have to say no. There's a lot of interest in Paris as well. :) I love Alain Degout....
'Sir I'm a gentleman, If i want sex, I'll pay for it like everyone else!'
xx
PS - Dean, any chance of scanning the exercise book and we can all have a looksie?!?!
And Terry Wogan, lifetime acheivement Comedy Award, why not Alexei???
Jay, you scare me
Sorry, I know I'm on alot. Just getting over nasty swine flu so had nothing to do for two weeks but write inanely on blogs....apologies!!!!
Hi Alexei, I have just started a buy local local initiative to help independent shops & businesses in Camden & Islington and I've heard you support going local. I have done all the work myself so far and the scheme is now being supported by Camden & Islington Councils ready to launch Jan next year. If you'd like to get involved give me a shout. I'd love a quote for the home page? and maybe a blog on the site about Camden & Islington? It would make alot of hairdressers very happy. www.getmorelocal.co.uk Thanks. : )
I meet all three criteria! Season 5, episode three as of last night. But I kept expecting Sergei Malatov to say something to Marlo about 'Moose ent squoorelle'.
A turning point in my life was getting the "CAK" LP for christmas, I was beside myself with laughter for about a week I think. I moved to the US about 19 years ago and have sort of lost touch but I still sing the social worker song in the shower.
Glad to see you are still a fat bastard and in your honor I have become the same.
Mel Danvers
CPGB
CPUSA
I don't Electronic Supplies know who said what about firecrackers, but to deny a media bias is silly. But in this case their bias to protect Obama might conflict with their bias toward sensationalizing.But reporting that it was firecrackers, instead of reporting that some laptop battery said it sounded like firecrackers, is a big difference. Was it reported as just a firecracker incident at first? gold watches We don't know what the pilot actually said yet (AFAIK), but he may have wanted to maintain order with a less "inflammatory" statement. The seat was on fire and the man's legs severely burned, so I'd doubt any passenger actually Swiss Replica Watches believed it was just some black cat firecrackers.