One of the obstacles involved with watching The Simpsons on Channel 4+1 is having to sit through (because Mandi likes it) Come Dine With Me first. Although the programme is entertaining in a kind of watch-the-last-bit-before-my-programme way, (a bit like when The Simpsons was on BBC2 and we all sat through the last ten minutes of The Weakest Link), it is the sort of show that wouldn't have an adverse effect if it was never on again. What saves Come Dine With Me is the voice over work of Dave Lamb, who could if he wanted to take over from Harry Hill if ITV wanted to bring back the TV Burp format. Watching this programme, even the last ten minutes or so, has made my mind drift into making a different version of it with a slight variation of the rules.
The first idea is a touch more sensible than the second; Come Breakfast With Me is something that I feel I would be a good contestant on, I might even win it. It's like Come Dine With Me but the action takes place in the morning rather than at night. Apart from the time of day everything else about the show is the same. Other variations (this could become a franchise) include Come Spar With Me, in which contestants get given ten pounds to spend in Spar (or Londis/Costcutter, that ilk of small convenience store) and have to prepare a meal with what they can buy, and Come Steal With Me, a bit like Come Spar With Me but each contestant is sent into a major supermarket with ten minutes to try and shoplift the ingredients required to make a three course meal.
My favourite version though is reminiscent of my idea for a low budget wedding photographer who for £20 will just wander around taking photos with a phone camera; Can't Be Arsed To Make Much of an Effort to Impress. I have already decided on my meal for this series on the off chance that it gets commissioned and I get picked to go on. Tin of soup to start, with a bag of sliced bread in the middle of the table for dunking, followed by Fray Bentos pie and oven chips for main, Angel Delight for dessert. The thousand pound prize is mine!
No podcast this week.
===
May housekeeping
Please consider making either a one-off or regular donation using the PayPal button above this blog. Every penny will be used to fund creative projects that will be made available for free.
The Sunday Alternative is a free weekly podcast. I am aiming to start making this podcast in a studio with live bands in session. This will cost at least £50 per episode so please give whatever you can.
52 podcasts and 365 blogs a year must be worth something to you?
The Sunday Alternative bag is on sale now. All you need to do is click on the PayPal button and donate £6 (or more if you're feeling generous), then email me at the address below with 'BAG' in the subject line and your name and address in the email.
(All money from the bags goes into the fund to create free online entertainment)
steveEoliver@gmail.com
