Recently in TV Category

No matter how many iterations of these sketches I see, I always find them funny.

Today we went to see the recording of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross that will be airing tomorrow. Not only was the line-up great, contained my two favourite things on telly (comedy and cooking) but it was also fun watching how these shows are filmed. The compere was pretty funny too and kept us entertained throughout the whole process. The only downside was being told off in front of three hundred people for trying to take a picture. I wasn't even taking a picture of the set, just the hundred and fifteen (yes, I counted them) heavy duty lights on the ceiling. Harrumph.

The show is filmed at BBC Television Centre on Wood Lane. You know, the one they showed at the end of some episodes of Blue Peter? That place. We got there mega early as the friend who kindly gave us the tickets told us the queue can get long and as they give out more tickets than there are seats there can sometimes be a chance of not getting in. We joined the queue at 4.45pm and gave our two spare tickets to a couple who were originally there for Ready Steady Cook. The woman said on the way there she was saying how she really wanted to see the Jonathan Ross show and now they had tickets. I told her she should have wished for a million pounds.

There was much waiting around as the filming didn't start until 6.45pm but when everything kicked off it was worth the wait. The first guest was Jamie Oliver, talking about his new programme Jamie's American Road Trip. As with anything he does, he was very passionate about his experience over there and he certainly sold me the idea of this show. I'll be watching out for it on Channel 4. Then he cooked bollocks. Literally, bull's balls.

The next guest was 23-year old cricketer Stuart Broad, fresh from the Ashes victory. I didn't know who he was but he came across as a lovely young man. Did you know it's called the Ashes because the trophy is a little urn with Ashes in it? Someone at work told me that and then looked at me a little funny when I asked if the ashes were of the founder of cricket. Apparently this is not the case.

The piece de resistance for me was the appearance of Ricky Gervais. He's one of my favourites, just favourite people in terms of everything he does. And he was on fire tonight but then you wouldn't expect anything less. He talked about his new movie The Invention of Lying which we've been long anticipating and is out October 2nd.

Oh, at the end Mika performed and that's all I've got to say about the matter. Except that they made us dance to it. Bastards.

Catch the show tomorrow at 10.35pm on BBC1. Hopefully you won't see me in the audience.

...or have the Dragons been eating too many beans?

I nearly bumped into Rich Hall yesterday. He seemed a bit lost at the train station, frantically looking at the departures board and badly disguised in an Cubs baseball cap. I would have gone up to him and told him how much I enjoy his appearances on QI but he looked terribly grumpy and I didn't want to be on the end of a scathing sarcastic retort from him.

That would have made a more interesting story however so perhaps next time I will. Anything for you, dear reader.

Trying to design templates in MT4 is like wrestling with Russian dolls. Widgets inside modules inside templates inside a cuckoo clock. Had this been 2002, when I had more time on my hands, I would have fought on but I'm tired and may be ready to say goodbye to Movabletype. Yeah, I said it.

Hi Wordpress?

Meanwhile, a rather unconvincing transexual on Jerry Springer is fighting for her man who has a peroxide blonde mohawk and terrible dress sense. More importantly he keeps referring to her as a "him". That's just rude. Jerry, Jerry!

The Brother From Another Series. My new favourite Simpsons episode. Starring Kelsey Grammar and his on-screen brother Niles. Need I say more?

I will not yell "She's Dead" during roll call

New episodes of The Sopranos AND Graham Norton? I want E4!!!

I couldn't agree more. There's nothing more sickening than a bunch of walking talking dictionaries with the problems of 30 year olds. And as for Joey....if the wind blows, you're face'll stay that way ya know.

Extracts from the over 70s Jerry Springer Show last night:

"You're having an affair with two women?!?....And her with the walker?!?"
"When he doesn't want to speak to me he just takes his teeth out...."
"How you gonna do her Pop? Get on her scooter with her?"
"All the good men my age are in Normandy, France. They went over in World War II and we were left with this crap!"