Picture from Radio Times
Our last charity shop sweep unearthed series one and two of I'm Alan Partridge, which we are both fans of, so over the weekend we watched the whole first series as a rest from Keeping Up Appearances. IAP hasn't really dated too badly, although of course Television Centre isn't in use by the BBC anymore but apart from that it has pretty much stood up. I think one of the reasons for this is simply the fact that Partridge has a mobile phone, so it doesn't fall into the category of strange curiosity of the past when things were slightly different but in a subtle way so you don't notice them until years later, people were smoking in the hotel restaurant though which has been banned for long enough for it to look weird. If you see someone smoking in a black and white film you don't bat an eyelid because everyone smoked back then, (not everyone of course, but it was more socially acceptable) but when it is something that was made in recent years it suddenly looks odd.
Specifically of course, it was the Alan Partridge character that interested me. For those that don't know, I'm Alan Partridge follows the series Knowing Me Knowing You two years later and Alan's career hasn't quite gone to plan. From hosting a prime-time chat show (which the BBC stupidly billed as a spoof from the start like it does with everything rather than seeing how clever viewers are) to hosting the pre-breakfast show on Radio Norwich and living in a roadside hotel. Despite the obvious set backs to his career he maintains an optimistic attitude and seems unaware that things aren't great and that he should be a superstar by now. I feel sorry for him because he means well although he has no filter and ends up causing offence. As I have been likened to Partridge on a few occasions, (as well as John Peel which is more flattering but leaves me in a weird Venn diagram between the two), I started to wonder if this was actually such an insult after all. You imagine first of all that a man of his ilk wouldn't have the first idea about music and yet when you break it down and listen, the songs aren't that bad. Granted they are a bit commercial and at the obvious end of a band's oeuvre but it could have been worse. I'm sure there is a list somewhere online that chronicles the songs played on the show but so far I have heard 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchel, 'Don't Fear The Reaper' by Blue Oyster Cult, and several other acceptable songs.
That strange world of corporate and promotional videos and presenting awards for businesses seems to have come to an end, unless it was always a secret and Partridge let us in on it. Nobody in Nottingham asks me to join in with this kind of thing anyway, (Notts TV are apparently making a documentary about the local music scene but somehow have forgotten to get in touch) so the answer is obvious; I need my own Lynn.
The Sunday Alternative Podcast #43 (Saturday edition) is available from here.
The Sunday Alternative Podcast #44 is available from here.
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June housekeeping
The audio book of Bowie Day (a short story inspired by A Christmas Carol) will be released on August 31st. In the meantime the book can be downloaded to your Kindle from here.
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steveEoliver@gmail.com
