Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Alexander Armstrong

188 replies

IcedVanillaLatte · 17/11/2016 19:24

Seriously man. What were you thinking?

Every time I hear you singing "Golden Brown" I feel pain.

YABU. Stop it.

Just stop.

Stop.

OP posts:
EddieStobbart · 17/11/2016 23:28

Just Spotifying it. Two albums on there so am just treating ears to Big Al crooning Danny Boy. Like his own personal glee club.

EddieStobbart · 17/11/2016 23:34

Fields of gold! A true classic only mildly spoiled by slightly irritating pronunciation of "upon"! Disappointingly no cover of "Never gonna change my love for you" nor that classic by the legend that is Owen Paul, "Favourite waste of time"! Shame!

furlinedsheepskinjacket · 17/11/2016 23:37
JoffreyBaratheon · 17/11/2016 23:37

I saw an ad for it and peed myself laughing. If it's aimed at middle aged women like me - sorry, whoever thought of this - it's appalling.

He never made me laugh before but at least this is the funniest thing he's done. But who is it who was sitting in an office somewhere and suddenly had the idea of him striding across windswept beaches wearing cardis, and singing in a rather thin, unappealing voice?

JoffreyBaratheon · 17/11/2016 23:39

Ack talking of crap comedians who can't sing - James Corden! That advert! What were the ad wo/men thinking?

BertrandRussell · 18/11/2016 08:07

I'm finding this thread really interesting on a broader level. Isn't it fascinating that if we don't like somebody we have to think the are rubbish at everything?

It's just objectively wrong to say that AA can't sing-he obviously can! You may not like his style of singing or choice of material or his personality or his politics or his comedy or his presenting skills or his cardigan (I haven't seen the cardigan, but the thought of it makes my heart sink). But he has a good to better than good well trained baritone voice.

EdmundCleverClogs · 18/11/2016 08:39

BertrandRussell

We're all big AA fans in our house. Have DVDs of Armstrong and Miller, Pointless is usually a daily watch, our one year old even takes notice when he's on screen (I think they've confused him with Daddy - big ears Grin).

However, his singing isn't great. Yes he can certainly hold a tune, far better than most. Singing though, especially in his style, is far more than that. It's emotional, storytelling - not blank stares and naice walks in your mum's cardigans. So no, he's not very good (overall), the more seriously he seems to take it, the worse funnier it becomes.

Namechangeemergency · 18/11/2016 08:45

Us too Edmund I love Armstrong and Miller. Particular fans of their gangsta airmen.

I also adore Hugh Laurie.

I can recite The Young Ones so am a fan of Ade and his mates.

Substandard cringy music? not so much.

BertrandRussell · 18/11/2016 08:51

Yes, of course, he's no genius!

But it's all the thin, reedy, warble type comments that fascinate me!

I don't suppose anyone heard John Barrowman discussing his special Mother's Day CD with Chris Evans a while back? I was laughing so hard I had to stop the car. Barrowman was so cheerfully and openly cynical about it.... A catchphrase we use in this house when we are amazed by celebrity conduct is what Louise Redknapp said about her family advertising something - "Smile and bank it" Grin

derxa · 18/11/2016 08:59

what Louise Redknapp said about her family advertising something - "Smile and bank it" Yes Louise the new face of Mecca Bingo.

JoffreyBaratheon · 18/11/2016 09:33

Bertrand, am afraid I grew up round the Northern club circuit, (musician dad) so I can't help evaluating singing voices - in fact, I can't stop myself. Also happen to have perfect pitch by some fluke of nature. I'm agreeing with reedy and warbly. In fact - rather like the Corden 'signing' on that ad - when I heard it, I wondered why they hadn't used auto-tune, given the fact both can't carry a note in a very large bucket. Not just that they both have thn and slightly out of tune voices, but also... come on, it's the 21stC - why did someone, somewhere let those appalling warbly voices stand?

JoffreyBaratheon · 18/11/2016 09:34

"singing" doh. Even my fingers don't want to type that word in the same sentence as 'Armstrong' or 'Corden'.

Swannykazoo · 18/11/2016 09:40

I would love to hear Richard Osman taking the piss out of AA about this. Would it be unethical to put a wire in their dressing rooms in Pointless?

MrsJayy · 18/11/2016 09:40

Ive been to a John Barrowman concert it was the cheesies campest gltteriest thing i have been to in my life im not even ashamed it was hilarious Grin

MrsJayy · 18/11/2016 09:43

But a good hilarious not gazing into the sea in your cable knit hilarious.

JoffreyBaratheon · 18/11/2016 09:44

To be fair, at least John Barrowman can vaguely sing.

FRETGNIKCUF · 18/11/2016 09:46

He's average at best

MrsJayy · 18/11/2016 09:48

Yeah he can and it was a good night out the wine probably helped

FlyingElbows · 18/11/2016 10:03

"Alexander Armstrong songs about heroin album"!!!! Omg that is piss your pants funny. This thread is hilarious Grin

WouldHave · 18/11/2016 10:10

Come off it, Joffrey, of course Alexander Armstrong can sing. It's daft to pretend otherwise. And experience of the northern club circuit certainly doesn't make you an infallible judge.

FranklyMeDeer · 18/11/2016 10:17

John Barrowman - knows exactly what he is, doesn't give a shiny shite whether you like it or not and just enjoys being fabulously camp and glittery. That's why he's so much fun to watch.

AA otoh is taking himself waaaaay too seriously over the singing thing, although I'd prefer to think that he's secretly pissing himself over the gullibility of the shite granny present buying public and donating all the profit to charity as I luffs Pointless and I luffs him.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 18/11/2016 10:36

In an interview Alexander Armstrong made some remarks about his success having nothing to do with good schools, connections etc and everything to do with his talent. Really anyone, from the humblest beginnings, could do it.

I found his lack of self awareness pretty breathtaking. But he has surpassed himself here.

DiegeticMuch · 18/11/2016 10:57

I liked him in that drama he did with Caroline Quentin, and Pointless is great - he's so natural on that. I think he's probably well regarded on Classic FM, too.

But....This album is naff. Probably aimed at an older age group than mine, through.

ginghamstarfish · 18/11/2016 11:04

Oh yes, dreadful. My FIL got this for Christmas last year and we had to beg him not to play it while we were there ... it's like some old bloke singing in a pub.

wooooofudge · 18/11/2016 11:32

John Barrowman started off in musical theatre - he can sing. I fail to see the appeal of AA singing. I haven't heard him though. Can't say that I find him funny either.