Rum Doings Episode 4
by John Walker on Sep.11, 2009, under Rum Doings, The Rest
A new Rum Doings, and it comes with a warning: Nick Mailer is a very, very bad man. What should have been a perfectly nice discussion of interesting matters descends into an explosion of libel and offense. Some people may find some of the content a tiny bit naughty. I can only apologise, hold my head in my hands, and beg for your forgiveness. He’s out of control. He’ll be going to prison alone.
Not under discussion in episode four is whether we should stop funding the BBC with a license fee. More under discussion are the fine Murdoch Family, the ecclecticism of Radio Three, the RSPCP, annoying habits of Cub Scouts and the introduction of New Rules concerning the use of Wikipedia on The Now Show. Have we mentioned The Now Show before? Really?
To subscribe to the podcast click here, or you can find it in iTunes here. To download it directly, right-click and save as here. I forgot the id3 tags. I’ll fix that later.
We’re delighted by how many people are listening. We’ll be astonished if they continue listening after this episode. But we’d love it to be more. Please email, IM, tweet and blog about there wherever you can. It makes a big difference. Get us linked or mentioned on some giant site – we probably deserve it.
September 11th, 2009 on 14:57
WOW…that was fantastically hilarious! If anything, the you can probably count on an increased variety of listeners as many, um, ‘cream cheese lovers’ tune in to hear whether their demands are being met.
September 11th, 2009 on 16:55
Hi SAeN. Thank you for your kind comments. One thing, though: the RSPCP refers to clotted cream (on a scone, with jam) and not cream cheese. I’m sorry if this precludes your joining of this august establishment.
September 11th, 2009 on 17:03
Well Im against clotted cream, sorry. I withdraw any donations I did not plan on donating
September 11th, 2009 on 20:29
Did I hear that correctly that sewage systems are one of mankinds greatest achievements? Sewage systems? Wikipedia, agriculture, and then sewage systems? Come on, a hole in the ground is pretty much as good as a toilet. Now, toilet paper, however, you could make a case for. Come to think of it potpourri in an aerosol can was also a significant milestone.
September 11th, 2009 on 21:12
Sewage systems remove the need to get your hands dirty, like toilet paper, and so can be considered a great achievement
September 11th, 2009 on 21:40
@Pace… Damn you, boy. You never heard of the man who chained the river?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyuBZ2wDYTg
September 12th, 2009 on 00:29
I think they must have been referring to “Black Kids” – a rather catchy little band. http://www.last.fm/music/Black+Kids
September 12th, 2009 on 02:36
While I disagree with your critique of The Beatles, I am completely in favour of giving cream teas to people who really like feet.
September 12th, 2009 on 10:34
Great podcast, best yet!
September 13th, 2009 on 19:17
Really enjoying the podcasts chaps – thanks!
September 13th, 2009 on 20:58
Good listening as always chaps – you’ll be glad to know it has replaced the Now Show on my iPod.
Actually, I’m glad to know that too.
September 13th, 2009 on 21:44
These continue to be brilliant guys, cheers.
September 14th, 2009 on 10:18
It’s always pleasing to hear that it’s the last Noooowwww Shooooooooeeee of a series, knowing that in just one week’s time I’ll get to enjoy The New Quiz again. It may be scripted but at least it’s got a modicum of humour. I have never been so disappointed to hear Fred McAuley’s voice. IGTWTCITN be damned.
W.R.T. Nick’s rules – he may deliver them like angry Hitler but was spot on with each and every one.
September 14th, 2009 on 15:10
You would like Vampire Weekend John, they are not far from The Housemartins.
Chances are you will have already heard some of the tracks as they are being used everywhere. Spotify them up for a free sample.
September 15th, 2009 on 08:42
I like Radio 4 comedy (including The Now Show) and also I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, which I first heard in 1986. Most of it is scripted these days but it is still very funny. I think they found a hapy medium in the late eighties, where some rounds were scripted and some (such as ad lib poem) weren’t, but dropped a lot of these in the nineties because some of the panelists weren’t keen on them.
I agree with you about the current Fred McAuley show though, I don’t think he is bad as a comedian but this latest show is appalling.
And yes, is used with a certain level of scepticism, Wikipedia is fantastic.
September 16th, 2009 on 03:19
Another enjoyable casting of your pod.
I do have to say though that as an Australian listener a large swathe of the references as lost on me.
I guess this is more my problem then yours though.
September 16th, 2009 on 17:29
Hi url404,
I created a little reference lexicon for an American listener who had a similar experience to yours. I’ll paste it here. I hope it helps :-)
The Licence Fee: The BBC is funded by every owner of a television set paying a flat-rate tax to get a “television licence”. In fact, this funds the BBC’s TV stations, its news website and the radio stations. It’s about $150 per year per TV-owning household. This allows the BBC not to have any commercials or sponsorship etc. Every year, for the last 50 years or so, people have debated whether to retain this fee!
BBC Radio One: A national pop/rock channel particularly devoted to youthmusic.
BBC Radio Two: A more MOR station, which also includes show tunes and so on, as well as light rock.
BBC Radio Three: A very intellectual classical music and culture station, that also includes jazz and some *very* eclectic programs at night, including modern dance music, folk, world and so on.
BBC Radio Four: An intelligent speech station which includes news, comedy and so on – a bit like a less dull NPR :-)
Terry Wogan: A very long-time Irish presenter on Radio Two who’s giving up his morning programme. A well known and charming figure.
Chris Moyles: a well-paid DJ on Radio One, whose charms we debate.
Cream Tea: A tradition where one is given scones (what you might be call a ‘biscuit’) on which clotted cream and jam (jelly) is placed, had with a cup of hot milky tea and other pastry sundries at about 4pm.
Cub scouts: Young boys in the scouting movement.
Bob-a-job: Cub scouts go around performing tasks for people (packing their groceries etc) for which they ask for money (it used to be a ‘bob’, the nickname for a defunct coin – hence bob-a-job). They then give the money to charity.
The Now Show: An annoying satirical programme on Radio Four. Think of SNL for radio, but even less funny.
Punt and Dennis: The comedians who script and perform much of The Now Show and have been doing the same lazy nonsense for decades.
James Murdoch: Rupert Murdoch’s son, who runs commercial satellite TV in the UK, and is annoyed by the BBC (for obvious reasons).
September 16th, 2009 on 18:02
Pace said “Come on, a hole in the ground is pretty much as good as a toilet”.
I suspect Pace is French.
September 18th, 2009 on 06:34
All the cool people use holes in the ground.
September 18th, 2009 on 16:09
I still enjoy The Now Show, it’s a bit of nostalgic glee for me. Though I agree that the new thing on Fridays isn’t very funny at all (and by my standards, that’s a deathly condemnation).
We’ve heard enough of what comedy programmes that John and Nick dislike; what comedy programmes do the dynamic duo favour? This I feel would be an interesting thing to know, if only so I myself can re-calibrate my humour sensors.
September 18th, 2009 on 20:55
I love anything that has the enchanting sound of Mr. Walker’s voice in it. Please continue making these. Also, I demand that John Walker be officially proclaimed one of the Care Bears. That is all.
September 23rd, 2009 on 13:59
In your comments about the national anthem, the Scottish one is predominantly about beating the English in war and normally has Scottish people shouting “bastards” whenever there is a gap after the English are mentioned.
I’m a Scot though so I perhaps shouldn’t be letting you into our secrets.
September 25th, 2009 on 12:33
I agree with Nick about John’s accent (though BBC would never hire someone so friendly, honest and cute-sounding), but I must say that I find Nick’s voice suitable as well. The accent is not too strong (and it’s more posh than anything else), and his diction is good. I think many Britons would enjoy having their news delivered in Nick’s reassuring Hitler cadence.
October 22nd, 2009 on 11:05
How incredibly rude of me. I just wanted to pop on and say thanks very much Nick for your comprehensive reply to my post (although I clearly know all about the Murdochs – and I guess I can only apologise).
Can’t wait for the next podcast.