Chomsky with dick jokes

Because today is the fifteenth anniversary of his death...

I am not a number...

Patrick McGoohan
1928—2009

Whores!

Iggy Pop hawking insurance on TV? Iggy Pop, corporate shill? Iggy, dude, I thought you of all people would have more integrity than that. It just ain't right. Ron Asheton will be spinning in his grave just as soon as they bury him.

I haven't felt this disappointed in an artist since Ewan McGregor's horrifically pretentious journey-of-the-human-spirit perfume advert.

But what's the use of bemoaning celebrity endorsements? It has always been and ever shall be thus.

And finally...

After the unequivocal rant of yesterday, let's round off tonight's programme with a lighter inspirational story...

I really must get The Day Today DVD. Genius.

He wasn't mad, he just read different books

Ken Campbell
1941—2008

Last train to Mornington Crescent

Geoffrey Perkins
1953—2008

Comedy producer, writer and performer, Geoffrey Perkins, has died in a car accident aged 55.

He produced The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy for radio and such shows as KYTV, Spitting Image, Saturday Live, Harry Enfield's Television Programme, Ben Elton: The Man From Auntie, Game On, Father Ted, Happiness, The Catherine Tate Show and The Fast Show for television.

He also invented the game Mornington Crescent for the BBC Radio 4 show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

A sad loss, indeed.

Twin casualties

Last night I dreamt that I was in an episode of Casualty (a British TV hospital drama, for the benefit of my foreign readers). All the doctors and nurses were running around as usual looking after the sick but the weird thing was that each patient was the spitting image of their attending nurse or doctor, as were any friends or relatives accompanying them. It was strangely creepy like that scene in Being John Malkovich when the eponymous actor enters his own head and ends up in a restaurant where everyone sports his face.

I can understand why I might have dreamt about a TV show that I watch only occasionally: My chum Paul Campbell is going to be writing an episode for the show (well done Paul!); but what the whole twin thing is about, I know not.

An Unearthly Child

Verity Lambert
1935—2007

Verity Lambert was the first producer of Doctor Who back in 1963 and oversaw the first two seasons. She was both the youngest and the first female drama producer at the BBC. Other shows she produced during her career include Rumpole Of The Bailey, The Naked Civil Servant, Widows and Jonathan Creek.

The current production team of Doctor Who paid tribute to Lambert during the Series 3 episode "Human Nature" when the Doctor, masquerading as school teacher John Smith, talks of his parents, Sidney* and Verity.

Her death on Thursday came the day before the 44th anniversary of the very first episode of Doctor Who and five days before her 72nd birthday.

* A reference to Sidney Newman, the original creator of the series.

Saddo fanboy moment...

I try not to broadcast the geekier aspects of my personality with regard to my love of Doctor Who but - I'm so sorry - I can't help but be terribly excited (for once) about watching the BBC's Children In Need Telethon this year on 19 November for one simple reason...

I cannot, however, bring myself to type "squee!" or "w00t!": I do have limits, thank you very much.

Oh my god! They killed me!

If I were a character in South Park I'd probably look a little like this:

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