Episode #9.3

A somewhat offbeat synopsis was submitted to this particular episode, reading:

""Aspel and Company" Was a series of entertaining chat shows in the 80's hosted by the wonderful Michael Aspel, a true gentleman, who probably rues the day Shirley MacLaine sat on his sofa. Other guests this evening were Diana Ross and Mel Smith, possible unknown in the USA, he was an accomplished actor, comedian and script writer, very much a national treasure in the UK, this evening would have MacLaine looking like the dreadful little Satan worshipper that she is.

Mel Smith sat beside her, being jovial and funny as he would be. Then, while Diana Ross came and sat on the sofa, MacLaine, the cow bag, started hitting Mel on the head, hard and persistently. MacLaine doing this, I can only imagine, she must have thought it was funny? Mel tried to laugh it off, making comments such as

" i'll sue"

It was all thanks to Mel Smith to not make the situation really ugly, but she didn't deserve this, personally, I would have poked her in the eye. It seriously beggar's belief that she felt comfortable doing it on live TV. Aspel & Co was always I delight early evening, relaxed and stress free, but it turned into one of those "death by cringe" moments that live TV is the best at.

After about a minute, the lovely Diana Ross commented how awful it was for Maclaine to sit there humiliating Mel. She also pointed out, if it had been a man hitting a woman, the man would have been arrested, and rightly so. Trouble is, MacLaine wasn't.

Diana said what every one wanted to say, MacLaine didn't flinch, the cow bag.

If I had been Mel, I would have got her in a headlock. That would have put paid to her cow baggery..."