BBC News - Stephen Fry '5 minutes' (13.04.09)

[eveningtsar]

"Forget all these nuanced answers, tell us your one favorite thing!"

[TrollingAround]

I like Stephen Fry - I like him existing in the same world and time as myself - I wish I paid him more attention earlier.

[fauxpasiii]

Who on Earth gets an interview with Stephen Fry and then puts a stopwatch on him? If you ever get in a room with Fry, there are two things you should do:

1) Shut the fuck up.

2) Listen.

[nakedmambo]

@fauxpasiii Or at least shower him with fawning compliments about being the world's greatest polymath. He loves that, even if it isn't true.

[damuero]

I'm wordstruck by the word starstruck.

[1982mockingbird1982]

He cant be serious?! This is the last person I would expect to have had a troubled childhood that involved academic failure and prison. He seem to be the smartest, most articulate and ...."british" person I know of. Its always the smart ones that fail at school

[qqleq2]

What I find amazing is that YouTube comments are always full with hate, bigotry, shouting, stupidity, bullying, etc. But when it is a Stephen Fry clip, there is none of that. So much positivity, I hope Stephen reads it sometimes. To see that his being does help to make the world a little bit better place. But then again, he probably couldn't stand al the compliments ;-)

[simwatts]

He is one of the finest people to come from the UK. Completely genuine.

[IRELANDISMYCOUNTRY]

@simwatts he is one of your national treasures.

[IrisDeWell]

Great interview with a great man.

[DispleasedEskimo]

God, the last thing he says is pretty much the story of my life.

Never realised how much I loved Stephen Fry till now :)

[Kiefer89]

Stephen Fry is brave, but also important. People know who he is, and that is the great opportunity for us who suffer from bipolar disorder to point at him, who wipes away some of the rumors... People back away when they hear the word "manic depressive", thinking of it as being "dangerous" and me being a psychopath. It hurts, it really does. Stephen Fry is a wonderful guy.

[speedskate2010]

He is one ugly dude.

[FryandLaurieFtw]

How does he come up with so many fantastic answers from such basic questions? I love stephen fry. Stephen for ruler of England!

[ashman102]

Stephen Fry is special. 

[pixiewilson42]

I am truly grateful to Stephen Fry ..grateful that he gives such an insightful,honest account of his own manic depression..a subject incred close to my own heart,,,He has de-mystified the subject,society has viewed manic deps as scary people,volatile or as creative genius'..both of these labels creates enormous pressures,,we are ppl just like you who can achieve+love....Stephen Fry's honesty +self depricating way is charming

[tekqist28]

oh please if anyhting he would be a kitten ;D

[faithoffaith]

when I see Stephen fry on tv I only have to look at him for 2 seconds and I've taken my medication.

[bicarbonat]

:) you keep doing that, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise~

[MsElla1010]

he cheers me up so much! he's fantastic :)

[PurushaDesa]

Oh man! Don't say that Fry - that you're most cherished work is on A Bit of Fry and Laurie and then re-enforce that you're never going back to it. You're killing me here!

[1peterz]

Stephen Fry is pure genius in the Albert Einstein category of genius. Genius has become an overused word, but not in this case. His ability to connect with people is astounding. If I could have dinner and speak with five people (living or dead) for an hour Stephen Fry would be on that list. The problem is Jesus Christ would also be on the list, and they would end up throwing food at each other.

[BrainyBabe24]

1peterz - I would have to agree. Also on my list would be Alan Rickman, just to listen to his voice @_@ <3

[Redcomet07]

@1peterz I actually doubt that. I bet Jesus and Stephen would be great friends. Now, Evangelicals, that's a different story...

[hippyfriend]

@1peterz Stephen Fry would never throw food at anyone, I can't speak for Jesus :)

[Jyhad367]

@1peterz Two positive pacifists throwing food? It would be a food fight. I couldn't see Stephen Fry getting on edge with Jesus. 

[ftwelve12]

@1peterz I think Fry would say something to the effect of "Oh, you exist! Well, suppose I'll be reconsidering a few things." Then they will talk to each other nonstop, with Fry occasionally correcting a humbled Jesus (in Aramaic, no less), who recounts details of ancient Jerusalem that would naturally, in no way, have actually made it into The Bible, seeing as he was not a messiah, there could be no messiah, and god doesn't exist. Would be an interesting dinner.

[MrJohnnywonny]

@1peterz Do you really believe Jesus would throw food? He would turn the other cheek.

[ajmurtagh27]

@1peterz I think you're confusing Jesus with "christians" :D

[skyerune]

@1peterz Or, they'd be incredibly attracted to each other and go off to another room.

[freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez]

how can he amazes people in just 5 minutes? =)

[HughHouselover]

I don't know! You're só right! Love him! His answer on the "Are you happy with life" question, is really Stephen =) <3

[SaBoTeUr2001]

His "secret skill" with Hugh Laurie on Wogan is also here on Youtube, well worth watching. Hilarious and surprising! (Just search for "Fry Laurie Magic")

[Morecake2]

He should really do a book called: How to Learn to Work.

That would be really something and rather useful.

[TossTheParadox]

Perfectly wonderful 5 minutes with Fry. Wish five minutes were 1333 minutes - if that makes sense.

Always a delight to listen to Stephen!

[kingy002]

Of all the people this man is the one I'd like to chat to the most. He's just so authentic and unpretentious. His ability to articulate openly what his life has been like will help some youngsters out there going through some of the things he had to go through. So role model, as suggested previously, is a good call.

[ImeldaLumos]

His humbleness and loveableness would be worty all endearments, and his wise words should follow most people's logic.

My favourite interview... something genuine about him. And such good questions.

Fry is a role model.

His voice is so soft and quiet in this, somewhat different. Oh, is one going mad when they start analyzing voices?

[garfreeek]

no your absolutely right!

for me he IS one of the few people i would consider rollmodel, for so many reasons i couldn't post here.

and so much good interesting information in 5 minutes, very,very good interviewer too!

[themachman19691]

thanks so much for this.love stephen.a real nice guy.doesnt look down on people.and has a real interseting life.

[emmajeanaudrey]

gosh, this man can talk fast and/or quietly... for a non-native speaker (like me) this is a challenge. but for stephen fry, one does anything ;-)

[severusrocker]

It's so difficult to imagine Stephen having been expelled or imprisoned!

[Shinganzer]

Not if you read moab is my washpot :)

[severusrocker]

I've got the ruddy thing as well! But I buy too many books to possibly read them as I do so. Thank Merlin for Amazon and bulk-purchases.

Actually, now you've reminded me about it I'll make sure to read it soon. Thanks!

[Shinganzer]

you should deffo read it. It's brilliant.

[24gwen24]

Thanks for posting this, Anytime is a good time to listen or hear about Stephen Fry.

[JudasReis]

Thanks for this post TopTellyFan.Stephen Fry is a true artist. I would def. put him on my dinner party wish list. QI is a joy,if only it were on BBC A or in the BBC catalogue for my region. Thanks TopTellyFan for the glimpse

[ramz87]

Leave your face alone you great hippo ! :)

Stephen definitely deserves a bit of smugness, surely.

[markik12y48]

thaaanks! :)