Ken Dodd

[gingerjon]

Caught this on repeat - Ken Dodd's interview with Matthew Sweet from June this year (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jgdcn)

I remember Frank Skinner saying that one of the hardest interviews he'd watched was Ken Dodd being "In the Psychiatrist's Chair" as the interviewer hadn't even come close to unearthing anything 'deep' about Dodd beyond his desire to make people laugh and the clear enjoyment he got from that. There's a bit of that in this interview but it's still a fascinating listen.

Plus it reminded me of the three-legged chicken joke. Which is always good.

[johncorrigan]

Caught this on repeat -
Plus it reminded me of the three-legged chicken joke. Which is always good.

I didn't catch that one gj!

[gingerjon]

[Serial_Apologist]

[amateur51]

I think that this interview should be linked to the wikipedia entry for "missed opportunity". Forty-five minutes with the phenomenon that is Doddy and Matthew Sweet was so full of himself that he managed to talk over the great entertainer and ultimately revealed ... nothing of any consequence.

Doddy was charm itself and very funny when he was allowed to get a word in ... but really ... I mean ... what was the producer doing, allowing Sweet to screw up this opportunity?!

[Thropplenoggin]

No one does disingenuous laughter better than Parky, eh?

[gingerjon]

I think that this interview should be linked to the wikipedia entry for "missed opportunity". Forty-five minutes with the phenomenon that is Doddy and Matthew Sweet was so full of himself that he managed to talk over the great entertainer and ultimately revealed ... nothing of any consequence.

Doddy was charm itself and very funny when he was allowed to get a word in ... but really ... I mean ... what was the producer doing, allowing Sweet to screw up this opportunity?!

That's why I started with the comment about the previous interview. I think Dodd must be insanely hard to interview - especially if you're not just sitting there whilst he does gags - as every time you try and scratch the surface he says, "Oh, that's a bit deep" and moves on. But I do think it's a very interesting 45 minutes in spite of that.

And how many other people have a 77 year career?!

[teamsaint]

Anybody seen his show?
saw him about 5 years ago...had to leave after 2 and a half hours as my son had to work early the next day !!

He goes on for hours. As somebody suggested, I am not sure there is much to find out...he just loves telling gags. One every 45 seconds for 4 hours or more. You have to admire that....

[Thropplenoggin]

Anybody seen his show?
saw him about 5 years ago...had to leave after 2 and a half hours as my son had to work early the next day !!

He goes on for hours. As somebody suggested, I am not sure there is much to find out...he just loves telling gags. One every 45 seconds for 4 hours or more. You have to admire that....

With one proviso: that they're funny. Sounds more like Mr. Feather Tickler's Christmas Cracker-a-thon to me.

[teamsaint]

With one proviso: that they're funny. Sounds more like Mr. Feather Tickler's Christmas Cracker-a-thon to me.

at one every 45 seconds, you can get away with a few duds or oldies. His audience seemed happy enough....mind you the cabaret singer....

[amateur51]

That's why I started with the comment about the previous interview. I think Dodd must be insanely hard to interview - especially if you're not just sitting there whilst he does gags - as every time you try and scratch the surface he says, "Oh, that's a bit deep" and moves on. But I do think it's a very interesting 45 minutes in spite of that.

And how many other people have a 77 year career?!

I'll give you two examples of opportunities missed - Doddy mentioned Billy Bennett and Frank Randle as two of his favourite comedians. What did Sweet do? Ignored Bennett reference and tried to argue that Randle was a difficult man. Terrific stuff - cheers Matthew. You have possibly the only comedian who's still working who remembers these two in front of you & you miss both open goals

[Mandryka]

I was taken to see Ken Dodd at the Liverpool Empire when I was 7 years old. The first part of the show was aimed at children, with the Diddymen, etc. The second half was KD's cabaret act....can't remember much about it, except coming back very late.

Tbh, his humour is not my thing, but I must acknowledge that anyone who campaigns for the Tories in Liverpool Exchange must need a robust sense of humour and a (very) thick skin.

[Thropplenoggin]

I was taken to see Ken Dodd at the Liverpool Empire when I was 7 years old. The first part of the show was aimed at children, with the Diddymen, etc. The second half was KD's cabaret act....can't remember much about it, except coming back very late.

Tbh, his humour is not my thing, but I must acknowledge that anyone who campaigns for the Tories in Liverpool Exchange must need a robust sense of humour and a (very) thick skin.

On an unrelated note: did you settle on a new Mahler 3?

[Mandryka]

On an unrelated note: did you settle on a new Mahler 3?

Abbado/BPO arrived today, but not listened to it yet.

LSO/Horenstein seems to be generally regarded as a classic interpretation, which I have yet to hear, so will probably pick that up (if I can find it!) and then think about Nott.

[johncorrigan]

My Uncle was a cabbie in Liverpool in the 60s and 70s and used to tell us that none of the cabbies picked up Doddy cos he was such a tight fisted guy they could hardly get the fare out of him.