we have a dream
And this week our dream is that thousands of you, possibly even hundreds, will answer our call for basic details of speeches that you are about to give and any difficulties arising from them.
This is because one of the country's finest speechwriters is on the show and wil be able to give you a bit of coaching if you are a nervous best man and can't think of anything funny to say about young Charlie, or can't find a way not to offend everyone at the christening of darling little Jemima given that she was born just 8 months after the wedding. That kind of thing.
Just bung us an email with the basic outline of where/when/what and who and Max Atkinson will be on the case.
And that is quite enough of the professional nature of this blog.
My week has been less than full-voltage-exciting but pleasant for exactly that reason.
The good news is that Jamie, the very helpful next door neighbour, thinks that programme 2 was 'much better'. He told me this whilst his daughter was perched on their gate having her teeth brushed by him at 8 in the morning. I feel that dental hygiene is an important issue but I'm worried about where the 'rinse and spit' bit went.
I'm hoping that he'll read this blog and therefore we can avoid a difficult conversation. In fact I might use this blog to sort out all our neighbourly disputes. What a great idea! and such a terrific use of licence payers money too.
You don't mind do you?
I have a dream, although I do not know when it would arrive. My dream is for everyone to live together in peace and harmony without war, hunger, famine, and sadness.
Complain about this postRe. last Saturday's broadcast, Fi, the word is
Complain about this postpercOlating, not percUlating. I enjoy your new programme.
Avril Foxl
My best man, Graeme, surpassed the traditional 'best man's speech' at our wedding by following up the usual best man thing by handing out song sheets to the hundred or so guests. He then pressed them into kind of community singing, though I can't for the life of me think what the song was. The effect was magnificent, and made the reception just the way we wanted it to be. The guests made the event by bringing food, lights, table decorations, music etc. It was a brilliant change from the corporate, hotel events we'd endured before.
Complain about this postWe also had speeches from the best woman; more like the conventional best man's, and one from the daughter of the bride, who'd been taught by the groom at school.
My speech was the usual sort of bollocks, but made ok by being delivered whilst wandering around the room.
The groom.
Arabella Weir
Complain about this postAbsolutely dire
Fi,shut her up and never ask her back or you risk the show
Hello,
All around us in classrooms, church halls and at business meeetings the standard tool for making a presentation is to talk about a list of points organised onto slides projected onto the wall.
How, oh how, can a computer slide presenter break the mould and make the audience sit up, pay attention and come back for more?
Andrew
Complain about this postFi,
Difficult to say anything in this rariefied atmosphere but what about the person involved? The assumption seems to be that the issues are so spun, woven and polished that the there is no one left, the cacoon is actually empty?
Does this define celebrity?
Neil S.
Complain about this postYou spoke with the public speaking guy - Max ??? (didn't hear his full name as joined part-way). I can't find his book - The Language of Public Speaking - in the first 21 pages of Amaxon offerings, or via Abebooks. (Wrong title, insufficient name, available elsewhere ???)
Help please!
Many thanks
Kate
Complain about this postYou like stories about the poor down-trodden masses - what about us? what would it take to get a roving reported to notice us little people who do not live in London? Shall I come and chain myself to Saturday Live railings, to get noticed, would naked help? Though not a pretty sight... I will if you think it would help (do you have railings? most posh people do, so I assume you will)
Did you know that the per capita Lottery grants for you lot are 拢thousands and we get pennies.... Its a fact....A report proves it ....you know, one of those reports that get big headlines...but this time, the only headlines were in the Southwest - and we already know! In Ashwater, (the centre of our particular universe) for example, we desperately need a new Village Hall. We work our butts off to raise funds, we have the land, the plans, the planning permission, but will be get the money?..we really doubt it.
Can I do a pod cast?
Complain about this postAli
Hi Fi!
Great to have your witty self back on air...
I used to like Arabella.......but shes just a rather attractive irritating hyperactive show off, who likes the sound of her own voice...........Fi, please give us some advanced clues when she says something funny,
take care
paul owen
Complain about this postHi Fi,
Complain about this postI think John Lomas-Clarke, (12:25 AM on 30 Sep 2006) and Andrew Westoby, (09:26 AM on 30 Sep 2006), should get together. Audience participation is the key and I think the best man, Graeme, has the right idea, subject permitting. Replace the song sheets with a hard copy of the presentation which supplemented, or not, with the slide show, should make it easier for the presenter, walking amongst the audience, to ensure full attention.
Peter James
I'm already a Fi fan from her Sunday morning programme. Nice relaxed style with a good sense of humour which encourages a good response from her guests and I liked the Max Atkinson speech advice.
Complain about this postAs someone who was in the audience during Blair's speech I can confirm it was superb; of course there will be many who disagree with the content, but it was a truly inspirational contribution. Of course Tony had some help and it may not have been an original joke, as Stravinsky said 'poor composers borrow good composers steal' but as we all know it's the way you tell 'em and no matter how many speechwriters once your at the rostrum you're on your own!
Hi folks.
Sorry, I've given you a try but time to move on (to radio 3). Or start talking to my wife. See what you've brought me to!
The show. to my ears, sounds relentlessly and clinically clever. It feels as if there always is "a joke", hanging in the air, that everybody but me knows.
I think that the warm/wacky/fluffy buildup promised something that the show doesn't deliver. I was no real fan of Home Truths but at least it sounded, well, warm and fluffy, if a bit too folksy at times.
Here we have: Will Self, Carol Thatcher, Tony Blair and his speech, Arabella Weir. Hmmmm. These all seem vaguely familiar....
OK So how many of those pesky megahertzy thigs does R3 have? They'll probably be playing Stockhausen, knowing my luck....
Complain about this postHello Fi,
Just a note to say I'm enjoying Saturday Live very much. Even the 'bad' bits are good because it's all real. The fact that it's live gives it an edge that brightens up my Saturday mornings in a way that Home Truths (although it was lovely) never quite managed.
Thought you dealt well with the garrulous Arabella. And please don't beat yourself up too much about the Queen Mother joke - I feel bad now for not being offended!
Complain about this postHI Fi Glover, hope you dont mind a little criticism; its just the bits and pieces from the USA on the show surely you can find some interesting characters & stories from UK or even Europe; Your show is an admirable replacement for the late John Peel "Home truths" I did'nt think that would happen but I think you've "cracked it!" I just think that too many of the Beeb's shows rely on US radio sourced items; theres other English speaking radio which could prove funnier! i.e. Australian local radio! all the best with Saturday live its a grand saturday morning listen.
Complain about this postFi
I am sticking with the show to give it a fair hearing. Please do not hire Carol Thatcher & Arabella Weir again or bring Sue Perkins in either. None of them are in the slightest bit amusing.
Complain about this post