The Official Goodies Rule - OK! Fan Club Website

THE GOODIES CLARION AND GLOBE

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF 'THE GOODIES RULE - OK' FAN CLUB

Issue No. 15 12th February 1997

Once again, welcome to the C&G. This month we’ve got the complete text of an interview with Bill Oddie, which appeared in this week’s ‘Radio Times’. This article not only advertises Bill Oddie’s new documentary series and features a list of his favourite things, but has inspired our UK Co-ordinator, Nik Whitehead to start up a campaign to get ‘The Goodies’ re-screened on BBC TV. It seems that Bill is a bit miffed that the BBC have never replayed ‘The Goodies’ and we’re on his side.

Also this month there’s plans for a North American Goodies Convention and the latest news on plans for the Australian Goodies Convention. And as usual, there’s a HUGE Spotted!!!, Goodies Trivia Quiz and Quote Of The Month. Plus, the debate about ‘The Funky Gibbon’s highest chart position continues, and you now have the chance to buy books by and about The Goodies and help raise money for Goodies conventions in Australia and the US. Read on for details...

3. FROM LAST MONTH...

4. GOODIES TRIVIA QUIZ

6. QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Info on club activities for this month...

NORTH AMERICAN GOODIES CONVENTION

by F. D. Luchok <luchok@clark.net>

North American members & other interested parties: We would like to know if there is interest in having a Goodies 2000 Convention in the USA. It would most likely be a very modest convention (in fact, more of an expanded version of a viewing party). There are not that many North American members, so we would likely not be able to fly in special guests (ie. We probably couldn't afford actual Goodies).

We were thinking of finding an American city that is easy to get to, served by all major airlines, reasonably inexpensive and with other interesting attractions. The city that springs to mind is Cleveland, Ohio (it has a major airport, lots of hotels, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - this city is the best-kept secret in the United States), but we are interested in your suggestions as well.

We would hold it at a different time from the Australian convention, just in case some people want to attend both. If you would be interested in attending such a convention, and if you have an American city to suggest for the site, please e-mail <luchok@clark.net>

AUSTRALIAN GOODIES CONVENTION 2000

*About The Convention*

As most of you know, we’re thinking seriously of organising a Goodies Convention in 2000, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Goodies. Ideally the convention would involve episode screenings, stalls, a costume competition, a dinner and a question and answer session with our special guests, The Goodies. But to provide all that in one weekend we’d need to either charge a large entrance fee or to fundraise beforehand. So here are some ideas:

by Tosha <mccaw@cbl.com.au>

Maybe you could hold a raffle or some sort of fundraiser now so you get some of the money to fly the Goodies over. With members from all over the world, whatever you do would get widespread advertising from members and anyway, all of them must have relatives who would buy a raffle ticket out of pity.

That’s a great idea, however we’d need to get a lotteries licence and to print tickets (though that could certainly be done on computer). We’d also need to get some worthwhile prizes, can anyone think of where we can get prizes from? We could quite possibly buy prizes, for example make up baskets of gourmet food or whatever for minor prizes, but a major prize such as a holiday or something electrical, like a stereo, would be a big drawcard. Any thoughts re. that to <carrot@olis.net.au>.

*Becoming A Book Agent*

Another fundraising idea for the convention is to make use of our homepages. I was e-mailed recently by Bookpages, a British bookshop operating on the net, who will give commissions to anyone who advertises their books. I have signed up the club, on a trial basis, to be an agent for Bookpages. For orders we generate for Bookpages, we receive an 8% commission. Any money we make from this scheme will be split between the two conventions, if they go ahead. And as our membership of the scheme is only on a trial basis; if YOU, the club members, disapprove of the scheme, we can easily sign off.

All we have to do to be part of the scheme is to put up a page advertising books available that visitors to our pages might be interested in. Bookpages have a number of books written by Tim, Bill and Graeme available, as well as some comedy and TV books, that mention The Goodies. Some of these books are not available outside the UK, so this is an ideal opportunity for you to buy Goodies related books and to help fundraise for our proposed conventions. Our Bookpages page will be up very soon, you will be e-mailed when it is up and running. So I hope that you will visit it, order from it and find it a useful resource.

And if you think it’s a successful scheme we can also sign up to be agents for Amazon Books, a US bookstore on the internet. They also have a number of titles written by The Goodies. And we can earn a 10% commission from them. Comments regarding this page and this idea are most welcome <carrot@olis.net.au>.

*So, Are You Interested?*

To help us get an idea of how many people would be interested in attending the Australian convention and how much you’d be prepared to pay, please fill out the form below and return it to Alison Bean at <carrot@olis.net.au> by 11th June 1997. Remember, YOUR input is vital, if we don’t have enough indications of interest for this idea, we won’t go ahead with it.

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INSTRUCTIONS: Please put a * in the [ ] next to your answer.

1. Which city do you live in or what is the nearest capital city to your home or where would you prefer the convention to be held?

2. If the convention is not held in your preferred city would you be willing to travel to another city to attend the convention?

3. What is the *maximum* amount of money you’d be willing to pay for entry to the convention and accommodation?

*Please note that each individuals answers will be kept in strictess confidence *

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*International Attendees*

If you think you’d like attend a Goodies convention in Australia in 2000, but do not live in Australia (and don’t forget, it’d also be an ideal excuse to come here for a holiday), you are more than welcome to show your interest. You can register your interest by e-mailing me <carrot@olis.net.au> or by filling out the form above if you have a preference for a particular city.

UK RESCREENING CAMPAIGN

by Nik Whitehead <munga@barrayar.demon.co.uk>

In the February 15th-21st issue of the Radio Times, Bill Oddie wondered why the BBC hadn't rescreened 'The Goodies' on terrestrial TV *. I'm sure that we all agree with him on this and so I'd like to announce the start of the UK Rescreening Campaign.

(* For a complete transcript of the article, see below.)

The plan is to follow much the same format as the campaign to get The Goodies rescreened in Australia. To get involved all you have to do is e-mail me, Nik Whitehead, at <munga@barrayar.demon.co.uk> and I'll send you a copy of the petition sheet and cover letter. Then print out as many petition sheets as you think you can fill and ask work-mates, friends, family, neighbours, and anyone else to sign them. Please make sure that everyone who has signed has read the cover letter, so they know exactly what they're signing. Once you've filled in your sheets, please e-mail me and I'll tell you where to send the completed forms. The forms will be collected up and sent to the BBC at a later date.

The cover letter is as follows.

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The British Broadcasting Corporation

BBC Television Centre

To The Director of Light Entertainment,

In the Radio Times for 15th-21st February 1997 Bill Oddie remarked that he would like to see 'The Goodies' rescreened on British terrestrial television. This is a petition by the British members of The Goodies Rule - OK! (The Goodies Fan Club on the Internet) (Homepage: http://www.barrayar.demon.co.uk/goodies/index.htm) and their supporters who agree with him.

We the undersigned request that the BBC re-screen the comedy series The Goodies.

The Goodies Rule - OK!

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If you agree with the sentiments in the above letter and would like petition forms or would just like more information about the petition, please e-mail Nik Whitehead <munga@barrayar.demon.co.uk> with RESCREEN THE GOODIES in the subject field of your message. You could also try phoning the BBC and requesting that they reshow The Goodies. The phone number is: 0181 743 8000

So let's put a bit of pressure on Aunty Beeb, and let's show Bill that we agree with him 100%.

LETTER TO THE GOODIES

Letters to Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, telling them about this club and seeking their support, have been sent and should be with their agents by now. A copy of the letters sent, was in last month’s newsletter (which you can check out at our homepages).

Unfortunately we’re no further towards getting a new Goodies-L. For those who don’t know, Goodies-L was a mailing list where subscribers e-mailed news and views on The Goodies to the list, who would mail it to other subscribers. We’d like to get it up and running again, so if you know of a good list server, please e-mail <carrot@olis.net.au>.

HOMEPAGE HAPPENINGS

You can expect more pictures at the homepages within the next few weeks. Also I’ll be putting up a page about the proposed Goodies conventions in the US and Australia. And there will be an update for the petition page to include information on campaigns in the UK and US. And don’t forget our Bookpages page, will be opening soon. We’ll let you know when it’s up and running.

Seen a Goodie recently? Mail <carrot@olis.net.au> with the details...

BILL’S RADIO TIMES INTERVIEW

from Keith Topping <keith@tooon.demon.co.uk> and Nik Whitehead <munga@barrayar.demon.co.uk>

Bill Oddie is to star in a 6 episode series called 'Birding with Bill Oddie' which starts on BBC2 next Friday at 8.00 (21/2/97). Looks like a straight introduction to birdwatching. In this weeks ‘Radio Times’ there's a little piece on the series and also Bill is the subject of a regular piece called 'My Choice' in which the interviewee talks about his or her favourite (and least favourite television) here, verbatim is what Bill had to say:

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PROGRAMMES?:

Live sport. I have a rule that I don't watch any TV before 9pm, but I break it for football, rugby and athletics.

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?:

Whose Line is it Anyway? - when it's working well it makes me laugh out loud. Plus Frasier, Friends, Cheers, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, Blackadder, The Young Ones, and, sometimes, Harry Enfield and Chums.

WHAT DO YOU WATCH WITH YOUR FAMILY?:

All the US comedies, Harry Enfield and Chums, The X Files and The Fast Show.

WHAT DID YOU WATCH AS A CHILD?:

It was find-the-picture time in those days - we had a huge television, with a tiny black and white screen. I liked Muffin the Mule ["you can get five years for that!"], Prudence Kitten, Just William and Bill Bunter. I also loved the potter's wheel and the angelfish they’d show when the transmission broke down!

WHAT MAKES YOU SWITCH OFF?:

Soaps and anything with surgical operations. I really don't want to watch them; I leave that to Princess Di.

WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO ON THE RADIO?:

The Ladies What Shop, my wife, Laura Beaumont's regular consumer piece on Talk UK. Apart from that, very little.

WHICH ACTOR OR ACTRESS DO YOU ADMIRE?

I think my eldest daughter, Kate Hardie, is a stunning actress and a lot of other people rate her highly. Otherwise, Anthony Hopkins Bill Murray, Shirley MacLaine, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

WHAT WILDLIFE PROGRAMME DO YOU ENJOY?:

I'm impressed by the extraordinary techniques on series like Suspense, but I feel nostalgic for Hans and Lotte Hass and Armand and Michaela Denis. You felt they were taking you with them on a quest and I try to recapture that spirit in Birding.

WHAT PROGRAMMES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE RESURRECTED?:

I'm genuinely puzzled as to why there have been no delayed repeats of The Goodies except on UK Gold. It would be nice if they repeated the best ones.

What a great little interview, eh? And what a genuinely tuned-in geezer he comes across as.

THE GOODIES MEET DOCTOR WHO

by Keith Topping <keith@tooon.demon.co.uk>

Paul Cornell wrote a Doctor Who novel in 1994, on Virgin Publishing, called 'No Future', that features a cameo by Tim, Graeme and Bill. It concerned the Doctor and his companions getting stuck in an alternative England of 1976 where the Meddling Monk and a bunch of second-banana TV aliens called the Vardans were trying to subvert history by using TV and terrorism to create anarchy. Or something. It's a really funny book with loads of cool 70s jokes in it. One entire chapter (no 9: 'Intertextuality') features the Doctor and Bernice caught in a kind of bubble universe populated by various TV characters including the Dad's Army cast, Alf Garnett and Tim, Graeme and Bill who get an entire - stunningly accurate - sequence (pg's 118-120) to themselves: Bill joins the terrorists, has a rant about the government and ends up getting shot by the SPG. Laugh a minute stuff. Worth it for the mention of Hai-Karate aftershave!

Here’s the details: 'The New Doctor Who Adventures: No Future' - by Paul Cornell, Virgin Publishing (1994) ISBN 0 426 20409 3. Available for £4.99 UK, $5.95 US, or $9.95 Australia.

TOP OF THE POPS DOES THE FUNKY GIBBON

by Keith Topping <keith@tooon.demon.co.uk>

'Funky Gibbon' was performed by The Goodies on Top of the Pops in April 1975, as introduced by the semi-legendary Emperor Rosko. This ep of ToTP has recently been repeated on the UK Gold satellite channel in the UK; it's *OUTRAGEOUSLY* funny!

WHERE TO BORROW THE LWT GOODIES VIDEO

by Ross MacKay <smeghead@swin.edu.au>

I read that there's 2 Goodies Videos out, but I found another one - a really old one - that can obviously not be bought any more. In fact when I borrowed it from the video store I didn't realise at the time that they were 4 eps I'd never seen before and was therefore enthralled. It was from the last series that was on ITV, and it was great to see the Goodies again after so many years! Especially ones I'd NEVER seen before. Just made my day really. If other members want to know about where they can get this video, it's in "Network Video", Manchester Rd, Mooroolbark, Victoria, Australia...and it's worth it, even if just for 'Robot"!

TIM CAMPS UP ‘ONE MAN BAND’

by Keith Topping <keith@tooon.demon.co.uk>

On 01/02/97 BBC2 broadcast, as part of their "Tx" series of documentaries, an excellent 80 minute special called 'The Lost Films of Orson Welles', a documentary that included previously unseen archive material from many of the projects that Welles began and either didn't finish, or did but then abandoned. One of these was a two-minute short entitled 'One Man Band' filmed in London in either the late 60s or the early 70s. The only other actor in the short apart from Welles is Tim Brooke-Taylor playing a po-faced (and seemingly transvestite) bowler-hatted BBCesque reporter musing on the changes 'Swinging London' has brought. It's very, very funny. No idea exactly when it was made, but some posters behind Tim (for people like Marsha Hunt and Roy Harper) seem to indicate we're talking sometimes around 1970.

BILL’S NEW BIRD BOOK

by Andrew McDonald <amcdonal@coop-bookshop.com.au>

Bill Oddie has a new book coming out due March in Australia (it’s already out in UK). It's called "Bird In The Nest" and is printed by Robson Press (ISBN 1861050399) if anyone in Australia wants it they can check with my company, the Uni Co-op Bookshop (Sydney phone no. 02-9325-9600).

3. FROM LAST MONTH...

Stuff we forgot, updates and corrections from last month’s newsletter.

THE GUINNESS BOOK OF CLASSIC BRITISH TELEVISION 2nd Edition

Last month, I forgot to mention the ISBN number of this book. It is 0-85112-628-6 for anyone who’s interested in ordering it. And it IS well worth ordering, with three pages on The Goodies and entries on over 100 shows.

THE FUNKY GIBBON'S HIGHEST CHART POSITION

OK, most of you know the score. A few months ago we couldn’t work out what the highest chart position of ‘The Funky Gibbon’ was. According to Comedy Review magazine it’s number 4, but according to ‘Bill Oddie’s Gone Birding’ it was number 2 on the hit parade. So what’s the difference between the two? Here’s what was said last month...

from Gary Green <greenga@admin.edge-hill-college.ac.uk>

In response to your question about the charts and the hit parade over here in England, there are the BBC Top of the Pop charts, and the top 100 chart that independent radio stations broadcast. They are very similar, but because they collect the record sale information at different times in the week, there is always going to be a slight difference in some chart positions.

AND now, here’s another view on this subject, which has brought so much debate. Let this be the end of it!

from Keith Topping <keith@tooon.demon.co.uk>

He's basically correct although it's a little bit more complicated than that. For many years in England there were several different charts compiled by various different organisations - each of the music papers had their own, the British Market Research Bureau compiled one for the BBC (which is normally used now as the "official chart") and, as mentioned, Independent Radio had their own. Thus it was quite possible for a record to be number 1 in one chart but something like number 4 in another. A standard trivia question in the UK is "what was the Beatles first UK number 1 single?" Most people would assume it to be 'Please Please Me' their first big hit, and indeed that did make number 1 on several charts, but not on the one the BBC used where it only made number 2. The normal response to such a question is "according to which chart?"

I imagine that whoever suggested that 'Funky Gibbon' got to number 2 (Bill Oddie - Ed) was referring to an 'unofficial' chart they had seen, perhaps in Melody Maker or New Musical Express. For the record, according to 'The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles' which uses the BRMB/BBC charts indicates that ‘Funky Gibbon's highest chart placing was number 4 (it also lists the single as a double A-side with 'Sick Man Blues', though I certainly can't remember SMB getting much airplay.

4. GOODIES TRIVIA QUIZ

by David McAnally <dsm@maths.uq.oz.au>

This month’s questions are on the episode...SCATTY SAFARI

1: In what way did the Goodies' safari park differ from other safari parks?

2: What was so unusual about Rolf Harris in "Scatty Safari"?

3: What did the Queen want her subjects to do in "Scatty Safari"?

4: What were the Goodies' rewards in "Scatty Safari"?

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S QUESTIONS

1: What do all the girls do when the Goodies leave them?

2: What were the names of the individual Goodies in "Alternative Roots"?

ANSWER: Graeme was "Keltic Kilty" (or "Celtic Kilty"); Bill was "Kinda Kinky"; and Tim was "Kounty Kutie" (or "County Cutie").

3: What did Tim want to keep hidden in "Earthanasia"?

ANSWER: His belly button.

4: What was so unusual about Tim's fiancee in "A Hunting We Will Go"?

ANSWER: She was a wardrobe.

5. DID YOU KNOW?

ECKY THUMP IS LETHAL!

from Andy Harrison <bs5eiajh@bs41.staffs.ac.uk>

Here is an incredibly useless bit of trivia I saw in a book about the strangest way people died over here. In 1975 a man died of laughing while watching The Goodies.

The episode which “killed” the man was in fact ‘Kung Fu Kapers’. Apparently the man’s wife wrote a letter to The Goodies thanking them for making her husband’s last moments so happy. There are more details about this at:

Ian’s Humour Pages

6. QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Here’s one of many gems from episode #48 ‘The End’:

TBT: I want a son. I must have a son. Graeme, you’re a doctor.

GG: Sorry, can’t be done.

TBT: But a man isn’t a man unless he exercises his right to fatherhood.

BO: You can exercise it all you like, but you won’t find much use for it here!

And finally, as you may know, this month of February marks Graeme Garden’s 54th birthday. The official day to wear brown and marry your computer is 18th February. And when the priest says ‘Is there anyone who can show just cause why this computer may not be wed to this man/woman’ reply with a swift ‘No, ya fool!’.

<carrot@olis.net.au>

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This is an archive newsletter of The Goodies Rule - OK! International Fan Club (copyright The Goodies Rule - OK! 1997). Some of the information in this newsletter may now be incorrect. Current information can be obtained from http://www.goodiesruleok.com

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