The greatest living Englishman?
Posted by: Kevin-W on 01 July 2004
After some thought – and after toying with (oo-er missus) Jarvis Cocker, Michael Eavis, Peter Kay, Morrissey, Dave The Model Dad From Wife Swap, Ricky Gervais, John Peel, George Melly, AN Wilson, Sir Trevor Brooking, Roger Penrose, Dennis Skkinner, Paul Morley, Peter Ackroyd and Charles Wheeler – there is one man who, above all others, embodies all that is great about the English and about being English.
The winner is... Humphrey Lyttleton . As well as being a fine, well-bred cove and all-round good egg, Humph is a superb musician and a tireless campaigner on behalf of jazz (particularly of the British kind). He even ffound time to pep up aRadiohead album with hhis hhorn parts. But he is also the rudest, nay filthiest, man in broadcasting, as fans of the BBC Radio 4 panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue will attest. There is no finer pleasure in life than hearing Humph unleash a disgusting innuendo about Lionel Blair in those melliflous tones of his; or hearing his weary introductions to the various pointless games which make up ISIHAC .
I met him once, and he was a true gent – gorgeous manners, and he was happy to chat a while, recommend some jazz recordings, and sign an LP for my dad.
Give him a bluddy knighthood, I say.
Any of your own nominations welcome. If you're not English, why not nominate one of your own countrymen?
Kevin
(listening to the BBC World Service)
PS The greatest non-living Englishmen are of course Terry-Thomas and Winston Churchill.
The winner is... Humphrey Lyttleton . As well as being a fine, well-bred cove and all-round good egg, Humph is a superb musician and a tireless campaigner on behalf of jazz (particularly of the British kind). He even ffound time to pep up aRadiohead album with hhis hhorn parts. But he is also the rudest, nay filthiest, man in broadcasting, as fans of the BBC Radio 4 panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue will attest. There is no finer pleasure in life than hearing Humph unleash a disgusting innuendo about Lionel Blair in those melliflous tones of his; or hearing his weary introductions to the various pointless games which make up ISIHAC .
I met him once, and he was a true gent – gorgeous manners, and he was happy to chat a while, recommend some jazz recordings, and sign an LP for my dad.
Give him a bluddy knighthood, I say.
Any of your own nominations welcome. If you're not English, why not nominate one of your own countrymen?
Kevin
(listening to the BBC World Service)
PS The greatest non-living Englishmen are of course Terry-Thomas and Winston Churchill.
I have to agree with you re Humph - being cool and old is a difficult trick to pull. 
There's Graham George Ricketts freshly home from a 40 hour drinkin tour ? Brando was quite good, but even as Superman's Dad, and someone elses Granddad, he never appeared/starred in Coronation Street, or Eastenders for that matter, so he can't have been that bloody good, innit ? even with that sleepin bag on his head.
Fritz Von Irishranger
Pissed: Mt Parry's 3'd Oscar winning performance wasn't too rough, though Mathew's Football history was fair (remember the England Squad in 1936 all with raiseed right hands) check it out, believe me it's true, fuckin unbeliveable, there's the Pic to prove it ?
Fritz Von Irishranger
Pissed: Mt Parry's 3'd Oscar winning performance wasn't too rough, though Mathew's Football history was fair (remember the England Squad in 1936 all with raiseed right hands) check it out, believe me it's true, fuckin unbeliveable, there's the Pic to prove it ?
Martin Newell 