The 2010 ajb Christmas thread

Napoleon Plural

"It's Christmas!"



But it's just occurred to me, watching these Christmas Top 20 shows... how on earth did they come by the name Boney M?

Jamesbondjr

Napoleon Plural wrote:

But it's just occurred to me, watching these Christmas Top 20 shows... how on earth did they come by the name Boney M?

According to Wikipedia:
German singer-songwriter Frank Farian (real name Franz Reuther) recorded the dance track "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" in December 1974. Farian sang the repeated line "Do you do you wanna bump?" in a deep voice (entirely studio created) as well as performing the high falsetto chorus. When the record was released as a single, it was credited to "Boney M.", a pseudonym Farian had created for himself after watching the Australian detective show Boney.

Oh, and Merry Christmas -{

Napoleon Plural

Yeah, well, guess what. My folks got a Christmas card from the neighbours a few days ago. Addressed to 96a...

Now, our house has a name and has done since it was built some 80 years ago. When our neighbours moved in to number 96 some 15 years ago, they sort of lobbied for us to change the name to a number, 96a, saying it would be clearer for the postman. To no avail.

The bloke is a sort of taciturn Jack Straw type and we get on well enough. But what sort of bloke, when sending a card to his neighbours during the time of peace and goodwill, addresses it 96a, to pettily remind one of an old grudge? 8-)

thesecretagent

When addressing anything to my wife, my father-in-law uses my wife's maiden name. We've been married for four years, and still the letters or cards come like that. Then, he sends cards to my three-year-old daughter with my wife's maiden name - even though, as married, she has had my name since the second she was born.
This year I found out my mother-in-law's maiden name and adressed all the kids cards, mine and my wife's cards, a sort or family-look-what-we've-been-doing letter, and (this is the best bit of my genius) a yearly subscription of a monthly magazine as a gift, made out in her maiden name.

Peace and goodwill to all men? F**k him! :v

Pendragon

snow has FINALLY fallen...granted, it's not much, but it does add something to the whole holiday spirit

John Drake

Bah Humbug! It's minus 20 up here. Roll on the summer.

Loeffelholz

thesecretagent wrote:

This year I found out my mother-in-law's maiden name and adressed all the kids cards, mine and my wife's cards, a sort or family-look-what-we've-been-doing letter, and (this is the best bit of my genius) a yearly subscription of a monthly magazine as a gift, made out in her maiden name.

Priceless. A brilliant coup, indeed! ) My congratulations {[]

Napoleon Plural

Yeah, that made me laugh!

When you look at their wedding photos, do you find you've been cut out of the picture with scissors?

thesecretagent

So that's what it is. I thought I was just too big to get into the frame...

Mister White

Here's hoping we all get a new Bond movie for Christmas...

Next year.... 8-)

little nelly

thesecretagent wrote:

When addressing anything to my wife, my father-in-law uses my wife's maiden name. We've been married for four years, and still the letters or cards come like that. Then, he sends cards to my three-year-old daughter with my wife's maiden name - even though, as married, she has had my name since the second she was born.
This year I found out my mother-in-law's maiden name and adressed all the kids cards, mine and my wife's cards, a sort or family-look-what-we've-been-doing letter, and (this is the best bit of my genius) a yearly subscription of a monthly magazine as a gift, made out in her maiden name.

Peace and goodwill to all men? F**k him! :v

I like your style, thesecretagent. I think it was Jean-Paul Sartre who said "hell is other people"... he was wrong. Hell is other people's families. Good on ya!

Napoleon Plural

Okay, here's a Tom & Jerry cartoon to make you well up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTR9uKF-w4o

Napoleon Plural

You know you're over Christmas when you're sat in front of the Box watching these two do their thing and can hardly raise a chuckle...

Thunderpussy

I can't believe M&W couldn't raise a chuckle NP, Their always one of my Christmas Highlights. )

Napoleon Plural

The classic Andre Previn and Singing in the Rain sketches aside, they are in fact cretinously unfunny.

As a duo they seem to have no natural rapport, in spite of what folk say, they seem over rehearsed and only seem to relax when a third person joins them. Most of the 'humour' revolves around some unexpected celebrity joining them for a dance routine, except 30 years after, it's hardly topical and who is Eddie Wearing?

That said, while Harry Hill (who is the modern comedian who most takes on the Eric Morecambe mantle) has better comic timing, he'll be even less topical in 30 years time.

Mark Hazard

Napoleon Plural wrote:

and who is Eddie Wearing?

I believe he was a sports commentater - mainly rugby I think (not into sports myself, so am not 100% certain), he was also a commentator on "It's a Knockout".

Thunderpussy

I must be the luckiest person in the UK, As I love pretty much all comedy,even the topical kind that dates or so some would say. I listen to a lot of radio comedy and have heard over the years many old shows, Pete and Dud,Round the Horn, The goons etc with their modern counter parts Bleak expectations,Just a minute, little britain( started on radio 4).
I watched a great documentary on Bob Monkhouse another very rehearsed and slick comedian who for a time was out of favor with the Alternative Crowd,Still I think Good comedy stands the test of time Like Jack Benny, The marx Bros even Laurel and Hardy.
Even after Ben Elton got Benny hill taken off the air,Benny's still a comedy legend while Elton, well he' an author now back to his middle class roots after attacking Mrs Thatcher for many years ( some young people might now know who she is either ) he left his false leftwing mask drop and took up his natural right wing leanings.
Even today every Comedy has to be like "The Office" shaky cameras and Documentary Style, No new Ideas.
Someone should really tell Ant & Dec that copying Morcambe and Wise just won't work they wern't Sucesfull getting audiance figures of over 25 million for their christmas shows.Still I'm sure they'll figure it out soon enough.
Happily I got a Great QI, and Mock the week Dvd for christmas,very Topical and very Out of Date in a few Years , But will it still be funny, Yes I think So.

Monique

thesecretagent wrote:

When addressing anything to my wife, my father-in-law uses my wife's maiden name. We've been married for four years, and still the letters or cards come like that. Then, he sends cards to my three-year-old daughter with my wife's maiden name - even though, as married, she has had my name since the second she was born.
This year I found out my mother-in-law's maiden name and adressed all the kids cards, mine and my wife's cards, a sort or family-look-what-we've-been-doing letter, and (this is the best bit of my genius) a yearly subscription of a monthly magazine as a gift, made out in her maiden name.

Peace and goodwill to all men? F**k him! :v

) ) Good for you secretagent! What is his problem? I know fathers have a very hard time letting of of their daughters, but that is just rude! I have to know...what was his reaction to getting a taste of his own medicine?

Napoleon Plural

Yeah, let us know secretagent!

I've nothing against old comedy, but some dates more than others, esp if the joke is based on some topical reference. Other jokes and comics are just of their time, you have to have been there. All the hagiography over M&W over Christmas (I realise this is lost on anyone not in the UK) got a bit much. As for 25 million viewers, before DVD and the internet you really had a captive audience on Christmas Day.

Thunderpussy

I agree some Comedy does date, Like a joke about making a Cheque out to C.A.S.H. When infact today no Bank would cash this as a cheque must go from one account to another. I have nothing but respect for Comedians,To stand on a stage and try to keep an audiance entertained for a couple of hours is Hard.dealing with hecklers and having to come up with new material all the time. I wish we had more comedians and less Politicans,Although sometimes they are interchangable.

Napoleon Plural

Oh does it? Alright, I didn't know that, I thought you could still do that. Never mind.