Kings Speech

I thought the film was pretty good, actually.

Radio Fun

Here is a very funny joke I drew for The Stage until it was pointed out that I got the name of the actor and the character wrong. Good job somebody checks.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Another year, another Clare In The Community calendar campaign. Not entirely without problems, especially given my decision to finally utilise my mailing list and blanket post everybody who has ever bought a calendar.
Unsurprisingly, quite a few former purchasers have died since its inception in 1989, provoking several angry letters from bereaved relatives. To make matters worse I used some ancient, oversized envelopes found under the desk, which instantly qualified for the Post Offices new "large letter" status, rendering the postage I'd put on insufficient. The grand sum of £1.19 ( 19p extra plus £1 handling) was the surplus people had to pay to receive them, and many paid it because the name and address was hand written ( I thought it would add a personal touch). Despite the whole UK postal system collapsing beneath the heaviest snow for 48 years, one man from the Highlands Of Scotland found time to complain that his calendar hadn't arrived in time for Christmas. By which point I decided, what the hell, I may as well take the blame for the weather as well and sent him another one.
So basically I spent much of the festive season spreading distress, grief, anger and unhappiness like some kind of evil xmas elf.
I still have lots of calendars left, if anyone wants one.

Merry Christmas.

Seasonal goodwill to all, even those who didn't buy the Clare In The Community Calendar. Bastards.

YET MORE GLAMOUR

Went to a talk at BBC TV centre about What BBC1 Wants From Comedy Writers. About 80 people crammed in a tiny room for two and a half hours. Basically, and here I am paraphrasing, BBC1 doesn't know what it wants but will know it when it sees it. Usually on BBC2, or BBC3.
At least 95% of the people present were white, middle class, middle aged men, and boy were we told off for it. Not coming from London made me quite an exotic minority.

OH THE GLAMOUR

Went to the BBC Radio Comedy Xmas party yesterday, where I rubbed shoulders with a host of famous people. Sandi Toksvig rubbed shoulders with peoples' hips, being surprisingly short. I think everyone was a little intimidated by my reputation, as nobody came up and spoke to me all afternoon!

Poor old royals

This is next week's Hamlet gag, only a little out of date but I liked it. So in it goes.