Paper Monitor
A service highlighting the riches of the daily press.
Do you know Paper Monitor's favourite tune? It's that one that goes "Der derrrr, der der der der der da der der der der der der derrr der der der der-derr der der derrrr". Know what it is yet?
Thought not. It was actually the opening bars of Bigmouth Strikes Again, but realistically there was no way you were going to know what it was, unless you knew what it was beforehand. Let's try a little experiment. What TV theme tune is this?
Dah der-der-der dah der-der-der dah der-der-der Dum (der-der-der) dummm der-der-der dum der-der-der dummmm. Answers please via the comments field below. A bonus dollop of kudos to anyone who gets it, though that should not in any way be taken to imply that this is a competition. It's just an editorial exercise to prove the point that the Sun's strapline (Der Der Der Der-Der, Der Derr Da Der Der) about the death of Eric "Digger" Dowling means nothing to anyone until they've read the story and discovered that he was the real hero of the Great Escape.
Your secondary challenge - make the Sun's Ders fit to the Great Escape tune. It's possible, a colleague of Paper Monitor's has just proved, but only just.
Still, the paper makes up for it with a headline on a nib (news in brief) about a pineapple-sized meteorite which has been auctioned: "PINA COLLIDER".
Most interesting story of the day is in the Daily Mail. Remember Wednesday's quote of the day? Californian Bernann McKinney who had her dead dog cloned because she was so grateful to it for saving her from another dog which had gone mad because of too much medication? Old hands on the paper heard bells ringing, and have gone to town on their theory - dismissed by the lady herself - that she was the same woman as had been involved in a gloriously colourful court case in the 1970s. Paper Monitor is far too young to remember, so has no view either way, but the Mail runs its headline the way only the Mail can:
"The bizarre case of the Mormon manacled in mink-lined handcuffs, the sex-mad beauty queen who had her way with him... and the sad old dog lover who's just cloned her best friend - a pitbull." Yep, that's the headline.
The whole story, true or not, has quite made Paper Monitor's morning.
PS. Still no-one follows up the Swingdependent's allegations that swinging parties have become a part of mainstream Britain. Mystifying.
Comment number 1.
At 7th Aug 2008, rogueslr wrote:What The Papers Say
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Comment number 2.
At 7th Aug 2008, VeerSoon wrote:I reckon the "Dah der-der-der dah" theme tune is either Last of The Summer Wine or (more likely) the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News Theme.
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Comment number 3.
At 7th Aug 2008, Arianwen42 wrote:It's Last of the Summer Wine, which I learned to play on the recorder in primary school.
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Comment number 4.
At 7th Aug 2008, Candace9839 wrote:Theme from Police Woman (wonder if in the German update she'd be wearing the new bullet-proof bra).
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Comment number 5.
At 7th Aug 2008, Johnny Pixels wrote:Panorama, maybe. Well It fits in my head anyway.
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Comment number 6.
At 7th Aug 2008, Caroline_says wrote:The A Team. No question
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Comment number 7.
At 7th Aug 2008, Andrew wrote:Looks like Doctor Who to me, ending just before the OOWEEE-OOOH kicks in (probably because it's hard to double-track in text).
Realistically, that beat could be any of a hundred songs.
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Comment number 8.
At 7th Aug 2008, SophieBowley-Aicken wrote:Trigger Happy TV.
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Comment number 9.
At 7th Aug 2008, spaceshipmark wrote:It's Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' as used for Grand Prix coverage...
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Comment number 10.
At 7th Aug 2008, Le Dave wrote:I think it could well be Mastermind... assuming that you've followed the sun's slightly dubious use of hyphens.
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Comment number 11.
At 7th Aug 2008, StevFairs wrote:Was it 'Allo 'Allo?
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Comment number 12.
At 7th Aug 2008, hi-ho_neighbourino wrote:it's so obviously thunderbirds
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Comment number 13.
At 7th Aug 2008, lynn64 wrote:How come no-one else recognises EastEnders?
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Comment number 14.
At 7th Aug 2008, Sara_Batts wrote:It's Dallas. Probably.
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Comment number 15.
At 7th Aug 2008, UrbanSpaceElf wrote:Captain Pugwash, me hearties!
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Comment number 16.
At 7th Aug 2008, BadgersRetreat wrote:The answer to all questions of this sort is "Strictly Come Dancing." I would be absolutely positive except that the "der dah dah" should be "der der dah", but I figure that was PM making a typo again.
Is there a prize?
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Comment number 17.
At 7th Aug 2008, nigelmccc wrote:Bagpuss.
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Comment number 18.
At 7th Aug 2008, nigelmccc wrote:The Magic Roundabout.
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Comment number 19.
At 7th Aug 2008, Johnny Pixels wrote:Maybe Thomas the Tank Engine now thinking about it. Although I can also make it fit the tune of The Sweeney, Ski Sunday, Grandstand, and the bbc themse for the Snooker, the cricket and the tennis. Oh and Countdown too.
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Comment number 20.
At 7th Aug 2008, Tony Doyle wrote:I've analysed the PM's one, and it's definetly the bit out of Black Lace's "The Music Man"... he plays the dambusters...
Although it also could be the same as the Sun's .... no if only I could hear music as I read it...
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Comment number 21.
At 7th Aug 2008, SaneScientist wrote:Dambusters. I can feel a tear welling up as we speak.
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Comment number 22.
At 7th Aug 2008, papermonitor wrote:Oh nice try everyone. Veersoon (comment number two) was correct with "(more probably) the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News theme". Am I really so transparent??
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