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Strange beginning to the year
Posted Sunday, March 20, 2005
Well it’s been a strange beginning to the year. I’ve tried to stay in touch during the run up to Comic Relief, but I’ve found the whole thing as stressful as picking a jury for the Michael Jackson trial. I’ve begun a whole new study year, so I’m trying to do all the reading for that (kiss of the spider woman, paradise, do androids dream of electric sheep, Orlando, sunset song – which is brilliant, Katherine Mansfield – which is also brilliant, Howl by Alan Ginsberg, Chris Okigbo, Ghost road by Pat Barker, The Cherry Orchard, Waiting for Godot and God Knows what else.) which includes a load of novels, thirties poets, Seamus Heaney, ah, I’m sucking up dirt here… plus, we’re in pre-production for my TV series ‘The Lenny Henry Show’ (I wanted to call it All New Friends’ but the producers thought people might get the wrong idea) – we’re doing all sorts for this year.
I know I change some aspect of the format every year, but it’s a habit now and I can’t get out of it. This year there’s no 3nonblondes. Jocelyn Gee’s got her own series, Tameka’s off doing a play and I don’t know what Ninia’s doing. I hope I get to work with them in some capacity again cos they’re good fun. Gina Yashere is back, doing Tanya and various other things for the show after her magnificent stay in the Comic Relief does Fame Academy house. She rocked it in there – very funny, and strangely tuneful (especially given the fact that she can’t sing at all…) - Gina’s looking forward to coming with some new characters and moving Tanya into even stranger situations, can’t wait.
We’re doing a police procedural spoof – think CSI meets the Marx Brothers, and I’m also gonna have a go at The Streets, and Usher and Kelis (Rubber tits, feather up my arse, 35 years in the business...) Snoop Dogg and so on. So its very exciting - I’m also going to be doing stand up comedy and trying out once again at the Bath House Pub in Soho, Lunchtimes in April (I think from the 22nd onwards, so check the site for details as to when) - we then go into the studio every Thursday night from the end of April right through til June the 9th, and I’d love you guys to come – we’re filming at good old Television centre, home of News night, Panorama and the Tweenies. I shall try my best to provide the funk, sweat and tears that you have become used to – please apply for tickets (check on the site as to how).
I have to say my blogs have become few and far between so far this year, but I am working on that… I intend to get better. There’ll be more comedy coming up too and loads of pics from the new series and also, finally… merchandise! Yes that’s right, I think you’re gonna love what we’ve got up our sleeves… Please salivate and then we’ll present… hmmm yummy.
Things I’m loving – Madeline Peyroux cd – v.good, Rufus Wainwright –want one and want two. Amarillo by Tony Christie (I know but it’s comic Relief... you gotta buy it) Mcfly –its all about you (ditto and any way, I think they’re rather lovely chaps), Damien Rice –the blowers daughter –ahhhh is that lovely or what? Trevor Nelson on Radio one –because he reminds me of going clubbing and dancing my ass off of an evening –he’s very cool indeed and doesn’t just have
his finger on the pulse, he’s ripped said pulse out and has it beating in front of him between the turntables where he can keep his eye on it. I’m also loving my old school funk, still listening to the love below by Andre 3000, I’m reading all those books above, but still managing to read through the proof (Galley?) of Neil Gaiman’s new book (bastard! Its 900 pages long, I should be reading Orlando and I’m goofing off with Gaiman…) pretty neat stuff.
I went to the movies last night and saw trailers for Madagascar, which looks very funny indeed, Valiant (I’ll wait for the DVD), and Wallace and Gromit and the curse of the Were Rabbit (it has to be done – Cheese sandwiches and mugs of tea, front and centre...) As far as comics is concerned, I’m reading – Ex Machina, (still pretty good) Planetary (Wow!) New Avengers (Wow!) Astonishing X Men (Wow!) Love and rockets, Strangers in Paradise, Ultimate Fantastic Four (v. good) Daredevil (Bendis kicks ass), Powers (still good, but is it me, or has the standard of the art gone right down?) My daughter wants to be a comic book artist. Anyone got any ideas? I met Lee Evans today for the first time – what a nice chap. If you can afford a ticket, (or even if you can’t) go and see him in The Producers, he’s got five weeks left and he’s (as they say in the Borscht belt) ‘A panic’ as Bloom, the blue blanket toting accountant who notices that ‘actually you could make more money with a flop musical than with a successful one’ - I also saw my good friend Polly McDonald the other day for lunch. She used to be managing director of Crucial films, my old production company. She executive produced all three series of Chef! Various Lenny Henry specials, and Neverwhere.
Sadly, we had to close down, and Crucial no longer exists- but Polly has gone onward and upward, she is now a Life coach – she is a grandmaster at Neuro linguistic programming and works one to one with executive clients who feel that they have something more to offer and need advice on ‘What next’ Pol is good people and if you feel like you have a ‘fifth gear’ that you ain’t using… Polly may be just what you need – she’s at Alchemy Alliance –check her out on polly.mcdonald@clara.co.uk
Finally, the Comic Relief total just keeps getting better and better. We’re on 38 million pounds now and I have to congratulate everyone who wore their clothes backwards to work or school, dressed up as the opposite sex, went to work naked, gave up cigs for the week, gave up swearing for the week, gave up drinking for the week, sat in custard/backed beans/ marmite/jam/scrambled eggs/mud /whatever for the whole day. Whatever you got sponsored for –you should know that your money is going to make a difference. I was in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia this year, as you know and my time there was spent with Aids/HIV workers and Street children. The money you pledge goes to exactly the people who need it – providing care for and attention for people suffering with Aids/HIV, giving shelter to street children who have been victims of sexual and physical abuse. Every penny counts - so thank you.
Big, Massive, Humungous
RESPECT
Len
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