He has an excuse. In an interview with Elle in 2009, Grant told his interviewer: “I’m grumpy. My mother had a theory about Englishmen: They are permanently all two gin and tonics under par. They need two gin and tonics to become human.”
He has an excuse. In an interview with Elle in 2009, Grant told his interviewer: “I’m grumpy. My mother had a theory about Englishmen: They are permanently all two gin and tonics under par. They need two gin and tonics to become human.”
I suppose pop ones are different to the ones he usually uses…
Grant is a vile fascist twat.
I think his mum might have nicked that quote from Whiskey Galore.
Doctor Maclaren (played by the great James Robertson Justice) – “It’s a well known fact that some men were born two drinks below par.”
Yes, he is a miserable cunt in person.
Humphrey Bogart said this about all men, not just Englishmen, in the 1940s.
llater,
llamas
I was about to suffer an act of pendantry and say that it was Compton McKenzie rather than James Robertson Justice who came up with the line in Whiskey Galore, however I can find the line in the original script, but not in the book.
Buggeration.
John Galt, Compton McKenzie wrote the movie script as well as the book, so they’ll be his words either way.
Didn’t Sir Pterry borrow it (or something similar) in a description of Sam Vines (His Grace, Blackboard Monitor, etc.)?
But I’ve a nagging feeling that I’ve also read it somewhere earlier. “How to be an Alien” perhaps, or something like that.
RichardT: “Didn’t Sir Pterry borrow it (or something similar) in a description of Sam Vines (His Grace, Blackboard Monitor, etc.)?”
Yes, I think he described Vines as “knurd”, i.e. the opposite of drunk.
My father’s version was “a pint below par” – I like that attractive alliteration.
Anyhoo, being ill I find I’ve lost my taste for wine. Boo! But last night I had my first G&T since last summer. Glorious! Beer also makes the cut. Why only wine, eh?
dearieme – maybe the tannins.
I recommend a dose of Lagavulin 16.
Thanks, Steve. Haggis is on the menu for next week, so …
@dearieme
Bizarre. Sort of same here.
Had a stroke last June. Stopped drinking alcohol when I was allowed home – because small doses = loss of balance and risk of damage from falling on things.
Gradually relaxed the discipline. Started on 5% cider and not much of that. Now on cider or up to a small glass of vino.
But – now very much enjoy white wine (eg Loire valley Sauvignon blanc) and rather dislike any red. M’lady – used to be a devotee of burgundy – had same reaction (no stroke, just keeping me company).
Then I recalled that when I started drinking vino years ago, the path was sweet white, then dry white, then red – and the red took some getting used to. (Finally converted in Beaune, with some delicious Gevry-Chambertin and Pommard..)
So maybe it’s just recapitulation?
More pendantry:
Whisky Galore
There’s the Mitchell and Webb theory that the state of the world shows it’s run by people who have had the equivalent of a glass and three-quarters of wine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv8pZX7FaT0
There’s the Ballmer Peak, which was proven by research, that a unit of alcohol improves performance.
Also, the rather excellent Danish film Another Round explores this subject.
CJ: I tend to think that a glass & three quarters may be the sweet spot. Those who run the world are more likely two-bottle people. I leave it up to you to work out who are the wine bottle cohort and who are the spirits bottle cohort.
“ Steve. Haggis is on the menu for next week, so …”
We’re heading up to the west coast of Scotland next week to do some touring so hopefully plenty of haggis and distillery tours.
Which reminds me of our last trip in that direction, we were on our way to the Orkneys and stopped in a pub car park on the A9 just outside Perth. The deal is staying for free but having a meal. On the menu they had deep fried haggis in a whisky cream sauce. Well, who could resist that despite the 1m calories.
@ BlokeInTejasInNormandie
M’lady – used to be a devotee of burgundy – had same reaction (no stroke, just keeping me company).
I took six months of the booze last year. As a long time devotee of vin rouge I was most surprised to find I’d gone off it when I resumed drinking. But never fear, with a bit of perseverance I’ve grown to love it again.