Here are two separate programmes that you simply must watch and listen to… for entirely different reasons.
First off, there’s my current favourite radio feature on any programme anywhere at the moment. Yes, it’s an Absolute Radio show and I work there, and yes, I know all the people who make it. But honestly irrespective of all that, it’s just thoroughly brilliant.
Over the last few week’s there’s been new feature on the Geoff Hometime Show: Annabel v The Internet.
Each week Geoff sets the “technophobic” Annabel Port a challenge to see if she can do something we now take for granted by using the internet. She can’t use the internet to help her succeed in her tasks. Instead of just looking up the answers online, or emailing folk, it’s all down to visiting places and ringing people up.
Geoff sets the challenge on Monday, and then she reports back over the following three evenings with points either being awarded to Annabel if she’s doing well, or the internet if she fails.
It’s brilliant!
So far, Twitter, Skateboarding Dogs, Wikipedia, Friends Reunited, MySpace, Ebay, IMDB and, this week, World of Warcraft have been topics.
But last week Annabel had to replicate sites like Holy Moly and Popbitch. She had to come up with some celebrity gossip and let us know who’s been seen where. Listen to the whole week, but if you listen to nothing else, you absolutely must listen to last Wednesday’s edition when Annabel goes to, amongst other places, The Ivy.
Go and listen now.
I’ll wait.
Click here and navigate to Wednesday 9 September.
Just terrific radio.
Now here’s something else, also from last week, and also unmissable. But for entirely different reasons. Thanks to Emily for pointing me in the right direction, otherwise I’d have certainly missed Channel 4’s 3 Minute Wonders from last week.
If you’ve never seen them, these are quirky little themed films made by all sorts of people that fill that bit between the Channel 4 News, and the time you turn over from Channel 4 before some property porn programme comes on.
Last week, featured a “magazine” called Super Super. Now I say “magazine”, but it’s not something you’ll find in your local WH Smith. Indeed, I’ve been keeping an eye out for it all over the place following this series of programmes because I’m fascinated by it. And curiously, if you visit their website (sponsored unendingly by Adidas) there simply doesn’t seem to be any way to subscribe to the magazine. Nor, in fact, does there seem to be any mention that there is a magazine. Now call me old-fashioned, but wouldn’t it be a smart idea to let web-visitors, you know, buy your product. Indeed, from what I know about the magazine business, subscribers are vital because they’re guaranteed revenue when news-stand sales can stand or fall on lots of things. I assume that there really is a magazine…
Four films aired: SuperStyle, SuperPeople, SuperMusic, and SuperSlinky.
I urge you to watch them all. Here they are!
SuperStyle

“The magazine’s founders, Super Steve and Namalee have been hailed as cultural revolutionaries.”
Who by? Their mate who made this film?
“They’ve inspired a whole generation with their magazines super-relentless optimism.”
A whole generation? Like Pepsi? Who are these people?
Super Steve (always shot in black and white): “The world looks a lot more super now than it ever did before.”
Namalee: “Do you think that people are going to start dressing more like cartoon comic book heroes in the future?”
SuperPeople

“Most of the contributors for SuperSuper are doing things themselves. They’re part of the world.”
Phew – at least they’re not imaginary.
“I think I’ve found the reason why there’s loads of flies in the room. I put these rotten apples into my plant pot cos I thought it might give it some nutrients…”
SuperMusic

All I can say about this is that you have to listen to Namalee’s song. Has anyone signed her yet?
SuperSlinky

“Slinky” seems to spend his time in Argyle Street annoying people with a loudhailer, although it’s all clearly faked. But that’s OK – he was set the “task” to have “a mock fight”. That’ll be worth reading about!
I’m beginning to wonder if Chris Morris hasn’t really been busily working on his film, and instead has sneakily brought back Nathan Barley without telling anyone, and has recast the whole programme.
Finally, a third thing I quite enjoyed this week (yes, I know this piece said two things): The Playwrite and the Grammarian, which appealed to me on a couple of levels. Still on the iPlayer as I write this and featuring cameos by Roger Bolton and Peter Donaldson.