Knighthood for Doddy!!

It's about time Ken Dodd became SIR Ken Dodd, he is a great ambassador for Liverpool and has stayed loyal to the city even in her darkest times!

FANS of legendary Liverpool comedian Ken Dodd have launched a campaign calling for him to be knighted.

They want to see the Knotty Ash funnyman, who turned 80 on Thursday, dubbed Sir Ken.

The online petition already boasts 400 hundred signatures including a host of Liverpool celebrities.

Ricky Tomlinson, Jimmy Cricket, Charlie Landsborough, Roy Hood, Bobby Ball, Johnny Vegas and Liverpool council leader Warren Bradley are among the supporters.

When there are enough signatures the petition will be sent to the government department where the New Years Honours List is compiled.

Today campaign organiser Bob Pitt said a knighthood for the so-called Squire of Knotty Ash was long overdue.

The 53-year-old told the ECHO: “I’ve been a fan of Ken Dodd all my life. Fifty five years in showbiz is an amazing achievement.

“You never know what you’re getting with Doddy – I went to a show of his that started at 7.30pm which didn’t end until 1.30am the next morning.

“He does a phenomenal amount of charity work which people don’t get to hear about.

“To be in the business so long it’s no wonder that he’s known as The Guv’nor by all the comedians across the country.”

The Doddy campaign website features a typical picture of Ken wearing a golden crown accompanied by a eulogy detailing his countless showbiz achievements.

Doddy is showing no signs of slowing down and he estimates that he carried out 150 theatre shows and another 100 private gigs and public appearances last year.

The comedian was born in 1927 and got a taste of fame by presenting Punch and Judy shows at school.

He got his big break at the Nottingham Empire in 1954 and started making regular TV appearances five years later.

To support the petition go to www.knighthoodforknottyash.com

luketraynor@liverpoolecho.co.uk

In principle, I am against Knighthoods and other awards. But it shows how they have ignored a man, who for 50 years has packed out theatres, and still does, had countless TV shows and a few No. 1 hits too. He has always been working and always been there. If Doddy came from London he would have had one 25 years ago.

They gave gongs to B movie and obscure TV actresses like Judy Dench and Helen Mirren, which shows how silly the whole thing is. Has Cilla Black been offered one? Been around for over 40 years and in a music movement that captured the world. No.

The heads of Civil Service departments get a knighthood as a matter of course. They could be useless and not make it in the private sector, but are called Sir this and Lord that, etc. John Lennon was right in sending back his MBE.

Hi Waterways and Libertarian

I am for Doddy to be honoured. He deserves it.

But Waterways, are you serious in this comment:

"They gave gongs to B movie and obscure TV actresses like Judy Dench and Helen Mirren, which shows how silly the whole thing is."

Dench and Mirren are two of the best actresses modern Britain has produced!!!!

Chris

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Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

Hi Waterways and Libertarian

I am for Doddy to be honoured. He deserves it.

But Waterways, are you serious in this comment:

"They gave gongs to B movie and obscure TV actresses like Judy Dench and Helen Mirren, which shows how silly the whole thing is."

Dench and Mirren are two of the best actresses modern Britain has produced!!!!

Chris

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Dench got one and few people had heard of her. She had only done TV and bit parts in films. It was like they were trawling actresses and she was the only one they could get who had no baggage.

Mirren? She has only been around a short while doing some good stuff.

Have to agree with that.

sorry Chris :PDT_Aliboronz_11:


Judy Dench - well she's ok, but I do think that they scrape around looking for people to put up on a pedestal.

I remember Judy Dench being in some sit-coms ... next thing she's revered as
some superstar :shock:

Helen Mirren - yes, she's played a few good parts.

but I don't think they are the icons they'd have us believe.

I agree with Waterways here. I think they root around to find someone when they've run out of ideas.



Ken Dodd definately desreves an honour though.

Hi Waterways and Lindy

At the risk of hijacking the thread for Ken Dodd, I think you are being entirely too submissive of Judi Dench. Yes she was in a sitcom, but she's also played many fine roles in films and in Shakespearean and modern plays. If you look at Judi Dench's career in terms of the number of times she has been nominated for awards and won awards, it would be hard to say they were scraping the barrel to look for someone to honor.

Chris

Doddy is utterly fantastic and he has packed out many a theatre. Where he gets his stamina from I do not know but he is utterly fantastic. We are blessed to have him in his 80th year and God forbid when he does go, Liverpool really will have a day of mourning for him.

He worships at All Saints in Childwall and I occasionally see him wondering in for evening service. You know he is a private person, but you just want to see him dance up and down with full of plumptiousness!

As for Dench, I grew up with her in the 'As time goes by' series but I will always remember her - and recently too for her role as M in the Bond films. You don't have to be the leading lady in every film to be a bloody good actress - and she is a bloody good actress.

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Originally Posted by Cadfael

Doddy is utterly fantastic and he has packed out many a theatre. Where he gets his stamina from I do not know but he is utterly fantastic. We are blessed to have him in his 80th year and God forbid when he does go, Liverpool really will have a day of mourning for him.

He worships at All Saints in Childwall and I occasionally see him wondering in for evening service. You know he is a private person, but you just want to see him dance up and down with full of plumptiousness!

As for Dench, I grew up with her in the 'As time goes by' series but I will always remember her - and recently too for her role as M in the Bond films. You don't have to be the leading lady in every film to be a bloody good actress - and she is a bloody good actress.

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Hello Cadfael

Thank you so much for seconding my backing of Judi Dench as one of Britain's finest actresses. And of course I must endorse your support of Ken Dodd. He is a unique and wonderful comedian and has brought happiness and joy to so many people over the decades. I think, truthfully, if he had been a Londoner or a southerner he would have been knighted long ago -- something with which my 87-year-old Mum agreed with when I discussed the situation with her this morning! I am not a churchgoer so I have not seen Ken in church but was very interested to hear that he is a member of the congregation of All Saints in Childwall. I am though a soccer fan, and if this is not sacrilege, when I lived in Liverpool in the Sixties, I saw him "worshipping" at the shrine of the Reds during both first team matches and reserve matches as well.

All the best

Chris

I may not agree with him politically, but as a comedian Doddy is without doubt a genius. He has never had to resort to filth to get a laugh. I'm not really in favour of anyone receiving awards for something they love doing but when you see some of the dross that does receive awards, then it is a disgrace that Ken Dodd has been ignored. Could it have something to do with a certain episode that happened some years back? Is it true that Doddy is to be the new presenter of Cash in the Attic? :unibrow:

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Originally Posted by Mark R

Could it have something to do with a certain episode that happened some years back? Is it true that Doddy is to be the new presenter of Cash in the Attic? :unibrow:

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I think you've hit the nail on the head as to why Ken hasnt been knighted yet.

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Originally Posted by Mark R

Could it have something to do with a certain episode that happened some years back? Is it true that Doddy is to be the new presenter of Cash in the Attic? :unibrow:

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He was proven innocent. So it should not even be taken into account.

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Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

Hi Waterways and Lindy

At the risk of hijacking the thread for Ken Dodd, I think you are being entirely too submissive of Judi Dench. Yes she was in a sitcom, but she's also played many fine roles in films and in Shakespearean and modern plays. If you look at Judi Dench's career in terms of the number of times she has been nominated for awards and won awards, it would be hard to say they were scraping the barrel to look for someone to honor.

Chris

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I don't mean to be too harsh - but being a little cynical I suppose.
I know they are both good actresses - but I do think that these award ceremonies go overboard with their rapturous standing ovations and grovelling. They are just actors and not some celestial Gods ! :)
.. and I think it's true that they have to find someone to revere when they run out of ideas. :unibrow:


Doddy does deserve a standing ovation though :) :)


could be true this theory of Ken's past 'mistakes' holding him back from a knighthood.

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Originally Posted by Waterways

He was proven innocent. So it should not even be taken into account.

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Lots of people have been proven innocent but still committed the crime. Do you see the Los Angeles police actively hunting the murderer of Nicole Simpson?

There was a programme on the Dodd case on Channel 4 a couple of years ago, which basically said he got off because the trial was held in Liverpool and everyone there hates the government anyway, hence the jury felt 'good on Doddy for keeping money from them'. The jury got discharged at some point I think because one of them said to a taxi driver "he's as guilty as ****"

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Originally Posted by SteH

Lots of people have been proven innocent but still committed the crime. Do you see the Los Angeles police actively hunting the murderer of Nicole Simpson?

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A big trial with jury. Proper legal proceedings. Everything above board. High media profile. He was found innocent. No appeal came in. Doddy is innocent of any crime. It is as simple as that.

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Originally Posted by Waterways

A big trial with jury. Proper legal proceedings. Everything above board. High media profile. He was found innocent. No appeal came in. Doddy is innocent of any crime. It is as simple as that.

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I remember a line he said at one of his shows about tax - brought the house down.

"Yeah in the olden days, Tax was tuppance in the pound..........I thought it still was" :)

My favourite Doddy was :-

"I knew that another war was going to break out, 'cos I walked past Vera Lyn's house and I could hear her gargling."

Ay Ay Steve, that,s my mates great auntie you,re making fun of there, I,ll set him on yer..:PDT_Piratz_26:

Doddy is the best comedian around still to this day.
Doddy is well deserving of a knighthood:PDT11

The best Doddy joke I remember was when he said that the Irish football team were visiting the Vatican (During the Italia '90 World Cup). On meeting the Pope, Jack Charlton asked him if he would pray for the Irish team. the Pope replied; "Oh I can't do that my son, I'm too old." Jack Charlton replied; "I thought you were a man of the cloth? You could surely pray for us." To which the Pope replied; "Oh pray for you? I thought you said play for you.":):)