As things are a bit quiet on here at the moment I though I would brainstorm ‘cool’ and not quite so cool people based on my memories or understanding of the past. We can all do such lists and I would be interested in yours. It is a bit like the Room 101 programme with Paul Merton except that I would not want to actually throw anyone out because it might hurt!
Here we go:
COOL [GREAT] PEOPLE – In no particular order
Jack Benny, Denis Compton, Sir Donald Bradman, Vicar Welby, Professor Richard Dawkins, Bill Bailey,Victor Borge, Raich Carter, Soccer Gleghorn, Eric Sykes,Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Tom Finney, President Obama, Ricky McSeveney and the whole cast of Larkrise to Candleford.
NOT QUITE SO COOL PEOPLE – In no particular order
Carol Vorderman, Charles the First, People who say ‘because you are worth it’ in make up adverts, Nicholas Soames, Roy Keane, Harry Redknapp, Sir Alex Ferguson and Jeremy Clarkson.
There are plenty of people that could be added to the above lists but I have avoided awful people like Hitler and Attila the Hun – I need to research Attila a bit more!
Don't worry my next article will be more orthodox!
Wilf B.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
certainly agree with the Cool List!!
ReplyDeleteI really dislike the word cool so my list of people that I admire because they are intelligent and/or skilled in their field, and people that I can't stand or have zero respect for is as follows:
ReplyDeletePeople to be admired, respected and remembered:
Rosalind Franklin - the following text was taken from Wikipedia and backed up by other sources -(25 July 1920 – 16 April 1958) a British biophysicist who was trained as a chemist and specialized in X-ray crystallography. She made important contributions to the scientific understanding of the molecular structures of coal and graphite and, using X-ray diffraction, DNA, RNA and viruses.By using a technique called X-ray diffraction, Franklin obtained results which led to the realization that a DNA molecule consists of an intertwined double helix of atoms.
Tracy Edwards MBE - in 1990 she skippered the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, becoming the first woman to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy and was awarded the Order of the British Empire.
Margaret Thatcher - Love her or loathe her she was a tour de force to be reckoned with and her long reign earns her my respect if nothing else.
Elizabeth I - a powerful and popular Queen who successfully reigned in a time when women were even less respected for their intelligence and abilities than they are now.
Marie Curie - (1867-1934) was instrumental in the physics of radioactivity. She won two Nobel Prizes, the only person honored as such in two science categories. She was also a professor at the Sorbonne in Paris and the first woman to hold such an esteemed position.
Mo Mowlam - for being gutsy and bolshy and not afraid to voice her thoughts.
Prunella Scales / Cate Blanchett / Judi Dench - for being versatile and talented actresses who don't play to a stereotype
Charles Dickens / Roald Dahl / Iris Murdoch / Stieg Larsson / Graham Greene / Thomas Hardy / Terry Pratchett / Milan Kundera - for being great authors
People I can't stand:
Anyone who comes under the term 'celebrity', the list is too extensive to mention but basically anyone who has become famous because of an appearance on Big Brother; pop stars (as opposed to talented musicians); soap stars (as opposed to talented actors and actresses); people who slept with another 'celebrity' etc
Wayne Rooney and all other spoilt and arrogant footballers.
Thanks for your comment Sue; you really have been digging back in to the archive.
ReplyDeleteGood old Ricky!
Jacqui 'Cool' is not a word I normally use; it tends to go with whatever and if you like. We both seem to have neglected Marie Stopes.
Good shout.
ReplyDelete