my.PinkNews.co.uk

I need to replace Julian and Sandy, a feature on my LGBT radio show on shmuFM in Aberdeen because I'm just about to run out of episodes and don't really want to start from the beginning again. I'd rather give them a rest and move on with something else, the problem is what. It needs to be something that is family friendly, the show goes out at 11am on a Sunday, and I want it to have some LGBT aspect to it.

So far the only suggestions I've had are Eddie Izzard or Monty Python, one of them was gay if memory serves.

Any other suggestions would be most appreciated.

Thanks

How many episodes are we talking about, Allan?

Also, are you talking about an appeal to a traditional family or to the kind of family we have made for ourselves here at PinkNews. Personally, my own family has turned away from me, but PinkNews has embraced me.

Also, what audience are you targetting...age group, I mean?

Coming out stories always interest me, and they often have a comical twist.

It's a corker. Good idea to open a Topic about it.

I've heard your show at shmuFM in Aberdeen and it is quality stuff.

Hi Alan,

Have you thought of approaching female comedians? Here's something incredible about Lily Tomlin in today's newsletter from gaywisdom: http://www.Gaywisdo m.org

Looking forward to friday.

JP

Hi JP

When the Sunday show goes out there are a fair number of young people listening, which is why I have to temper some of the items that we read out, and have to be careful about content of items. The interesting thing about the show is how it has got people that listen to the station talking about LGBT issues, many of them had not considered just what life was like for those of us that identify as such. Several of the under 16s that also volunteer for the station have commented on some of the shows, always in a positive fashion.

The idea is to feature mainstream comedy that is/was produced by somebody LGBT. The difficulty is that most of them are not broadcastable because of the contentp; swearing, sexual content etc. Julian and Sandy were ideal for several reasons. It was the first depiction on mainstream media of gay characters, a lot of it is in polari, which gave us the opportunity to discuss that when we first ran the episodes, and most of all it's funny. It was also broadcast by the BBC back in the late 1960s, so it suitable for the audience that is listening at the time.

There was quite a furore last year when one of the presenters after me on a Sunday used the word 'vaginal' totally out of any suitable context. Whilst I have used both vagina and penis during a news story regarding trans issues, I ran the story past the station management before broadcast, just to ensure that I didn't have to face the same issues.

I have prepared a six week re-run of the Adventures of Captain Kremmen, written and produced by Kenny Everett, a British DJ who died of an AIDS related condition a while back, as a stop gap whilst I work on what to play next.

In the meantime I'm currently working on stories from Our Story, the LGBT history project in Scotland. I've got permission from them to feature one story a week. Some of them are quite moving, come from a range of people and will make for interesting listening. As soon as I can find five minutes, and get the studio booked, that particular project will be underway. Don't hold your breath!!

I'll also see if I can find some recordings of Lily Tomlin, if she ever did stand up. Any pointers to those would be most appreciated.

Alan

Hi Alan,

Today is my last day at the gay campground where JG and I have been 'part of the family' for the last 10 days. There is a god!!! How wonderful it has been to share our lives with theirs and vice versa. You wouldn't believe the spirit friendship and mutual respect, caring, understanding...and all this under a full moon and a starry heaven while sitting for hours around a huge campfire with a guitar, a banjo, a ukele and a singer-songwriter. The experience of a lifetime for JG and me.

So, I'll be back home tomorrow. I have a friend who has some Scottish in him, and who is a talented spreaker as well as an encyclopedia of information about performers of all kinds and of all nations. It could take a while to work something out, but I would be willing to be his impressario if I can persuade him to take an interest in your show. We'll talk.

I enjoyed your show Sunday morning. It comes on at 7 a.m. in this neck of the woods, and I woke up at 7.45, desperatly reached for the laptop and was listening to you before putting on the coffee. Nobody but a fool would do something like that...before coffee, I mean...but I had already missed the first 45 minutes, so....!!!

JP

Alan Duncan may have more time on his hands nowadays, if you ask nicely