Steven Coogan autobiography

[gloria]

Very nice vid here about it on the Guardian web site.

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/video/2015/oct/02/steve-coogan-interview-memoir-easily-distracted-drugs-and-strippers-video?CMP=share_btn_tw

[Hollow]

Why has it got such a god-awful cover though?

[Pit-Pat]

There's an extract in the Guardian here. It's unfair of me but I can't help but read it in a Patridge accent. The cadences and the way the sentences are structured just remind me so much of I, Partridge, even though the content is very different.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

I like the bit where he graciously writes "Lee and Herring invented Alan Partridge? DID THEY FUCK.THAT WAS ME."

[Jack Shaftoe]

I just read that! How does that work!? L & H invent a character who's a sports reporter called Alan Partridge, but they didn't really invent him, Steve Coogan invents him when he brings him to life doing voices and making up further material.

Bloody hell. :(

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

My dad decided to buy the Encyclopedia Britannica, which meant that knowledge could be accessed without a trip to the library

Yes a lot of this shortcuts to Partridge in my head.

[BritishHobo]

I guess it does make sense in a way - they come up with the idea for a surreal sports section, then Coogan adds the mannerisms and personality of Partridge, expanding him into the fame-hungry Norwich-based loser he became - but I don't know enough about the show's inception to actually defend it as true (or the opposite).

[The Region Legion]

I just read that! How does that work!? L & H invent a character who's a sports reporter called Alan Partridge, but they didn't really invent him, Steve Coogan invents him when he brings him to life doing voices and making up further material.

Bloody hell. :(

It's actually probably fair to say that in a different actors hands, Alan Partridge might have gone nowhere. More importantly, the character L&H created is very different to the character it become from KMKY onwards under Coogan's influence.

But he should be a bit less of a screaming cock about it and give credit where due.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

But he should be a bit less of a screaming cock about it and give credit where due.

To be fair, he does make it clear in his book that L&H wrote those initial Partridge sketches. It's just unfortunate that he comes across as somewhat ungracious while doing so.

[Queneau]

His comments, if true, seem fair enough to me. He's probably sick of being asked it. He's acknowledged the origins of Alan Partridge, what more do you want? I don't think he's being a dick at all.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I don't think he's being a  dick, I just think the way he worded his rebuttal was a tad brusque.

[SimonJT]

I took that line about L&H to be tongue-in-cheek - a humorous response to how the pair will often joke about how they invented AP. That's hard to convey in print, though.

[Bhazor]

Wow, you people are very literal minded.

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

I thought Armando had put this one to bed already.

[Peter P. Parrot]

The front cover looks like one of those '100% unauthorised' biographies you see in the pound shops.

[Ralph Cifaretto]

When's it out?

[Jack Shaftoe]

I took that line about L&H to be tongue-in-cheek - a humorous response to how the pair will often joke about how they invented AP. That's hard to convey in print, though.

Actually yes, I think it probably was tongue-in-cheek, wasn't it? I'm possibly a bit over-sensitive on the whole 'writers create something, performers take it on further then try and take all the credit' thing, perhaps.

[holyzombiejesus]

When's it out?

8th October, the same day as Sue Perkins' novel, Spectacles.

[Hollow]

The front cover looks like one of those '100% unauthorised' biographies you see in the pound shops.

Really it does...I thought Coogan had a bit more edge to him.

[olliebean]

To be fair, he does make it clear in his book that L&H wrote those initial Partridge sketches. It's just unfortunate that he comes across as somewhat ungracious while doing so.

Does he say, "Needless to say, I had the last laugh"?

[Ralph Cifaretto]

8th October, the same day as Sue Perkins' novel, Spectacles.

Thanks

There used to be a thread on cookd' every year for upcoming autobiographies (i think. i never actually read regularly).

Can we get this going again? (Was it only for comedy related people?)

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

I still find it astonishing there has been no biography of Ben Elton, of any slant.

[Blinder Data]

Read the extract and although the drug-taking escapades and insight into the production of Day Today etc. was quite interesting, I thought it was bloody badly written. Did he do it all by himself or with a ghostwriter? Surprisingly mundane and clumsy sentences - but then I'm not sure how much of his material he actually writes.

He came across as a bit of an arse as well. At least he knows he is an arse. Not sure I want to read a poorly composed book about an arse though.

[Queneau]

Anyone interested might want to meet Steve Coogan on 9th October: https://www.waterstones.com/events/meet-steve-coogan/london-piccadilly

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Styling: Grace Gilfeather at GQ. Grooming: Anastasia Borovik using REN skincare. Suit, £2,250, shirt, £360, and tie, £155, all by Tom Ford atharrods.com

This tawdry piece of shit was at the bottom of the article.

Steve Coogan drinks Sprunt.

[Custard]

8th October, the same day as Sue Perkins' novel, Spectacles.

Tis a memoir, not novel innit bruv

Just ordered that for the lady who lives with one, as she loves her

[batwings]

I just read that! How does that work!? L & H invent a character who's a sports reporter called Alan Partridge, but they didn't really invent him, Steve Coogan invents him when he brings him to life doing voices and making up further material.

Bloody hell. :(

Coogan talks about it with Herring here (10:38 mins in)

https://youtu.be/tNPv3e1tr0A?t=638

[Thewaddler]

Actually yes, I think it probably was tongue-in-cheek, wasn't it? I'm possibly a bit over-sensitive on the whole 'writers create something, performers take it on further then try and take all the credit' thing, perhaps.

I read it as a joke, straight away. Didn't occur to me that it was serious till I came on here.

[Dr Rock]

It's like who created Spider-Man, Lee or Ditko? Lee had the idea, Ditko fleshed it out with what came to be the essentials. Both deserve the credit of creator/inventor, imo, but I can see how each think they did the more important part.

[Dr Rock]

But on the subject of Steve Ditko's contribution to Spider-Man, I would always have said the creation of that iconic costume and mask is one of his greatest accomplishments. Then I saw this last week...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiDCxKqD5Mo