The Tea Lady

Damon Albarn, originally uploaded by Dave Gorman.

So Blur were amazing last night. The whole day - indeed the whole weekend - has been amazing. It's impossible to contextualise it all in one blog, so instead I'll focus on one small, oddity and maybe other parts of the weekend will seep out over the week ahead.

If you were at the gig, you might have been confused as to why Harry Enfield turned up on stage dressed as a tea lady.

I wasn't confused. Or rather, my confusion was of a slightly different hue. I wasn't thinking, "why is Harry Enfield on stage dressed as a tea lady?"

I was thinking, "Am I - even in some tiny way - just a little bit responsible for Harry Enfield being on stage dressed as a tea lady? Did I make this happen?"

Here's the thing. I mentioned in my last blog post that my interview with Damon Albarn would feature in this Sunday's show

We played it in, in three chunks.

In the first, we talked - amongst other things - about Worzel Gummidge. In the second, we talked about the way the internet gives people creative opportunities (as well as opportunities to embarrass themselves) and in the third we talked about the Great British institution of the tea lady.

Now, it was Damon who introduced the subject. And it's possible that he did so knowing that they had already arranged for this odd onstage moment to occur. (The interview was done about 10 days ago)

But listening back... I don't think that's what's going on. But then I might be imagining things.

He talks about how the tea lady connected the office junior with the top brass of an organisation and that, when he first signed for EMI - the tealady was the first person they felt comfortable around.

We discuss the humanising effect of the tea lady, the ritual and the way in which modern tea making has been compromised by the polystyrene cup and the teabag.

And when Damon says that he misses the lost institution of the tea lady and proper tea, I agree and say...

DG: "we all miss that. But luckily there is something that connects us to it. And as you say, it's Blur. You can listen to Blur and in your heart, tea ladies still exist."

DA: "I think we do have our own tea set as well."

DG: "I think you need to introduce it on stage."

DA: "... the tea lady"

DG: "just have a little pause. At Hyde Park."

DA: "Yes. Well. That's a very good idea and now that we've talked about it I do feel like maybe I should bring a tea lady on."

DG: "You know there's..."

DA: "It'd be nice to make everyone a cup of tea."

DG: "This is a real Jesus-complex moment isn't it?"

DA: "But unfortunately Westminster Council would prohibit me making everyone a cup of tea."

DG: "I would love it. When you get to the encore moment. You've left the stage. The crowd are cheering for more. You know you're going to come on. We all know there's going to be the encore. Just come on. Have a cup of tea. And then do the encore."

DA: "Okay"

DG: "I think that would elate Hyde Park."

DA: "I can see it."

DG: "I can see it. And I'd like to see it for real."

Seriously. Listen to it. (The relevant conversation starts about an hour in... although, obviously I recommend the whole podcast). Do you think he knew it was going to happen... or am I, in some small way, responsible for the appearance of Harry Enfield, on stage with Blur... dressed as a tea lady?

What do you think?