Bloody odd

I tell you what’s bloody odd, that tv advert for power utility company SSE. It features an orang utan (!) going up and down escalators apparently signifying a fresh look at electricity supply. If I was going to ask somebody to cast a fresh pair of eyes over the attributes of the various energy companies I’d definitely pick an orange-coloured primate to do it. No I wouldn’t; it’s a frigging stupid notion. Nor would I use one of the great love songs, When I Fall in Love, by Nat King Cole as the musical soundtrack because absolutely no-one is in love with any of the energy suppliers in the UK, the grasping, expensive bar-stewards. It’s almost like they’re taking the monkey juice. If you think I’m being unkind take a look at let me know I’ve got it wrong…

I’ll tell you another weird ad; that latest one for moneysupermarket.com where there’s a blerk with a bum as big as Kim Kardashian’s, in tight shorts and high heels (and a jacket, nice shirt and tie incongrously) twerking away in front of a woman carrying two dogs and who looks like Sharon Osbourne’s Spitting Image puppet. I suspect it’s poking fun at our sexist attitudes but I actually find it quite difficult to watch. More to the point it wouldn’t encourage me to go and check out the company’s utility/insurance comparison website because, as we now know, it’d make more sense to go and chat with an ape.  Confused.com? Check it out…

Finally I can remember back in the very early days of Cellnet (now O2) my great boss BMc managed to convince the then hottest female actress in the world, Joan Collins, to do a tv commercial for us based on the idea that she ‘didn’t do ads’. He taught me to aim high.  Almost 30 years later I shouldn’t be surprised to see that celebrity endorsement is still a key advertising plank. And speaking of wooden, what is Kevin Bacon doing promoting mobile network EE? The same thing that Joan was doing all those years ago, earning a pile of money for 30 secs of work. But it’s sad to see an actor as fine as Harvey Keitel reprising his Winston Wolf character from one of my favourite films, Pulp Fiction, for some crappy ads for Direct Line insurance.  I guess nothing changes and money still talks eh. But it’s still weird to see him doing the ads with jobbing actors and crummy pay-off lines. He looks like he’s enjoying it as much as if he had anal warts…

Bloody odd

pp

 

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It’s eclectic!

At the risk of being accused of watching too much daytime TV, another thought occurred to me watching Frasier this morning. Have you nerticed how televsion sets and props are often an important character element in great sitcoms? Well I have.

Gogglebox

Very old friends and readers and occasional viewers of my oh so self-deprecating LinkedIn profile will be aware of the three Bafta’s I was talented enough to be awarded back in the day. Oh I know it’s nothing to brag about really but it is three more than Sir ian McKellen’s got with his four nominations and zero awards.  I’m only joshing with you dear readers. I’ve only got just the two dust collectors messing up the place. But it’s still two more than Sir Ian and my acting hero (until we met The Fockers) Robert de Nero have between them, ha!. What, you don’t believe me?

According to Paul

I wouldn’t want you to think I’m a slave to habit but I do get into routines, particularly when it comes to tv viewing. Take mornings. C and I get up around 6.30 – 7.00 and we spend the next hour or so (well I do) browsing online whilst watching C4. I love their morning scheduling of US comedies, even though I’ve watched them all before. It begins with a couple of episodes each of Will & Grace, then Everybody Loves Raymond and finally Frasier. We’re showered and off to work before the final episode but it’s a fun and harmless way to get me going and smiling in the morning (though not necessarily my favourite!). 

oh no… autumn leaves

Well here’s a shot from the balcony and the sharp-eyed amongst you out there will be able to observe that the leaves are turning brown and already beginning to fall from the big tree opposite. After 30° temps just last week it’s also feeling decidedly cooler. You know what that means don’t you? Yes autumn’s here but more depressingly it also means a return to the dreaded autumn tv schedules. Arghh.

Grand presenters?

Grand Designs is back hurrah! If I could live my life again I’d try and become an architect. Unfortunately that’s not an option so I console myself by watching TV programmes about house building/restoration. I’m very much a fan of Kevin McCloud; he brings a designer’s perspective to every project and his opinions and insight bring a rare bonus to the programme. He is an intelligent  and likeable presenter and his gentle chiding made this week’s opening programme in the series about the transformation of a derelict cinema, very watchable. Even if it did involve Yerkshire folk. Top marks Kevin.

daytime tv

Well normal service has been resumed dear readers. I was chatting to my brother about the fact that we’d both had cause to watch rather a lot of daytime tv recently (I’m still doing!) and he suggested it would make a good topic for a posting. I considered doing a critical look at the grim state of one or two of the daytime programmes but decided against it on the grounds that there’s just too much choice. So instead I’ve decided to do something completely different – a pp phrase book of some new words coined by the popularity of afternoon telly and a few of its more well-known presenters. Please feel free to add to the list.

‘s prickwatch 2013

Who knows whether it’s true that the CIA and GCHQ are actually reading my postings but if they are here’s a little secret for them; one of my guilty pleasures is watching the Springwatch programme on the BBC. For the benefit of the guys in Langley, Virginia it’s a close up look at our wldlife in its most fertile season. It’s centred on a Welsh nature reserve and hosted by the dappy trio above and as you’d expect I have some foxy observations about them….