Monday, February 18, 2008

The TV Listings (1)

My friend The Bookseller observed to me recently that, in addition to all the other guff I post, my blogs of late have become something of " a virtual TV station". Yes, indeed. Well, I'm off on a road trip for a few days (maybe longer: in China you never know for sure when or if you're going to be able to get a train ticket for the return leg of your journey), so - to keep you all amused while I'm away - I thought I'd compile this rundown of all the YouTube clips I've posted here and on the Barstool over the last 6 or 8 months. Lots of good stuff here. Enjoy.



The Comedy/Movie Channel

'Evil' speaks - David Warner as Satan in Time Bandits

Rowley Birkin, QC - a typically slurry anecdote from the celebrated Fast Show character

Drink to perform - a Powerpoint lecture on the ideal amount to drink before going on stage

Dave Allen tells a ghost story - a classic anecdote from the great Irish comedian

My name is Inigo Montoya... - the climactic sword fight from The Princess Bride

The Philosopher's Song - classic Monty Python: the slightly extended version from 'Live at the Hollywood Bowl' and the original TV rendition accompanied by a slideshow of the philosophers mentioned.

I'll show YOU the life of the mind! - John Goodman's shotgun rampage in the nightmarish climax of Barton Fink

Malkovich? Malkovich! - the scene from Being John Malkovich where Malkovich goes inside his own head


Danny Boy - a remarkably agile Albert Finney sees off would-be assassins in Miller's Crossing

Let me finish, Dmitri - Peter Sellers makes a 'difficult' phone call in Dr Strangelove

Putting on the Ritz - the Monster makes his first public appearance in Young Frankenstein

The Japanese Tradition: sushi shops
The Japanese Tradition: origami
The Japanese Tradition: how to apologise



The Music Channel

10,000 Maniacs - Natalie Merchant and David Byrne sing Let The Mystery Be, Jolene, and Dallas
Insomniac mime - sleepless YouTuber 'Spazz' does a brilliant lip-synch to the 4 Non-Blondes hit What's Up?

Common People - the superb Pulp song given an idiosyncratic rendition by William Shatner and Joe Jackson

Portishead - the lovely Beth Gibbons sings Roads (from the 1997 concert at the Roseland Ballroom, NYC)

Toyota robot - the suspiciously good trumpet-playing robot does a Disney medley (includes links to other examples of its playing too)

Thriller - 1,000 Filipino convicts re-enact Michael Jackson's famous dance video

Diana Darvey - the outrageously sexy cabaret singer (a regular co-star on The Benny Hill Show in the mid-70s) does a multilingual medley

Belly - Tanya Donnelly's great band perform Angel and Gepetto in an early '90s concert on Santa Monica Pier

Liz Phair - the original video for her outrageously catchy, very naughty hit Why Can't I?

Tom Waits - live performance of A Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis

Blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite and his daughter Layla perform his song In Your Darkest Hour

Suzanne Vega - a live performance of Gypsy

Chet Baker - a montage of photographs of the great jazz trumpeter, accompanied by him playing and singing the classic track Let's Get Lost

The Pogues - the original video for Streams Of Whiskey

Big Cheese & The Jive Rats - performing the Louis Jourdan hit What's The Use Of Getting Sober (When You're Gonna Get Drunk Again)?

The Pogues - original video for A Rainy Night In Soho

Tom Waits/Norah Jones - a fan video accompanying the original Waits version of A Long Way Home, followed by Norah doing her cover of the song live on a French TV show

Xiao He - the oddball genius, luminary of the Beijing music scene doing his inimitable thing at 13 Club

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - great video for their song Cheated Hearts


The Sport Channel

Ronnie's Rocket - the most famous goal in FA Cup history (and I was there)
His Left Foot - a corker of a goal from the 'sweet left peg' of Kevin Sheedy, a sublime midfielder who, as a teenager, played for my local side, Hereford Utd


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