Stephen Fry on the History of the Smartphone | Hacker News Reader

Stephen Fry on the History of the Smartphone

stephenfry.com

56 pointsbenwr22 comments

Wow, that was an unreadable rambling mess. I can't believe that guy makes his living as a writer.

He's a British institution! :)

But seriously; the thing that always depresses me about Fry is that he is almost but not quite like Douglas Adams. Their views on tech, science, religion and society were very similar, they were both pretty funny (and they were friends, too) - but Adams was a damn good writer, and Fry has never quite managed the same.

To me, the problem seems to be that he writes the way he would talk. This would probably be a great talk, but it's indigestible writing.

Ah... Yes you could be right, that fits.

Would he also say the impossibly bad half-puns that preface each chapter?

That's bizarre, I found it quite palatable. Maybe I'm on the right side of the ocean.

I think rambling on is sort of part of his appeal. Americans seem to enjoy listening to him just for his accent.

He is a bit better on shows like QI where the format of the show means he can't dwell on any particular subject for too long.

That's unfair. He's done extended radio series on language and poetry, topics on which he's genuinely expert, which were a joy.

He's the stupid person's idea of a clever person. A one-dimensional actor who has played "very smug man" for so long that everyone's forgotten that he's not actually accomplished anything worth being smug about... And Hugh Laurie was always the talent in their double-act.

he's not actually accomplished anything worth being smug about... And Hugh Laurie was always the talent in their double-act.

Stephen Fry has accomplished plenty, and (not to talk the man down) I suspect has done a lot more that will stand the test of time than Laurie has. A few to start:

Last Chance To See (documentary about endangered animals)

Stephen Fry in America

The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive

Fry's Planet Word

I suspect they will all be of more interest to historians in 100 years time than multiple seasons of House.

You missed his most famous role: host of QI.

In all of which he merely rehashes the one role he knows how to play, Jeeves the butler. He's about as talented as Jade Goody.

Why of course, you're right. In, for example, The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, where Stephen Fry discusses his personal experiences with bipolar disorder and interviews other sufferers, he is obviously just lazily rehashing his General Melchett character from Blackadder. That, presumably, is the reason the documentary won an Emmy.

I agree that Fry fanboyism is rampant sometimes, but you can't deny that he has done worthwhile things.

I can see that it is from the hysterical downvoting ;-)

I downvoted you because, IMO, you crossed the line from criticism into mindless abuse - especially with the JG comment.

I'd be critical of him; he can be pompous, he has too high an opinion of himself, he does tend to have a "character".

But what he has done, career wise, is not as merit less as you claim. Perhaps he has more varied exposure here in the UK than elsewhere.

Maybe I'm stupid, because he's always seemed exceptionally clever to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6u-WFlvZ2o

I really like Stephen Fry, but that was an awful jumble of thoughts. I read all the way to the end, but I don't really know what the conclusion was.

Single page version: http://www.stephenfry.com/2012/04/03/four-and-half-years-on/...

Has it really been such a short time? It feels more like a decade.

Um. What was the point that? (and I read all of it)

TIL Stephen Fry is a true techno geek, who knew? I prefer his rants on religion frankly, I can get this stuff elsewhere.

It seems like everyone in the UK is hilarious, dry and staunchly opposed to religion. I love it.

We're not opposed to religion we just try to practice tolerance for believers and non-believers. It is only faux-devout Americans and fundamentalist Muslims (who have more in common than either would care to admit) who see non-belief as "staunch opposition"

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