RIP Dame Esther Rantzen, presiding hostess of the wildly popular satirical consumer affairs programme That's Life! for 21 years, charity campaigner and national treasure.
It's another snippets post, dear reader:
- Monster plant news: For the first time in the venerable botanical gardens' 260-year history, a giant Agave montana is about to flower at Kew. It can grow to around 5m/16ft tall, so should be spectacular - but after it does so, it dies. Doomed after erecting. Like Cecil Colby or Kemal Pamuk.
- Bad boy of fashion news: In a surprising move, none other than John Galliano has designed a new collection for Spanish high street chain Zara! Judging by everything else Zara sells, you'd need to be young and really skinny to wear any of it...
- Sheep news: Happy Shetland Wool Week! Unfortunately, famous knitter Tom Daley didn't put in appearance. Dammit.
[click to embiggen]
- Think Pink! news: A bizarre pink house that has been erected in Kentish Town (near Camden in London) was recently featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs programme. I think it looks like something out of Dr Seuss's 5000 Fingers of Doctor T myself - which gives me a perfect excuse (as if any were needed!) to feature one of my all-time favourite uber-camp clips!
- Speaking of weird homes news: A couple in Great Abington, Cambridgeshire have been forced to demolish the home they built instead of a horse semen laboratory, for which they had planning permission from the council.
- And finally: In Bordeaux today, 168 dancers attempted to set a new world record for highest number of participants in a can-can routine! [link is to a news site in French] I wonder if Buster Bloodvessel of Bad Manners was amongst them?
And the weather? Very pleasant, sunny and warm, considering we have arrived in October...
I loved Hans Conried. What a great number. And I completely understand why that house (so very odd for London) reminded you of that. I want my polka-dotted dickie, too.
ReplyDeleteI want my undulating undies with the marabou frills!
DeleteDespite never having seen the full movie, it's been an absolute favourite clip of mine for many years. Jx
I'm a HUGE fan of John Galliano...probably hands down my favorite designer of all time. He just turned down to Dame Anna Wintour a whole exhibit showing his collections and works over the years. I can imagine at the Met of Art how spectacular that would have been. And I would have PAID your airfare to come see it...I couldn't think of a better person I'd want to take that in with and comment on...and then drinks of course.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that the furore that caused his exhibition to be abandoned did leave a nasty taste in my mouth - at what stage does someone successfully atone for past sins in the eyes of the baying "social media mob" these days? Never, it would appear. Jx
DeleteI was very sad about Esther - we knew it was coming, but she was part and parcel of our childhood. Bless her for all that she campaigned for, and for her funny vegetables.
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She was indeed an integral part of our growing up, rude veg and dogs who say "Sausages", Pam Ayres, customer service exposés, heartwarming stories and all - and heavens! Didn't she put up a bloody good fight for "death with dignity" before she went? A marvellous woman. There will never be another. Jx
DeleteDame Esther did a lot of good in this world, another sad loss
ReplyDeleteyou quite rightly never need an excuse to play 'Do-Me-Do Duds'
and I love Galliano’s Zara collection even if I would look ridiculous if I tried to wear any of it.
We'd look far better being dressed-up like "Doctor T"..! 😎 Jx
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