tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post3744748008633850533..comments2024-01-26T20:41:02.065+13:00Comments on Quote Unquote: What I’m reading #132Stephen Stratfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-77000530970598511352016-03-25T10:47:37.867+13:002016-03-25T10:47:37.867+13:00Autobiographies of funny people often aren't f...Autobiographies of funny people often aren't funny.<br /><br />After reading David McPahil's autobiography I came to the conclusion that's because funny people don't always have funny lives and we're disappointed when they don't right about them in a humorous way. homepaddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596903968235369282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-86862008364071044792016-03-09T20:30:28.543+13:002016-03-09T20:30:28.543+13:00Probably an introvert.Probably an introvert.Stephen Stratfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-44727445799076692002016-03-08T12:47:36.789+13:002016-03-08T12:47:36.789+13:00We know so little about Hugh Laurie's preferen...We know so little about Hugh Laurie's preferences.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08024440694895271805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-87856921279610949882016-03-07T21:04:51.117+13:002016-03-07T21:04:51.117+13:00That joke is a good example of what I don't li...That joke is a good example of what I don't like. I don't think it's funny, but that's just personal taste., More to the point, it isn't his - he quotes it in Vol 3 (I think) of the memoirs as being somebody else's. Also, it isn't true. He had a girlfriend at about 16 whom he shagged, and he says several times that he is 90% gay, 10% not, whatever that means, so is attracted to some women - there is one other he talks about whom he seriously considered as a possible partner. So it's someone else's joke expressing something he doesn't mean. Bah, I say. Stephen Stratfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-37417770337097783292016-03-05T18:45:54.573+13:002016-03-05T18:45:54.573+13:00Actually I really enjoy the guy. I thought his one...Actually I really enjoy the guy. I thought his one man show at the Civic last year was fabulous. Just him and a microphone pacing too and fro across the stage telling stories, not always about him and full of shameless name dropping, but very, very funny.<br />Sample: "I always knew I was gay. The moment I was born, I looked up and thought, ew, I'm not going near one of those again."<br />I guess humour is a personal taste.Punchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14997048427014871788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-73278318337437001842016-03-04T18:05:24.429+13:002016-03-04T18:05:24.429+13:00Self-absorbed? You reckon? And yes, not very funny...Self-absorbed? You reckon? And yes, not very funny - in the latest vol, the best lines are by other people. Even his boyfriend gets a good one in. And this by Dame Edna Everage on Virginia Woolf (from memory, can't find it in book, and it was probably misquoted there): <br /><br />"Dear Virginia, a woman with whom I had so much in common - except that I can swim."Stephen Stratfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-4086207432045552242016-03-03T17:28:23.679+13:002016-03-03T17:28:23.679+13:00'Julie Burchill apparently called him "a ...'Julie Burchill apparently called him "a stupid person's idea of a clever person," although she cannot remember doing so.'<br /><br />Hmm.<br /><br />Like a lot of Burchill's bitchiest lines about other people, it seems to apply better to her than to almost anyone else. <br /><br />Fry *is* undoubtedly a very clever person. But he does seem to need to remind folk of it every few seconds. And its the insufferable preachiness he occasionally adopts with it which gets...arrgh. <br /><br />That said, I love a lot of his work. QI is great, and I loved 'Peters Friends' - a minority view, too. But he's best with some talented folk around him. <br /><br />Solo -as with his autobiogs...no. Just no. I expected to enjoy them but didn't. Even by the standards of luvvie autobiog, they are awfully self absorbed and, sadly, not particularly entertaining or funny. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02397480700716013852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-1701793081297731542016-03-01T20:53:36.849+13:002016-03-01T20:53:36.849+13:00Helenalex, I agree re the atrociousness of More Fo...Helenalex, I agree re the atrociousness of More Fool Me - he seemed to give up writing halfway through and just plonked down unedited gobbets of his diaries. One wonders if a deadline was missed, the printer, publicity etc had all been booked and so the publisher had to go with it. This vol finishes in November 1993 so there will be several more vols to come. Ever-diminishing returns, I expect. Stephen Stratfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-44550644303054658822016-02-29T10:43:21.681+13:002016-02-29T10:43:21.681+13:00I quite liked Moab is my Washpot (except for the t...I quite liked Moab is my Washpot (except for the title). More Fool Me was atrocious, though - presumably he had a contract for it and not enough time or inclination to write a proper book. helenalexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-15534522594269764962016-02-28T19:04:05.455+13:002016-02-28T19:04:05.455+13:00Julie Burchill apparently called him "a stupi...Julie Burchill apparently called him "a stupid person's idea of a clever person," although she cannot remember doing so.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08024440694895271805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-18877098356280004542016-02-28T18:59:59.055+13:002016-02-28T18:59:59.055+13:00I have seen Peter's Friends. They were ghastly...I have seen Peter's Friends. They were ghastly, as was Peter.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08024440694895271805noreply@blogger.com