Here's a fact that not many people know. Popeye the Sailor Man was based on an actual person. He was a sailor called Frank 'Rocky' Fiegel, who used to work as a bouncer at Wiebusch's Tavern, Chester, Ilinois, where he met Popeye's creator, Elzie C Crisler.
The city of Chester is very proud of this, and more info from them can be found here
Good to know that, despite Covid 19, there will be a new series of 'I'm a Celebrity' albeit filmed in a Castle in the UK.
Looking forward to seeing these two cheeky chappies again.
An excellent spot by Steve Hardy regarding a lost Tony Hancock 'Masterpiece' from 'The Rebel'. It was thought the paintings were destroyed after the film, but this was spotted in an episode of Department S.
Now that's what l call being eagled eyed, and rather sadly, l'm pretty damn pleased the painting is hopefully still out there somewhere. I've got a copy of another one from the film ('Self Portrait') sitting on one of my dusty shelves.
It's still weird watching TV in the new Coronavirus / Covid-19 age, with the social distancing and people doing live screen links, usually from their homes. It always reminds me of the rather splendid episode of The Big Bang Theory where Sheldon Cooper makes an electronic 'Shelbot' version of himself so that he doesn't have to leave his apartment.
I knew he was a genius, but not that he was a soothsaying prophet.
Owen Jones appears via link on the Jeremy Vine show
This made me laugh out loud the other night - Family Guy taking the piss out of why people take Ecstasy. It's not just funny because most of what they say is true (I used to take it a lot), and they are not afraid to state it, it's also the asides such as Peter being told off by Louis and Chris asking what the name of it is at the end, as he obviously wants some.
Classic stuff.
I didn't realise bananas actually split until l left this one too long.
Now l guess that's why the TV series and drink were so called.
You live and learn.
I re-watched Anthony Newley's 'The Strange World of Gurney Slade' last night, as l am a fan of Newley's, but l am still amazed how weird it must have seemed when it was first broadcast in 1960. It breaks just about every rule of a comedy show, and it is understandable that it wasn't a big hit at the time (or since then) despite it (and Newley himself) being a huge influence on David Bowie. The TV audience must have been bewildered.
It's very slow paced, has no real jokes in it, and is pretty surreal, so it's just the sort of thing that appeals to me, although l am not at all surprised there was only one series. Even l was too young to watch it at the time, but it would have messed with my young head if l had.
It's all available on youtube, and in my opinion, is well worth sticking with till the last episode (6).
I don't know who this guest is was on The Jeremy Vine programme at the the end of last week, but sitting with her leg crossed made it look as though she was showing off her huge belly button.
Someone on the show should have told her, but l'm glad they didn't, as l found it hilarious.
Had a bit of a shock the other day watching the film about The Sleaford Mods - 'Bunch of Kunst'. There l was, in the front row of the audience at their gig at The Duchess in York. It was only for a brief moment, but nevertheless, l am now a TV star. You'll have to guess which one is me.
If you are a fan of the comedy series 'Spaced' and have a lot of spare cash lying around, then it might be your lucky day, as the house from the series (At Carlton Road, London N7) is up for sale. At a mind boggling asking price of 4 million of your English pounds.
Slightly out of my price range I'm afraid.
Family Guy still has the ability to make me laugh out loud at some of their madder moments, and this is an fine example from the other day.
Probably the best job in the world.
This just does not look right. A colour photograph from inside the home of The Addams Family.
Because l've always seen it in black and white on the old TV series, it seems weirder than usual. However, l did notice they have the same Hookah pipe as me (the green and red thing at the bottom of the picture). My one's from Turkey).
The recent advert for the iphone x is doing my head in.
Sure, the woman in the advert is very attractive, the song is very catchy (All Night by Big Boi), and the singing animojis are cute, but there's something that's been really bugging me.
What the hell is the animoji on the right?
It just looks like a lump of poo - and don't try to convince me it's meant to be chocolate ice cream.
Bloody youth of today / what's the world coming to / wouldn't have got away with this when l was a lad ... blah blah blah blah etc
Once again, it may be my dirty mind, but l reckon the TV producers of this series are having a laugh with the title.
Either that or they overheard us guys joking about being sucked to death in Amsterdam a few years ago, when we saw a dazed and confused guy being assisted to his feet by the police, looking very skinny and on his last legs.
A moving tribute to Prince on Later with Jools Holland.
Gregory Porter and the other artists on the show sing 'Purple Rain'.
It fair bought a tear to my eye, so it did.
Mind you, so did Iggy Pop's version of The Passenger from the same show (Best of 2016), so it's not just the tender stuff that gets the tear ducts a flowin'.
Sadly, l couldn't find a youtube clip of that, so it will just have to be Mr Porter and the rest for the time being.
The Bug - London Zoo - Angry.
Infectious (and angry), and featuring Tippa Irie.
Great stuff, and an angry song that makes you want to sing and dance in a happy way.
Maybe that's why it reminds me a lot of this.
Zig and Zag - Them Girls Them Girls (They All Love Me)
I've just learnt from the BBC website that the actor Robert Vaughn has died. As the article states, to us older folk, he will always be remembered from his role as Napoleon Solo in 'The Man From UNCLE', which is one of the first TV shows that l really loved. I remember having a plastic lighter / gun combo that was part of their marketing, which brought me much enjoyment on the mean streets of Singapore (when l wasn't setting fire to my eyebrows or local wasteland), but prefered his partner in espionage foiling, Ilya Kuryakin (played by David McCallum). However, both of the stars were heroes to me at the time. I know he's had a good innings (as had Leonard Cohen), but it's still a sad day, and adds to the gradual erasing of my (not many to start with) happy childhood memories.
I think l am turning into Paul Gambaccini, or at least l'd like to, judging by how his home life appears to be.
If l could keep all of my comics and books, retain the parrot, but have all of the music he owns, plus the larger house, organisational aspect (and probably a cleaner), l think my sexual persuasion could be changed.
I'm not wearing the pink jumper though.
