The Extras by HBO on BBC

I'm really glad I've been able to see "The Extras" these last two Thursdays. The jokes are outrageous although my experience of people on film sets is way more positive. Film people are brilliant at small talk which makes perfect sense as they all have to get along from 5 am to 1 am for weeks at a time. I'm not fooled by the BBC logo. It's edgy and well written and reeks of all that HBO does well, including being cool and self deprecating. Another HBO winner, it isn't tv is it.

Today I gave the office staff at Notting Hill tube the web address of little green footballs so they could have a laugh too. I also took a photo of the actual signs that were up in Notting Hill tube this afternoon.












I have tried to take the tube every day since July 7th and today was the heaviest in terms of armed police at the top of each stair and leaning against walls by the ticket office. Of course, I'm going in and out of Oxford Circus. I remember doing research ages ago that said that is the busiest station of the entire network. It's not about defiance now, it's about capitulation, not happening!



The "Apple of Discord" was awarded last night even though three debaters initially tied for first place on logical grounds. I took 27 pages of notes for 26 speeches! If you think about it, so much has happened in the last month, naturally everyone had something compelling to say.

So much stands out even now. The awful attempts at American Texan accents (I didn't detract points for that). The numerous derisory comments about the media (tons of points for that), the good use of a strong opening statement and good use of humour (tons and tons of points). One of the joint "first placers" stood up to his full six foot two height and then seemed to go even higher as he raised his arm pointing his fingers like a gun and went "Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang."

The winner of the Apple of Discord's opening statement was "What is news?" then he went on "how do you define terrorism?" (The riposte was "civilians targeted in war" from a veteran of many sessions at Speaker's Corner.) His use of rhetorical questions as well as tone and manner just tipped the balance. Oh! And of course, his final statement "This is the month of London".