John Bates
Charlie Callahan
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debbie_suburbsanity
GregI’m coming up to my 100th post on this blog, and I thought I should do ‘something’ to mark the big occasion. Thoughts of offering fabulous prizes did pop into my head, but were quickly dismissed what with not having any fabulous prizes to hand and all. I suppose I could offer our third best toaster, but really, I don’t think anyone would find it particularly fabulous, it’s a hideous burgundy colour, and also slightly melted. So, what to do? Pondering the matter (in the bath) I came up with Be Nice to a Newbie Week. I’ll fill you in on the details later in the week, but today, I thought I would tell you a little about why I thought it was a good idea.
When I was a newbie blogger, I was somewhat intimidated by the more established and popular bloggers. They seemed so polished, they made the process seem so effortless and easy. Even more nerve-wracking, they seemed to belong to this tightly knitted clique that was never likely to want to admit the likes of me. One blogger in particular made me wonder if I should forget the whole idea, and take up stamp collecting . . . to this day I find her rather unsettling . . . her blog was streamlined and ultra professional, she had a little army of supporters who heaped lavish praise on even the most ordinary of posts. The idea of ever leaving a comment for this paragon of blogging virtue gave me the heebee geebees, so I never did. However, on one occasion, I did leave a comment on a blog she happened to visit. The blogger had asked a question, which I answered, correctly as it happens. Then, for no apparent reason, SuperBlogger, posted a comment which basically said ‘ why should anyone care about the opinion of a newbie, with a default template and nothing to say for themselves’ I was horrified. Yes, I did have a default template, yes, I had only managed to accumulate half a dozen posts, but her criticism still seemed unwarranted. I’m not sure why she did this, and to be honest, as time has passed, I have ceased to care, but I have noticed that she is not alone.
From time to time, I find bloggers of this ilk, spiteful individuals who seem to take some kind of pleasure in making the new kid on the block feel second rate. They will overlook the positives, find faults, but never offer any constructive advice or criticism. It would be easy to say it is the behaviour of teenagers who want to make blogging a kind of ‘cool kids’ club, but, sadly, fully grown adults are often the culprits. To me, this is wrong, people pour their hearts, souls and dreams into their blogs, and as W.B. Yeats said:
“I have spread my dreams under your feet,
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams”
When I come across a new blog, I like to leave a little comment, even if it just to say ‘Hi, welcome to Blogland’ And it was with this in mind, that I came up with Be Nice to a Newbie Week, as I said earlier I’ll give you the details in a few days, but I hope you will take part.
I’m still trying to get that elusive third column up and running, and spent some time yesterday working on a template. The trouble is, each time, I find said template works perfectly as a standard web site, then has a giddy fit when I insert the blogger code. Poo! Then, I had a light bulb moment. What if I put the extra bits at the end of the page?? The template holds together that way, and people who read to the end get something extra to look at. Hurrah. Now, all I need to do is arrange the bits and pieces in an orderly fashion, and present them for inspection.
Before I go, I must mention this. It seems poor old Keith Richards, was more seriously injured in his tree climbing accident than initially appeared. Here’s wishing him a speedy recovery, my apologies for laughing . . . although you have to admit it was hard not to, and also to ask WHY?
I appreciate you dropping by,
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Beki
/ May 9, 2006As a blogger of just over two weeks I am all for being kind to newbies!
There are some people that, whatever they do, the only way they feel up is to put someone else down.
Stegbeetle
/ May 9, 2006Good idea. Some people are just plain rude and one finds them in the blogosphere as readily as in what is laughingly referred to as “real life”. Be nice to everyone – that’s what I say, unless they’re thoroughly unpleasant themselves in which case either ignore them or send them a resounding cyber-punch up the nose!!
joss
/ May 9, 2006Sadly in the blogging world there are people who forget their roots. They had to start somewhere too. Though I feel there are people out there who frown upon Folks that use Blogger.com and the like. I started on Blogger but to be honest soon moved over to WordPress and my own hosting which gives so much more flexibility in blogging terms.Because I moved over to WordPress didn’t change anything other than the ascetics and functionality of my blog. I still write the same as I did on blogger. Everyone deserves encouragement, I know I had loads of that and support.
Ally
/ May 9, 2006I think that’s a really good idea. I felt really intimidated when I started blogging; and there are still sites (and people) that make me feel excluded, like you say, like a ‘cool kids club’.
It doesn’t cost anything to be nice. You (probably) wouldn’t be rude to someone standing in your living room. Why should you be rude to someone on your blog. Or theirs?
Very happy to join in when you reveal your Grand Plan
.
Also, I went to York University, too
.
Cherrypie
/ May 9, 2006Hear! Hear, Kate. I’m very much a novice and have no technical ability whatsoever. I’ve felt intimidated too but then on the reverse of that, I’ve had some wonderful moments – like just now when I saw me on your sidebar – thanks – I am reciprocating right now.
And as for that Beki – I had a no idea she was a new blogger – she’s very good. It took me almost 2 years to get regular comments. I didn’t have a clue what to do with them at first x
ikyshe – female power-blog bitch
Beki
/ May 9, 2006Thanks Cheerypie
)
I think it’s years of subjecting my friends and family to email ramblings which have been good practice for blogging!
Diddums
/ May 10, 2006This is my favourite post of the week. I’ve had that excluded feeling too, especially as my blog is kind of ditzy. So when is the Newbie Hugging due to start?
Pete
/ May 10, 2006I presume the blog world is like the “real” world and full of people who are full of themselves.
Keep smiling and keep blogging. Although you lot are taking up FAR too much of my time!
Rob
/ May 11, 2006I keep wondering at what point I will cease to feel like a newbie. I mean, I’ve been doing this for nearly a year but am quite happy with Blogger (even if it just ate one of my comments elsewhere with a quiet burping noise). I see no excuse for rudeness to newbies unless they’ve actually been unpleasant, plagiarised stuff or whatever.
And Keef? I’ll be cross if the silly bugger has ended up getting this summer’s Hampden gig cancelled. Mind you, he could play with brain damage: who’d know? He does, though, seem to have missed his chance at playing Johnny Depp’s Dad in “Pirates of the caribbean III”, which is a pity. Falling out of a coconut tree, though? Priceless.
Rob
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Beki, you are doing a great job. I agree with Cherrypie, it comes as a real suprise to discover you have only been doing this for a couple of weeks.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Stegbeetle, yip there are some people who are just plain rude for no apparent reason. I also try to be pleasant, the world is a nicer place if we at least make the effort to get along. I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s true.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Joss, I started on the now defunct, Groksoup, then moved to Blogger, and you are right, there are some who frown on the idea of using a free service.
A while ago, I bought some proper hosting and now use WordPress for my graphics blog, the way WP works is ideal for that. However, I kept this blog here, because, it made sense to do so. It’s a personal blog, and it’s nice to know most of the hard work is done for me. I don’t have to worry about upgrades and security patches etc. I can just log in and post.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Wow another York old girl . . . what year did you graduate? I was a millennium graduate, yes a so-called mature student LOL
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Cherrypie, I know what you mean. It took me ages to get any regular comments. Mind you, being the Greta Garbo of blogging probably didn’t help. For ages, I had everything set to only allow comments from members of this blog, of there was one, me. Thanks to an email from Kitchen Witch http://kitchenwitch.journalspace.com/, I changed that, and did start getting some feedback.
Thanks for the link
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Diddums, your blog isn’t ditzy, it’s eclectic, which is good. Don’t worry, even if comments are slow now, over time they will build up.
I’ll post the details for the Newbie Hugging on Saturday.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Pete, I know what you mean. There are so many blogs I enjoy reading, I have to limit myself, to a couple of sessions a week, or I’d never get anything done LOL
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Rob, your comment reminded me of a quote from someone I forget. It might have been James Stewart. Anyway, whoever it was, was asked what it felt like to be a film star, and he replied that he didn’t know because he still felt as though he was the new kid who was about to be unmasked as an imposter.
Oh, I would have loved to see Keef playing Johnny Depps Dad, that would have been wonderful. What a shame it won’t happen. Yes, the tree incident is odd, I honestly can’t think of any reason why he was up one in the first place. LOL I’ll keep my fingers crossed the Hampton Court gig goes ahead. I also have a feeling it will take more than this to stop him.
Ally
/ May 11, 2006I graduated from York in 1992, I was just a baby
. I hated it with abandon.
I think much of the nastiness to newbies come from people’s own insecurities. A ‘this is MY group and I will be threatened if anyone else joins’ kind of thing. It’s not very mature and is also downright unkind :/.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Diddums, don’t feel ignored. Your link is the 4th most popular on this blog at the moment. Big cheer!
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Ally, why didn’t you like it? Sorry, had to ask, I’m very nosey. I enjoyed my time there, but I wasn’t on the main campus, so that might explain the difference.
Yes, insecurity is definitely their main motivation. Really, they are to be pitied, I suppose. Having said that, I stll like the sound of Stegbeetles cyber punch on the nose.
KW
/ May 11, 2006What a good idea this post is/was (sorry – been bad on keeping up to date recently!).
I’m sorry to hear that someone was so unpleasant to you – my response to this is something along the lines of ‘who died and made you god?’. I just don’t tend to read sites like that; don’t get much out of it. And as for the sycophants – bugger ‘em. A few comments from people who’ve got similar interests and who have taken the time to really think about what you’ve said, or to express concern or whatever, is worth more than that.
The Boy
/ May 11, 2006I am a friend of St Jude and Beki, and I have come to visit. Do not let my stupid name and “Limey flak helmet” put you off: I am quite a regular person. Not normal, mind you, but regular.
And that is the gist of my comment. If what I read here was of the self-centered, self-important, or self-blowhard type, I wouldn’t be typing this. I would have been long gone.
I do not read blogs for the bells and whistles–although they are sometimes fun–but rather for what the writer has to say. MY toaster has all of the buttons I need; it is humanness that I crave.
Newbie or not.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Hi KW
Yes, I would rather have that kind of commenter. It’s always nice to have people say something positive, but I don’t feel the need to have a fan club telling me how great I am.
Kate
/ May 11, 2006Hi Admiral Pooper
I like your limey flak helmet.
I agree, for me a blog has to have a human feel for it to be of interest. I love reading about the little everyday things, the highs and lows of life. I know some bloggers think all that stuff is boring, but it’s not because it’s about real people who are rarely dull.
Ally
/ May 12, 2006I was very young and very shy; found it really difficult to mix. Particularly because in my first year I was in Derwent, which at the time seemed to be very ‘cliquie’ and full of the most sterotypical kind of teenagers from public school. And I had a bad experience with a bloke in my first term which pretty much knocked me off balance for the whole of the rest of the time I was there.
Nice ducks though. And the city itself is lovely
.
Kate
/ May 12, 2006Aaw Ally, I’m sorry to hear that. Uni is supposed to be a happy time, it’s a shame you were thrown in with such horrible people.
I was out in the sticks at Scarborough . . . I think it would have been the teacher training college in your day. Anyway, it’s small and cosy, and stuck up folk tend to find themselves as the outsiders . . . and occasionally in the harbour courtesy of angry fishermen LOL
Ally
/ May 12, 2006The fisherman treatment sounds very appealing
.
I had a much nicer time when I did a conversion for a year a few years later at Leicester. I made up for lost time
.
Diddums
/ May 12, 2006Thanks, ‘eclectic’ sounds better than ‘ditzy’
. I’ll never get more comments unless I move – I love my current blog host as the site is simple but doesn’t restrict me as much as some others I’ve tried. There’s also something friendly about the general atmosphere. But there are a couple of things I would like to do that I can’t, and receiving comments from the outside world is one of them. Thanks for joining just to talk to me, that raised my spirits no end! I don’t always do that myself, though recently I joined Blogger so I could speak to someone who had it set to ‘Blogger members only.’ At the very last moment, having set up my new account, I decided I didn’t want to comment after all! I suppose I’d had extra time to think about it by then. I used my Blogger account last night for someone different, so it wasn’t a waste of time. I might even use it later if I decide to move my blog. Looking forward to Hug a Newbie week!
Kate
/ May 12, 2006I thought it was rather amusing too LOL
Glad to hear you had a better time in Leicester. Mind you, it has always seemed like a friendly place. I grew up nearby in Stratford, and remember Leicester as a good place for a night out.
Kate
/ May 12, 2006Hmm, you might be better off at Blogger, they do let you choose what kind of contact you get from visitors. Mind you, it would be a shame, because you have your blog looking so nice. On the other hand Blogger templates are very easy to customise, and if you don’t know how, there are loads of great free ones you can use.
LOL I know what you mean about changing your mind halfway through signing up for something. I have done that a few times on forums. I get so far, then think, do I really want to.
Jack Yan
/ May 14, 2006I know I would love to have comments, no matter who they are from. For a newbie to be criticized reflects badly on the blogger—and that behaviour is there for everyone to see. I bet that blog would have lost visitors due to that.
Chuck Williams
/ May 14, 2006Wow. This blog is quite the anomaly. I’d love to know how you do it.
So much comment love, for a site with zero PR. Is this all coming from CoComments?
I really do like the idea of hugging newbies. If any newbies want to check out my site (which is a heavily modified blogger template atm) and get some help, please feel free.
I am not a master of HTML, CSS, SEO, or Blogging in general, but I have gotten pretty decent at all three, and am always willing to help.
Just so you dont think I am a link whore spammer, I wont post my link. You’ll have to figure out how to find me!
Good luck!
Jack Yan
/ May 14, 2006Chuck, I know I found this via coCo, so you may be right. However, I do think some bloggers are naturally nice personalities who encourage conversation (unlike me!), and get huge traffic and link love without trying (and without coComment). It could be the case here.
Chuck Williams
/ May 14, 2006It is pathetic that I get 3500 uniques a week and the most comments I have ever received on a post is 10.
Jack Yan
/ May 14, 2006On some threads I do OK but I only get 100 uniques a day if I’m lucky! Maybe two or three comments a day but I have been lucky to break the 20-comment barrier a month or two ago. I think it depends on the topic: I notice the more trivial, personal ones tend to get more commenters.
Chuck Williams
/ May 14, 2006I’m fairly handy with the linkbait and tagging.
Not to mention… its an online men’s magazine (its PG-13, and mostly cubicle safe!)
Gratuitous link ahead!
Fat Boy Magazine
Kate
/ May 14, 2006Hi Jack and Chuck, thanks for dropping by
Jack, I think you right about a blogger like that losing readers. I know that kind of behaviour makes me stay away.
Chuck, so far I have had three visitors from co-comment, but that may change as I use it more. Most people seem to find me either through technorati, or my britblog listing . . . most commenters here are from the UK . . . or because other bloggers have been kind enough to blogroll me. I’m not sure why I get comments, to be honest it always amazes me that anyone reads this blog at all LOL
I think Jack is right about personal posts being popular though. Speaking for myself, they are sort I would be most likely to comment on, especially on a blog I haven’t visited before.
Chuck Williams
/ May 14, 2006That makes sense. Most of what I post are “Page 3″ girls. That doesnt get a lot of comments.
OK I am kidding.. I dont only post Page 3 girls… I post a lot more than that… product reviews, etc.. but it isn’t a “personal” blog.
Jack Yan
/ May 15, 2006Chuck, it may be a case of people thinking, ‘Nice a**!’ but not really wanting to post that. Unless, I suppose, we have had some personal contact with the girls (or, for that matter, the products you review).
Kate, I came by thanks to coComment, but like you I usually get visitors from Technorati. Britblog doesn’t get me too many, sadly (yes, I am British by nationality). I think you get many visitors because you write from the heart and people want to share with you. People can relate to your experiences and add their twopence.
Kate
/ May 16, 2006Page 3 Girls . . . no wonder you don’t get many comments, your visitors have their hands occupied in other ways LOL
Seriously though, I have two other blogs, both are of a more informative nature, and neither gets many comments. I think people visit, find what they are looking for and move on. I know it’s seems unfair when you have spent a lot of time on your content, but that just seems to be the way things work.
Good luck with your blog
Kate
/ May 16, 2006Thanks Jack
I didn’t know you were ‘one of us’ That explains the jumping up and down on the tv sofa . . . British eccentricity LOL
Jack Yan
/ May 16, 2006It probably also explains my sense of humour as it can get fairly random in a Little Britain sort of way! Earlier today I almost introduced myself on the phone, to someone not that well known to me, as ‘Chris Tarrant, from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.’
Kate
/ May 16, 2006I wonder what they would have thought if you had
Do you get Little Britain in New Zealand, or have you seen it here? I do like it, well mostly, some sketches are a bit toe curling . . . that horrible man who keeps leering at old ladies for example. Other characters are brilliant though, really well observed.
If you like LB, you might like the Mighty Boosh It’s not as controversial, but it has that quirkiness. I think it is the funniest thing I have seen for ages.
Chuck Williams
/ May 16, 2006Dont you mean Regis Philbin, you git?
Jack Yan
/ May 17, 2006Regis is a copycat. I remember when he had a sex change and turned into Meredith.
Kate, we get Little Britain down here, but on Channel 4 (which is primarily a music network). I prefer the Ricky Gervais sort of humour but the funniest sitcoms I encountered over the last decade or so were Black Books and the first series of Chalk. Just random enough for me. Mighty Boosh isn’t here but it looks very good—thank you for the link!
Nenad
/ May 18, 2006I also fully support being kind to newbies (probably because I am one myself).
I have to admit, I ahve never run into rude/snarky comments from other bloggers myself.
Kate
/ May 18, 2006I don’t have a clue who this Regis bloke is. He sounds odd, but hey, it takes all sorts I suppose LOL
Black Books is hilarious, and slightly surreal. I didn’t see Chalk, was it the one about teachers? Think I was working when that was on, I missed a lot of stuff because of that.
Kate
/ May 18, 2006Hi Nenad, thanks for dropping by
I noticed from my cluster map that I’d had a visitor from South Africa, congratulations, you are the first from the whole continent.
I had a peep at your blog, liked the Clive Barker quote. Imajica is one of my favourite books of all time, Great and Secret Show is is a good one too.
Don’t worry about your page rank, it can take a while because Google sandboxes new domains, give it a few months and it will improve. Using tags will probably bring you as many visitors anyway.
Jack Yan
/ May 18, 2006Hi Kate: Yank back-story needed here. Regis Philbin was the equivalent of Chris Tarrant when the Americans redid Millionaire (just as they redid Pop Idol, Distraction, Fawlty Towers, Man about the House, George & Mildred, Who’s Line Is It Anyway?, Robin’s Nest, The Saint, Steptoe & Son, The Avengers, Keep It in the Family, Mixed Blessings, Tripper’s Day, Love Thy Neighbour, Thunderbirds and some more I am sure I missed). I believe when the show left the networks, Mr Philbin was replaced by Meredith Vieira. Maybe American visitors can clarify this.
Chalk was the one about the teachers. Only the first year was good, though there was one good episode the second year. I understand it was disliked in the UK.
Chuck Williams
/ May 18, 2006Dont forget The Office
iiq374
/ May 19, 2006The whole clique thing in blogging is definately the scary part! You wonder how to ever spend enough time generating content to be able to attract the same people with enough passion to stick around.
And then you realise that you really just need to generate enough content for the visitors to start talking to each other rather than you.
Unfortunatly I haven’t got to that point yet
Chuck Williams
/ May 19, 2006ive been doing a lot of talking on other blogs… nobody talks on mine… i guess its got too much arse
Kate
/ May 20, 2006Hi Jack,
Thanks for the back story, now it makes sense LOL
There were also US remakes of Coupling and Red Dwarf, and I believe Dad’s Army. I don’t think the Coupling remake went down very well, but I suppose it would have been too similar to Friends.
Kate
/ May 20, 2006Chuck – I forgot the Office. What is the US version like? It’s over here, but I haven’t seen it yet.
Candy
/ May 20, 2006I’m an newbie…and I’m loving blogging. You get to meet sooooooooooooo many different peeps. One guy stole one of my posts wholesale and put it on his own blog with know credit
Thanks for the welcome!
Kate
/ May 20, 2006Hi Candy
Wow, the Isle of Man, unlimited access to the TT. I envy you, it must be great to have that on your doorstep.
Sorry to hear you have had content stolen. It happened to me a couple of months ago, some spammy type using scraping software had a few of my posts on his/her blog. There is a really useful post about it on the Performancing site, it explains what you can do, and gives a few tips on prevention.
Jack Yan
/ May 20, 2006I haven’t seen the American versions of The Office (sounds scary), Coupling (I can visualize this, and yes, it would be Friends-like), and Dad’s Army (what the heck is ‘Mr Mainwaring’ in American?).
Candy, with someone pinching your post, can you comment at that person’s blog and say something like, ‘It would have been courteous for you to have acknowledged your source’?
Chuck Williams
/ May 21, 2006The American version of The Office is a critically acclaimed success. I think that the writing is mediocre, but the cast is extremely talented. Probably the best cast of unknowns they could hope to find.
Kate
/ May 22, 2006Jack – I can’t imagine an American Cpt Mainwaring either, he is too stereotypically English. The programme never got past it’s pilot episode so apparently viewers weren’t impressed with the idea.
Chuck – The cast of the British version of the Office were largely unknown too, maybe to give a sense of realism. Or maybe because they weren’t certain it would work and unknowns were cheaper. Who knows
Jack Yan
/ May 24, 2006I’d like to see this American Office now. The Yanks have made a good go of many a programme, and in some cases, I think the American versions are superior for entertainment value—Three’s Company was better than Man about the House for me, particularly with John Ritter’s ability to make a goof of himself. Richard O’Sullivan was a bit more British-restrained.
Usually the originals are better. Chuck, you won’t have seen them but the Brits redid Married with Children and Who’s the Boss?, and Al Bundy and Tony Micelli do not “translate into English”. Transplants go both ways, but seldom work out …
iiq374
/ May 24, 2006Jack – I’m not sure that “Married with Children” translated particularly well into American :-p
Jack Yan
/ May 24, 2006Kate, I’ve just found this American Dad’s Army at the IMDB, called The Rear Guard, and the main comment is from a New Zealander who sought out the show over a two-year period (which shows that Kiwis can be more British than the British). The cast is not that known to me, but I still cannot imagine it with American accents. Was it the home guard in the US under threat from Germans? Don’t think Jerry made it that far across the Pond for it to be under threat.
Chuck Williams
/ May 26, 2006Married With Children translated perfectly into American, IIQ. It was a top rated show for years, and makes millions in syndication. Sure it is a lowbrow show, but it was funny, and the characters were believable.
You had to have liked Married With Children, unless you are one of those “Masterpiece Theatre” types, or I believe you Brits call them “Southern Fairies”
Chuck Williams
/ May 27, 2006weird… that last comment doesnt show on Coco…
Did I offend the coco? I didn’t mean to. I’m not a Brit… I used the expression because I thought it was funny when the goofy guy in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels said it.pd
Jack Yan
/ May 28, 2006Actually, IIQ, Married with Children was American. I said it did not translate well into English—Married for Life (the UK version) was awful.
Kate
/ May 28, 2006“Transplants go both ways, but seldom work out … “
Very true! Another example is the UK version of the Golden Girls which was awful. Funny for all the wrong reasons.
Kate
/ May 28, 2006“Kate, I’ve just found this American Dad’s Army at the IMDB, called The Rear Guard,…”
I just had a look, talk about tenacity . . . you’d have to really like a programme to spend two years looking for a lost episode. Big pat on the back to that chap.
No, the US wasn’t under direct threat from the Nazis . . . although there were u-boats along the western coast. These weren’t a problem for a home guard though, the coast guard bombed them using bi-planes. Seriously!
I think the lack of a direct threat is to the detriment of a US version, part of the appeal of the original is the sense of poignancy. The characters were a bit daft, but in reality those old men were prepared to defend the country. Take that away and it just seems silly.
Kate
/ May 28, 2006“You had to have liked Married With Children, unless you are one of those “Masterpiece Theatre” types, or I believe you Brits call them “Southern Fairies”
”
Around here they’re Southern Softies LOL but fairies would do just as well
My apologies to readers from the south, I love you really
Kate
/ May 28, 2006“Did I offend the coco? I didn’t mean to. I’m not a Brit… I used the expression because I thought it was funny when the goofy guy in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels said it.pd”
Aha, maybe you have uncovered co-comments deep dark secret, it is in fact a southern softy, tee hee
That remindes me of my favourite tv commercial. It starts with a man sitting in front of the tv watching the football results, then you hear the announcers voice say ‘Liverpool 1 Southern Softies 0′ Liverpool are a northen team BTW.
iiq374
/ May 28, 2006Jack – perhaps you missed the cynical humour? I was meaning it wasn’t particularly good in the first place :-p
Only redeeming feature was Christina Appleby
Chuck Williams
/ May 28, 2006Its Applegate. Are you one of those kids that wears a hockey helmet, but doesn’t play hockey?
Jack Yan
/ May 29, 2006You can’t sing ‘Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?’ in an American accent (equally, ‘Love and Marriage’ sounds naff with an English one).
Oh my, an English Golden Girls? That sounds worse.
Chuck, I saw the American Office on the plane, and I thought it was pretty good. Still slightly better as a Pommy show, but you don’t feel that it’s trying to be the original. I believe that is where these shows can be successful: Married for Life and The Upper Hand (UK Who’s the Boss?) never had much soul.
IIQ, the cynicism didn’t come through on the comment, so I apologize. I actually liked the original Married with Children, or more specifically the later seasons where things got more and more surreal. The first seasons were a little too overt for me.
Try watching it in a hotel room in Switzerland in German!
iiq374
/ May 29, 2006Sorry Chuck – I don’t tend to spend my days memorising the names of those actresses I thought were hot when I was 8. Remembering my wifes name tends to be far more productive.
iiq374
/ May 29, 2006Jack – its possible that I never made it to the surreal bit…
Tone is frequently difficult to read in blogging or emailing. Hence the danger of the medium.
Even emoticons do little to really convey implied tone. Besides its more fun just to let people guess and misinterpret
Kate
/ May 29, 2006“The Upper Hand (UK Who’s the Boss?) “
The Upper Hand was a truly terrible show. It had a good cast, but really, no one could have made it watchable. Bizarrely, it ran for several series, but I’m sure that was only because they got Joe McGann to take his shirt of at least per episode.
Jack Yan
/ May 29, 2006I remember Pussy Galore was in it, and George Cowley’s chauffeur from The Professionals.
You mentioned an American Red Dwarf, Kate. Positively scary as well.
Kate
/ May 29, 2006Yes, good old Honor Blackman – you know a programme is bad when she can’t liven it up LOL
There is an article about the American Red Dwarf here. Apparently, Jane Leeves from ‘Frasier’ played Holly.
Jack Yan
/ May 30, 2006The American Red Dwarf doesn’t sound as awful as I thought. I half expected a train wreck.
I remember Jane Leeves from some of the later Benny Hill Shows.
Kate
/ May 30, 2006Yes, it did sound surprisingly good. They certainly worked hard to get it right, rather then just trying to copy it on the cheap, which is often what happens with remakes.
I don’t remember Benny Hill very well, my parents watched something on the other side (possibly Mash) but I did see Jane Leeves on the Johnathon Ross chat show,talking about her time on the programme. She said BH was not as pervy as he seemed, but was a bit eccentric.
Jack Yan
/ May 30, 2006I read a Benny Hill biography once, and have watched a documentary on the man. Both suggested that—he was not pervy, but a genuine nice guy with many eccentricities. When Jackie Wright (the bald Irishman) passed away, Hill decided to limit the amount of Wright footage used. That way, Wright’s widow could collect more in fees from the episodes.
I contrast this to Martin Shaw’s behaviour when he prevented The Professionals from being repeated for his own reasons, to the point where co-star Gordon Jackson’s widow was left with huge debts when her husband passed. It was only then that Shaw changed his mind.
Yet in modern Britain, Benny Hill is someone to be ashamed of, and Martin Shaw is admired.
Kate
/ May 30, 2006For some reason Martin Shaw thinks of himself as a serious ac-tor nowadays. I have no idea why, because everything I have seen him in has been tediously dull, mainly because he is the leading man, despite having the charisma of a piece of cod. He certainly wouldn’t want the Professionals to be repeated because Gordon Jackson would seriously upstage him.
I’ve only ever read one biography – David Nivens – I gather lot of it exaggerated , but it was really entertaining.
Jack Yan
/ May 30, 2006I also dislike Shaw’s “serious actor” voice that he puts on when he narrates. Comes across like a complete tosser. Dad dislikes watching The Professionals these days because he plainly dislikes Shaw; I will keep watching it because the stories were entertaining.
I am a sucker for bios, I have to say. I’ve even read John Major’s autobiography, and a couple of biographies on Rupert Murdoch.
Kate
/ June 1, 2006I don’t blame your Dad, if I dislike a certain actor it really puts me off wanting to watch anything with them in. it took me ages to get around to watching Goodnight Sweetheart because I once saw Nicholas Lyndhurst being a complete lovey in a pub.
I would imagine John Major’s biography would be quite interesting, from what I have read, he has had a varied life.
Kate
/ June 1, 2006A temporary lapse of taste – oh that is a really cutting put down LOL It says so much, but sounds so innocent.
I don’t know any celebs, but I grew up in Stratford on Avon, so often came into contact with them. It is surprising how much some of them differ from their public persona.
Yes, I have heard of actors being mistaken for the characters they play. The cast of Casualty are often asked to diagnose illnesses at parties.
Jack Yan
/ June 2, 2006There was one business leader—I can’t name him because the person who told me this story made me swear—whom I really admired because of his public persona and even his business record, and then I found out he was a dirty old man! Around 10 years ago he tried to put his hands up my friend’s dress—totally changed my mind about him. I don’t care about his business record any more! I can’t respect this fellow again because every time I see his name, I think, ‘Pervert.’
Kate
/ June 4, 2006I can relate to that. During the mid-late 90s there was a band from my home town became very big over here. I knew the singer by reputation and everytime I saw him on tv the word ‘letch’ popped into my head.
Chuck Williams
/ June 4, 2006You say “letch” like its a bad thing.
Kate
/ June 6, 2006Well, it all depends who is doing the letching