A few years ago, during a BBC shoot in Switzerland, Sir David Attenborough arrived for a single day to narrate a piece to camera.
SDA has a reputation for having miraculous luck and one of these events happened on this short little shoot.
During breakfast we discovered that SDA didn’t have a blue shirt. For continuity reasons he always wears a blue shirt and the producer usually carries a spare but today no-one had a blue shirt.
The nearest town was at least an hour’s drive in a direction away from the filming location, a big logistical nightmare was brewing as we discussed the options.
On the way to the location we had to pass through a tiny town consisting of a baker and a newsagent, none of these unpromising-looking shops were open yet. But as we arrived three vans were parked and starting to set out their wares; a ladies underwear seller, a tablecloth seller ... and a man wheeling a rack of ladies blouses out of his van, we screeched to a halt, I snatched a short-sleeved blue blouse off the rail, held one against Sir David and said 'how much?
We were charged a ransom for a really badly made nylon blouse with buttons the size of cds but the colour was right and it saved the day.
Shuntaro Tanikawa.
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Another post about an interesting translator: Michael S. Rosenwald at the
NY Times reports that “Shuntaro Tanikawa, Popular Poet and Translator of
‘Peanuts...
6 hours ago
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So sorry to hear about the horrible day. I'll try to find some whiskey and/or gin. MJ can provide the cake!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant going with the blue shirt continuity thing!
I would've sold Dave my blue shirt, for a reasonable profit. Fair's fair.
ReplyDeleteBTW, what kind of whiskey are you drinking? Scotch whiskey, Canadian whiskey or Tennessee whiskey?
Ooh I love this insider stuff :)
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous that you worked with him..insanely so..I bet that he is super easy going isn't he?
His sing-song cadence and that quaint little accent make me believe everything that Sir Dave utters is gospel truth.
When I was shooting commericals I would always do an Attenborough impersonation to lighten up the crew...and it is HEEYAH, we find the most remarkable insect in Canada, you can't see it with the naked EYE, but, if it bites you, you will suffer a horrible painful death within minutes. Aren't they beautiful?
rant on sugar! lord knows y'all have listened to enough of mine! seriously, i do hope whatever is plaguing ceases IMMEDIATELY! xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteGlad we finally got to hear the David Attenborough's blouse story!
ReplyDeleteSorry you've had a shit day. I think it must be contagious.
I remember that shot - I thought his shirt was weird and kinda blousy...
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you'd say "So we got the frilliest, pink blouse the guy had and made him wear that for the shoot!" But I still liked the story regardless.:)
ReplyDeleteI come bearing cake.
ReplyDeleteIs Sir David a big girl's blouse?
Tomorrow is another day. Sorry today was so shitty.
ReplyDeleteI'm living vicariously through you - first with your two-year stint in France and now with your plethora of celebrity meetings/relations.
Lulu, you rock!
David Attenborough deserves better treatment this - like changing the colour of the animals etc to match the shirt of his choice!
ReplyDeleteI hope you at least had a good night after your lousy day.
I'll never look at DA the same way again
ReplyDeleteKeep 'em coming kiddo - jeez, who do I think I am?
ReplyDeleteSorry about your rubbish day. Go and get some chocolate.
xl - Hey cake's arrived - where's the whisky?
ReplyDeleteBill - unfortunately I was unabe to lay my hands on whiskey/whisky of any stripe but I'm a sucker for a single malt - Islay's nice.
Donn - DA is super easy going and very funny. He tells a lot of good stories where he's shown up for a fool.
Sav - Life is plaguing me darling Life!
Lulu, you're a star and don't deserve a bad day. You deserve MACARONS email me your address and I'll send you a little box of treats. exocush@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteKevin - Oh dear, who do you think started it?
ReplyDeleteMRdog - I remember that shot - I thought his shirt was weird and kinda blousy...
I hope you wrote in to complain
Ms Assassin - I did also get the frilliest, pink blouse and he had to wear it for supper.
MJ - thanks for cake, xl's a bit slow with the whisky though.
Sir David is as far from being a big girl's blouse as is possible
Scribe - as long as you're not living vicariously through my rubbish bits too.
Gadjo - Thank you but the evening got worse. I appear to have survived and today is another day
Nursey - Is he enhanced - or just girlified?
Joeyjojojojojojojoj
ReplyDeleteMACARONS - YOUR MACARONS - THE MACARONS BETTER THAN THAT POSH PARISIAN MACARON SHOP!!!!!
email coming
xx
Frenchie - I've got macarons coming
ReplyDeletexxxx
I think Attenborough prevented a lot of alcoholism by captivating frustrated people coming home from work, and thus making sure they wouldn't immediately drown themselves in swimming pools of whiskey (and dragging rescue puppies with them).
ReplyDeleteHow disturbing would it be for all these borderline alcoholics to see him without a blue shirt! You didn't only save the day, you also saved many souls and livers!
Take a good look at me...
ReplyDeleteCan't you see I've brought the whiskey?
Borah - I now see myself as a modern-day Mother Teresa - thank you
ReplyDeleteMJ - Glad you brought the second one I liked the first too but was hoping that xl had a spot of Jack Daniels on him. You can never have too much whiskey in the house!
Good old blouse merchants.
ReplyDeleteThis story makes me smile. I'm a big fan of Mr. A., and delighted to find myself with six degrees of separation from one of his blue blouses.
ReplyDelete