Five dinner guests...

[fleetfootmike]

For some reason this one's been intriguing me for a while, so...

Feel free to copy to your own LJ and answer: which five (currently living) famous people would you have to a dinner party and why?

My five - chosen as much as anything for the likely quality of conversation:

• Formula 1 driver and commentator Martin Brundle. Intelligent, articulate, a dry yet funny wit, an ability to explain complex things in simple terms.
  
• Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Pure self indulgence - he's one of my personal heroes, and I'd love to have a chance to meet him.
  
• Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey. In the absence of Professor Tolkien himself, Tom Shippey's the next best thing: the clarity and insightfulness of his contributions to the LOTR DVDs are second to none.
  
• Steely Dan guitarist and technophile Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. Not only articulate about the guitar, but a US defence consultant with a gift for lateral thinking. Funny as heck, too.
  
• US President Barack Obama. How could I not? He comes over as articulate, smart and witty, and the chance to talk to him would be too good to pass up.
  

Y'know, it's no good. I have to add a sixth:

• Fast bowler and cricket's 'Analyst' Simon Hughes. Again, a man who has that gift of explaining things, and his autobiography reveals him as an insightful observer of the game.

How about you?

Comments

[antonia-tiger.livejournal.com]

That's a good list, though I doubt I'd pick sportsmen myself. Not an intense enough interest: I haven't listened to TMS for years.

Substitute Sir Christopher Lee, perhaps?

Ray Mears? No, I don't think I'd let him do the cooking.

Oh dear.I should have to re-read The Lord of the Rings. Such hardship!

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Are we allowed to resurrect the dead for this one?

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

Personally., I went with no,: I'd kind of like it to be possible, yknow?

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Darn. That pesky death thing spoils everybody's fun. =:o{

[keristor.livejournal.com]

Top of my list are Sir Uncle PTerry and Sir Patrick Moore. Too many others don't meet your "currently living" criterion now...

(Actually, my list started with Jessica Alba, Myleene Klass and Freema Agyeman before I noticed that you said 'dinner' before 'party' *g*...)