The award was designed by Debbie Wythe and presented to me by her and her husband Rob and it was made by her friend Roy Deluce (in return for Debbie making his wife a comparethemeerkat.com meerkat cuddly toy). Thanks again to all concerned.
And just before I switch back into hating anyone who likes me mode, can I just direct your attention to a worthy cause. I am sure that many of you will remember
Tina Wiseman, a Collings and Herrin superfan who died unexpectedly in her sleep last July at the age of 37. I know many of you were as affected as I was by this tragedy. Well close friend Tracey Kench is running the London Marathon this year to raise money and awareness for SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) and it would be marvelous if you could donate a little something. You can find
Tracey's Justgiving page here, so please give generously and once again show the power of this small and dedicated force of like-minded idiots.
Now let's stop being so soppy and get back to business as usual.
Though not too much to write about. I packed the car up with 12 gigs worth of programmes (I hope) and tried to make sure I had everything I would need for the next week and a half of intensive touring and set off for Manchester. This will be the toughest part of the tour, but once it is over then the end is in sight (although there will still be 20 gigs to go).
Luckily it was a pleasant start to this sojourn as I was playing one of my favourite venues the Frog and Bucket in Manchester. It's a great crowd and I am good friends with the excellent people who work at and run the club so it's always a pleasure to play here. Plus I got a pizza. Who could ask for more?
None of the audience gave me an award though, which ruined the whole experience for me.
When I got back to my hotel room I hoped to be able to watch the Oscars for a while and see Armando Iannucci on the red carpet at least, but none of the channels on my TV were showing the coverage. It was strange to think of someone I knew rubbing shoulders with Demi Moore and Steve Martin, but then Peter Baynham has been there and done that already, so if that little stinking Welsh man from Balham can get nominated for an Oscar then I guess anyone can.
Pleased as I am with my Andover Fist (as the award is known) I think getting nominated for an Oscar would be pretty cool. Andrew Collins tweeted me to ask when he thought we would be nominated. But I don't think they do one for podcasts.
Armando and the other lads who wrote "In The Loop" seemed philosophical about their chances, from what I'd read and were just enjoying being there. I hoped they would win it, but suspected (correctly as it transpires) that this would not be Britain's year. The British are not coming this year, just sitting quietly in a corner, not quite believing that they got to come to the ceremony.
Or in my case sitting on a hotel bed bagging up loose change from a bucket.
Showbiz is not all glamour.
But at least there was no bogey on my shower curtain, so things are looking up.
