The late Clive James

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greyspoke
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The late Clive James

Post by greyspoke » Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:29 pm

He just died according to the BBC.

I enjoyed Unreliable Memoires and have been a fan his musical work with Pete Atkin since university. Many may know him mainly for his rather flippant later TV work, but there was a serious creative mind there, and a stylish writer.

Here's one of my favourite James/Atkin songs, The Faded Mansion on the Hill.

Another sign of my increasing years I suppose, the number of people I was a fan of during my youth.

Is this a weighty matter? Relaxation doesn't seem quite right for an obit.

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Tessa K
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Re: The late Clive James

Post by Tessa K » Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:46 pm

greyspoke wrote:
Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:29 pm
He just died according to the BBC.

I enjoyed Unreliable Memoires and have been a fan his musical work with Pete Atkin since university. Many may know him mainly for his rather flippant later TV work, but there was a serious creative mind there, and a stylish writer.

Here's one of my favourite James/Atkin songs, The Faded Mansion on the Hill.

Another sign of my increasing years I suppose, the number of people I was a fan of during my youth.

Is this a weighty matter? Relaxation doesn't seem quite right for an obit.
His death and Jonathan Miller's announced on the same day. Like you, it's an age thing for me. I liked James' writing more than his 'here's yet another quirky clip from Japanese TV' shows. He had an impressive mind and a way of skewering people he didn't like or didn't rate that was creatively vicious and funny.

I once saw Miller take on Dawkins in a discussion about memes and trash him in a witty, elegant and erudite way. And then he was jolly nice to me when I approached him after (I too am not a fan of the concept). I lived near Miller for a long time so I was used to seeing him around.

Oh, and Gary Rhodes too. Not someone I have any thoughts on.

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jimbob
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Re: The late Clive James

Post by jimbob » Wed Nov 27, 2019 6:04 pm

Tessa K wrote:
Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:46 pm


I once saw Miller take on Dawkins in a discussion about memes and trash him in a witty, elegant and erudite way. And then he was jolly nice to me when I approached him after (I too am not a fan of the concept). I lived near Miller for a long time so I was used to seeing him around.
I'm not a fan of memes, after coming across someone on the internet who seemed to believe in them but might have just been a troll.
Have you considered stupidity as an explanation

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GeenDienst
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Re: The late Clive James

Post by GeenDienst » Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:08 pm

Entertaining and wide-ranging collection of snippets from the late Mr James, here.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/201 ... urry-bears

Also, "a life in pictures", here.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gal ... n-pictures

Of all his great achievements, I never knew he was in Neighbours.
Just tell 'em I'm broke and don't come round here no more.

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