>Jenny Lecoat. Yes.
>
>She was a stand-up in the 80s, one of those referred to as 'alternative' (exactly WHEN did that die out? I reckon by the time of MWE's 2nd radio series). Lee&herring took the piss out of her in their 'History of Alt Com', but I remember seeing her on 'Friday Night Live' once and she wasn't bad, though I don't remember much of her act. Anyone got any better memories?
>
>More interestingly, if you go to this site:
>
>www.kelly.mcmail.com/c42.htm
>
>there is a write-up of a C4 sitcom workshop she was involved with. As was Paul Mayhew-Archer, who remarks: "the most important thing for a sitcom is for it to be funny". Yes, that's the opinion of the man who brought you 'So Haunt Me', 'The Vicar of Dibley' and 'My Hero'. Ahem...

Fair's fair - Mayhew-Archer had nothing to do with So Haunt Me. That was written by Paul Mendelson who co-wrote My Hero with Mayhew-Archer. But he did write Nelson's Column and An Actor's Life For Me, in which John Gordon Sinclair really did play exactly the same character.
>

Jenny Lecoat has also written for Birds Of A Feather, and these days does very nicely thank you writing episodes of EastEnders (as does ex-Q and NME scribe and Maconie sidekick Andrew Collins). I would start giving both shows a good kicking, but lots of people like EastEnders, so I'll go and sulk on my own with that one. Unless anyone wants to start a strand, that is.... (actually, we'd be adding to the myth that everyone really is talking about it, so scrap that).

I meant thread, not strand.

An Actor's Life For Me was superb on the radio.

Jenny LeCoat also wrote for the Lynda LaPlante (don't bother - she's already been derided in great detail and I won't stand for any more) drama Comics which I really like, but no one else does. I think Mark Thomas may also have contributed.

You'll find more information about Jenny Lecoat 80's stand up career in Mark Steele's autobiography "It's Not A Runner Bean."

Like its author, I remember having to endure her set at lefty Red Wedge/Sandinista fundraisers at the time. It consisted of country and western songs about cutting men's willies off. Jokes about how Greenham Common was all the fault of men. Brilliantly thought out material like "Norman Tebbit - He's a twat inny" (cue hysteria/standing ovation) etc.


But oh, here's the irony!

As was pointed out in the book, a few months later, she was to be seen in a TV advert, standing at a sink, washing dishes and telling the viewing nation how Persil gets her whites whiter than other products.

And you wonder why she disappeared?

I thought 'Comics' was good as well, apart from the silly 'mystical' ending when the US comic kills himself because he's thinking about his dead mum, or something... I didn't know JL did a Persil ad. She deserves our thanks for standing up to cruise missiles though, because thanks to people like her there is no longer a threat of nuclear war... oh, that's a cheap 'Daily Mail' line, I know.

The reason I mentioned her is because I found that C4 sitcom site (see the first posting in this strand) and I remembered who she was and had a strange feeling of nostalgia for all that 80s "alternative" stuff, the days when you had proper Channel 4, not like now: swearing at primetime, Derek Jarman films, documentaries about lesbians... A while back I found a compilation album for an 80s indie band called The Shop Assistants, and I bought just because the photo on the front showed them looking exactly like every band I remember seeing on 'The Tube'... exciting times...

Does he intened to kill himself? I don't remember that clearly but I thought he was just a bit mad and drunk and he was going ok on his bike until he accidentally hit the rock and even then, he still seemed to get off pretty lightly. Till he died, that is.
I especially like the film for introducing me to Stay With Me Baby as sung by Ruby Turner. That was super and I can't find it anywhere to buy. The song that is. Only Bette Midler's....mad version of it.

But wasn't the point that the police were after him because they wrongly thought he had something to do with the shooting in London, or perhaps it was the criminals that were after him, but anyway his manager was after him because he just did a terrible gig and got pissed yet again, and anyway he clearly decided to make a final do-or-die attempt to wheelie over the rock, which was at least a half-hearted attempt to kill himself as well... I always thought.

>Does he intened to kill himself? I don't remember that clearly but I thought he was just a bit mad and drunk and he was going ok on his bike until he accidentally hit the rock and even then, he still seemed to get off pretty lightly. Till he died, that is.
>I especially like the film for introducing me to Stay With Me Baby as sung by Ruby Turner. That was super and I can't find it anywhere to buy. The song that is. Only Bette Midler's....mad version of it.

Beccy: I agree that Ruby Turner's version of Stay With Me Baby is pretty good, but you should definitely check out Lorraine Ellison's original version, from 1966. Apparently recorded in one take, too - and one of Lou Reed's favourite singles (so he said in Mojo a few years ago, anyway). Available on loads of 60s soul compilations -possibly easiest one to find is a double CD called The Very Best Of Blues Brother Soul Sister (on the Dino label). Barely a duff track on it!

Justin, thanks very much for that info, I've just located it on Napster so will tell you what I think.
Ruby Turner also does the Murder Most Horrid theme - don't suppose you or anyone else knows if she also sang the theme to the illfated LaPlante (sorry to resurect her again :o) series Lifeboat. I never really watched the programme, but I always made a point of catching the credits!