15 Comments
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Clair Sullivan's avatar

Fabulous.. could I enquire as to the dress code for the sex scandal?

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Tor Freeman's avatar

Excellent question. Lederhosen with NO shirt underneath, and a pointy dwarf's hat.

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Ella Beech's avatar

So many great great things here Tor! Firstly (and selfishly!) you reminded me how brilliant and cheering Jeeves and Wooster is and I immediately began relistening on Audible. Bliss! I relate to Newton’s first law of motion so hard!! This is genius! And I can’t believe you ran out of Petrol on Shepherd’s Bush Green! Well, I can. It is VERY you to not fill your petrol tank like that! I need to see all of these great names in more brilliant comics from you and I can’t wait to read more of Dr Umlaut!! What ho!

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Tor Freeman's avatar

Thanks Els!! I know, the running out of petrol haunts me every time I think of putting off stopping to fill up to this day!! And total bliss of Jeeves and Wooster!!! xx

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Lisa Greener's avatar

I NEED to read more about Poisson Pen and Nom Nom de Plume!! Do they work for the same publication?!

I made a note of Cedric Puff Gammon recently, really made me laugh, but I can’t think where I saw it!! It wasn’t you was it? 😝

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Tor Freeman's avatar

Oooo good question - perhaps they do work for the same publication, and I'd have to think of a good name for that!!

Cedric Puff Gammon is excellent, and not from me! Gammon is always a hilarious word!!

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Katie Clapham's avatar

STIRRUPS!!! I spluttered on my tea. Love this Tor, so so funny. I love the process of naming characters, although somehow I've managed to write two (picture) books with unnamed narrators! D'oh.

Oh, and even though you didn't ask, my favourite character name in any book is Hermann Kermit Warm (from The Sisters Brothers) and if I ever get a boy dog, that will be his name.

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Tor Freeman's avatar

Haha thanks Katie!! Oh, I like an unnamed narrator too - and I feel like it's really more the peripheral characters who get to have the bonkers names. That is a fantastic name - I did consider Kermit for Rusty, because of Kermy - also Grover Cleveland has always been an inspiration for future dogs!! I look forward to meeting your Hermann Kermit Warm one day (!!!)

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Hattie Crisell's avatar

'Missy Fotherington-Gore - not a thrilling name, but I had a good arc for her - she’s a Jilly Cooper-style romantic novelist whose breakout novel, Stirrups, is about a gynaecologist who becomes a star horse jockey.' I'm dying at this whole newsletter. You're hilarious x

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Tor Freeman's avatar

Hahaha thanks dude!! She was a character I thought of during my improv classes, and then I was sick the week we were performing them for each other, so she never got her debut. x

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Hattie Crisell's avatar

A crying shame x

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Helen Stephens's avatar

Brilliant as always! I’d love to be a fly on the wall at that Rumplestiltskin sex scandal party! Actually, maybe not, he always gave me the creeps.

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Tor Freeman's avatar

Thanks Helen! God totally, Rumplestiltskin was red flag city wasn't he, and a tantrumy baby to boot!

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Freeq O’Nature's avatar

Just found you in my weekly “reads” email and now I’m hooked! Sitting by myself in the sunshine, streaming tears and guffawing out loud - never mind the snorting coffee all over my shirt! - just a crazy old(ish) woman who should probably be locked up. Or put in a comic strip.

Umlaut - isn’t that what the Ferengis called their weird fetishy ear sex? Is your Dr Umlaut a closet sex therapist masquerading as a real psycho...er, I mean psychologist? 🤔

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Apr 20, 2023
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Tor Freeman's avatar

Chris I think of you absolutely as someone who's brilliant at names! Your lists are fantastic.

I wasn't familiar with Beachcomber, but have just been reading the Wikipedia. Those names!! The Red Bearded Dwarfs' names are out of control good - Scorpion de Rooftrouser!!! Beyond.

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