Why no R.I.P. Jonathan Miller thread?

[Deleted member 26715]

A pseudo-genius, not clever enough to write -say, an opera- himself, but clever enough to mess about with someone else's.

Harsh

 

[Ian H]

He got a bit pompous in old age, but I remember his comedy and his often withering pronouncements with a certain fondness.

 

[swansonj]

Ive never heard of him in 54 yrs

I'm not quite sure whether the emotion behind that statement is pride or shame?

 

[Ian H]

Michael Billington's farewell to him:-
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/nov/28/i-saw-jonathan-miller-in-beyond-the-fringe

 

[Levo-Lon]

I’m sorry to hear that, but not so sorry that I’ll lose any sleep.

Me neither..

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod Note:
I've merged yesterday's and today's JM threads into one.

 

[swee'pea99]

A pseudo-genius, not clever enough to write -say, an opera- himself, but clever enough to mess about with someone else's.

That's a rather silly comment. As though being, say, a film director was a fallback for those too dumb to write a script.

I'm no opera fan, but I'm pretty sure you don't get to 'mess around with' them in London, New York, Florence, Milan, Berlin, Munich and Zurich if you're 'not clever'. I'm sure he would be the last to bandy round words like genius, but he was certainly an extremely bright and talented man, highly regarded by those he worked with, and for my money anyone people like Peter Cook and Alan Bennett were happy to team up with must have been pretty special. RIP Mr Miller, from one of your innumerable pseudo-intellectual fans.

 

[Profpointy]

A pseudo-genius, not clever enough to write -say, an opera- himself, but clever enough to mess about with someone else's.

A bit like all the musicians in the LSO: not clever enough to write their own symphonies they have to play other people's

 

[Cycleops]

A pseudo-genius, not clever enough to write -say, an opera- himself, but clever enough to mess about with someone else's.

No pseudo about it. He also wrote dozens of books on a wide variety of subjects from the human body and medicine to Opera, threatre and comedy. Also had a very down to earth sense of humour as the Clive James interview shows.

 

[Kempstonian]

I remember him. He was ok. Sad he's gone. R.I.P.