Just A Minute blog

A blog on the BBC radio programme Just A Minute

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Location: Wellington, New Zealand

November 18, 2007

The Guardian writes an editorial on Clue

Am I the only one who thinks it's hillarious that 200 people write in every season asking for the rules to Mornington Crescent...

In praise of ... I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue

Leader
Monday November 12, 2007
The Guardian

Mrs Trellis of north Wales will no doubt be sitting by her wireless at 6.30pm this evening when the start of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue's 50th series is announced by the show's bumbling brass theme (based on a tune by Haydn). What follows is guaranteed to be brilliant. It always is. Listening is like being welcomed back into a comfortable club on a wet winter's night, a cheerful refuge from a dour, serious world outside. There may be people who are tired of its routines, its in-jokes and innuendo - but they are the sort of humourless listeners who write in to the BBC asking for the rules of Mornington Crescent to be explained (200 do every series), who wonder why Samantha hasn't read out the score in years and probably question the need for the licence fee to fund Humph's expensive laser display board, too. Everyone else appreciates the show's relaxed brilliance.

Many things contribute to this, starting with Humphrey Lyttelton, who has chaired the show since it began in 1972, getting funnier and bolder through the years. He does deadpan gags better than anybody else in broadcasting and gets more smut past the BBC, too. Without him the show would not have made it through 10 series, let alone 50, a magnificent score matched only by the even longer-lived Just A Minute. By rights Clue should have stopped being funny years ago. But there is nothing dusty or exhausted about a programme that still asks silly people to do silly things, and gets away with it every time.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well I know where they got that bit of misinformation - a well intentioned website claiming to have the ultimate episode guide on radio shows .Well had they looked closer they would have seen the error - I.S.I.H.A.C. is on it's 45th series and not the 50th .JAM is on it's 55th . I'm not a completely accurate figure person but when last I checked your wonderful site- these were the figures.

Just A Minute has a surprise edition in store for all it 's many fans .It will be worth staying in on New Year's Eve for.Also Josie Lawrence -that wonderful improvisator from WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY will be a guest for the first time in this 40th anniversary series of JAM .Phill Jupitus is coming back,as is Chris,Kit,Gyles ,Sue , and ofcourse Clement and Paul.

7:48 am  

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