Climbed Every Mountain: The Story Behind the Sound of Music - BBC2
WanderinWonder
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I found this a very interesting documentary, really highlights the difference between the fantasy and the reality of the Von Trapp family. Plus the mountain scenery around Salzburg is incredible, makes me want to pack my bags and go!
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I like Sue Perkins, though I can imagine she's a bit of a marmite presenter. Still, she makes a refreshing change from the identikit clones.
Yes please tell us!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpuO0oAjjBU
has more realism than the real film
The first wife of Georg Ludwig von Trapp was Agathe Whitehead, granddaughter of Robert Whitehead inventor of the self-propelled torpedo. Most of the children were from the first marriage.
It is beautiful there. We went in 2001 and my son who was quite young then, ran through that famous archway singing "Doh Ray Me". We were told by the guide we had there that they Austrians didn't like it, seems a shame really, especially as most of them have never even seen it.
We get it: you don't like gay people on TV. But why not have the guts to actually spell out your homophobia?
I thought Sue handled the program really well and I don't think she's overexposed on TV.
Now if you were talking about Sarah Millican!!!
To have someone so talentless on every other program, she must have the best agent in the business.
Firstly, I should state that I do not know, nor have any vested interest in Sue Perkins, but reading back what I've written before posting it it does read that way
Anyway, I love Sue Perkins - the programmes she chooses to do (or is asked to do) she clearly has an interest in. She isn't just there to 'fulfill a quota' for anything. (A reason which I think is often used very cynically to cover up some sort of issue the person complaining has with the theme of the 'quota' in question...). Sue really puts her heart and soul into the programmes she does, and clearly either already has a great deal of knowledge about the subject herself, or does a lot of research to make sure she has. Several times now I've seen her trying to speak in German and French out of respect to people of those nationalities that she meets - as she did in the 'Climbed Every Mountain' programme (which I enjoyed immensely). Sue might not have a great command of either language, but at least she tries before going back to English (or a mixture of the two)!
She's great with Giles Coren in the 'Supersizers Go/Eat...' series - she has a genuine warmth an affection for him, and balances his act of being rather 'arrogant' (I'm not sure if he is, but sometimes plays it as if he is!) by being much more down to earth and humble. Although out of preference a vegetarian, she throws herself into those programmes trying everything put in front of her and isn't the least bit precious about it. She's sympathetic and encouraging on 'The Great British Bake Off' too, as is Mel, and clearly likes her food (the food theme again!) and engages with the contestants in a very natural way.
But other than those programmes, and I think one other I've forgotten, I can't think of anything else she's been on recently - I'd hardly call that over-exposed, and her sexuality has nothing to do with her ability or choice to present shows. If it did she'd be doing anything and everything that she wasn't interested in (or someone else would be making her do it from 'on high' in the TV world) and that's the thing I've always noticed about Sue's more recent career - she only does stuff she, herself, has a genuine interest in. Good for her - she's a stage in her life and career when she can make that choice (as most of us would like to be!) rather than just doing any job that comes her way. And, more than anything, she seems like someone you'd actually like to get to know.
Now, as BillyBoy said, Sarah Millican on the other hand... she's everywhere, and she's not even funny! Or maybe someone thinks she's fulfilling the 'female comics from the North-East of England' quota on TV?
Ms P is definitely in the second category. It's a matter of taste, but neither I nor my partner can bear her - well, let's call it Perkiness. She's like an intelligent but irritatingly persistent older child - and we know a few - who insists on trying to join in the conversation, and fails to realise from the adults' fixed smiles that her every remark is just a little off-target and missing the point. She's just not funny, and no amount of arch pouting at the camera and faux self-deprecation ("Oh, silly me! I'm useless at everything - but of course, you know - wink, wink - that's not true") can make up for the fact.
To give her what credit she deserves, she is astonishingly good at "Just a Minute", which was featured for a short television series this time last year, but is otherwise regularly on Radio 4. Out of vision, she's almost tolerable.
By the way, the gay issue is a non-starter. The precise sexuality of virtually everyone in Showbiz is a grey area, best left unexamined. I think the quota referred to above must be for women comics; but there are many hilarious women on the same circuit as SP - Sandi Toksvig and Susan Calman, for example - who completely outshine her. She is with Jo Brand and Sarah Millican: to quote Cromwell (and I bet you don't get that very often on DS): "You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you."
Oh dear, so we can't criticise a Gay presenter now lest we be branded a bigot ? :cool:
Agreed!
It's so refreshing having an intelligent female presenter rather than the overexposed airhead bimbos that have been forced down our throats.
I know what you mean. If we are watching a programme we like to be able to take in the facts without any cynical/sarcastic asides. After all we watch the programme for it's subject content not because of the presenter.
To keep myself out of bias I don't care if she is 'straight', gay or celibate !
Well you learn something new everyday!
It sounds very tempting, must go
I can see how some people might perceive Sue to be that way, sort of child-like. But in a way that's what I like about her, she's not afraid to be in touch with her inner child and has a boundless enthusiasm for the docs she ends up fronting.
Also, as I mentioned before she does make a refreshing change from the bland presenters that all too often clutter up our screens. I can scarcely tell some of them apart.
One of my favourite posts, ever. I couldn't agree more. Along with Mel Giedroyc they are the two most self-satisfied tw*ts on tv. They think everything they say is comedy Gold. They just come across as false. They don't care about the contestants. Regardless of whatever the title of the show is. It's the Mel and Sue show as far as their concerned.Their so up themselves, their practically inside out. They present in an ' Aw bless. You don't really understand what we're talking about. So we'll speak in a slow, and patronising' style. And for anyone to try and accuse what are fair comments, as homophobic jibes, is just laughable. They are both just talentless and annoying. Nothing to do with their sexual persuasion. Why do some people use the 'I hate gays' thing as the reason that people base their comments on. I just can't stand them. It's allowed. Some people will say, 'Well, their on TV'. Yes, well we all know how many talentless and annoying prats are on TV. Just the very fact that your on TV doesn't reflect talent or skill, or justify you being there.
agree BIB - she tries too hard to be funny/lovable and forgets that the subject and not SP is the star of the show that she's presenting.