For Those Who Do Not Recognize My Avatar.

[Paul]

I've just added an avatar to my profile.

Some people will look at my avatar and get it instantly. Some will not get it until they read the "Are you my mummy" line. And some will never get it. If you are in the latter group, you have my sympathy, something great is missing from your life. It is probably not your fault, it is probably not available where you live. But it is a great and wondrous thing to have.

I talk, of course, of the Doctor (not a medical doctor) of whom no one knows the name. They simply call him "Doctor". He's been in my life since I was four years old, and is still there. He will probably still be there after we are all dead.

I refer, of course, to the world's longest running science fiction series (and go stand in the corner with a dunce's cap on if you thought "Star Trek", that is the second longest running).

The avatar is the empty child from Dr Who.

[kristina]

Many thanks for your kind explanation, Paul , it is very much appreciated, especially by people like myself who have (not yet) entered the world of  science-fiction-series...
P.S. My own avator "comes" from the world of music and means to express to "b-sharp", which I thought "sums up" how we need to be if we want to survive with ESRF...
Best wishes from Kristina.

[Paul]

Just changed my avatar, so the info in the first post is now obsolete. Stole the new avatar from the website of the Helpmates tent of the Sons Of The Desert. (Who I joined to get their magazine, and because they give you a cool badge). If you have no idea who the Sons Of The Desert are, then you were obviously not taught the really important stuff at school.

[Marilee]

I love this avatar, Paul! Two of my mostly-unrelated favorites in entertainment. My favorite Laurel and Hardy movie is "Way Out West".

[Paul]

Two of my......favorites in entertainment.

In that case I can only applaud your good taste.

My favourite of their films is "Laughing Gravy". The scene Where Laurel again starts washing Hardy, even though it is blindingly obvious that their landlord has seen the dog, is hilarious.

And as to being an American fan of The Doctor, you must be in a small group, I believe only 2% of the country even get the station on which it is broadcast.

[Marilee]

Thank Goodness for BBC-America! We love "Keeping Up Appearances", "The Good Neighbors" (haven't seen that in decades, though) and many more. We also enjoy listening to recordings of Pam Ayers, and of course the original recording of the Hitchhicker's Guide to the Universe, and I'm a serious Harry Potter fan (books, movies, you name it!).

"Laughing Gravy" was delightful! I love the way the angry people in their skits (especially Mr. Findlayson, who featured in so many of their films) would mug like cartoon characters. Too silly. Oh, I also love the movie about the Piano Movers! Their body language and timing are pure genius.

You have great taste, too, Paul!

[Paul]

Oh, I also love the movie about the Piano Movers!

That would be "The Music Box". The wallpaper on my desktop computer is a still from that film. While you are watching British TV shows avoid one called "Outnumbered", because that contains a scene where the father is talking about a comedian and the son replies "Do you mean proper comedians or your old black and white ones. And what is so funny about failing to carry a piano upstairs?" The writer of that show is someone I normally like, but not that line!

[Marilee]

Oh, MAN! Poor writers: Unless they were trying to show just how sad that character is .
Did you ever read "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" by Douglas Adams? There's an anecdote in there about Biscuits in a (Train or Bus) Station that made us laugh and laugh - we were listening to it as a book-on-tape recording on our way to work and had to pull over.

[Paul]

Oh, MAN! Poor writers: Unless they were trying to show just how sad that character is

I think he was trying to show the difference between the generations. If so, he was wrong. Laurel and Hardy (at least over here) tend to be loved by people under 20 and over 50, it is the 20 to 50 year olds that find them silly. IE, the father should have said the line to the son, not the other way round. Myself I bucked that trend, I've loved them constantly since I was young.

Did you ever read "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" by Douglas Adams?

I've read all the Hitchhiker's books, but long ago and cannot remember much about those that were not part of the radio show (I've listened to the radio show so often I know it quite well, I've also watched the TV show a few times). Sad fact: When the movie version came out I went to the movie theatre with a towel and a bag of peanuts.

If you like Douglas Adams' books check out the first two and a half Dirk Gently books (he died half way through writing the third book and someone else continued the series). An interesting tie in with my avatar is that Adams used to be script editor/head writer on Dr Who, and the first book (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency) was based on a story he wrote for Dr Who that got stopped filming half way through due to a technician's strike, and never got finished. The character of The Doctor was replaced with Dirk Gently for obvious copyright reasons, and the humour made more like the Hitchhiker books because by then that was what his fans expected.

And a (IMHO) sad fact about Laurel and Hardy. Do you know that they made more films together after they died that they made together during their lives? This is because Larry Harmon bought the rights to their images after they were both dead, and made loads and loads of Laurel and Hardy cartoon films.

Oh, and there is yet another Laurel and Hardy film coming out soon. Late in their life they did a tour of the British music halls, and they have just finished filming a movie about it with Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as Laurel and Hardy. It is due out in Britain in January, I've no idea when (or if) it will be released in the US, but it was financed by the BBC, so it will probably be on BBC America eventually.

[Marilee]

Sad fact: When the movie version came out I went to the movie theatre with a towel and a bag of peanuts.

You are a TRUE FAN.
You know way more about all this than I do, I must say. I will have to check out the Dirk Gently books - I haven't seen the on-screen version yet, but it has caught my eye when I see the ads, and now you've got me all curious. Thanks!