He was a much-loved television personality, and the most famous owner of a withered appendage since Kaiser Bill. Sadly, Jeremy Beadle passed away in February. In the latest What's Brewing?, it's revealed he was once on CAMRA's National Executive for six months, back in 1973.
Founding member Michael Hardman recalls that "he resigned half way through his first year after a furious row, which was none of his making, over a perceived unfair distribution of labour among the entirely amateur hierarchy of CAMRA. CAMRA's loss was Saturday evening's gain, for Jeremy soon rose to the kind of small-screen prominence reserved until then for Morecambe and Wise".
Never trust people who think beer subdivides into "lager", "bitter" and "Guinness".
Never trust people who say they like chain bars because "they always know what they're getting".
Never trust people who list "socialising" as an interest on their CV.
Never trust people who can't give a straightforward answer when you ask them where they're from.
Never trust people who invite you on skiing trips when you have never expressed any interest in the sport (or indeed their company).
Never trust blokes who try and ban the c-word from conversation because their bird doesn't like it (just say it more).
Never trust people who "don't like to lose control".
Finally and most importantly, never, ever trust people who don't drink beer, unless they have a very good excuse - and for the avoidance of doubt, being an uptight, miserable sod is not a very good excuse.
Stonch lives in London, where he runs a pub.
He was a much-loved television personality, and the most famous owner of a withered appendage since Kaiser Bill. Sadly, Jeremy Beadle passed away in February. In the latest What's Brewing?, it's revealed he was once on CAMRA's National Executive for six months, back in 1973.
7 comments:
"distribution of labour among the entirely amateur hierarchy of CAMRA" - anyone else detect a hint that Michael Hardman hasn't entirely forgiven those that caused this rumpous, even after 35 years...?
the same thing happens these days - good people driven away by petty squabblers.
Voluntary organisations are always wracked with strife and back biting. It's a fact of life. Remember that an organisation like CAMRA is bound to attract fairly strident people, then add a load of beer to the mix, and you're going to get some rows. It isn't surprising really.
Apparently the editor of What's Brewing thought people were pulling his plonker when they kept emailing him after Beadle's death to say he used to be on the Camra executive ...
Paradoxical character, Beadle, the public professed to dislike him, but actually I get the impression most people actually liked him and admired what he had achieved - none of the obituaries I saw had anything but great praise for him.
Zythophile, I agree with you, and think the same goes for other TV entertainers of his ilk and era. People love to moan about them, perhaps because they're on the telly so bloody much. However, ultimately they're respected for their professionalism and people miss them when they're gone.
There is one exception to this as far as I'm concerned, though: Noel Edmonds. The cheeky twat pinned me against a wall in his 4x4 two summers ago in a narrow street in Cannes. He wound his window down to apologise whereupon my girlfriend at the time loudly proclaimed "oh look, it's Richard Branson".
I always wonder why CAMRA hasn't splintered into a thousand different parts, each with its own set of rules as to what makes an acceptable beer / pub / jacket.
I think you'll find Camra has splintered into groups with differing views. They are called branches!
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