Bits and pieces
Good, so it turns out most of you also don’t know what to do about charity. I think the consensus is that the only sensible procedure is to find a couple of causes you particularly want to support, and resign yourself to the fact that the other million will have to look after themselves - and WILL look after themselves, because luckily, there are an awful lot of concerned citizens out there. You might also have seen the interesting Comment from Juliet to the effect that we should be pleased about the very existence of chuggers, because it at least shows there is a culture of giving, unlike in her homeland Argentina which she describes as a ‘rubbish country’. If any other non-UK natives want to dismiss their nations as rubbish, that will give the rest of us an ego boost and also save us the trouble of visiting. Cheers. (I do still want to go to Argentina, though.)
These book launches. It looks like we’re definitely doing a London one in late September. The publishers were talking about holding it in the evening, so people can come after work and have drinks and so on (maybe not as many drinks as I had while ‘launching’ the book at Latitude, but on the other hand, maybe). However, it might be that some people are thinking of coming from outside London altogether, which would mean they’d probably want a weekend. So, if you have a strong when-I-would-like-to-go-to-a-book-event-in-London preference, kindly let me know.
Little to report today, but a few little snippets by way of a ‘catch-up’:
-Saw Gok Wan on TV. I have to say I admired him. He did a great job of rebuilding a lady’s confidence. I’ve always found him perfectly odious but I’m now somewhat converted to thinking he is a good man. And deserves the relatively kind Very Late Reviews he got.
-This week I’m doing another advert. Can you guess the product? Clue: I’M AN ANIMAL AGAIN!!
-Remember I was going on about that girl on Vernon Kay’s show, who got the piss taken out of her for being sweaty, and received what seemed to be a bitchy comment from Brian Dowling (I have quite a strange life, I sometimes think, looking back on sentences like that)? Well, ‘that girl’ left a comment, I’m glad to say, after that blog. Her name’s Steph. Thanks, Steph. You sound very well-adjusted and nice. And thanks also to the people who pointed out that Dowling might actually have been trying to diffuse the situation, not inflame it. And I do apologise for banging on so much about makeup. It’s a more complicated issue than my blog made it sound.
I’m delighted that I can mention someone in a blog like that and then they appear on here. I’m going to try blogging about Hilary Clinton and Gary Lineker next.
-I might be doing a half-marathon in September.
-I am hosting a Channel 4 pilot in September. If it goes well, it will become an actual show. I would say it’s about 50-50 this will happen.
-The baby will wake up any second now. I’d better have that bath I’ve been promising myself.
Posted by Marbles on July 23, 2010
Wow! Good luck with the run – perhaps your efforts will inspire me to start back jogging properly again!
Also very best of luck with the Pilot – it’d be great to have a regular show of yours to look forward to
Posted by Katy on July 23, 2010
I will be at the book launch no matter what day you do it one. I seem to have lots on in September, but luckily they are moveable or in the cases of weddings they’re on Fridays! So any weekend or weeknight should be do-able for me.
I was once on How to Look Good Naked. I wasnt the main person so didnt get to meet Gok which was a shame. I did, however, get to test expensive beauty products and appear on tv in my underwear.
Posted by Juliet on July 23, 2010
Ah you should come, definitely, as I said, we’re so peculiar I think we would inspire you.
And yes, I do believe this country is rubbish. And thank you for mentioning my comment (I was very excited I almost freaked out when I read it, I’m better now haha).
Posted by Heather Jones on July 22, 2010
Week-end or mid-week evening both fine for me, so whatever suits the majority.
Loving the bits and pieces type of blogs, by the way
Posted by Rachael on July 22, 2010
25th september is the only day that i have plans so any other time preferably. Did you manage to get into the bath without making dad noises?
Posted by Jon on July 22, 2010
Are Innocent launching a range of meat products? That would be brilliant.
“Hello. I’m an Innocent cow. I make sure I only chew the finest cud and I avoid exercise so I’m not too stringy…”
Posted by niall_g on July 22, 2010
Not really about charity though I do agree about finding a couple of causes and sticking with them.
Are you aware that “The Humanist” appear to have based the image on the secular/atheist/humanist card in their God Trumps pack on a cartoon of you?
http://newhumanist.org.uk/1915/god-trumps-part-i
More power to your elbow.
Evening book events good.
Posted by A lot of Rach[a]els on July 22, 2010
Selfishly if the book launch wasn’t between 23rd Sep – 3rd Oct, it’d be grand
Best of luck with the channel 4 pilot and also the half marathon, hope you get some good training in beforehand and it all goes well.
Posted by Laura on July 22, 2010
I think you are a bit like a comedy shark – you have to keep doing things or you die. You make me feel quite ashamed. Or you would, if I weren’t too lazy even for that.
It would be very handy if the book launch could be at a weekend as getting into London after work will be a bit of a pain. Hope that won’t be too much of a problem for other people. Also, I am very supportive of the idea of alcohol being imbibed. Another good reason for it to be a weekend.
I do hope the pilot goes well. Is it something that we might be able to get tickets to? Fingers crossed.
Posted by Lydia on July 22, 2010
To be honest whatever happens the chances that I will be able to afford to come are very small, but it would be good if the London thing was on a weekend to give me a bit more of a chance.
I still don’t like Gok Wan. I think he comes over as incredibly insincere.
And wow at the half marathon. The 3 mile Race For Life is all I have ever achieved.
I’m looking forward to your pilot
Posted by Ben Draper on July 22, 2010
*GIVE AWAY* *FREE STUFF*
Hi, I have two tickets for the recording of The Unbelievable Truth this Sunday (25th/7) and I would love to give them away on this blog as I won’t be able to travel to London on that day.
I went to go and see yesterdays recording but due to problems with the tube we turned up not long before recording began and we were turned away having been told that the venue was full. I recommend getting there for half past 5, as the ticket weakly and ambiguously suggests.
Anyway, if anyone wants the ticket, tweet me at @bendraper123.
Mark, if you can think of a way of choosing the recipient that can be enacted by tomorrow or so then I’d love to hear it.
I was considering doing it like a daytime TV show “What is the capital of France?” type question and then giving the prize to the sound manager or someone.
Posted by Simon on July 22, 2010
Hi Mark!
Awesome to hear about the pilot. Looking forward to hearing about how that develops. I’ve actually got a bit and a piece of my own:
My completed TYSIC to run (well, walk) the entire length of the Central line was picked up by BBC Essex! They interviewed me live and the recording is here:
http://tuberunner.blogspot.com/2010/07/hello-essex.html
This is SURELY a first.
p.s. In the heat of the moment (it was my first time addressing Essex), I betrayed the whole community by failing to even mention TYSIC. I’m sorry about that!
Posted by Rick Procter on July 22, 2010
A pilot? Rock’n'frickin’roll.
Book launch? I really don’t want to miss that, but I reckon I can blag it whenever. I’ll have a stag do to attend sometime in Sept, quite possibly on 11th, which worries me slightly as that would be a highly appropriate date to have it, especially being a Saturday. Having said that, I’ve a feeling you’ll still be in Oz then anyway…
Advert? Hmm, maybe it’s Innocent Rabbit Part 2. Yyyes, wouldn’t it be such a laugh if those ads become a series and your pilot doesn’t? (Note – it would in actual fact be an absolute travesty).
Marathon? Fair play dood!
Baby? Say hi to him from me. While he’s awake, that is.
Posted by Daniel on July 22, 2010
You’ve probably already seen this but there’s a lovely review of your Latitude set: http://www.chortle.co.uk/about/2010/07/16/11386/reviews_from_latitude
Posted by Amy B on July 22, 2010
Hello. Excellent news on the pilot & the 1/2 marathon and everything else. As for the book launch, I’m a 2 hour train ride from London, but don’t start uni until 2nd October (when I will be moving to London anyway), so any time would be good for me really. Unless it’s the same day as Josie Long is at the Norwich Playhouse, because I like her and would really rather not miss it. I realise that’s quite a specific request though, so I think I’ll just stick with saying weekends are probably better for most people so that seems like a good idea. An evening also sounds nice. I look forward to it
Have already said so on twitter, but just to reiterate- the book is excellent. I’m looking forward to the launch if only as an excuse to read it again! Expect a glowing amazon review just as soon as it will let me post one!
Posted by Aislinn on July 22, 2010
I saw the episode of Gok Wan’s show where he ‘did a man’ and really enjoyed it. I normally can’t stand the spiel he gives women and I normally find him incredibly patronising, but with the guy seemingly not putting up with any of that talk it made Gok find another way of combatting this guy’s lack of self confidence, and I really liked the way he came across subsequently.
Ahem.
I do a 9-5 job and live on the outskirts of London, so evenings OR weekends are fine by me for the booklaunch.
Posted by Kate W on July 21, 2010
Out of pure selfishness, my only preference for the London book launch is that it’s not on 25 September, because I’ll be at a wedding in Derbyshire. And missing one launch may be regarded as a misfortunate; to miss both looks like carelessness.
I’m very impressed by the half marathoning (having made no progress at all on my TYSIC 10K) and will look forward to the Channel 4 pilot. I think you host rather well.
Posted by Meg on July 21, 2010
Wow, a lot of stuff is happening in September! If it is possible to have the London book launch at a weekend, I would be very grateful because I’ve got school and I’d hate to have to miss your book launch because I have get up early to go to school the following morning.
By the way, when does your book actually come out? i.e. When will it be in book shops and on amazon? Is it before or after the book launches? (that sounds like a silly question but these things confuse me.) Have fun doing the advert!
Posted by Laurs on July 21, 2010
Very pleased to hear that things are on the up for you Mark, lots of very exciting and interesting things to keep you occupied!
And maybe with you doing a half marathon, it may just kick start my TYSIC into actually doing something!
And as for a book launch, I’d be coming from Birmingham, so a weekend would definitely be lots more practical and possible than a week night!
Posted by Megan on July 21, 2010
A half-marathon? Rad. I’m doing one in September too, though when I signed up it seemed like a much better idea than it does now. (Especially as I didn’t bring my running shoes to Europe and just generally feel fat and useless when I do run nowadays. And I did a half in May. How did it go so wrong so quickly?)
I wish you good luck or for you to break a leg or whatever it is one hopes for when one does a pilot for Channel 4.
As for the book launches, I will have my own in Ottawa. Namely, I will start reading my pre-ordered copy as soon as it arrives for the UK, while drinking a glass of wine (or similar).
Posted by Someone on July 21, 2010
Weekend yes please, as coming from elsewhere and you never know, I might have a job by then, although I suppose jobs sometimes land on weekends but I shall clearly just have to reject all job offers such as these. Also I think we should camp out if it’s gonna be late… or steal a train.
Posted by Zoe Fell on July 21, 2010
RE: Book launch. I’d *really* like it to be on a weekend. I’m planning on making the trip up from Plymouth, so a couple of days in the capital would be lovely. But y’know, I’m good. Whatever works best for you is fine by me.
Gok Wan – I like him. If I ever win the lottery, I will pay him to sit in my wardrobe and tell me how fabulous I look.
Animal Advert – Seriously? YAY! I do like searching out your voiceovers on my telly. I think…you’re going to be…a reptile of some sort. That or a Cow. Advertising milk or beer. Or burgers. Maybe.
Half Marathon – Good news. I like this. Sponsorship details as soon as possible please. Perhaps we should all virtually run this with you, in our own homes/local parks?
Channel 4 Pilot – BRILLIANT NEWS. Seriously Mark, I’m so thrilled to hear this. Let’s remain optimistic (or at least consider the glass half full) in terms of that 50-50 ratio, eh?
I love news like this. I’m so pleased that things are on the up for you.
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on July 21, 2010
A book launch on September 24th would be lovely, as its mine and my twinny’s birthday, and a trip to London would be a nice way to celebrate.
Well done on other stuff too. Now go wash. x
Posted by Josh on July 21, 2010
Good luck with the Pilot. Will you be able to return to Aunty once you go off to the dark side? Fingers crossed for it, for you, you know getting paid and stuff and for everyone else getting to watch you on television.
Posted by Phill Sacre on July 21, 2010
My preference for the book launch in London would indeed be a weekend, although I live about an hour’s train journey from London so an evening might be doable depending on the evening.
Not much else to say really for now… other than, please don’t blog about Hillary Clinton!
Posted by Katie on July 21, 2010
That’s BRILLIANT.
(Sorry I can’t write more, but it is all brilliant. Really. And sorry about the caps, I thought they were appropriate, although I’m regretting it now.)
Posted by helen (@iamanicelady) on July 21, 2010
im doing a half-marathon in september, i would love to say that i could recommend it but it’s the first one i’ve ever done. how badly can it go..?
(about half as bad as a full one i imagine)
xx