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World Book Day. I dressed as Richard Herring from How Not To Grow Up. No one got it. Guess I stuck that champagne bottle up my bum for nothing. Well I say nothing.
I woke at 4am for the second day running and subsequently today was a bit of a blur. I tried to get in some of my Michael Palin research early as it’s looking like being a busy weekend, so at least I had the pleasure of watching him in action for an hour or so. Though I am filled with trepidation. He’s a man who has lived about half a dozen very successful lives in one and made it to the top of every career he has attempted. How will I cover all that in an hour and a bit?
I watched his Comic Roots programme again. I had had this on video in the early 80s (taped off the TV) and watched it many times, but maybe not since I went to University.
It didn’t strike me at the time that I was meeting many of my early comedy milestones in the exact same places as Palin - though I certainly applied to this University in the hope I might follow in his footsteps. He is interviewed with Terry Jones in the Masonic Lodge that had served as the accommodation and rehearsal space for their Oxford Revue in 1963 or 1964 and it would also be the place I stayed in 1987 and 1988. I was also surprised to see him visit the Oxford Union Jazz Cellar where he had apparently also performed in the 60s and which would become the hub of comedy in the late 80s
Big guest announcement for the Birmingham RHLSTP. I will be joined by Noddy Holder from off of Chrisssttttmaaaasssss. Sold out already sadly (well it’s very good news for me).
It made me feel slightly better to be reminded that Palin had mildly embarrassed himself in front of his comedy hero, Peter Sellars, by just doing a Goons voice on the one time he passed him. And in this show he also interviewed Spike Milligan in the very lounge where Palin had listened to the Goons. That must have been a momentous thing for Palin, though reassuringly and worryingly Milligan was not a very giving interviewee and stepped on Palin’s jokes and questions. The questions were very much ones that a comedy fan would ask - more or less, where do you get your crazy ideas? So hopefully he will treat me kindly. Though imagine if I enrage Palin and he behaves badly. It’s almost worth trying.
At least I will be well rested for the show cos I am not spending the day before doing something ridiculous.
