Tuesday 5 June - Night Waves : Ken Dodd

[Guest]

Matthew Sweet talks to the comedian Ken Dodd about his life and career. Seventy seven years after he made his debut as a ventriloquist in Liverpool Dodd is still touring the country with his Happiness show.

In the 1960s he broke box office records at the London Palladium where he played twice nightly for 42 weeks and has sold almost as many records as the Beatles.

He talks to Matthew about why he will never stop performing and his interest in the theories of humour and comedy.

............10pm on 5 June - Night Waves : Ken Dodd

[MrGongGong]

and some advice to George on the economy ?

[Frances_iom]

and some advice to George on the economy ?

bank offshore ?

[Pabmusic]

bank offshore ?

No!! No banks. Keep your money in a suitcase in the attic.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

He was Yorick in Kenneth Branagh's film of Hamlet. That must have been the most cameo-filled film of all time, eclipsing "Around the World in 80 Days" and the Harry Potter series.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Pretty good as Malvolio, too. (Years ago!)

[amateur51]

If his madcap humour and relentless style is to your taste (it is to mine) then this man is a comedy genius.

At 84 he's still touring too ...

http://www.kendoddshows.com/

It would be a crime to miss him

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

At 84 he's still touring too ...

Yes; nothing taxes him!

[Frances_iom]

Yes; nothing taxes him!

it's known in the trade as the 'Ken Dodd defence' - however only works if well known (tho our Ken still had to pay!)

[amateur51]

it's known in the trade as the 'Ken Dodd defence' - however only works if well known (tho our Ken still had to pay!)

He was however acquitted of tax evasion, having been prosecuted by someone called Leveson (whatever happened to him? ) and defended by 'Gorgeous' George Carman

[Nick Armstrong]

prosecuted by someone called Leveson

Fascinating titbit

[Lateralthinking1]

He was however acquitted of tax evasion, having been prosecuted by someone called Leveson (whatever happened to him? ) and defended by 'Gorgeous' George Carman

Incredible.

Tax won't be an issue in this case as being Radio 3 he will be expected to perform for free.

[Frances_iom]

but at his age a fall in a police cell could be quite serious!

[Lateralthinking1]

but at his age a fall in a police cell could be quite serious!

Of the five best selling singles of the sixties, four were by the Beatles. The fifth one was this -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwrZwbpH7EU&feature=related

(2002 figures - 19th biggest selling single of all time)

I enjoyed this interview with Doddy. At 77, the show he is currently touring lasts five hours. He denied that in his relationship with his audience there were elements of Stockholm Syndrome. Rather, happiness is what it is all about.

With passing references not only to Frank Randle and Tommy Trinder but Emerson, Schopenhauer and Freud, Dodd showed that there was more to him than just a tickle stick. He pays meticulous attention to his craft.

The notebooks he has kept since 1954 put me in mind of the late Bob Monkhouse who had similar hidden depths. Two years away from his 60th year in the business, it is hard not to respect his dedication, whatever you might think of his "very funny jokes".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01jgdcn/Night_Waves_Ken_Dodd/

[Serial_Apologist]

While the Beatles arguably represented the apex in creative pop music, Ken Dodd's "Tears" illustrates that tastes in popular music might not have deteriorated as much as the likes of me sometimes think.

Ken Dodd humour example, not word-perfect but more-or-less along these lines:

"I went to the Proms. This fellow asked me, 'What do you think of Brahms?'. 'Best thing ever invented for pushing babies around in', I told him".