I think, as jobs that involve having a camera shoved in your face go,
the post is fairly exacting. Woodrow Wilson once declared that "The
ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people", and he summed
up what I’m getting at here. Sure, being a talk show host requires an aptitude
in front of a live audience and personality by the barrel but its only half the
check-list (take note, here, Davina). To be up there with the Parkinsons and the Rosses hosts need
to carve through the hot air of celeb-talk and ask the questions we want the
answers to, must nimbly switch from carrying the show solo to being engaged and
engaging mediums for their guests.
Now, I’ve already made plain my reluctance to lampoon Jonathan Ross (the
reigning King of chat show hosts at the moment, as far as I’m concerned) and
he’s off air at the moment anyway (cue the “part-time but quadruple-pay” slurs),
so when I settled on objectively blogging about a chat-show to highlight the
amount of forethought that goes into the good ‘uns, “The Graham Norton Show”
was the only path left unblocked.
As Graham bounded onto
the stage last Friday night I had a minor epiphany as to why I’d always given
his show a wide berth during Ross-droughts. I had always found him inexplicably
alienating, as if the camp-ness dial he cranks up during his shows, and the
persona he dons, is a bit too inflated to get near to. That said, his intro to
the show was on the money and won me over a whole bunch. It focused, thanks to
one of his impending guests, on the Eurovision Song Contest, and Norton put me
at ease by poking fun at that pesky persona I had always found irritating. In
reference to a shot of Russia’s along-in-years girl-group entry he quipped, “If
they’re singing in Eurovision, who’s cleaning my house?” When ribbing host
country Azerbaijan’s imagined reaction to Jedward,
he jested about what they might make of
him when he arrived. It was tongue-in-cheek meta-comedy, and Norton as host
overcame the persona-barrier by skipping around it to our side and ridiculing
it with us.
 |
| Confused: Had Norton expected more of Kristen? |
“The Graham Norton
Show” welcomes its guests onto the stage simultaneously, apparently (fellow
Ross-lovers: I know it sounds uncouth but bear with me). Once I’d gotten past
Norton’s bingo caller-esque welcoming, it added to rather than detracted from
the show’s vibe. Kristen Stewart, of “Twilight” fame, was the show’s first
focal guest. Norton initially asked her about her new flick “Snow White and the
Huntsman”, and it was dire through-and-through; Stewart seemed blasé and
unsettled by Norton’s probing, and he wasted no time in glossing over the
sticky situation with a clip. The segment we got, as it went, was fairly
promising; it showed the film’s flapping Snow White rescuing her male escort
from a mightily aggravated giant-creature. I’m doing it zero justice, but it
looked engrossing and off the wall. How did Kristen promote it? She said
mumbled that it was a “classical retelling”. Riiiiight. I won’t let this post
escalate into a Stewart-bashing, so back to Norton. He seemed to know precisely
when to give up one line of questions and try a different tack, and despite Stewart’s
grunts and clunky explanations he wormed a couple of responses out of her
regarding the next and concluding “Twilight” installment (we can expect heaps
of Edward-Bella bedroom action). I mentioned that assembling multiple guests on
the chat-show sofa at once was an asset to the show, and this was plain during
Stewart’s segment. When she tried on the whole modest, arty-actress “I like to
fight for a part rather than having it written for me” nonsense, fellow guest
and U.S. comedy legend Chris Rock chirped up “I don’t care, just give me the
job!” It diffused the cringe worthy and nigh-on incoherent responses of Stewart
and Norton, for his part, seemed immensely soothed. Even quiet Brit Stephen
Mangan managed to get his two pennies’ worth across as Kristen stumbled over
her own words.
 |
| In the spotlight: Norton's guests were a mixed back |
When talk finally
turned to Chris Rock the show was immeasurably enhanced and Norton showcased
his extensive talk-show prowess. After covering his new film “2 Days in Paris”
eloquently, amusingly and consistently with the snippet we were shown, Rock
joined Norton in deriding his career and success; he made it plain how bizarre
he found actors’ astronomical salaries and constant complaining over their
hardships. It was refreshing to see such a down-to-earth U.S. actor following
the Kristen-car crash, and Norton clearly relished the light heartedness Rock
showered over the show. This segment also gave him the chance to indulge in a
spot of banter with his guests (Ross fans felt at home here), as he jested
about Rock’s inability to complete his daughters’ homework. After
characteristically bringing guests one and three back into the fold by inviting
them to share their own school-related stories (one of my One Line Wonders,
taken from this point, is my all-time favorite) Norton seamlessly incorporated
into the show the viewing of a website on which legitimate detention slips are
posted. It was laugh-a-minute, bona-fide talk show gold, done artfully and
without the least hint of Norton’s maneuvering. Rock was opportunely asked to speak
about his relationship with Obama, and Norton (displaying that chat-show
finesse I spoke of earlier that requires asking relevant and searching
questions without compromising program ethos), discerningly inquired about Obama’s
recent public support of gay marriage. Was it, Norton mused, Obama pushing for
votes or becoming sloppy because he thinks some presidential races are already
run? It was a welcome and up-to-date contrast to the hilarity that Rock brought
to the table, and it showed Norton as unequivocally in the control seat when it
comes to the show's "To-Talk" list.
 |
| Strained: Stewart responded to audience applause with grace |
Actor Stephen Mangan
served as the penultimate guest in Norton’s range, and our host (get me,
claiming him and everything) shrewdly refused to let the sparkle of his hour
fade after having sparred with two gargantuan U.S. draws. They covered the
sophomore series of Mangan’s series “Episodes”, starring Matt le Blanc (Norton
did a stellar job of selling it, so expect a review soon), as well as a
spanking new project that sees Mangan take on the role of Postman Pat. It could
have been flatter than a newly bought IKEA desk, had it not been for Norton’s
aptitude for spicing up the dullest of topics with wit and Mangan’s inviolability
as far as being star-struck is concerned.
Engelbert Humperdinck swaggered
onto the stage as guest number four. Call me cynical but might the billing of
Humperdinck as the starring guest, despite his lack of pulling power, have
something to do with his and Norton’s mutual involvement in Eurovision this
year? Frankly, he’s less current than Stewart is articulate and shoving him in
as the show’s supposed crescendo was embarrassing to watch. Humperdink spoke somberly
about Eurovision, notably about the timing of his performance being convenient
because it comes at a time that his voice is most “open”. Perhaps sensing the
jovial and natural momentum he had conjured up post-Stewart coming to a
sluggish end, Norton reverted to taking swipes at the contest and what a
prestigious and significant national event it isn’t. Nice save, Graham.
 |
| Please release us: Humperdinck's performance was the show's dullest point |
The show closed with
its customary “Stories from the Red Chair” bit, which honestly needs to be cut
from the format as a matter of urgency. The first tale was about a girl who
proudly “popped her cherry” in a less than orthodox manner, so thank goodness
Rock was there to characteristically dispel the residue awkwardness. The
second? I’ve already forgotten it, something about batteries.
Fundamentally, despite 50% of the
line-up lacking gumption Norton put on a cracking show. Questions were insightful
without being monotonous for a Friday night, he evaded the temptation to become
obscured beneath Rock’s larger-than-life charisma and he won over at least one
hardcore Ross champion.
One Line Wonder
I’ve narrowed it down
to two, but I can’t do it anymore: think Bella in “New Moon” trying to pick
between Jacob and Edward (both blatantly out of her small-town league anyway,
by the way), and multiply by ten.
Graham (having spoken to her for 15 minutes): SO
Kristen. Did you go to school?
Chris Rock (speaking about stage acting to Mangan):
You’ve done a play. (Turning to Kirsten
Stewart) You’re not good enough yet.
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