Nicholas Parsons Time Runs Out

[Armin Meiwes]

Haha that is brilliant. Haven't heard JaM in years but went to see it recorded a few times and it was always great.

[marquis_de_sad]

I once stepped on his foot at a charity do and he called me dozy cunt.

[Norton Canes]

Not quite as good as the Briers anecdote but thanks for this, Popbitch...

Back when the Guardian used to spend a small fortune hosting champagne receptions, Nicholas Parsons attended one such soiree they threw at the Edinburgh TV Festival.

Ever the consummate professional, Parsons arrived early, was polite and well-mannered to the people serving him drinks, taking his coat, etc. The only moment where he made any sort of commotion was when he spotted a senior editor. Striding out across the room to shake their hand, he walked slap bang into a glass wall that he'd mistaken for thin air.

The sound of the collision could be heard above the music and put a stop to conversation.

With all eyes on him, Parsons cracked a gag, dusted himself off and continued on towards the editor. This time using the door

[idunnosomename]

ooh. ouch. i like him now

[lankyguy95]

There is a fairly comprehensive archive here - he did a lot:

http://www.bennewsam.co.uk/JAM.html

Listening to a bunch of these over the last couple of days has been joyous.

[dissolute ocelot]

Pam Ayers has just posted a very warm hearted poem/tribute  dedicated to Nicolas Parsons on Twitter. It's proper lovely.

Old he was, and frail perhaps,
But still the sprightliest of chaps,
Always toothpaste-fresh and smart
Quick of wit and big of heart,
Nicholas. So kind and clever.
I wanted you to live for ever.

No hesitation, repetition or deviation.

[Tony Tony Tony]

Listening to a bunch of these over the last couple of days has been joyous.

Any particular favorites?

I had a cassette version of the silver minutes episodes that was inside my 'boombox' radio cassette player when it was stolen in a burglary. I always enjoyed Kenneth Williams wailing 'he's listing again' whenever Clement Freud did his trick of spouting a long list of ingredients to a recipe or some such.

[lankyguy95]

Any particular favorites?

I had a cassette version of the silver minutes episodes that was inside my 'boombox' radio cassette player when it was stolen in a burglary. I always enjoyed Kenneth Williams wailing 'he's listing again' whenever Clement Freud did his trick of spouting a long list of ingredients to a recipe or some such.

Honestly, I think the show is broadly very good up till recent years. It's very easy for long time listeners to think ultra fondly about the classic Williams, Freud, Jones, Nimmo lineup but I think post Williams' death into the modern era of JAM it's frequently excellent as well. I've been picking out episodes from all over the place timewise and haven't noticed any difference in enjoyment generally speaking. Just this evening I listened to an episode from 2007 featuring Merton, Sue Perkins, Tony Hawks and Neil Mullarkey and it was fantastic.

Mainly though I'm having a great time listening to any episode featuring Peter Jones.

[idunnosomename]

i loved it up till clement freud died then it was largely held up by merton, but when freud got shadow-cancelled for being a massive dead pervert, well it's all very problematic now.

thing is, Parsons was SO professional, he'd react to things as if they'd never happened before - e.g. buzzing yourself - that after a couple of years you realised they happened all the time and were like hey this a bit insincere.

i cant over-emphasise how awful it is that the BBC have airbrushed Freud out of JaM history without ever actually saying anything about him