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Stephen Fry


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England's most erudite actor, comedian, TV personality (not necessarily in that order).

I love watching his BBC panel show QI, which is like all those other BBC panel shows, but you actually learn about interesting facts historical, scientific, natural etc...

Also his TV series were he rides throughout the USA in a London Black cab was very interesting and funny.

And here he is talking, basically about himself for 30 minutes, and it's absolutely fascinating.

Most of human history and arts can be expressed in Star Trek plots

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He's also a writer, isn't he? I remember flipping through one or two of his books. Can't say I watch his programmes regularly. But when I do, it's always interesting.

Karol

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He's also a writer, isn't he? I remember flipping through one or two of his books. Can't say I watch his programmes regularly. But when I do, it's always interesting.

Karol

Well he's a bit of a Jack of all trades really, excelling at all areas he's dabbled in Without becoming famous for them. He's more famous for being Stephen Fry then for being a comedian, writer, actor or presenter.

In the clip I posted I love his comparison between depression and bad weather.

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He's also a writer, isn't he? I remember flipping through one or two of his books. Can't say I watch his programmes regularly. But when I do, it's always interesting.

Karol

Well he's a bit of a Jack of all trades really, excelling at all areas he's dabbled in Without becoming famous for them. He's more famous for being Stephen Fry then for being a comedian, writer, actor or presenter.

He's also a self confessed manic depressive. Apparently he was almost suicidal a few years ago when one of his plays got absolutely panned by the critics. I can remember him going dark. He wasn't to be seen on anything for a good long while.

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I could listen to him talk for hours. Class act and a national treasure for Britain, really.

Indeed. Could not put it better myself. Such a big hearted artist who can be even (and especially) in his humor quite profound.

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You think he's an artist?

Well if you count actors, writers and comedians as artists then yes.

You just had to start splitting hairs Lee.

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I know it was a cunning ploy to coax me to offer 800 word essay on it but I have since few threads changed my mind. It is sometimes too early to write such things.

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You switched to "stripped-down streamlined 90's Goldsmith" kind of style lately. ;)

Karol

You have to read between the lines. My style is as complex and well constructed as ever. And it certainly has emotional punch. I know many people say I write on autopilot most of the time but that's just not true. I'll save the true Desert Chase type writings for special occasions. And composing them takes time you know. ;)

Back on the subject of Fry. He is most famous for his comedic roles and that wonderful sense of witty banter but is a great dramatic actor as well. I can't wait to see him in the Hobbit as the grasping Master of the Lake-Town.

And that interview Stefan linked in his first post was excellent. He obviously was incredibly at ease with that huge audience and with so ready wit.

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I wonder if the our American friends will recognise the other fella in the sketch...

That clip would come as a huge surprise to many Americans - apparently most of them don't realise he's British (Singer didn't when he auditioned).

I like Fry - very down to earth (some of the stuff he says on QI is so relaxed and 'un pc'... very refreshing) yet a superb actor, particularly in Blackadder.

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I once heard him described as "a stupid person's idea of what an intelligent person looks like". If that's the case, I'd like to stay stupid.

I'm not sure what that person meant. For example, I'm wondering what is the intelligent person's idea of what an intelligent person looks like then?

He should play a Bond Villain.

Yeah, I'd like that.

Karol

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Fry is an interesting guy and although the phrase is out there that he's a "national treasure", one or two British newspapers actually seem to love to sinking their savage teeth into him whenever in a day of frustration he threatens on his blog to quit, or makes controversial statements the tabloid mentality can't handle. When he does that, they show no mercy and attract commenters to engage in a hate fest. To me his best work was with Hugh Laurie in the Fry & Laurie series. Very witty stuff. Blackadder,fun but Stephen himself and his particular qualitys come out more in Fry & Laurie.

One talk he was invited to give at a debate where he eloquently gave the Catholic 'institution' of the past and today a roasting,is a good one to watch (

&
).

When it came to Oscar Wilde, it's hard to imagine anyone else having portrayed Wilde but Stephen.

The show where he went through the U.S was interesting but the documentary he did about his love for Wagner's music was superb and I could really relate to how it touches him.

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England's most erudite actor, comedian, TV personality (not necessarily in that order).

I love watching his BBC panel show QI, which is like all those other BBC panel shows, but you actually learn about interesting facts historical, scientific, natural etc...

Also his TV series were he rides throughout the USA in a London Black cab was very interesting and funny.

And here he is talking, basically about himself for 30 minutes, and it's absolutely fascinating.

Absolutely fascinating, thank you for sharing that. Was there more?

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I like the guy, but I was underwhelmed with his Wagner documentary. It was more about how the music affected him than a thorough look into the music

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I like the guy, but I was underwhelmed with his Wagner documentary. It was more about how the music affected him than a thorough look into the music

It could be said that the documentary was as much about Wagner as it was about Fry.

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It was more about how the music affected him than a thorough look into the music

That's what I liked about it, really. Not specifically related to Fry, but how Wagner's music can touch people in 'good' ways.

Far too often that gets overshadowed by all the politics surrounding Wagner, so it was nice to see something more positive.

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Well, Fry is certainly one of the sharpest, quick-witted personality's on British telly. After Jimmy Carr, and Paul Merton.

I like Merton in Have I Got News For You, though I prefer Ian Hislop.

Jimmy Carr is just a stand-up comedian, albeit a good one.

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Well, Fry is certainly one of the sharpest, quick-witted personality's on British telly. After Jimmy Carr, and Paul Merton.

Too bad he caved in to political correctness when he wrote the new script for The Dam Busters. The Dog's name was "Nig ger" yet he changes it so as not to offend any Americans, which I find completely hypocritical because Americans use the word in its derogatory form more than anyone else. So why the hell would THEY be offended when they know it's just the name of a dog????????

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Americans are very...very sensitive when it comes to the word nigger. I was once banned here because i used it and the then moderator took an issue with it.

Black Americans can use it, but if a white one does it, he's in a shitload of trouble. with Afro-Americans, but even more by the politically correctness police that rules the US media.

And it does seem to be fairly American trauma, not a black people one. To my girlfriends it's not any more offensive then other swear words.

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