Take my wife... please

[marcus]

I happened to catch a programme on TV last night, called "Guess who's coming to dinner?". The premise is that a 'celebrity' sits in a studio and talks about who he would invite to a dinner party and why... basically a TV version of the old parlour game.Anyway, Bob Monkhouse was on last night, and he started off with what I thought was a fairly predictable type of guest list - Walt Disney, Lauren Bacall, Dorothy Parker... and then he threw in Philip of Macedon!What was more, he actually seemed to know a bit about Philip! His reason for choosing Philip was that Philip was this great man, blah blah blah, who was totally overshadowed by his son; and he wanted to put the record straight.I was just disappointed that Bob, as a comedian, didn't latch on to one of our favourite Philip stories - that when his barber asked how he'd like his hair cut, he replied: "in silence".All the bestMarcus

[chris]

Hi MarcusI missed the programme, but it sounds fun. Your opening title reminded me of the chap who took his wife to buy a car and said to the salesman "I'd like a new car for my wife please" and the salesman said "..and a very good swap it would be sir"Chris

[marcus]

Hi Chris,Boom tish! I like that.Unfortunately, I have a great liking for all the classics - Les Dawson, Bob Monkhouse, Tommy Cooper, etc. so for the sake of everyone's sanity, don't encourage me!All the bestMarcusPS: You can always tell when my mother-in-law's coming round, 'cos the mice throw themselves onto the traps!

[jan]

Hi Marcus,That sounds like fun. Wish I could have seen it. It reminds me of Steve Allen's program Meeting of the Minds. There is a game called Insight in which people find themselves at tables with various celebrity personalities. They seemed to have overlooked Philip, but I like the choice. Sounds interesting and intriguing to me.Like the question that Joe Scarborough is asking about Hilary Clinton? What question do you want to ask her in her interview with Barbara Walters?What question would you ask Philip or Alexander if you had the opportunity?Jan

[Thalestris-Alexandros]

Hmmmm, like that imagination invention, Janet. I would ask:"King Philip, reflecting on all that you and your son experienced, what would you like to say to him now?""Alexander, Lord of Asia, what would you like to say to the youth of today?"I'm having fun again .Aieeeee,
Amazon Queen

[marcus]

"So, Al - may I call you Al? - what exactly *did* the oracle at Siwa tell you?""Phil - mate - do *you* know exactly who was behind your assassination?"

[jan]

Those are great.I'll play. Amazona Queen, what do you mean? You are having fun again? Will you explain?Marcus, I am fascinated by your dating book.To ATG: Which of your wives would you marry today?To Phil: Will you tell me all about Cabiri? It is difficult to try to transpose time but as I am able to some how or other tap in on ancient times now and again, I am somewhat aware of what life was like then.In all honesty, when a man has four wives, I wonder which he likes the most and why. Since Greeks and Macedonians were under the influence of the written word, especially HOmer's, it is fascinating to me to see how the savagery visited upon Troy made it possible for Alexander to continue to behave in the same manner, accepting it as a matter of good policy. Thebes is always a source of regret for him, yet he had Achilles and the Iliad as a source of inspiration, so I believe that he can be forgiven.Literature and movies do have a great impact upon people and Alexander is proof positive so much that I had to forgive Richard Nixon for his having been influenced by the movie Patton.

[Thalestris-Alexandros]

I am having fun with my imagination...I need some fun every now and then to take a small respite from research analysis. I like to have fun with my imagination: so I want to attend a drinking party with Alexander, and challenge him to a sword-fight dual, and play a game of draughts with him, and arm wrestle with him, and after all that exhaustion...Amazon Queen Smiles

[marcus]

Hi Jan,Perhaps I'm being thick, but what do you mean by my "dating book"?All the bestMarcus

[aen]

Thalestris,
Like the drinking party idea, as ye know; draughts less so, but do-able; the armwrestling thing - interesting; but the swords bit - surley suicidal.Speaking of which, do you keep any swords?

[Thalestris-Alexandros]

I do not own any for the particular styles I prefer go for $1000 U.S. dollars and more; I was interested in one 17th century Damascus sword that I saw at a Renaissance Festival, but I did not have the $1000 in my wallet at that moment. I always wanted to learn how to belly dance with swords. That is what I meant with Alexander---not a sword dual to kill, but a sword dance to enthrall .Ala-lai-lai-lai!!!
Amazon Queen

[jan]

Hi Marcus,I am so sorry. It was Nick who wrote Blind Dates for Dummies. Please forgive. My fault...Jan

[Jeniveve]

why would you say that????? That was real mean.

[marcus]

Hi Jenevieve,You aren't steeped in the culture of English working men's clubs, are you?"Take my wife... please" is a *very* old joke that stand up comedians have been using for centuries.If you're not careful, you'll start getting the full repertoire of mother-in-law jokes, and then the few people on the forum who still have a reasonably good opinion of me will dwindle even more. :-)All the bestMarcus