A piece of the a(u)ction
Thanks for all your responses to yesterday’s blog/love letter to a band most haven’t heard. Embarrassingly (although it wouldn’t matter to most people) I wrote that Neko Case was singing when I meant Kathryn Calder, and was even thinking as I typed it ‘remember not to say Neko Case by accident’. But then, I’m so tired that earlier today I spelt my name ‘Mark Watsonn’. And not in the spirit of changing my name, as in that earlier blog, either. It would be a pretty lame name change. I will make it my business to try and check out some of the other pet bands nominated. It was interesting to hear a mention of Terris, whose existence I had forgotten about, but whom I did indeed see on a bill with Coldplay in about 1999, and at that point you would have been hard-pressed to say which of the two was about to be a household name, which fade into obscurity. I was going to draw a parallel with myself and some now-famous comedians, but of course, I am sworn to optimism.
Now, today, and for the last time, this blog will be given over to plugging stuff for my brother. As you might remember, on Sunday, I am doing a show in London to boost the fame of, and raise a tiny amount of money for, his extraordinary project to become the world’s youngest international football coach (which he has). (It’s called Mark Watson’s Football Shambles and it’s at the Leicester Square Theatre, if you’re new to this topic. And it’s not really about football. It’s about FUN.)
I know some readers of this blog are coming to this amusing evening – which will feature me, some mates, and some agreeable nonsense – but if you are going to miss it, you can still join in, sort of. We are having an eBay auction to support the show, and the items are here: http://tinyurl.com/pohnpeisoccerebay
Some of them are very football-specific like a bottle of ketchup once nearly bought by a former Arsenal goalkeeper (genuinely; supplied by a reader of this blog). But there are a couple which are just memorabilia of me, including a signed copy of the new novel, with a little hand-written introduction by my good self. This is the last copy I have before it comes out in August, so it could be a final chance for anyone who didn’t win one in that competition to ‘win’ one in a different way: by throwing money at the problem.
If you have any more ideas for things I could auction, or indeed things you’d like to see in the show (if you’re coming), by all means suggest them. I’m planning challenges and games like in the 24 hour shows, and some actual jokes too. And this auction will close live on stage as the evening draws on. So it’s worth entering just to be involved in the drama. Or if you need a rubber duck. I’m auctioning a rubber duck which I won on a TV show and at the last count, it was struggling to get to 99p. Rubber ducks have really lost a bit of their cachet since the golden days when Bert and Ernie sang about them. (Pause) On Sesame Street. (Silence) You MUST have seen Sesame Street, I don’t care how young you are. (Silence) I’m sorry. I turned 30 this year. Goodbye for now.
Posted by Knox on May 24, 2011
I now have that song ‘rubber ducky’ in my head (with the little honkng squeaky bits they did in between each line) – for some reason, i just got an image of joey and chandler from friends as bert and ernie…
anyways… just remembering the football shambles auction – there was a particular player i really wanted to sponsor that night, but then the auction finished on e-bay, i think, and i never got the chance. is that scheme still going?
Posted by Heather on May 23, 2010
Ooh, several items on there are very tempting! I’ve never bid on things on ebay before. Will have to see if I can figure it out…
Quick question, can the two tickets/backstage tea thing be used at Edinburgh? That’s the only opportunity I would get to use them, what with normally being on another continent and all.
And I, like most right-minded people, refuse to believe there are people who don’t know what Sesame Street is. I’ve watched Christmas Eve on Sesame Street every year since I was about six. Along with Muppet’s Family Christmas, The Snowman and, oddly enough The Nightengale, which I only recently realized isn’t at all Christmas-themed.
Posted by Natalie-Helen on May 22, 2010
I bloody loved Sesame Street! The Count, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Tramp who could ask for more!
And I loved El Nombre too, “El Nombre, El Nombre, writing numbers in the desert sand. EL NOMBRE!”
Thanks for putting that back in to my head ( little nostalgia is always fun!)
I would love to be at the show except like other here I have a series of very important exams. T_T
Nevermind, will see you later in the year!
^_^
Posted by A lot of Rach[a]els on May 22, 2010
REALLY wish I could go to the show the unfortunately I will be revising what makes us human =(
If I can scram some money together, I will look at bidding on some things.
Will there be any live tweeting?
Posted by (Magnificent) Josh on May 22, 2010
To clarify for Rachael, Magic Pencil was on Words and Pictures, a British program from the mid to late 90′s. El Nombre was too (El Nombre, El Nombre, Writing numbers in the des-ert sand, El Nombreeeee)
Posted by Anji on May 22, 2010
Thank you Catherine! I could remember The Grouch bit and not his name!
Posted by Madeleine on May 22, 2010
I had stuff to say about yesturdays topic as well, but I forgot and then the internet broke and it seems like cheating to go back a day later. I am fond of rubber ducky’s (some might say “awfully fond”) but I am also completely broke (I had to get 75 cents out at the bank today to catch the bus) and I have just quit my job, so I wont be able to bid on anything (the promise of a signed copy of your novel did have me looking around my house for things to sell though. There’s nothing.)
My mother also didn’t like me watching sesame street. She said it was because of the accents, but I once heard her say “there’s just something off about that bird…”
Posted by Megan on May 22, 2010
I turned 33 today (it’s still Friday here). My staff don’t get half the pop culture references I make, but I doubt any of them wouldn’t know about Ernie’s rubber duckers. Mr Hooper, on the other hand…
As for the show, I (obviously) won’t be there, but I think there should be an impromptu, like, three-a-side game on stage somehow. Maybe not with a proper football – maybe a beach ball to give it a tropical island feel? (Yeah, I got nothin’.)
Posted by Ally on May 22, 2010
I can’t believe that there are people who haven’t seen Sesame Street! I’m 18 and I used to love that show ten-fifteen years ago. My parents actually tried to stop me watching it at one point because I started saying certain words with an American accent
Posted by Simone on May 22, 2010
I read “rubber duck” as “rubber dick” twice. and on the third mention of “rubber duck” I realised it said “rubber duck” and NOT “rubber dick”. Gosh.
Very much looking forward to Sunday night, sir.
Posted by Steph on May 22, 2010
Of course we’ve seen Sesame Street! Maybe you should chose a letter to bring the blog to us…? Ya know…
“Today’s blog is brought to you by the letter ‘G’!”
Posted by Catherine on May 22, 2010
The one in the bin with a worm was Oscar the Grouch.
Posted by Sam on May 22, 2010
But Anna if Sesame Street taught you to count then surely all those numbers should be suffixed with “Braw-ha-ha”.
Posted by Anji on May 21, 2010
Good old Big Bird! And I just asked my other half what the one in the bin was called… His answer was muppet. My respond of laughing resulted in a quick ‘elmo?’. Tut.
Anways I liked the one in the bin and his worm! Although I’m not sure the count helped my number skills.
I shall have a peak at e-bay and see if I can help out that way as will be missing the show. Good luck with it all!!
Posted by Anna Lowman on May 21, 2010
I might bid on the rubber duck for my mum – she’s both a Burnley and Mark Watson fan. Boom, as Sam said.
And watching Sesame Street is one of my very earliest memories – I count to 12 like this: 1-2-3 4 5 6-7-8 9 10 *11 12*.
Posted by Rachael on May 21, 2010
I think my favourite bit of sesame street was the magic pencil. If that was even on that program, i hope so.
Posted by Misha on May 21, 2010
I’ve seen Sesame Street.
And I own a rubber duck. No auction for me as I don’t get paid til the 28th, but I’ll be there in person which is surely just as good? Maybe I could bring by rubber duck with, it’s a space duck.
(on a side note, everytime I’ve tried to type duck I’ve started typing fuck instead. Oh dear.)
Posted by Someone on May 21, 2010
I’m just a tad worried now about sitting in the front. I hope you nor your mates are mean. Scared… ‘Cited too though. :s
And EVeryone knows Sesame street surely… you haven’t been a kid if you didn’t know The Street. Not the new version though. Elmo is such a sell-out.
Posted by Simon on May 21, 2010
Looking forward to Sunday night
Posted by Emmy on May 21, 2010
I’m 19. I liked (like) Sesame Street. Especially the Cookie Monster, before he started singing that cookies (or biscuits, if you prefer) are a ‘sometimes food’. Previously, he and I were soulmates. Now, not so much.
Posted by lisa brunders on May 21, 2010
Nothing much to say except good to have you back
Posted by Sam on May 21, 2010
Proper comment coming up now:
Question: Is there any way to just plain donate to the cause, as none of the items I especially wnat or some could no longer afford but would still lke to help?
Suggestion: I’m not going but would like to suggest something you could do on stage, which would be the classic keepy-uppy challenge.
Auction auggestion: This isn’t really going to sell but if you do want it then I can do so. I can auction off the shirt I wore in the background of Sky News outside Fratton Park when Portsmouth went into administration, I was then escorted from the premises for over-reacting. I know nothing about football but was near the stadium. A tenuous link to some vague football history there.
One more thing: If you’re still doing the thing with the person who writes the first comment gets to ask for something to be talked about in the next day’s blog then I would love you to do some more music chat as you seem to have an excellent taste in music. Perhaps you’re favourite radiohead song. Or your feelings on other bands you have expressed an interest in before such as Dirty Projectors. And lastly just out of idle curiosity what is your opinion of the band The National?
Posted by LisaD on May 21, 2010
There are people who haven’t seen Sesame Street?…My heart hurts a little at the thought…
Posted by Sam on May 21, 2010
First comment, boom.
I shall now go back and read the post.