Lynx
So, Project Preston. Three weeks after its accidental genesis as an ad-lib gone out of the hand, this plan to ship an audience from Preston to Blackburn, to boost pitiful sales figures for Tuesday night’s show, is now all systems go. I have appointed Kay as Project Preston President or PPP. She sends this message to the willing.
Could anyone interested in Project Preston please send an email with your name, and the number of you wishing to attend, to projectpreston@hotmail.co.uk no later than Wednesday 3rd November at 5pm. You must be available to attend the gig on Tuesday 9th November and be at Preston bus station no later than 6.30 for departure (TBC).
I think what we said at the time was that there’d be FREE tickets for anyone who was at the original Preston show, and for anyone else who wanted to come along, I’d see what I can do. I have in no way checked this with the venue or my own long-suffering tour manager, Giles, but we’ll work it out. From the venue’s point of view, it’s more people through the door. Who might then come back in the future. Although perhaps only if someone organises a bus every time.
This could still not happen unless enough people get, quite literally, ‘on board’, so everyone that expressed an interest originally, send an email to Kay as soon as you can, and I’ll report on developments via this blog.
If we pull this off, it will be a truly impressive bit of silliness and also a heartwarming tale of me doing a gig to slightly less emptiness than last time I was in Blackburn.
Other news: for more on the Stephen Fry-controversy-that-never-quite-was, I refer you to Clembear’s pertinent Comment yesterday – including video link – and also this interesting blog (via Shell): http://bit.ly/cqM4Zk . This should give you a far more comprehensive overview of it than my rushed scribbling last night.
What I think is interesting is not so much what Fry says about male/female sex drives (though it is interesting, and very well dissected in that blog I supplied the link to), but the fact that he clearly WAS saying something fairly controversial and has said similar before, no matter how easily misquoted he may be. So many people rushed to say ‘oh it’s all the papers, they make things up, they took it out of context’, and maybe ‘they’ did, but Fry’s opinions are still worth debating even when you look at them word-for-word. (And even if he was being facetious.) I think sometimes with people as justifiably loved as S.Fry, the stampede to defend them sweeps people along so quickly that their actual words almost become irrelevant. He probably COULD say something extremely offensive – for example, that dwarves should be put into forced labour camps – and the Twitter community would storm in to bail him out.
Gosh, I hope that never happens to me. I’d hate to be so popular I could get away with anything. Seriously. I would. I might seem needy but I hate popularity. I hope you didn’t even read this.
(Pretends to leave room, but glances over shoulder)
…there was another link I was going to post, and then the title ‘Lynx’ would have seemed a bit less odd, but it’s slipped my mind. So it stands. Perhaps the strangest title of a blog entry since ‘Breasts!’ a few weeks back.
Posted by Someone on November 10, 2010
This blog is a good blog. I like this blog. Fonneh, ’tis.
Posted by JontyLarr on November 3, 2010
Sorry Kay, meant to get back sooner, work got it the way. I can’t make it now unfortunately.
Posted by Martin Bellamy on November 3, 2010
We’re in the Preston Crew – can’t wait for next Tuesday.
Posted by Kay @ProjectPreston on November 3, 2010
JontyLarr – if you’ve not already sent an email to Project Preston do so and I will see what I can do.
Posted by MusicalLottie on November 3, 2010
Congratulations Deborah!!! That’s fantastic news!
Mark, I just wanted to say that I watched Kicks Off last night and really enjoyed it, more so than the first one – maybe it had something to do with knowing who the guests were this time, but it seemed to flow a bit better than the first one and felt slightly less surreal. So in a nutshell, I thought the first one was good but the one I saw yesterday was better
I hope Project Preston goes brilliantly for all involved!
Posted by Andrew on November 3, 2010
Sorry in advance for the simultaneously on- and off-topic question, but I thought I stood more chance of getting a response here than by e-mailing the management company (the only other specific contact information I can find on the site).
I’m probably coming to the Oxford show in a couple of weeks, and I’m wondering whether it’s an appropriate show to bring my 15 year old to. He loved We Need Answers and we both enjoy Kicks Off, but obviously in a live format liberties can be taken that aren’t on TV. I’m not unduly worried about a bit of bad language (he’s been coming to the football with me since he was 9; hell, he goes to school!), but I would be uncomfortable with too much profanity. More of a concern is the type of material, because if it’s too near the knuckle it’s probably just going to embarrass both of us. So could anyone who’s attended so far on the tour, or even Mark if he feels inclined, advise? Thanks.
Posted by Rachael on November 3, 2010
Not sure how you would make a sentence with breasts, lynx and NaNoWriMoWorKiDay in it but I would like to see you try!
Posted by Jamie/James on November 3, 2010
I’m going to be coming from Leeds via Manchester if anyone else is on that route? We could gather mid-travel. A sort of Pre-Project Preston (PPP) I realise the insanity of coming this distance, but Mark isn’t coming to Leeds and I haven’t seen his show since pre-edinburgh. Plus my MA is only two days a week at the moment, leaving time for various adventures…
Posted by Kate W on November 3, 2010
Very glad Project Preston’s happening; it’s not often people take a special trip to Blackburn, but you’re worth it.
Re Stephen Fry, I think the views expressed in the Pink news article that started all this are overly simplistic – not suggesting that there are no differences between male and female sexuality, just that the reasons behind them are complicated. I find it slightly odd that he tweeted a link to it without comment if it was a complete misrepresentation of the interview he gave.
While I don’t agree with what he’s quoted as having said, I think Twitter can hit the outrage button too quickly and too hard, especially at weekends. Reminds me of something Russell Brand said about Sachsgate, that people reacted with a level of outrage appropriate to him having killed a child. However much you disagree with an opinion, it is just an opinion, and in this case, not one that’s anywhere close to forming policy or having any measurable effect. Yes, people with a platform need to engage their brains and think about the potential consequences of what they say, but it’s unrealistic to think every tweet/blog/off-hand comment will always be perfectly thought through. That would be some sort of media robot, not a person you’d want to listen to.
Posted by JontyLarr on November 2, 2010
I was at the Manchester gig, but live in Lancaster, so I’d get involved in PP if the offer could stretch to those who’d been at gigs other than Preston.
Posted by ChrisP on November 2, 2010
Whoever Giles is he needs a massive pat on the back.
Posted by Helen on November 2, 2010
Yaaay congratulations Deborah!! x
Posted by DeborahF on November 2, 2010
I missed the whole Fry-gate scenario and I don’t feel the need to catch up on it all either – so I can’t comment either way.
I wish you luck with Project Preston – I love how mad ideas can become reality with good will and a little bit of organisation.
I also have some good news to share with you all – I HAVE A JOB! In two weeks time I’ll be working as a project manager in Sheffield and I can’t wait
Posted by Natalie-Helen on November 2, 2010
I’d love to do Project Preston but have no way to get there. T_T
But I do love the whole wonderful idea and send my condolences to Giles for giving him more trouble to deal with.
^_^
Posted by max on November 2, 2010
@ Misha: well… considering the start of the message is “breasts lynx”, that would be an impressive feat indeed!!
I love the preston craziness. You are a true hero mark!!
Posted by David on November 2, 2010
Stop awarding points for absolutely EVERYTHING that is said on Fightin.. sorry, whatever your show is called.
Best regards.
Posted by Lydia on November 2, 2010
I think the odd blog titles should become a regular thing. I quite like their irrelevance.
I think you’re probably right about people defending him whatever he says, but I still feel bad for Stephen Fry. I suppose doing what he does opens him up for criticism but I really don’t know how he deals with it. I couldn’t. If I get criticised I freak out. Then again having like a million people who love you no matter what you say has to help a bit.
I love the project Preston thing. I would want to be in on it if I weren’t far away. Well, I assume I’m far away, ’cause I don’t know where Preston is. If it was near where I live I’d probably know. I like to think so, anyway.
Posted by Clembear on November 2, 2010
Hooray for my first shout out! Hooray
I’m not sure why Stephen Fry’s opinions on things become news quite so much – this is the second or third of these I think. I’d prefer that his musings not set the news agenda. This isn’t his fault, or at least I hope not.
Its funny the way we get behind or against celebrities and not in the fun way this could mean. The continuing media saga that is Jennifer Aniston’s lovelife, started with people stating Team Jolie vs Team Aniston after her husband left her. Apart from the odd fact of the man not being mentioned, do people really feel that strongly about this? Maybe its like following a football team but with celebs.
Posted by Louise on November 2, 2010
Amazing! The 3 of us from Preston will be there. Do we get travel back home then?
I’ll email Kay now! x
Posted by ShineUrShoesGuv on November 2, 2010
I also agreed with clembear. it’s very loyal of his fans to rush to defend him, but blind loyalty? Does this mean he has to be more responsible in his statements and opinions as so many will take it as fact just because Stephen Fry is clever?
Posted by THECOMEDYREVIEWER on November 2, 2010
Hi, just started a blog though Mark Watson fans would be interested as I am Reviewing Marks Show for Next Week
Cheers
Posted by Misha on November 2, 2010
You could turn it into a game, and then at the end of the 10 years all the seemingly irrelevant blog titles can be rearranged to make up a scentence?
Fact: I cannot spell scentance, or scentence, or whatever the fuck it is.
I think there are some stray “C”‘s in there.
Hurrah for Project Preston though, I will in some way be performing this on a smaller scale for the Cov show by going around picking up friends in my little astra so as to get them to the gig.
Posted by Rachael on November 2, 2010
Thats probably true, I defended him after I read what he had said but to be honest I probably would have defended him even if I hadn’t gotten round to reading it. I just think that it is fairly safe to go along with someone that clever, he must be right.