Saturday 27 February 2010

PICK UP THE PHONE... NOW

Is it just me or does John Barrowman get everywhere these days? He's on every talk show, news bulletin, kids tv programe, talent show. I believe he's even leading out the Manchester United team at the League Cup Final this Sunday to the tune of 'It's Raining Men, Hallelujah'.

The ubiquitous star of Torchwood, Desperate Housewives and 'let's give the Joseph job to Lee Mead but string it out on free publicity for the next 13 weeks', was seen last week on a guest slot on the QVC shopping channel. Apparently, he stormed it. Whether he was selling Glass Master cleaning accessories, or raving about the cotton quality of the Northern Lights duvet set, he was on fire. The finale came when John flogged his own CD and used the rather nifty method of sealing it in a tupperware box and submerging it in water. Unusual 'David Blaine' selling technique, but apparently he shifted thousands of copies of himself singing 'Now That's What I Call Songs from the Musicals 68'.

I'm sure I'm probably alone in my middle-aged female thinking, but I just don't see the appeal of John Barrowman. He's undoubtedly talented and has a fine West End theatre voice, but I just find his over-exuberance and loud laughing with nifty dental work on show a little annoying (see also Tom Cruise). His ability to switch his American / Scottish accent is at times baffling, as is his unnerving ability to only wear blue shiny suits. I will forever be mystified why older women scream and swoon over him when he is openly gay. That mystification also extends to fans of Cliff Richard and Daniel O'Donnell. The word that sums these performers up I suppose, is naff.

Edgy, raw and sexy performers I like. I'm thinking... Elvis, James Brown, Michael Hutchence, The Stones, The Kinks, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page from Led Zep, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain. They sang about drugs, let's spend the night together and get up I feel like a sex machine. Cliff, Daniel and John sing about Living Dolls, holding hands my Irish Coleen and Copacabana.

NAFF, NAFF, NAFF.

And on that thought, I'll just nip upstairs and put my new Northern Lights duvet set on my bed...



4 comments:

  1. Listen to cast recording of 'The Fix'. Barrowman played a drug addicted politician. He got an Olivier nomination for the performance.

    There are a few clips from the show on youtube.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBG9m-bX8ag

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7fIeq30gAM

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi there and thanks for checking in to the FFB blog. I've had a quick look at the youtube clips via the links you sent. Like I said in the blog, John Barrowman is indeed a talented bloke with a good set of lungs on him. He just unfortunately isn't my cup of tea. Judging by the amount of programmes he's on and the popularity he seems to enjoy, I'm perhaps in the minority with that opinion!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I suggest you put on your Northern NIGHTS duvet set and watch a tape of the show, you will see that John's cd was the first item, not the finale, and it sold out within minutes.
    As he has a cd to promote, it is hardly surprising he is appearing on numerous shows - just like other performers do when they have something to promote

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi there and thanks for your comments which are always welcome. I stand corrected on the running order and the name of the duvet set. I must have got carried away in the excitement of switching from mainstream channels to the QVC channel and seeing John Barrowman once more on our screens.
    FFB

    ReplyDelete