Fame, fame, fatal fame

I don't know about you, readers, but I'm getting increasingly cheesed off with celebrities not only getting their names into the titles of TV and radio programmes when interviewing someone talented or illustrious, but also having the cheek to put their own names first in the show's title e.g. Spoony Meets Sir Alex Ferguson (Five Live, the other week) and Jo Whiley Meets Annie Lennox (Sky Arts, next week). Do the programme directors or whoever really think that the audience give a toss who's asking the questions?

"Oh, well, I was going to watch that exclusive interview with Sir Paul McCartney in which he gives fascinating new insights into the band dynamics within The Beatles and on his real feelings about Yoko Ono, but since I found out Fearne Cotton's not simpering witlessly at him throughout I've completely gone off the idea. I think I'll watch Celebrity Juice instead."

Or maybe they do, I dunno. I just think we're careering down a very slippery slope here and if we're not careful we could realistically end up watching or listening to programmes like Tim Lovejoy In Conversation With Lionel Messi; Olly Murs and Nelson Mandela: A Meeting of Minds; and When Jordan Met Noam Chomsky. Balls to that.

While I'm on the subject of (for want of an original phrase), dumbed-down TV, enough of the panel shows already! Barely a day goes by without a new one appearing on the TV or wireless, and they all seem to feature the same small pool of guests - mostly stand-up comedians with the odd journalist or TV presenter thrown in for good measure. And the formats are getting flimsier and flimsier. Talk about ever decreasing circles. (Now there was a good show.)

Anyway, must dash. My favourite stand-up's just completed a gruelling three-part challenge involving an egg and spoon half-marathon through the villages of Sussex, a non-stop bike ride around the deck of a ferry between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, and swimming three laps of the Olympic pool doing only the doggie paddle. All in support of his new DVD Comic Relief too. So yeah, I've been so inspired by his actions that I've decided to try something new myself: I've booked tickets to see him at the o2 next month. Great guy, lot of work for charity. Doesn't like to talk about it though.

Freewheel - Starfriend mp3