Whoser's Pick

Deano suggests a listen (or at very least, a read) of one of Britain's enduring comedic gems

My Pick: BBCs Just a Minute

Why?: Just A Minute has been amusing the British public and people around the world for 35 years. It's a comedy game show where the contestants have to improvise on given subjects without pausing, repeating words or deviating from the subject for 60 seconds. It's competitive in that others can challenge you and take over the subject, and at the end a winner is declared. But it's essentially an entertainment, a chance for
four wits to cross minds and verbal gymnastics.

It has a large WL presence. The current mainstay of the show is WL ex Paul Merton, and plenty of others from WL have also appeared. Many of the big names of British comedy have appeared over the years, and for 20 years the camp genius Kenneth Williams was the main force of the show.

So often on WL the best bits are the banter between games and so it is on JAM times 10... part of the joy is the arguing over challenges, the insulting of the chairman, Nicholas Parsons. The show is fast paced and remains a forum for many of Britain's top comics. It's a show to savour.

WL Connection? Among WL performers to have appeared on Just A Minute: Paul Merton, Steve Frost, Stephen Fry, Julian Clary, Graeme Garden, Greg Proops, Peter Cook, Tony Slattery, Jimmy Mulville, Jan Ravens, Arthur Smith, Eddie Izzard, Neil Mullarkey, Lee Simpson, Sandi Toksvig, Caroline Quentin, Jim Sweeney and Richard Vranch.

For more information: Visit http://www.geocities.com/deanbedford/jam.html for all your Just A Minute needs!!

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