» The best thing I've built

These are the best things I've built


I built these two Daleks between 2005 and 2007. The black Dalek is all made of wood (various thicknesses of plywood and MDF) and non-operable, but the blue one is all-fibreglass and can be sat inside, steered around, etc. All the metal bits are in aluminium. I did buy in the hemispheres from a guy who custom-moulds them for Dalek builders. Someone else made the Tardis for me! If you're interested in Dalek building then www.projectdalek.com is the place to go.
(Sat 13th Oct 2012, 12:10, More)

» Heckles

Allow me to be the first to post the famous Eric Douglas heckle story.
Kirk Douglas's lesser-known son Eric was in the UK a few years ago, trying to make his mark in stand-up comedy. He was going down badly, so grabbed the mic and said: 'What's wrong with you? Don't you know who I am? I'm the son of Kirk Douglas!' There was absolute silence, then someone at the back stood up and said: 'No - _I'm_ the son of Kirk Douglas!' Within seconds, the whole audience was doing it.

EDIT: beat you by 3 minutes Mr WhoElse!
(Thu 6th Apr 2006, 14:54, More)

» That's me on TV!

At weekends, I am (occasionally) a Dalek...
...and have graced lots of news programmes as well as a couple of things for CBBC and, greatest moment of my adult life, Doctor Who Confidential. Some national news exposure in 2005 when a charity invited me and a mate to go along to a G8 meeting opposite Westminster Abbey and shout "Drop the debt and save the humans" a lot. At one point my Mum phoned and said "Gordon Brown's on the telly being harangued by a Dalek -- is it you, dear?" Anyway, Confidential and some of the news stuff is on YouTube -- search there for stevethedalek.
(Thu 11th Jun 2009, 17:01, More)

» Never Meet Your Heroes

Raymond Cusick.
A name that probably doesn't mean much to sensible people who have lives, but to Doctor Who fans, famous as the designer of the Daleks way back in 1963. A couple of years ago he was guest of honour at a convention in Liverpool, and surrounded by about 15 fan-built Daleks, expressed his wistful regret at not having a proper photograph of himself surrounded by his creations. I step forward and offer to take such a photograph and mail it to him in due course. Imagine my disappointment, when I look at the picture properly on my PC screen the day I get home from the convention, and discover that at the precise moment the shutter went off, Raymond has decided to adopt a facial expression more consistent with being anally violated by a grizzly bear. I never did send him the picture :(
(Thu 25th May 2006, 18:57, More)

» Jobsworths

Not really a jobsworth but a man desperately blind to facts.
I take a fullsize Dalek to events like model shows and so on. If you can think of another hobby that allows you to shout at 8-year-old children and then chase their teenage sisters around, and not get arrested for a breach of the peace, then I'd like to hear it. Anyway, I did an event at the excellent Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset last September or so. There was an old buffer in a yellow fluorescent jacket helping direct exhibitors' vans to parking spots. Here's the conversation:

Man: What you got in the back of that van, then?

Me: Daleks!

Man: I'll tell you about Daleks, my friend. The BBC come down here and filmed with the Daleks in the quarry I used to manage. That Jon Pertwee was there. I'll tell you when it was....it was in 1963.

Me: I think you'll find that was 1973. Jon Pertwee wasn't in it until 1970 and he stayed until 1974. That story was in Season 11.

Man: No, it was definitely 1963, because I'd just moved over from managing another quarry.

Me: But it was filmed in colour. The BBC never filmed anything in colour until the late 60s at the very earliest. And they showed it in 1973.

Man: Alright then, they filmed it in 1963 and showed it in 1973.

Me: Argh.

I still wake up sweating about the memory of this conversation.
(Fri 13th May 2005, 11:11, More)