Radio
Monsters
Maureen Owen
nyone who meets Yehudi Menuhin is
immediately aware of his gentleness and charm. How undeserving, therefore, was the fate awaiting him when he appeared on Start the Week, (Radio 4) with Roald 'Dahl. Dahl, described by the host, Richard Baker as 'a Norwegian' and referred to by Bill Tidy, another guest, as 'Ron', is an an- noying man, as perhaps he intends to be. That he is a successful craftsman in the field of children's books, no one can deny. But
his hectoring manner made one long to form a protection society for innocents like Menuhin who dare to publish a children's book at all, let alone in the same week as Roald Dahl turns in yet another one.
Dahl at first declined to give an opinion
on Menuhin's new venture on the grounds that he never reviews books as he has no wish to be unkind to fellow writers. This tactic rashly caused Menuhin to clamour for a frank and honest opinion from the Master, and with a further show of reluc- tance Dahl broke his vow of silence to ex- pose every possible flaw in Menuhin's little book, designed for seven-year-olds. 'A reprehensible effort,' Menuhin was told, 'to put it mildly. If you want to write for children why don't you compose some nice music like Peter and the Wolf? Why muck about with someone else's trade?'
It was especially sad to hear Yehudi
Menuhin continuing to ask if some merit couldn't at least be found in the illustra- tions. Richard Baker's criticism of Dahl's latest creation, the crocky wocky crocodile who eats little children alive, was brushed aside as the children's friend explained his own rare talent. The most difficult form in all literature, according to Dahl, is the children's story. Only a few writers are skilful enough to be able to present it at all, and out of those, only a lucky few like himself know exactly what children like and why. It is hard to think of a worse example of callous self satisfaction than Roald Dahl's shocking exhibition, but unfor- tunately and unbearably, he is probably right. The world of children's story writing is certainly no fairy tale, and if inhabited by fearsome monsters like Dahl, those with modest ambitions in this direction would be well advised not to enter the lists.
Feedback, on Radio 4, selects listeners' letters and hauls out heads of departments to deal with them. Someone who objected to the way in which interviewers ask ques- tions was answered by the head of the BBC's staff training department. There was quite a lot to say on this subject, particular- ly what was described as the most banal, the most lunatic and idiotic of all questions: `How do you feel about , . ' whatever it happens to be, put to Mr or Mrs Jones who is already in a trying and difficult position. The next time this happens and an appro- priate answer given, namely a string of four-letter words, the BBC have informed all interviewers that the answer will not be edited out.
Radio 1 disc jockey Dave Lee Travis
must have skipped this staff training course. Taking his microphone into the sit- ting room of a Mr and Mrs Mick Haughey, a Durham family where 18 per cent of the working population is unemployed, his first question to the daughter of the house was:
'How do you feel about your dad being unemployed?' Unfortunately, the predicted reaction did not occur. The family reeled politely and patiently as the DLT investiga- tion went from bad to worse. After playing the No. I hit record, he egged the family on to reveal the sort of rows they might be hay-
ing 'living under stress like this'. Clearly feeling he was doing well, he went on to make a string of insinuations which under other circumstances would have landed him a punch on the nose. 'Find you're getting a bit lazy and staying in bed a lot, do you, Kevin?' And, 'Lean forward a bit, Susan my darling, and speak into the mike; there is something we haven't brought up yet -this question of deliberately getting pregnant as an alternative to unemploy- ment. An hour is all we've got for this fas- cinating subject, I'm afraid, but have any of you been in trouble with the law yet?'
Before thanking the Haughey family for making him feel very welcome, and present- ing them with a birthday cake on behalf of the BBC, the disc jockey fired one last in- sult: 'Do you ever feel like — well — "I've got a few quid in my bin from social securi- ty so why should I bother looking for a job"?' Demoralisation can be the only reason why one of the striken family didn't respond by pushing Dave's face into the BBC birthday cake.
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