Page 259 of 421
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 23 May 2019, 6:34pm
by Dr. Medulla
Flex wrote: ↑23 May 2019, 6:19pm
It's funny, now (and especially after reading Ralph's book) I'm inclined to read most of the "interventions" from Joe (and especially) Nick and Pete as sincere efforts to help an obviously troubled band member rather than the nefarious attempts at control he assumes in the book.
I lean to a third interpretation that might be seen as in between the other two—the rest of the band trying to deal with an asshole for their own health and that of the band. It was selfish, but not sinister.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 23 May 2019, 6:38pm
by Flex
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑23 May 2019, 6:34pm
I lean to a third interpretation that might be seen as in between the other two—the rest of the band trying to deal with an asshole for their own health and that of the band. It was selfish, but not sinister.
Yeah, could be that too- which in terms of effect I don't think would be that different from genuinely trying to help the guy.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 23 May 2019, 6:49pm
by Dr. Medulla
Flex wrote: ↑23 May 2019, 6:38pm
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑23 May 2019, 6:34pm
I lean to a third interpretation that might be seen as in between the other two—the rest of the band trying to deal with an asshole for their own health and that of the band. It was selfish, but not sinister.
Yeah, could be that too- which in terms of effect I don't think would be that different from genuinely trying to help the guy.
Right, the methods and most of the ends would be identical, only that they less truly cared about Mr. Attitude.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 11:06am
by Silent Majority
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 11:34am
by Dr. Medulla
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Is there much inclusion of observations from the cast?
Just finished listening to Ron Currie's
Everything Matters! Still a wonderful novel. Next up is another relisten, inspired by conversation with 101W a few weeks ago, Elaine Pagels'
Beyond Belief, about the Gospel of Thomas. It's an abridged reading, but whatever.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 11:41am
by Silent Majority
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:34am
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Is there much inclusion of observations from the cast?
Yeah, seemingly new interviews with everyone bar Atkinson who's represented by old press.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 12:15pm
by Dr. Medulla
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:41am
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:34am
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Is there much inclusion of observations from the cast?
Yeah, seemingly new interviews with everyone bar Atkinson who's represented by old press.
A shame that he wouldn't participate, but it doesn't surprise either, as he is, by reputation, odd and prickly.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 12:49pm
by Kory
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Funny, I just read this a couple weeks ago. I didn't find that anyone corroborated the claim in another thread that Rowan was a beast on set who required that he be the only funny one. What did you think was unnecessary besides the fictional history?
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 1:10pm
by Silent Majority
Kory wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 12:49pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Funny, I just read this a couple weeks ago. I didn't find that anyone corroborated the claim in another thread that Rowan was a beast on set who required that he be the only funny one. What did you think was unnecessary besides the fictional history?
Honestly, hard to say in particular. The non-show stuff, like Rowan's live shows and the goings on of other TV shows. Just a bit of a bloated feel.
You're right - he does feel a lot more generous to his scene sharers in this than Tom Baker gave him credit for.
Oh, and I loved the mad Brian Blessed shit too.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 2:29pm
by Kory
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 1:10pm
Kory wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 12:49pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Funny, I just read this a couple weeks ago. I didn't find that anyone corroborated the claim in another thread that Rowan was a beast on set who required that he be the only funny one. What did you think was unnecessary besides the fictional history?
Honestly, hard to say in particular. The non-show stuff, like Rowan's live shows and the goings on of other TV shows. Just a bit of a bloated feel.
You're right - he does feel a lot more generous to his scene sharers in this than Tom Baker gave him credit for.
Oh, and I loved the mad Brian Blessed shit too.
I thought that stuff was cool—I'm an Atkinson fan in general, as well as Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. I thought it was kind of cool to get some backstory and history on them and context on other shows from the cast/creators since we don't hear from them much in the States.
I helped with the crowdfunding of the same author's book on Fry & Laurie—you might like that one a bit more, since it's about them as a duo rather than any one show, and it dispenses with the speculative prose.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 4:44pm
by Silent Majority
Kory wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 2:29pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 1:10pm
Kory wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 12:49pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 11:06am
28) The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend by J F Roberts. Kindle. A mixed bag. This is the definition of a book which needs an editor. What it should do is focus in on the making of the show. Which it does, but it's surrounded by a lot of unnecessary bullshit that doesn't need to be in here, as well as a very annoying conceit of Blackadders actually existing and the wroter thinking they're funny. The parts that are about making the classic series are actually excellent, with notable highlights any time Rik Mayall turned up.
Funny, I just read this a couple weeks ago. I didn't find that anyone corroborated the claim in another thread that Rowan was a beast on set who required that he be the only funny one. What did you think was unnecessary besides the fictional history?
Honestly, hard to say in particular. The non-show stuff, like Rowan's live shows and the goings on of other TV shows. Just a bit of a bloated feel.
You're right - he does feel a lot more generous to his scene sharers in this than Tom Baker gave him credit for.
Oh, and I loved the mad Brian Blessed shit too.
I thought that stuff was cool—I'm an Atkinson fan in general, as well as Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. I thought it was kind of cool to get some backstory and history on them and context on other shows from the cast/creators since we don't hear from them much in the States.
I helped with the crowdfunding of the same author's book on Fry & Laurie—you might like that one a bit more, since it's about them as a duo rather than any one show, and it dispenses with the speculative prose.
Interesting - yeah, I guess these guyses stories are kind of part of the national conversation here in a way you wouldn't get in the States.
I'll give that Fry and Laurie book a read at some point. I find Fry maybe 70% overrated but both are vsry funny.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 4:56pm
by Dr. Medulla
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:44pm
I find Fry maybe 70% overrated but both are vsry funny.
His novel
Making History is kinda fun. It's about killing Hitler and insufferable history grad students (but I repeat myself).
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 6:18pm
by Kory
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:56pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:44pm
I find Fry maybe 70% overrated but both are vsry funny.
His novel
Making History is kinda fun. It's about killing Hitler and insufferable history grad students (but I repeat myself).
I like all of his novels, but I suppose that must be another difference between NA and UK, it seems like people over there don't really like him anymore but he's pretty popular here with anglophiles.
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 6:27pm
by Dr. Medulla
Kory wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 6:18pm
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:56pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:44pm
I find Fry maybe 70% overrated but both are vsry funny.
His novel
Making History is kinda fun. It's about killing Hitler and insufferable history grad students (but I repeat myself).
I like all of his novels, but I suppose that must be another difference between NA and UK, it seems like people over there don't really like him anymore but he's pretty popular here with anglophiles.
I've also read
The Liar and
The Hippopotamus, tho I don't recall much of them. I find his writing tends to be a bit too precious for my tastes, like he's writing for his writing group, trying to impress them.
(Tangentially related, if you've never read Hugh Laurie's novel,
The Gun Seller, it's a massively entertaining comedic thriller. Laurie is one of those assholes who is good at everything, including being a genial prick.)
Re: Whatcha reading?
Posted: 29 May 2019, 6:42pm
by Kory
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 6:27pm
Kory wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 6:18pm
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:56pm
Silent Majority wrote: ↑29 May 2019, 4:44pm
I find Fry maybe 70% overrated but both are vsry funny.
His novel
Making History is kinda fun. It's about killing Hitler and insufferable history grad students (but I repeat myself).
I like all of his novels, but I suppose that must be another difference between NA and UK, it seems like people over there don't really like him anymore but he's pretty popular here with anglophiles.
I've also read
The Liar and
The Hippopotamus, tho I don't recall much of them. I find his writing tends to be a bit too precious for my tastes, like he's writing for his writing group, trying to impress them.
(Tangentially related, if you've never read Hugh Laurie's novel,
The Gun Seller, it's a massively entertaining comedic thriller. Laurie is one of those assholes who is good at everything, including being a genial prick.)
Oh yeah we've talked about the Gun Seller many times. Still awaiting his follow-up, Paper Soldiers, which apparently has been completed for over a decade but is unreleased.