Talk:Max Miller (comedian)

Blue joke

Was Miller's blue joke book where the term "blue joke" (i.e. a rude joke) originated from? I think it may be but can't find any evidence to support this. Jameboy 17:27, 14 January 2007 (UTC)

No, it's a myth. The use of "blue" to mean rude is far older than that. Flapdragon 19:59, 14 January 2007 (UTC)

That should probably be specified; I got that impression too. Salvar (talk) 19:26, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

If it really is that much older, then the assertions both here and in the blue comedy article that Miller was the originator are incorrect and should be removed. Incidentally, someone with a good knowledge of the subject really needs to clean up (in this article) the way names jump around from Harry to Max to Miller. In an encyclopedia, we should use surnames throughout unless this would cause confusion. 86.136.250.218 (talk) 00:53, 26 July 2010 (UTC)

By all means, go ahead—I won't stop you. 71.229.185.179 (talk) 15:49, 14 November 2010 (UTC)

The statement "The BBC apparently banned him twice; one ban lasting five years, but this was found to be untrue" is obviously wrong. Presumably the editor meant to say that the BBC was rumoured (wrongly) to have banned him twice, once for five years. However since the rumour is false, why mention it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.197.15.138 (talk) 07:46, 25 June 2011 (UTC)

BBC ban

Intro says BBC banned him once for 5 years. Later in the article it is said this is untrue. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.254.147.84 (talk) 16:32, 7 December 2010 (UTC)

My father (1919-82) told me about the BBC ban, claiming to have heard the offending programme himself. The joke went something like this: "I was on a crowded tube train, and a lady sat on my knee; when we stopped at a station she asked 'Is this Cockfosters?', and I replied 'No - it's Max Miller's' " - whereupon the BBC immediately pulled the plug and the programme went off the air. Dad also said that Charlie Chester tried to emulate Max, and was ok, but not as good. Sasha (talk) 22:41, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

It is often said that Miller was banned from the BBC for telling the joke about his predicament at meeting a beautiful blonde while traversing a narrow mountain path (“I didn’t know whether to block her passage or toss myself off”).[1] The problem is that this has been challenged as apocryphal, and it looks like it may be an urban legend as there does not appear to be any solid evidence backing it up.--♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 07:18, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

In this BBC radio documentary, Roy Hudd and Garry Bushell both agree that the story is apocryphal. Audio clip here, the other voice is Matthew Parris.--♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 19:23, 8 August 2014 (UTC)

Style

Much of this is written in a style unlike WP's preferred encyclopaedic style, chatty and sometimes rather slangy. I've made some changes but suggest someone has a look at this - or I can if people agree it needs work Chrismorey (talk) 08:21, 25 July 2013 (UTC)

I’ve tidied it up a bit, but I think I know what you mean. TrottieTrue (talk) 02:02, 3 May 2022 (UTC)

His agent

'...he appointed a new agent, Julius Darewski. This was a turning point in his career.' That doesn't tell us anything, as there is no link to a Darewski page. What was the significance of the move? Valetude (talk) 14:16, 7 December 2013 (UTC)

Family size

"He was the second of five children to James Sargent, a labourer and Alice (née West), a flower seller; Miller had three brothers and two sisters." ... that would make six children. What's correct? Vynce (talk) 22:55, 22 January 2015 (UTC)

This may be a straightforward mistake, so it was altered. Unfortunately the source given, Baker, Richard Anthony (2011). Old Time Variety is a book, which I don't have.--♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 07:13, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

External links modified (January 2018)

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