My mother was Irish, I am half Irish and I strongly object to this stereotypical and disrespectful characterisation of my race. Indeed this "joke" almost certainly contravenes the Australian Racial Discrimination Act!
You are a reprobate Sir and your views belong in the 1920s!
See how difficult it becomes once you decide that only jokes of which *you* approve should be permitted...?
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
I recall many years ago, early 1970s, I was on the Central Coast of NSW and Spike Milligan used to travel to Woy Woy to see his elderly mother. He would go to various shops, hotels, the court house, the police station and cause absolute chaos. He came into the court house where I was working on several occasions and have a chat to anyone. The things he would say and the quickness of his wit was just astonishing. Everyone loved him and thought he was hilarious. He would brighten up everyone's day just by being around.
I recall reading about him years later and the fact that he suffered terribly from depression.
Spike Milligan was brilliant, truly brilliant in the way very few are. Read his (first?) book entitled Puckoon for an insight into his intellect.
Sadly, as you say Dmaxer, he was a manic depressive of intensity. He would lock himself away for weeks at a time passing notes to his secretary under the door.
Not only was he comedic he also wrote wonderful poetry - sometime "nonsense" poetry which is perfect for introducing children to such but also poignant sophisticated poetry such as the following little known poem, which always brings a tear to my eye:
----
Strange lovers may caress you but once, long ago you were mine forever. So should I reach into that past and touch you with invisible fingers don't move away.
----
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Way back in the early sixties I worked for an advertising agency in London. Spike was commisioned to do the voice over on an Alka-Seltzer commercial. The day duly arrived and our producer a brilliant man, the director and yours truly, who was operating the Revox recorder, were sitting in one of the lounges awaiting the arrival of the great man. On the coffee table was a bottle of Johnny Walker black label alongside three glasses and a carafe of water, I was not deemed worthy of a glass since I was only a minion.
A good twenty minutes or so late Spike arrives wearing a jumper that looked as if it would stand up on its own, jeans and sandals and nothing else, this was December in UK.!!!! His lines were very simple, speaking with his Eccles voice all he had to say was...
"Tired, fuzzy headache, feeling down? You need Alka-Seltzer!".
Spike had a wee sip and we got down to business. About an hour later and lord knows how many takes later with the bottle nearly empty, he gave us a perfect take. I don't think that the other two guys had more than one scotch each. I loved his humour and have every Goon show on tape. He was a genius close to madness a very funny man.
PS. I was later told by the doorman that, after the recording, he went outside hailed a taxi and, when it arrived got in one door and straight out of the other one and walked away!!!
He also had one last laugh when he died, his tombstone reads,
I told you I was sick!
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Those who wish to reap the blessings of freedom must, as men, endure the fatigue of defending it.
As well as Puckoon, Mike, he also wrote Hitler, My Part in His Downfall. That was a story about his days in the Army during WW2 and where he met Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. Not only was it hilarious in parts but also gave an insight into what a sensitive and intelligent person that he was.
I remember in those Woy days he would stop and chat to people about day to day things and then all of a sudden something would spark his wit and he had people in stitches. He was never offensive to anyone and brought so much joy. I recall seeing him being interviewed about some rather serious issue on a BBC show and in the middle of the interview he started asking this bewildered TV host if he knew what the weather was currently like in Woy Woy. Of course, being in London, they just had no idea what he was talking about.
He was interviewed by one of the Sydney TV stations at the airport after his arrival in Sydney and when asked how his flight was he replied, "it was good, so was the landing, not too far from the airport"
Sorry DMaxer, there were 2.
We met the other on Cape York several years back. He ran a very helpful business and when I enquired as to how to contact him if needed, he gave me his mobile Nu. AND his full name for CASH deals, he said he was Spike, Spike Milligan that is!
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Cheers - Ian
I slowly realise as I get older that I am definitely NOT the fastest rat in the race.
Also the older I get the more I realise I do not know.
