“I’m as hard to play as a Stradivarius”

Just catching up on Wednesdays episode of The Apprentice. It never fails to entertain.

Angel of the £££££

A great story from last nights Antiques Roadshow (yeah I am that cool).

Imagine: Jay-Z

Alan Yentob profiles Jay-Z tonight on BBC One at 10.35, supposedly he fawns over him a bit too much and they don’t really chat about Jay-Z’s drug dealing years and stabbing of Lance Rivera but I’ll still be watching.

The ‘R’ Word

The BBC are refusing to use the word recession instead referring to the current negative growth and post boom climate as a ‘downturn’. Personally I think ostrich like approach doesn’t really help anyone and is a bit stupid. I realise its more of a glass half full kind of approach but I’m more of a lets get straight to the point kind-of guy. But anyway, I have a theory. Maybe the BBC refusing to use the ‘R’ word is down to them knowing about Recession blocker and acting accordingly? Its brought to you by the authors of A Book for People Who Want to Become Stinking Rich but Aren’t Quite Sure How which I think has to one of the best book titles ever. 

BBC Radio 2 Advert

Thats right the one with Brand, Winkleman, Evans and Ross. Features this gem of a Bowie track..

The music featured in the advert:

Run DMC – Walk This Way
David Bowie – Sound & Vision
KT Tunstall – Black Horse & The Cherry Tree
Blondie – Atomic
James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag

‘If’ – Rudyard Kipling

If

If you can keep your head when all about you 
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; 
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, 
But make allowance for their doubting too; 
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, 
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, 
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, 
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; 
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; 
If you can meet with triumph and disaster 
And treat those two imposters just the same; 
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken 
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, 
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, 
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings 
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, 
And lose, and start again at your beginnings 
And never breath a word about your loss; 
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew 
To serve your turn long after they are gone, 
And so hold on when there is nothing in you 
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, 
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch; 
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; 
If all men count with you, but none too much; 
If you can fill the unforgiving minute 
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run - 
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, 
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

Jay-Z

On Jonathan Ross right now. Legend. Period. Get ‘Reasonable doubt’ and ‘The Blueprint’ – seminal hip hop. Amazing glasses as well. 

Coldplay live at the BBC

Could it be anymore cringe worthy? Constant shots of Ricky Gervais and a crowd who look like they have had a bit too much Red Bull. But as I’m writing this the gig has almost been single handily redeemed in the cool stakes by someone in the crowd. Rapper, business mogul and all round sharp head – Jay-Z. 

Lee McQueen – You’re hired!

Hooray! Nice one fella, glad he won!

Gobby or fibber?

Its the final of the apprentice tonight on BBC1 – entertainment wise it has to be one of the best series to date but it turns of talent it has to be the worse. It seems in his old age Sir Alan’s judge of character has diminished – case in point Michael ”I’m a jew but don’t know what kosher food is” Sophocles who should of been fired before the programme began and Raef ”I have the best collection of shirts/handkerchiefs” Bjayou who should be in the running now. But back to the remaining four, well two as Wotherspoon the wuss doesn’t count and Helene the northern potty mouth won’t win. Which leaves Claire ”gobby” Mcqueen and Lee ”fibber” Young. C’mon Lee!!! Watch and follow read this great blow by blow apprentice blog from the Guardian.