Royal Variety Performance

[JimN]

I see that the RVP is being shown tonight on ITV1, compered by David Walliams.

Walliams is better than I thought he would be , but he's no Dickie Henderson. And oh... where ARE the variety artists of the calibre of those who used to appear on the show, say, fifty years ago, in the early 1960s?

Where is today's Bob Hope, Jack Benny, or Judy Garland? Frankie Vaughan?

Still, one can still catch a few of the great moments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldjzBm-plXM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS02tKCSGtg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJEcyTtvrcI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgwwdgepuSg

[Derek Misselbrook]

Great clips Jim, you are correct only last night my Son asked where are the big stars of today, nobody seems around to replace the old ones..............If what we see on X Factor is anthing to go by it's over................

[Lee Restarick]

I lost interest as soon as Rod Stewart started with "When you wish upon a star", about 30 minutes towards the end. I found, what I saw, a little tedious to be honest. Best bits were the clips of Tommy Cooper and Morecombe & Wise.
David Walliams and Alan Carr doing Ashley & Pudsey!! What was that all about.

[jimuc]

David Walliams !!! One of the many reasons I decided not to watch this cr*p

[MartcasterJunior]

Variety, as a form of entertainment, doesn't exist anymore. That's why there's nobody to replace the variety artists of 40-50 years ago. I don't think you can just make generalisations bemoaning the lack of talent these days - why can't someone like Adele be compared to Shirley Bassey? David Walliams to Dick Emery? You might not like what they do but that doesn't mean they don't have talent. Talent's an overused word these days anyway - you only have to add the words "Britain's Got" in front of it to see that.

Those were the old days, things are different now. It's the same argument you'd have had with people 1 or 2 generations older than you when they didn't understand or appreciate the entertainers you enjoyed. You can either sit back and moan about how thing aren't like they used to be, or enjoy what's on offer for what it is.

Matt

[Mikey]

I don't believe that the Royal Albert Hall was the best venue, either.
It is supposed to be a variety show, not a concert and would have been better presented at the London Palladium or another of the old West End theatres.
I wonder what Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood makes of his old mate Rod trotting out those American Songbook standards?!

[Iain Purdon]

Those were the old days, things are different now. It's the same argument you'd have had with people 1 or 2 generations older than you when they didn't understand or appreciate the entertainers you enjoyed. You can either sit back and moan about how things aren't like they used to be, or enjoy what's on offer for what it is. Matt

Thanks for saying that Matt. It's easy to slip into Grumpy Old Man mode, believe me I know, but you remind me that I took a lifelong dislike to Benny Green because of something he said once on the radio about the music of the 60s!

I wonder what Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood makes of his old mate Rod trotting out those American Songbook standards?!

Probably what Jet Harris made of much of the Shadows material after he'd gone!

[JimN]

Benny Green was a God. Russell Davies is a worthy disciple and a close runner-up. Pity his radio programme has been removed from Sunday afternoon and despatched to the nether regions of a weekday evening.

[JimN]

I don't think you can just make generalisations bemoaning the lack of talent these days - why can't someone like Adele be compared to Shirley Bassey?

Because she can only sing one song (or at least, it always sounds like the same song) and has about as much talent in her body as Shirley has in a single fingernail?

David Walliams to Dick Emery?

I'm not sure that Dick Emery - as good as he was - was quite the calibre I was thinking of, but I don't decry David Walliams' talent. I thought he was excellent playing Frankie Howerd in that BBC drama a couple of years ago, and it is clear that he has got something. He might just be the best of the current crop, but that's really not much praise.

You might not like what they do but that doesn't mean they don't have talent. Talent's an overused word these days anyway - you only have to add the words "Britain's Got" in front of it to see that.

Talent is one thing. The ability to hold and entertain an audience with that talent (and not to have to rely upon being billed as "As seen on The X Factor") is another. Your point about variety being dead is a good one. It means that no-one is coming up through that tradition.

Those were the old days, things are different now.

They're certainly that.

It's the same argument you'd have had with people 1 or 2 generations older than you when they didn't understand or appreciate the entertainers you enjoyed.

But I enjoyed the seasoned pros I mentioned in the OP. I am no contemporary of any of them. They were big stars before I was born. My parents and other relatives didn't differ from my tastes there. I can even watch - and enjoy - film and recordings of acts from previous generations even older than my grandparents. Indeed, I own many such archive items. I am actually very catholic in my cultural tastes and calling "Grumpy Old Man" does me a great and undeserved disservice.

You can either sit back and moan about how thing aren't like they used to be, or enjoy what's on offer for what it is.

I'll give Rod Stewart and Robbie Williams some credit for reminding the X Generation that there were people living satisfying lives and a whole civilisation in operation before 1980. But I'd also like to hear some artists who really mean it!

[GoldenStreet]

It's easy to slip into Grumpy Old Man mode, believe me I know, but you remind me that I took a lifelong dislike to Benny Green because of something he said once on the radio about the music of the 60s!

Benny Green had previously been a member of Lord Rockingham's XI, and appeared on Oh Boy!, but that was in the 50s, I suppose.

Bill