Notes during Parkinson

Kevin Spacey on first. I've never thought he was cute or charismatic, his delivery tonight isn't bad but Parkinson isn't the foil he would wish for "and then I'm going to take over your show".

The timing was off, it wasn't funny.

Prudential sponsors the show? How does this build confidence in the brand? I suppose Parkinson is a strong brand name, so is the Prudential.

Christina Aguilera is singing with some old continentaley guy. Her hair is great, very WW2 movie star but she looks tinier than Madonna and that's amazing given that everyone looks bigger on tv.

Wow, her voice is is rich and beautiful. He's not singing with her and she keeps looking at him, trying to follow him. Amore, hmmm, Italian?

Tony Blair comes down the few stairs.

Jeez Parkinson mentions he used to be in a band.

Tony Blair is admitting he didn't have pop "talent", admits he doesn't have modern technology skills, has a very British tie, stripes to the right.

Parkinson keeps patting his hand, Kevin Spacey acts surprised when Parky mentions a good review for Blair's Mark Anthony.

Tony Blair: "no reason to go into politics if you don't want to be in the public eye".

About Bill Clinton: He's the best politician as a politician...a very good guy.

Spacey does a GREAT impression of Bill's voice.

Blair has lots of funny stories:

Tells a Clinton story about three shirts, running the gamut from ghastly to unbelievably hideous. I put on ghastly Clinton put on hideous...Clinton points out "people may just think you chose that".

Parkinson asks him about university - I had the usual interests you'd expect.

"It's a long time since anyone used the word socialist about me."

"My dad was very interested in politics, he was a conservative man, he was fostered, he went into the military...went in a communist, come out a conservative."

"He only voted Labour after I became prime minister. He was a self made person."

I was ten or eleven my father had a serious stroke he was going to be a conservative candidate, he had a stroke and had to learn to speak again.

He never recovered completely. When something like that happens, suddenly this moment of complete instability comes into your life, you start to reflect, you think life's not that easy.

We don't live in number ten. You close the flat door, we still talk about the things you'd expect.

First meeting with your father in law like?

He comes into the house, says 'mind if I light a joint', I hadn't ever had a proper chat with him, I said no incidently.

commercial break...

It came upon me very suddenly, John Smith died, people speculate, in 24 hours you have to make up your mind, the scariest thing is you step into a different league of being well known.

Waking up, you know you're going to go for it and you know your life is going to change.

Suddenly it's completely different.

P: you made Labour electable.

T: People liked me then.

You go into the cabinet room..." well, prime minister what do you want to do then?" The euphoria drains away pretty quickly.

...there have been some really difficult decisions...the job is a privledge and it's voluntary.

It's a decision making job...the problem with decision making is there are two points of view.

It is a responsibility.

...sacking friends?

"When you live in the public eye the mistakes you make...are very visible."

P: "You've been called a liar and war monger, what is your feeling...when you read causalties?"

"It's more difficult for the people at the front line, that decision....has to be lived with."

"If you have faith...if you believe in God, you do your ...some decisions have been vv difficult...not just a mater of policy but life and death...try to do the right thing according to your conscience.

P: You struggle with your own conscience about it?

You do what you think is the right thing

If you do the job you've got to be prepared to take the decisions.

P: impossible jobs....media...no time for reflection

B: "The big change is modern politics is, it's 24/7 . It's the way it is.

Living with the media is tough, not going to change...like sharing an apartment with someone who's somewhat deranged.

How do you get on with George Bush?

Spacey acts weird, wheels his chair stage right.

B: I happen to think...I find him extremely straightforward, he's easy and straightforward to deal with.

T: (looks over at Spacey) No comment, that's fine.

Spacey: "It's a very interesting time to be out of the United States."

Heavens did Kevin Spacey just say something intelligent???

They talk about his heart problems. Ends gently.