"I think to be the devil you have to be angel. Only an angel can play the devil because the devil was a fallen angel."
RIP Udo Kier, pioneering gay actor. And gorgeous as a youth.[click any pic to embiggen]
It's another snippets post, dear reader:
- Much-missed icon news: A collection of Marianne Faithfull's personal items, including her diaries, personal photos, various fashion pieces, items of furniture and works of art - and a trunk owned by Carrie Fisher and given by her to Marianne as a gift - are on display at Bonhams Knightsbridge, prior to coming to auction next week. The evening of the day: The Estate of Marianne Faithfull is part of Bonhams' Sound & Cinema auction, running from 25th November to 3rd December.
- Colonial news: Apparently some people "over there" are giving thanks for something-or-other today. Happy Thanksgiving to our chums in the colonies!
- Geek news: The most expensive comic book ever sold - Superman #1 from 1939 - found in their mother's attic by three of her sons went for over $9 million (£6.8 million)!
- Ghoul news: An Italian man is under investigation for benefit fraud and hiding a body after allegedly dressing up as his dead mother – including mimicking her hairstyle with a wig and wearing makeup and jewellery – in order to claim her pension. He bore an uncanny resemblance to Rita Webb, to my eyes.
- The earth hiccuped news: A long-dormant volcano in Ethiopia has erupted for the first time in around 12,000 years.
- We interrupt this broadcast to give you a new word game: I recently stumbled across a piece on the radio about contranyms, which are words that are their own opposites. Here are a few examples, but you can quite easily go down a rabbit-hole trying to think of more:
- Bolt: To secure, or to flee
- Cleave: To adhere, or to separate
- Custom: A common practice, or a special treatment
- Dust: To add fine particles, or to remove them
- Fast: Quick, or stuck
- Left: Remained, or departed
- Oversight: A careless error, or supervision
- Sanction: To approve, or to boycott
- Screen: To present (as in a film), or to conceal
- Splice: To join, or to separate
- Weather: To withstand, or to wear away
- And, finally: A new exhibition will explore the world of Aardman animations – from Wallace & Gromit to Morph, Chicken Run, and Shaun The Sheep - is coming to the Young V&A (formerly The Museum of Childhood) next year! With more than 150 objects on display – including never-before-seen models, sets and storyboards from Aardman’s archives – it will open in February to coincide with the studio’s 50th anniversary year. Cracking news, Gromit!
And the weather? Murk.
