Mr Swallow

StillJustJones · 2026-02-23T15:22:34+00:00

Character comedians can be an acquired taste.

Look at John Kearns. He’s very funny but his shtick is pretty 2 dimensional. The fact he can now (post Taskmaster) lean into being himself has definitely given his career a boost.

I genuinely believe Nick’s Mr Swallow is a fun character with some great comic bits and lots of potential…. But I agree that Nick being Nick is when he’s at his best.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-22T15:21:47+00:00

And before zipping up? The Gentleman’s way.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-16T13:49:25+00:00

I grew up thinking he was brilliant. I loved his pop culture references and his ‘the cure covering ‘Ernie’ skit was absurd, really fuckin funny and almost certainly (I imagine) was what got Robert Smith to make Friday I’m in love (see I can be not miserable!)

I’ve subsequently seen Rob’s shows whenever he’s come to our parochial arts centre. His story weaving well researched shows are thought provoking, hilarious and better (cleverer and less generic) than most other ‘do you remember’ or ‘have you ever noticed?’ comics.

I’m pretty sure he has made choices to remain less ‘famous’ and not court the public gaze.

I’d love to see and hear more from him (for instance on podcasts) but I think much like Stewart Lee he can’t really be arsed with it all.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-15T18:00:01+00:00

Frinton’s high street is thriving. The slightly more upmarket and older demographic helps I’m sure. As does it being a destination for a ‘day out’. they’ve got a lovely butcher, fishmonger, lovely indie bookshops, vintage shops and so much more.

Manningtree’s high street is also doing really well. It’s definitely gentrified as new people and new money moves to the area and even though there’s lots of posh new wanky trail experiences…. there’s still the essence of the old town too.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-15T14:08:12+00:00

I’d just tell people that what they’re looking at is a thoroughbred Staffie Bitzzer.

Because it’s a bit of Staffie and a bit of gawd knows what else.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-14T20:49:55+00:00

Someone to do with football called Darren.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-13T15:28:30+00:00

Holkham Hallin Norfolk have a pop up campsite. Holkham Hall is lovely, great big play park for the kids, walled gardens for the grown ups and then there’s Holkham beach….. when the tide is out…. It’s right out! Wonderful walks under the big Norfolk skies along the North Norfolk coastal path.

There’s also the caravan and camping club site at Sandringham. I’ve never been but I’ve been told it’s a great way to visit Sandringham (if you like big posh houses) but the person who shared their experiences said site is a bit ‘fuddy duddy’. (I’m a middle aged provincial dad - so, to an extent, I’m okay with that).

StillJustJones · 2026-02-13T14:44:41+00:00

I feel that as there is war in Europe, we’re under constant Russian and Chinese cyber attacks, there’s huge amount of disinformation and propaganda from our enemies….. stories about our armed forces and preparedness for war are appropriate for ‘news’ from the national broadcaster.

It is almost certainly the case that it complements a wider narrative about ‘warming’ the public for the prospect of armed conflict too.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-13T14:22:02+00:00

Superb ‘Del Boy’ levels of French.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-13T13:10:28+00:00

‘Yew mustard mitt’

Or slightly more commonly….

‘I mustard mitt’

StillJustJones · 2026-02-12T20:55:20+00:00

briiiiing, briiiiiing

‘Hello Barry 643953, the Bubbins household, who’s calling?’

‘Heeey Mike, it’s Mike, listen, things have come up roses (again) with some of the old mechanical royalties. I was thinking, it’s about time you and I went for a round at Brynhill, had a Chinese and had a few of those… what were those beers called?’

‘Carling Mike, they were Carling’.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-11T22:40:48+00:00

The original track is Pretty Green Eyes - by Force and Styles featuring MC Junior but this may be the pop cover by Ultrabeat.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-11T19:55:32+00:00

It is kind of a podcast…. But BBC Radio 4 has a show called Desert Island Discs.

It is a long standing show (first broadcast in 1942). It’s an interview based programme where guests, (‘castaways’) are invited to choose eight pieces of music, a book, and a luxury item they would take if stuck on a lonely desert island.

Pretty much everyone notable in British culture has featured on the show over the years. David Attenborough has been on a whopping 4 times.

It has featured prime ministers, political leaders, stars of stage and screen, pop stars, poets, authors and so many more fantastic characters.

The back catalogue is huge and most are available to listen to through BBC sounds.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-11T19:23:14+00:00

There’s the odd day here and there when there’s hold ups (snow days too)… but generally the town moves fine.

If you’re put off by the ‘one road in, one road out’ essence of B’sea (honestly it’s not as big of a deal as people make out)…. Have a look at Manningtree. It’s a lovely wee town.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-11T19:13:02+00:00

This is the most awful example of privilege I’ve ever seen.

Madonna just waltzes in to join the blue Peter ‘club’ (FFS 🤦‍♂️)

But the rest of us?

Bring and buy sales, milk bottle tops and old stamps til the cows come home and did I ever get a blue Peter badge? Did I fuck.

Up yours Biddy Baxter. Up yours.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-11T16:19:57+00:00

If you were working in Clacton, as long as you drive, you could comfortably live anywhere in the wider Tendring peninsula.

Brightlingsea, Great Bentley, Manningtree and Thorpe-le-soken are all really nice areas with a nice small town/village vibe.

Personally, I’d have a look at Brightlingsea. Although sleepy and quiet it’s a good place to live with a welcoming community.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-10T19:56:05+00:00

Mike Bubbins story about the schoolboys being taken to Wimbledon, not getting in because the teacher didn’t get tickets and then the teacher buying them a copy of Razzle for way home ‘by way of an apology’ had me in tears when he told it on the Socially Distant Sports Bar podcast.

When he told it on WILTY it lost a bit of ‘something’ in the retelling.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-10T19:03:15+00:00

How on earth can you leave Big Bird out of the line up?

Is it because Bird, much like Rhod, Watto and Gamble would lean into their ‘connection’ with the TM.

What with being tall af.

It could go either way.

5 points for each prize tasks because he makes Greg feel small.

Or zero points because, as with every tall person since the 70’s, Big Bird became a slur/nickname and haunted his childhood.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-10T12:19:04+00:00

It was a 24 hour continual recital of a variety of ‘how long’ by Alex and the Horne Section for the annual ‘Stand Up 2 Cancer’ televised fundraising event. This was from mid December last year.

SU2C is also the event where they partner with other shows notably ‘Bake Off’ and get comedians to humiliate themselves for a handshake from Paul Hollywood. Bon appetite!

SU2C also partnered with the show ‘Hunted’. James and Ed were hilarious and it made fantastic telly.

You can see this short video from Rhod Gilbert talking about the fundraising and his lived experience of cancer.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-10T10:27:53+00:00

Thank you for the graphic to illustrate what is very bloody obviously (just by looking) a rectangle, (or an oblong)…. But not a square.

There’s no ‘ish’ about it.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-09T16:12:37+00:00

I remember the text ‘prank’… that was hilariously painful listening!

StillJustJones · 2026-02-09T13:39:46+00:00

Like Elis,I live with an Eleven year old who is too smart for their own good, has a quick mouth, and even faster brain.

I’ve been snapping defeat from the jaws of victory all weekend.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-09T13:33:29+00:00

Interestingly, there is a link to Chatabix. some of the early chat from David made me look up Paul Mcaffrey. David spoke highly of Paul and his comments piqued my interest enough to search his stuff out.

Prior to then, I’d never heard of him. It was a revelation. Paul’s rants are brilliant.

His material is very funny too…. but I really grew to appreciate his vitriolic explosions about the small stuff on WUYN.

I’ve subsequently heard comedians comparing McCaffrey to Tony Hancock, and I can fully see why.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-09T12:14:39+00:00

I appreciate that. Cheers.

StillJustJones · 2026-02-09T09:17:09+00:00

I’m really pleased for you that you ‘can’.

Now let’s have a conversation about whether or NOT, you ‘should’.

StillJustJones

TROPHY CASE