Tommy Cooper - Sadness Behind The Laughter

One of my favourite comedians was the late, great, Tommy Cooper. Unfortunately I never had the privilege of seeing him in a live show, but I do have several DVD's that I never tire of watching. This article is about a giant of a man who became a comedy giant. Tommy Cooper was one of Britain's best loved funny men. The secret of his success was not the material itself but the way he delivered it. He possessed a childlike innocence and charm that immediately warmed audiences to him. Tommy was an accomplished magician, but realised early on in his career that by getting his tricks wrong he could make the audience roar with laughter and this gave him a unique act, impossible for anyone to copy.
Tommy Cooper was born on 19 March 1921, in Caerphilly, Wales. His father, Tom, was Welsh, an army recruitment Sargeant, whilst his mother, Gertrude, came from Devon. When Cooper was aged three the family moved to Exeter, and his west country accent became part of his act. At the age of eight Cooper was given his first magic set by an aunt. Magic ran in the family - his twin brother owned a magic shop in Slough called 'Coopers Magic Shop'. Cooper's first job was as a shipwright, but in 1940 he was called up as a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards regiment of the British Army, serving initially in Montgomery's Desert Rats in Egypt. There he joined the NAAFI entertainment party where he honed his magic comedy act. One evening whilst doing a sketch in Cairo he forgot a pith helmet he was supposed to wear. He reached out and borrowed the fez from a passing waiter. From that moment the fez became the trademark for his act.
After the war Cooper took up show business, on Christmas Eve 1947. He worked variety theatres around the country and also worked at the 'Windmill' theatre in London. But it was television that catapulted him to recognition. Despite his size, he was six feet four inches tall, and weighed fifteen stone, Cooper was a nervous man by nature. Initially he drank to allay the anxiety of going on stage, but later developed a serious drink problem, by the mid-seventies his drinking was affecting his performances. Neither was he a fit individual, he suffered chronic indigestion, lumbago and sciatica, heavy smoking led to bronchitis and poor circulation in his legs. In 1977 Cooper suffered a heart attack whilst in Rome. His drinking also affected his marriage and he became physically abusive to his wife Gwen. Relations were further strained by Cooper having an affair whilst touring.
A further serious health scare occurred as Cooper was about to perform for executives of IBM in Italy. After collapsing Cooper's life was saved when a doctor gave him a cardiac injection. On 15 April 1984, Cooper was midway through his act on the live London Weekend Television variety show 'Live From Her Majesty's', when once again he collapsed from a heart attack. As the audience continued to laugh, thinking it was part of the act, efforts were being made backstage to revive him. He was eventually moved to Westminster Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

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Tommy Cooper One-Liners

I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.

I bought some HP sauce the other day. It's costing me 6p a month for the next two years.

Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.

I'm on a whiskey diet. I've lost three days already.

You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen, it said "Parking Fine", so that was nice.

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Banksy

This intrigued me when I came across it. A guy named Banksy has found fame as an English street artist. Banksy, as far as is known, was born in Bristol in 1974. There is substantial public uncertainty about his identity and personal details. He is said to be the son of a photocopier engineer, he trained as a butcher, but became involved in graffiti during the Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980's. His art has appeared in cities all round the world. Banksy's work was born out of the Bristol underground scene which involved artists and musicians. Take a look at some of Banksy's work by clicking the link below. It is entitled 'Banksy spruces up the big easy.' Celebrated graffiti artist hits up New Orleans before the 2008 anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/banksy-new-orleans-p1.php?emf=1

Poem - Blankney In Summer

Another poem from my 'Blankney Anthology' written in 1995. It tries to depict an idyllic summer day in the village.

Blankney In Summer

See the swallows flying high
In the summer haze
Dive and swoop upon the fly
Happy summer days
From the shade of spreading trees
Listen to the drones
Of a far off distant bi-plane
As it's engine spits and groans
Hear the crack of willow
As it whacks the cricket ball
And two embracing lovers
Walk in the grounds of Blankney Hall
Pigeons from the belfry coo
Tall keksey flanks the lanes
And in the park, children play
Making daisy chains
Soon the sun sets in the west
The sky glows crimson red
Swallows now return to nest
The bi-plane silent overhead
The cricket match is lost and won
The final ball's been bowled
Golfers seek the clubhouse bar
The last putt has been holed
Lovers kiss and say goodbye
Parting brings such sorrow
Daisies scattered on the ground
Will have wilted by tomorrow
Pigeons in their lofty tower
Heads tucked in downy feather
If only such a summers day
Could go on and on forever

Rodney Garlant

Now That's A Real Mans Sport

I've heard of water skiing but that's ridiculous!

Today's Smile

Definitions

ADULT
A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

BEAUTY PARLOUR
A place where women curl up and dye.

CANNIBAL
Someone who is fed up with people.

CHICKENS
The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead.

How United Is The States Under Obama?

Newsnight reporter Peter Marshall has been reporting from America for the past thirty years. Here he visits New Orleans, the city which revealed so many of America's divisions when the Bush administration mishandled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, to find out how united the country is after President Obama's first 100 days in office. A really interesting video clip that captures the feelings of ordinary American's and political commentators alike. Click on the following link and watch in full screen with sound on.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8026777.stm