Carlton Kirby

takethehighroad
takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
edited July 2009 in Pro race
Now he may be more than iffy at commentating, but I'm finding his stories so far this week fascinating.

Getting lost in the Pyrenees, being sent to Tuvalu, it sounds like he's had an incredible life

Comments

  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    True, might have to email Eurosport to find out the end of the chieftan's daughter story.
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Unfortunately you can't find out the story on wikipedia. He's page was deleted due to his lack of 'notability' :)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Richard_n
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Now he may be more than iffy at commentating, but I'm finding his stories so far this week fascinating.

    Getting lost in the Pyrenees, being sent to Tuvalu, it sounds like he's had an incredible life

    Hmm, I'm starting to change my mind. I agree he's not too good as a main commentator, but he's kinda growing on me with his odd adventures.

    There was a thread on here a couple of years ago called "the fabulous life of David Harmon" or something like that, because he's the same... archaeologist, mountain biker, owned his own TV production company, think he said he worked as a newspaper researcher once too. Oh, and cycling commentator. Plus they all speak about 8 languages each!
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Another classic story, where he got stuck in a wetsuit 'cos he'd had too much wine!
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    I have to say, it's guys like Carlton Kirby and their somewhat odd lives that make Eurosport commentary brilliant!
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    wheel him out for the long transition stage with the massive 20min soft break.

    seal him back in his box in the final...
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Birillo
    Birillo Posts: 417
    The man's a natural raconteur. Wonder if the French have a word for it?
  • AndyRubio
    AndyRubio Posts: 880
    I like him rather how I used to like Johnny Morris.
    My hour on the plinth
  • claudb
    claudb Posts: 212
    I've been critical of some of his commentaries too, but I think he's found a new role as a story teller. Very entertaining.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Birillo wrote:
    The man's a natural raconteur. Wonder if the French have a word for it?

    They don't have a specific word, they just point at a picture of Carlton Kirby.

    Here is an animated song Carlton recorded -

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs3X90RLW3A
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    He may have found his niche at last, as a comedic interlude rather than a race action commentator.

    Today's gem was the Ouagadougou fish restaurant in Burkina Faso ("How old is this fish?", "Well, it hasn't got gold teeth.")
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • Birillo
    Birillo Posts: 417
    He may have found his niche at last, as a comedic interlude rather than a race action commentator.

    Indeed, if I were CK I would start banking a list of anecdotes that I could use to enliven some of the duller moments of a stage race. He'll be worth his weight in gold come those long, hot, flat, featureless stages in the Vuelta.
  • Coyote
    Coyote Posts: 212
    Good story about John Terry's wedding shoes, as teed up by Brian Smith, today as well....even getting emails from Robert Miller.

    The Eurosport boys are having a great tour so far....and the HD picture is amazing!
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    I love the way DH can't talk for laughing! Pics are pretty spectacular without HD too. I'm glad they've got rid of those tedious stats they usually had them on the screen when something exciting happened.
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    CK today confusing toe strap with toast rack is right there with Ronnie Barker's four candles/fork handles.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    CK today confusing toe strap with toast rack is right there with Ronnie Barker's four candles/fork handles.

    I thought DH said toast rack too!
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    afx237vi wrote:
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    CK today confusing toe strap with toast rack is right there with Ronnie Barker's four candles/fork handles.

    I thought DH said toast rack too!

    It was most likely the bon vivant Jacques Anquetil who introduced the toast rack to the peloton, not Eugène Christophe.
    Un uomo solo al commando

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