Entertainment For Lively Minds
Desmond Morris talks to Kate Bush
Posted by Patrick Crowther on 24 April 2008 - 8:34am.
This is a wonderful interview. It brings back fond memories for me of a time when the interviewer didn't love the sound of his or her own voice more than that of the guest. And what's more, the guest realized that modesty is a rather appealing trait in a person.
Desmond Morris lets her talk and listens to what she has to say with genuine, unforced interest. Simple, isn't it? So why is this so rare these days?
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What's interesting about this...
...is that it reminds us that there was a time, not so long ago, where not all entertainment had to be studded with regular laughs. Nowadays the shows that are in these same regions of the schedule are primarily about comedy.
And also the sense of 'quiet'...
just the sound of two voices reverberating in a room. The absence of background noise - the shrieks and hollers that paper over the cracks in so much contemporary entertainment - focuses our attention on what they actually have to say. What they have to say is interesting in itself, but is made doubly so by the calm ambience of the studio.
Trust me to lower the tone, but. . .
I always felt that Desmond Morris's credibility as an expert on human body language and mating displays was somewhat compromised by his insistence on sporting one of the most ridiculous combovers in the history of British popular culture - a positively Charltonian construct.
[Update - in re the podcast: the one fact everyone knows about Desmond Morris is that - all together now - he's a surrealist painter.]
Not married to Esther Rantzen
Before googling Morris a second ago, I've been labouring under the impression that he was Esther Ranten's late husband (that was Desmond Wilcox). Apparently he's just written a book so he's definately not dead.
You never posted a truer word.
The one thing that everyone knows about Desmond Morris is that he has a ridiculous barnet!
I have never been able to take his stuff seriously, since it obviously advertises his lack of self-knowledge so perfectly that it just devalues anything else he has to say.
I'm not quite sure how this links up but on the topic of Kate Bush I remember a TV interviewer trying to talk to Eric Fenby about her song Delius. I remember cringing in horror as the poor old so-and-so was pressed for an opinion, whereupon he brought the interview to a close with a brisk 'never heard of her'.
A low point in TV journalism I thought, but surpassed easily by Ross J.
Imagine Wossy...
"Shall we get my next guest out? It's Kate Bush. You look fantastic. Coooorrrr! I would (cue Sid James-style laugh). Babooshka, Babooshka? Yi,yi,yi,yi, yi!!! I remember, "relaxing" if you know what I mean to the video many times as a young man (Sid James laugh). Do ever get dressed up in that outfit for the old man, eh? eh? I bet you do. How about you come back to my place and wear it for me? Jane won't mind, come on, whaddya say (Sid James laugh). Talking of Bush, how trimmed is your's...what??? I didn't say anything. You're making your own jokes now"
Interview continues in a similar vein during which Ross fails to ask one sensible question or allow Bush to speak uninterrupted for more than 20 seconds until...
"I'm genuinely a big fan and I'm not just saying that. I think the new album's fantastic and I wish you lots of luck in the future. Ladies and gentlemen, Kate Bush."
Stares at Bush's bum while she walks off and makes face to audience while comically adjusting his shirt collar as if letting off steam.
Nail duly hit on head
Andy, this skewering of Ross could not be more spot-on! It sums up all I hate about him; and I wouldn't care at all if not for the fact that he has so much going for him. He is genuinely witty and can be very engaging, on telly and radio. But the cartoon lechery and only-half-joking narcissism are ghastly.
And Kate Bush? What a woman, one of my real heroes.
Having been a fan of the
Having been a fan of the Last Resort, I remember thinking when he first started his BBC chat show and Radio 2 how great it was to have him back on the telly doing what he did best and how daring and witty he was. Now he actually is the last resort with a very limited bag of rapidly aging tricks. I think he need to lie fallow for a while to recuperate and think up some new schtick.
A splendid...
...kebabbing of JR, Andy.
Whatever the moans about the late, great Parky, he had a background in journalism so he knew how to ask a proper question, listen to the answer, and realise that the guest might be the person who the audience want to hear.
Lovely
Marvellous, thanks for posting.
Isn't it just...
she's a bloody treasure.
Healthy Living
I found some great clips of here cooking with delia and talking through her lifesyle with Richard Stilgoe. You inspired my latest blog post so thanks (link on my page).
It's OK to self-link...
In a comment, if it's relevant to a conversation already taking place...
Good answers...
...but the questions were not especially well-asked. He repeatedly started asking one question, then interrupted himself with a clarifying statement, then asked a slightly different or additional question. And the later question was often closed (but Kate was gracious enough not to answer "yes" or "no").
There's another reason why this works so well.
Kate Bush has interesting and intelligent things to say, and is articulate.