Watching Rob Brydon in a
dramatisation of Kenneth Tynan’s life… all you need know is the title; “In
Praise of Hardcore”. Tynan made a huge smell, a mockery of establishment, when
he fired off the word Fuck, in The Observer – in the early 60s as theatre
critic. The program
itself is muck more than that of course – it’s the personal story – he was a
really interesting fellow, and I have no issue in stating he was/is a personal
hero – okay, inspiration at
least.He talked in brief
statements, like speaking stuck-up film reviews – but he was convincing (in
early TV recordings and his writing)
and mindblowingly clever, and more… Anyway, this programme is on BBC 4 – which
is growing on me, and thank goodness because I don’t think it’ll be around if
Tessa Jowell get’s her
way.Another great show on
BBC 4 is “Death on the Staircase”, which is probably a blend of drama
documentary and reality-TV. It’s a good blend, and although I’ve not seen the
final episode (this week) I think it’s going to be gratifying from a
down-my-nose at you Yanks kind of way. Condescending. Is it over-condescending
of me to presume a show as great as “Don’t Watch That, Watch This” a sort of
hybrid Radio 4 idea, think “The Sunday Format”, “The Now Show” and a little
“Dead Ringers”. Bremner Bird and John Fortune are in it- with really great VT
work – editing retro footage of Churchill into a DJ rapper (less than
seamlessly) was more than
funny.Sadly, Radio 4
isn’t doing too well these days. In as far as it’s comedy output goes I’ve tuned
out of the 6:30 slot – and even “Just A Minute” is lacking. At least “Any
Questions?” is still a laugh a minute, especially when hosted in the
provinces.Back to
Tynan;

Art is a private thing, the
artist makes it for himself; a
comprehensible work is the product of a
journalist.We need works that are strong,
straight, precise, and forever beyond
understanding.