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Presidents and Hair

Chris meets UK presidents of flowers, magic, moustaches and baked beans and hears from Dr Phil Langton, who hasn't washed his hair in 13 years.

Chris meets four of the country's quirkiest presidents: Scotland's Graeme Taylor - president of the Scottish Association of Magical Societies, Wales' Captain Beany - president of the Baked Bean Society, England's Rod Littlewood - president of the Handlebar Club and Northern Ireland's Barbara Megarry - president of the Flower Arrangement Society. Plus, Dr Phil Langton shares the science behind greasy hair and if we really need to wash our locks. Vassos speaks to Denise Lewis in the Sports Locker and today's Pause For Thought comes from the Reverend Kate Bottley.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Tue 8 Nov 2016 06:30
Â鶹Éç Radio 2

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Clips

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Music Played

  • Snap!

    Rhythm Is A Dancer

    • Holiday Hits: Non Stop Euro Pop (Var).
    • Virgin.

  • Olly Murs

    Grow Up

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.

  • Queen

    One Vision

    • Queen - Greatest Hits II.
    • Parlophone.

  • The Smiths

    This Charming Man

    • The Smiths - The Very Best Of.
    • WEA.
    • 2.

  • Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott

    D.I.Y.

    • What Have We Become.
    • Virgin EMI.
    • 001.

  • The Banana Splits

    The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)

    • Television's Greatest Hits Vol. 5: In Living Color (Various Artists).
    • TVT Records.

  • Curtis Mayfield

    Move On Up

    • The Old Skool Reunion (Various Artis.
    • Global Television.

  • Blossoms

    Blown Rose

    • Blossoms.
    • Virgin EMI.
    • 007.

  • KISS

    Crazy Crazy Nights

    • Now 10, Part 1 (Various Artists).
    • Now.

  • Eric Prydz

    Call On Me

    • (CD Single).
    • Data Records.

  • Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames

    Get Away

    • 20 Beat Classics.
    • Polydor.

  • Thomas Rhett

    Star of the Show

    • (CD Single).
    • Big Machine.
    • 001.

  • Jimmy Young

    Unchained Melody

    • 50's Number Ones Vol 1.
    • Old Gold.

  • Jimmy Young

    The Man From Laramie

    • 1955 British Hit Parade: Britain's Greatest Hits Volume 4 Part 2 CD1.
    • Acrobat Music.
    • 17.

  • Jimmy Young

    Too Young

  • One Direction

    History

    • (CD Single).
    • Syco Music.
    • 13.

  • Emeli Sandé

    Next To Me

    • (CD Single).
    • Virgin.
    • 1.

  • Dean Martin & Helen O’Connell

    How D'Ya Like Your Eggs In The Morning?

    • Cool Couples (Various Artists).
    • Sanctuary.

  • James Brown

    Living in America

    • 40th Anniversary Collection.
    • Polydor.
    • 4.

  • Razorlight

    America

    • (CD Single).
    • Vertigo.

  • Bruce Springsteen

    Born In The USA

    • Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA.
    • CBS.

  • John Mellencamp

    R.O.C.K. In The USA

    • John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow.
    • Riva.

  • David Bowie

    Young Americans

    • David Bowie - Best Of Bowie.
    • EMI.

  • Supertramp

    Breakfast In America

    • The Very Best Of Supertramp.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • Frankie Valli

    Grease

    • Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Ve.
    • Polygram Tv.
    • 18.

  • Alicia Keys

    Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

    • The Element Of Freedom.
    • Sony Music.
    • 14.

  • Siouxsie and the Banshees

    Dear Prudence

    • Now 1983 - The Millennium Series.
    • EMI.

  • Blondie

    Union City Blue

    • Atomic: The Very Best Of Blondie.
    • EMI.

  • Jack Savoretti

    When We Were Lovers

    • (CD Single).
    • BMG.

  • The Presidents of the United States of America

    Peaches

    • Columbia.

  • The Tams

    Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy

    • (Single).
    • Stateside.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought

The Reverend Kate Bottley a Church of England priest in North Nottinghamshire:

Ìý

I'm a bit of a giggler Chris, you know those moments when you just find something funny and try as you might you just can't stop? Usually it's at the worse time possible. It happened to me not so long ago half way through a church service and when you're the vicar that can be a bit awkward.

Our organ at church is a little temperamental and so Tom the organist proposed a solution, he'd bring in his snazzy new, bells and whistles portable electric keyboard. Tom assured me that none of the congregation would know the difference as the keyboard had got a pipe organ function and he’d turn the volume right up. The service began, the first hymn went well and sure enough no one seemed any the wiser.

That was until we got to the second hymn, halfway through the first verse Tom got in a tangle, pressed the wrong button and all of a sudden ‘Amazing Grace’ had the wildest of disco samba beats behind it. We struggled on valiantly singing while Tom played and panicked. He couldn't switch it off, in fact everything he did only seemed to make it louder and faster.

The ridiculousness of 30 or so respectable members of the community trying to keep up as the beat got funkier, I expected any second for someone to start doing the ‘Cha Cha Cha’ in the chancel. As Tom played on we sang with tears of laughter rolling down our cheeks at the silliness, of it all.

Poor Tom and some might say how disrespectful of us all to laugh in church! I have to disagree. I think God is to be found in the serious AND the silly, and for me there is no disrespect in rejoicing in the ridiculous.Ìý As we all got the giggles that day I looked around the church at older and younger laughing together, afterwards Tom was reassured with hugs and Betty told him ‘Ee Tom I haven't had such a wonderful time in years!’

I think we saw a glimpse of heavenly joy that day and I think God might have been laughing too. So whatever makes you laugh today enjoy the divine daftness of life, After all we only need to look at each other to know that God must have a brilliant sense of humour.

Broadcast

  • Tue 8 Nov 2016 06:30
    Â鶹Éç Radio 2

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

Â鶹Éç Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.