Clive James - not long for this world ....

[andy-hughes]

http://www.dailymail....getting-near-end.html

What a tragedy. I would give anything to be able to write half as well as Clive James. The collections of his Observer TV columns are individual modedls of brevity and succinct wit - nothing i could write even comes close.

He is such a gifted and clever man - the world will be a much poorer place for his passing, which he confirms is not far off now.

[sandyRoe]

Sorry to hear that. I admired the droll tone in many of the pieces he wrote.

[Nibble]

I didn't know of his diagnosis - he will be missed.

[petal54]

I was only thinking of CJ the other day,an amusing chap indeed,not smutty either,sad news!

[tonyav]

Agree with you andy, very entertaining man. Very sad.

[maggiebee]

That is just so sad, always loved his sharp wit.

[excelsior-1]

i'm stunned.

somehow i missed the fact he was unwell.

looks like the biginning of the end now, he will be remembered with honour in this flat

[marval]

That is sad to hear

[Lie-in King]

Thanks for the heads-up, andy - I'm very sad to read this & concur that he's a gem of a writer & will indeed be missed.

[chaptazbru]

Witty man - will miss him.

[cathfromsaron]

to me, he was late night tv comedy!

cath x

[emmie]

Great writer, funny and clever, what a terrible shame.

[chrissa1]

That's very sad news. You knew when you sat down to watch his programmes, you were in for a chuckle.

[tonymclark]

I was in the audience for one of his "Clive James on Television" shows. He was as fun inbetween recording as during. I've always enjoyed his writing and presenting.
Clive talks about his life and work on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday at 8pm.

[T&S]

TV legend. I still chuckle remembering the Japanese game show Endurance!

[Bambiagain]

I loved his television programmes and his books. He will be sadly missed.

[sir.prize]

A great guy like Clive James. Life is so cruel. And there are so so many cretins perpetrating crime after crime allowed to breath the same air. So unfair.

[ladybirder]

So sad. I've always been a fan of his no matter which genre he was inhabiting at the time. I'm sure he earns his place at many dinner tables in this country. Smashing chap, read lots of his books, particularly enjoyed the one where he first came to London. It will be a sadder place for his passing.

[jno]

'A spokesman later downplayed the comments and said the interview had "sounded much less doom-laden than it does when transcribed", adding: "Clive is in fact in reasonable shape and is looking forward to years of working." '

I'd like to hope so. I still read his TV reviews in the Telegraph.

[andy-hughes]

I do hope so - his autobiographies had me crying with laughter, especially is description of sliding over a library table to light the cigarette of femme fatale with whom he was smitten.

Interestingly, although he writes so brilliantly in so many genrres, his true passion os for writing poetry, a medum I am less keen on, with the exception of Loenard Cohen's work, which is, like everything he does, breathtaking.

[Bambiagain]

I've never read Clive James's poetry. But I am with Andy Hughes on the subject of Leonard Cohen. His voice now is at least as good as it was when he was younger - which cannot be said of many ageing singers. May he live to be a very ripe old age. And I do hope jno is right about Clive James.