Miriam Morgolyes on Graham Norton

[PuppyMonkey]

Anecdote about wanking off three men in a random wood in Edinburgh or something. Everyone laughed hysterically.

Is it just me or have TV chat shows gone really downhill?

So it’s a joke both because it isn’t something you’d expect a nice middle-class Jewish woman to say and because it’s expected of MM.

What about the message to young women that “I couldn’t really say no” delivers?

I think people sometimes take things very literally and don't see the spirit in which they are meant. People on here especially.

Personally I think she is so popular because it's such a joy seeing a woman break all the rules. Thank goodness not everyone conforms to way an older woman is 'supposed' to behave!

Have you watched it?

Yes, especially as you know the whole thing is highly stage managed. All those 'embarrassing' questions the guests pretend to be shocked at will have been cleared by their agent in advance.

I remember a few years ago Kenneth Branagh was promoting one of his films, and telling a load of tedious anecdotes which would have been considered completely dull and self indulgent if 'celebrities' were not involved. "So then Judi Dench said..." Graham is very good at feigning interest and humour but he does get very well paid for it!

Now that you can get all the 'good' bits on social media the next day, I don't really see the point of staying up to sit through chat shows like this.

Sorry but I am laughing at the idea of anyone I know hearing me being described as someone who 'loves a good wanking joke'. I wouldn't even use the word 'wanking'.

More women who break t(e rules, sure. But I’m 61 and for most of my life women swearing and talking about sex hasn’t really been taboo. She’s not breaking rules. She’s repeating boring and inappropriate (not because of the swearing or sex content, but because of the message they send, as explained repeatedly by PPs) anecdotes and being rude to people who are perfectly polite to her.

Yes - of course not everything she says is PC, or even a good idea, or sending a good message. She is of a different era.

I think they should have edited that anecdote from the broadcast. It made my stomach turn when she described wiping her hand on the grass. Eugh.

Having a women on the screen who is old, fat, not conventionally attractive, not apologetic, talks about how much money she earns, and tells filthy stories is all very, very taboo in our society. It's all excellent stuff.

Ah…maybe I can see something here. If you wouldn’t yourself feel able to swear or talk about sex then admiration for MM who does it unashamedly makes more sense. I swear like a trouper and don’t find open discussion if sex embarrassing, so I don’t see he as a rule breaker or admirable for having the ‘courage’ to do it. I think she thinks like you, that it’s still shocking/surprising, but most women, even older ones, don’t.

I don't think she's got a filter. She says outrageous or rude things that other people wouldn't say because she knows they get her attention and make people laugh, because that's what most actors and comics want to do. But Graham does set her off - he picked the incident from her book and got her to tell the (now embellished) story again. I do like her, but that made me feel uneasy last night.

I don't think she's racist - she just describes people as she sees them. Describing someone as a 'coloured gentleman' is her version of being polite about someone's appearance. My mum would've done the same, as that was what she was told was being polite, and Black or brown was impolite. Whether MM needed to make a distinction about skin colour is questionable, but maybe to her it was just a distinguishing feature, like saying he was wearing a top hat, or lycra leggings - whatever.

I read an autobiography some years ago by Ferdy Mount, who wrote speeches for Margaret Thatcher. His family had known Miriam's and he said that aged 14 she was precocious and flirted outrageously with older men. It makes me wonder whether she'd had some unwanted attention at some time, which she is kind of trying to justify to herself ("it was fine... this is what I do") kind of thing. The fact that she said she felt she couldn't say no to the second or third guy is telling; she could've just left it that she wanted to 'help' them.

Such class.

It’s clearly not taboo, because she’s been doing it for ages. Most don’t tell the filthy stories now because it’s dull, not because it’s taboo.
Her physical appearance, yes, I agree. It’s pleasing to have someone in the public eye who isn’t young and slim - I’d just prefer that person to be less boring and objectionable.

I also swear a lot and am fine talking about sex. I just wouldn't say 'I love a good wanking joke'. That is vulgar to me.

Some things are 'taboo' for a reason.

I don't particularly want to hear very rich celebrities, of either gender or any age, talk about how rich they are. I certainly don't want to hear nasty 'filthy stories' told for no reason other than to shock. Or at least attempt to shock. It's not the 1950s.

This has nothing to do with misogyny or ageism. Some things are just better left unsaid.

Clearly many people don't find her boring.

Also, I don't find MM shocking or surprising at all. Clearly many people on this thread do though?

She's like that common round robin plant that exists in so many gardens nowadays - not bad at the start but boringly overdone by now.

MM is revolting. I didn't watch GN last night because I knew she was on.

Getting Her to tell that story felt a bit exploitative. She is one of very few senior woman actors who gets this sort of attention - presumably others are considered boring.

On another note Jessie J was fantastic.

I agree it's not the 1950s, which is why we need to break the taboo against women expressing ambition, and enjoying earning their money. No one should have to stay 'silent' on these things.

So if you watched it, you’d have seen AS say “you absolutely could say no”. MM could have said “yes I know that now” or “and that’s what I’d tell women now” or whatever. Something that would indicate some kind of recognition that maybe not being able to say no isn’t a particularly healthy message

Do you give men ‘of a different era’ a free pass too? “Oh don’t mind Bob slapping your arse, he’s of a different era”.

I think it's asumed that most people enjoy having lots of money. That doesn't mean audiences want to hear about it, especially in a time of great financial uncertainty.

And once again, that has nothing to do with gender or age.

I assumed you must find her at least one of those with your comments about her breaking rules and behaving in ways (some) people think an older woman ‘shouldn’t’.