Amused to see The Chap magazine featured on Have I Got News For You last night.
It was a remarkable coincidence because only hours earlier I had asked myself the question, "Whatever happened to The Chap?".
For those who don't know, I'll let Wikipedia explain:
The Chap is a British magazine published six times a year by Gustav Temple, proposing a return to a dandified way of life, involving tweed, pipe smoking, brogues and finely pressed trousers.
Years ago Forest combined forces with Gustav Temple and his sidekick, Michael "Atters" Attree, and together we organised a party on a boat moored close to Blackfriars Bridge in London.
When I first saw the boat, in daylight, I was unimpressed. It was big, with a large outside area, but it looked and felt like a rusty old hulk. Gustav, however, loved it. To him it was a blank canvas and he saw its potential.
To be honest, I don't remember much about the actual event apart from the fact that it was on a Saturday night and the boat was heaving with 200-300 people (many of them dressed in Chap-style clothes).
I do remember that Gustav and his colleagues did a magnificent job decorating the boat and at one point there was a "smoking competition" that involved five people puffing on a cigarette apiece using a cigarette holder.
The winner was the person who smoked their cigarette in the fastest time. It was silly yet hilarious to watch. (I don't think health and safety would allow it now.)
Gustav and "Atters" attended one or two Forest events after that but I haven't heard from them for a while. I can report however that The Chap is responsible currently for two annual events – The Chap Olympiad and The Grand Anarcho-Dandyist Ball. The latter, now in its third year, takes place next week.
PS. If you're wondering why, out of the blue, I asked myself "Whatever happened to The Chap?", it was because of this blog post. Below it is a web banner and a link to The Chap website, hence the connection.