Mailbox Ask Bob

Bob Servant, window cleaning kingpin and beneficiary of Dundee’s Cheeseburger Wars, turns Agony Uncle for The List

Bob I’m thinking of buying my wife a pair of nice pants for her birthday, however I’m not entirely sure what size she wears. There’s negative aspects to going either too large or too small what should I do? Yours, Mike Thornley Mike, I have always been a tight pants man myself. They make you feel alert and send a very firm message to anyone clever enough to pick up on it. So really the best idea is for you to work out how much your wife looks like me and, if there are obvious physical similarities, then go for the tighter pair. Feel free to look at your wife and imagine my face where her face should be. It will make dinner time fly by and cause absolute havoc (in a good way) in the bedroom. All best, Bob

Hey Bob, A lawyer here. After your various legal wrangles over the Cheeseburger Wars, etc, I was just wondering if you had any views on our much derided profession? Thanks, JT JT, Lawyers are decent folks, trying to get by like the rest of us. And if that involves stealing a man’s three kids and forcing them to call another man Dad and then the first Dad sees his children at a carnival in Dundee’s Caird Park in 1987 and the kids ask the new Dad things like, ‘Why is that man crying?’ And, ‘Is that man not too old for the swings?’ well, that’s just all in a day’s work, isn’t it JT? Be lucky, Bob

Send your questions to bob@bobservant.com twitter.com/bobservant

LETTER OF THE FORTNIGHT

BLONDE ON BLONDE Re: Marilyn explores relationship between Marilyn Monroe and Simone Signoret (676)

Like a lot of people I am fascinated by anything to do with Marilyn Monroe. She and Simone Signoret were in love with the same man, Yves Montand. I think Signoret was married to him. It is an aspect of Monroe's life that we do not know much about, so this should be very interesting. OP Wood

Editor’s note: You are correct, Simone Signoret and Yves Montand were married, and the play speculating on the relationship between Monroe and Signoret is sure to be interesting. Marilyn is on at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 17 Feb–Sat 12 Mar; Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh Tue 15 Mar–Sat 2 Apr.

THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE ONE BOTTLE OF THE BLACK GROUSE WHISKY Smoky and Smooth a marriage of fine peated Scotch malt whiskies and The Famous Grouse

NEXT ISSUE Wednesday 2 March

NEW TALENT SPECIAL As we relaunch The List as a four-weekly publication, we take a look around at the hottest young actors, comedians and designers who are currently making waves in the creative world. SOUPS AND SANDWICHES Sometimes, a soup or a sandwich just ain’t enough you gotta have both. We at The List agree, and have devoted our lunch hours to finding the best deals in Glasgow in Edinburgh.

96 THE LIST 17 Feb–3 Mar 2011

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor

Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain

EDITORIAL

Editor Jonny Ensall Deputy Editor Claire Sawers

Assistant Editor Henry Northmore, Allan Radcliffe

Research Manager

Laura Ennor Research Siân Bevan,

Alex Johnston, David Pollock, Fiona Shepherd, Kirstyn Smith Editorial Assistant

Niki Boyle Editorial Intern Killian McAleese

SALES & MARKETING

Media Sales Manager Juliet Tweedie

Media Sales Executive

Jude Moir

Media Project Sales Manager

Suzanne Robertson Business Development

Executive Adam Coulson Business Development

Manager Brendan Miles

Sponsorship & Promotions

Manager Sheri Friers

Promotions Executive

Amy Russell

Circulation Executive Murray Robertson

PRODUCTION Senior Designer

Lucy Munro

Production Manager Simon Armin

DIGITAL Web Editor Hamish Brown

Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe

Software Developer Iain McCusker

Online Editorial Assistant Alice White

ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwick

SECTION EDITORS Around Town Kirstin Innes

Books/Comedy Brian Donaldson Clubs/Play Henry Northmore

Dance/Kids Kelly Apter Food & Drink Donald Reid

Film Paul Dale LGBT Lauren Mayberry

Music/Shopping Claire Sawers Noticeboard Anna Millar

Theatre/Visual Art Allan Radcliffe