Fat Mancunian

A list of our go-to recipes CHILLI Con Carne https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chilli-con-carne-recipe Chicken https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/chicken-chilli-con-carne/ Vegetarian https://www.delish.com/uk/cooking/recipes/a30014496/easy-vegetarian-chili-recipe/   CHINESE Honey Soy Chicken https://www.rockrecipes.com/honey-soy-chicken-breasts/ CURRY Butternut Squash Chicken https://thehealthyfoodie.com/butternut-squash-chicken-curry/ Chicken and Prawn (Vinegar) https://www.warrennash.co.uk/recipes/chickenprawncurryrecipe Chicken with Coconut Milk https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-curry-with-coconut-milk-43-pts/ Easy Chicken Curry https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-chicken-curry Prawn Curry https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/prawn-curry-hurry Vegetable Curry https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/vegetablecurry_80763 FISH Cod, Chick Pea & Chorizo Traybake https://www.weightwatchers.com/uk/recipe/cod-chorizo-chickpea-traybake/5d2c7ddd9c6414002b41152d Roasted Salmon with Cri...

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jan/06/how-we-made-danger-mouse-by-david-jason This was lovely to read today. I love Dangermouse because obviously it was hilarious, but also because it reminds me of my grandad who was in his 60’s and laughed at it like a drain. It was so wonderful to enjoy something that adults in my life also enjoyed as a kid. Here’s David Jason and the genius Brian Cosgrove telling the Guardian how they made this utter classic.

Here's last night's "Proper 90's" for your delight and delectation. Hear it every Thursday evening from 6-8pm and follow at proper90s.fatmancunian.co.uk

It was Lancashire Day today and so I celebrated with a butter pie and pint of Vimto for breakfast and, like the true exiled northerner I am, told all of my Southern colleagues why their home town was shite compared to Chorley and the like. It was a day for notable deaths. A shock this morning to hear that Gary Rhodes had died overnight aged just 59. Less of a shock was the loss of Dr. Jonathan Miller at the age of 85 and finally Clive James' death was confirmed today, one that we and he had been expecting. Jonathan Miller was one of those people whose intellect was frightening, and I enjoyed the story about the letter he sent to Private Eye which they still have on the wall... https://twitter.com/PrivateEyeNews/status/1199685636892045312 ..and Clive James' did prompt me into buying the collection of his TV writing and Unreliable Memoirs (a pay day treat). I also listened to a great BBC Radio 4 show with him listening to archive recordings of himself which was fascinat...

Read some “positive thinking” Blinkist thing last night before bed in the hope that this morning I’d be a tsunami of energy. I wasn’t but I did take from it a couple of ideas about surrounding myself with joyful sights and sounds and so I listened to The Fall on my drive in. My immediate boss (1) isn’t around and so I took the positive placebo and got stuck into my ever growing work list. I’ve been playing around with a desire to relive the 90’s and blog about it trying to convince people, the wider universe, that the 80’s were shite and the 90’s is where it’s at. I’ve had a radio idea fermenting, now thinking about blogging to go hand in hand with it. With that in mind I went on to the official charts website and started to listen to every album that charted in the 90’s in order. Three weeks in, pleasantly surprised by Loop and Jungle Brothers. More thoughts formulated after tea and a bit of work. I will expand once I’ve properly got a plan. One of my best friends from uni is coming d...

This story was on joe.co.uk today.. http://www.joe.co.uk/sport/manchester-united-have-removed-sir-matt-busbys-plaque-from-old-trafford-directors-box/83977 ...it reminded me of a story from another United legend. When working for UTV from time to time the odd northern legend would pop into the Wigan office to talk to Talk Sport and one such legend was one Thomas Henderson Docherty. In between chats with Richard Keys and Andy Gray I was telling him that I supported United and he said to me "I'll tell you about United shall I?" "I've worked for United in various capacities over the years and they said 'if we can ever do anything for you, don't hesitate to get in touch' "It was my daughter's 18th and she really wanted to go to see United and so I called and asked for tickets, they said 'No problem Doc' , sent the tickets and off we all went. "They had a great time really loved it "3 days later, I got a letter in ...

I used to work at what was the NYNEX Arena, Manchester as a steward, and every now and then I'd be asked to do a shift backstage. One occasion was when The Eagles played there on their "Hell Freezes Over" tour and I was backstage. Glenn Frey approached me and asked "Are they the bathrooms?" I replied "Yes". RIP

I'm at the Fleece in Bristol at a night to commemorate what is unbelievably the 20th anniversary of Bill Hicks' death. I first saw him on some Just For Laughs compilation. He was talking about smoking. Now I was always very vehemently anti-smoking to the point at which I'd bore schoolmate smokers with shit facts about how appalling their lives were about to become....and then I heard Hicks' line that "non-smokers die every day" and I pissed myself...and vowed to shut up. I then seeked him out on comedy channels and in the video shops of Manchester. As with all the best comics he made me laugh myself hoarse and developed my world view. I have since learned to think for myself a bit more. I would give new and old friends tapes of his stand up hoping to convert them as well. Every now and again I'd pull out his Oxford Live CD and be amazed at how, years after his death and in the middle of a different war waged by a different Bush, every sentence st...

I’ve just done a sweep on Blogger of “Next Blog”. That’s when you visit a blog and then choose a new one randomly by hitting the “Next Blog” button that takes you to another Blogger site. I was about to launch into a rant about the fact that these blogs haven’t been updated since 2011!! And then I noticed how often this blog gets updated. …and I shut my fat face!

Reprinted from the work blog We were talking about Mel Smith on the show and discussing, off air, some of our favourite moments. Tony was one of a generation of kids for whom sneaking around after you've gone to bed to watch "Not The Nine O'Clock News" was part of growing up. Here are some of our favourite bits. Tony's favourite : John McEnroe gets his breakfast. My favourite - buying a Hi Fi Gerald - "Wild? I was livid!" The Two Ninnies ....and the classic head-to-head.

Thank you to Karen from West Crapshire who asked the above question. Well, Karen, the Sonys is the radio equivalent of the Oscars where the great and good, living legends if you like, from the world of radio from the very big stations to tiny community radio stations get together and celebrate the very best that the radio dials across these beautiful islands have to offer. .......unless I've not been nominated..... .....In which case it is a chance for the biggest egos in the industry to be stroked by the biggest arselickers in the industry. It's a pointless, expensive exercise is self-promotion and cronyism the like of which we only really read about in Private Eye. It's a chance for those in favour at certain stations to enjoy a beano on the company and for people who like to feel important to judge the hard work of others in the vain belief that their opinion is worth something. Hope that's cleared things up for you. Next time : What is RAJAR? ;)

(written for the Wish FM Breakfast Blog)  The theme park Drayton Manor are attempting to break the world record for the most people in one place wearing onesies this weekend. The first question is, of course, why? Away from that though it got me thinking about just why I hate the onesie....because I do. I despise them! I've narrowed it down to 7 reasons. 1. The nonsense reasons for wearing them. "They're so warm" - put a jumper on "They're fun" - They are not fun, they are irritating, especially the character onesies. You really don't look cute, neither do you like a dinosaur. 2. They're uncomfortable. I made the mistake of wearing one once. Sat down too quickly and nearly ruined my chances of becoming a grandfather. 3. They encourage "wackiness". No charity day is complete without Darren in Accounts coming to work as the Pink Panther. 4. They make me think you are one of those people who get a kick out of wearing baby cloth...

As mentioned in the previous post, 2013 has been a good year so far. Everything seems tickety-boo. Sorted out a new flat with a diamond flatmate, the mood has been great, I've got into a great routine at work where I get things done in good time and I'm actually quite happy. I've been telling people how great everything's been...and there's my problem. As soon as I share a bit of happiness, as soon as I feel good about myself and life in general I share this and it's like a beacon to the pricks of the world. I might as well have taken out an advert in "Obstenant Egocentric Arsehole Monthly" saying "As things are going so well here's an open invitation to any pea-brained pillock with an attitude problem to kick me in the bollocks! Here! I've painted a target for you so that you can see it from your vantage point of being up your own arse!" And life comes back to normal.

A fairly amazing thing has happened in 2013. I have honestly, genuinely been in a very good, positive and happy frame of mind. Every day has been a joy and people at work have been confused by this strange thing on my face. I have named it a "smile". Today I have encountered not one but at least three attempts by the world in general to ruin this revolution and I'm hoping that be cataloging them here it will allow this bump in the road to be flattened. 1. The Pointless Viewing I'm currently flat hunting. My good friend and I have decided to look for a place together to save a few pennies. We were down to look at a couple of flats on the estate my friend is currently on last week. We viewed the first one, and liked it, but then got a call from the other estate agent to say that they couldn't show us the other flat because they couldn't get hold of the key. That didn't fill us with confidence. Today, I finally managed to see that mysterious flat. I pulled in...

i'd love it if just for one day, one measly day, I didn't feel utterly useless!

It’s the big film of the year so far (after one week) and I’m dying to see it. However, I won’t. This isn’t due to the usual, trademark FatMancunian lazy gene kicking in as usual, no. There’s a reason. If you don’t know what the Iron Lady is (welcome to the world outside your cave – this is the internet) it’s a biopic of the former Prime Minister of ours, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher. It’s told through the eyes of a woman in advanced years who is basically deteriorating with dementia at some rate and telling her tale through flashbacks. A story of how a plucky young chemist from a leafy Lincolnshire market town ended up being the first woman to rule Britannia since Elizabeth I. Meryl Streep is, apparently, mesmerizing as Thatcher. Olivia Colman is, so I’m told, heartbreakingly good as Carol and I’m lead to believe that Jim Broadbent’s Denis Thatcher is a treat. I’ll never know. I won’t see it….and here’s why. The words “Margaret Thatcher” cannot help but stir the feelings of anyone ove...

Every good work do starts with a meal and mine's no different. Steak and Ale pie at a surprisingly busy Stag. Ordered a Carlsberg to go with it because the Guinness is always crap in here and the only bitter they have is Yorkshire rubbish. Pie was piping hot and gorgeous. Beer palatable, atmosphere good and the scary locals got less and less scary the more they harmonised with the Human League tunes on the jukebox. Got a call from housemate and colleague Moss who's up for tagging along. She and another possible recruit, Louisa, are waiting at stop 2, The Mount. Location: The Stag, Orrell Road

Afternoon campers. So the office Christmas Do is something I always look forward to, and this year's was a belter in Warrington. Unfortunately I was on my best behaviour for whatever reason. I went out with a girl from Ramsbottom way back when and her dad was a self employed plumber and every year would have his own Christmas Do. He'd do a job in the morning then park the van back at their house an walk down to the pub and do what self employed plumbers do best. Drink until he was fluent in Polish. Now I'm currently trying to convince the Revenue that I'm no longer self-employed but for today I'm going to pander to them and have myself a "self employed Christmas Do". I'm going to start with some lunch at one end of Orrell Road in Wigan and make my way into town to meet with my friend Shaun for a curry. The perfect Christmas Do and, like the actual official Christmas do, I'm paying for it myself! I've got my mp3 player for the walk, my phone so ...

I’m currently reading Peter Hook’s fabulous “How Not To Run a Club” which is making the Hacienda sound like the coolest place to be but the most frustrating place to be involved in. It’s a cracking read as well. As much for the appendices as anything, from the original membership application form to set lists of concerts. From the book (and the club’s end of year newsletter) here’s the 1982 Hacienda Top 20. Hacienda 1982 Buy the book