Jasper Carrott
| Jasper Carrott OBE |
|
|---|---|
Carrott in 2006
|
|
| Birth name | Robert Norman Davis |
| Born |
14 March 1945 Acocks Green, Birmingham, England |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, game show host |
| Years active | 1973–2005 (singer) 1975–present (comedian) |
| Spouse | Hazel Jackson (1973–present) |
| Children |
Lucy Davis Jenny Davis Hannah Davis Jake Davis |
| Website | JasperCarrott.com |
Jasper Carrott, OBE (born Robert Norman Davis; 14 March 1945) is an English comedian, actor, television presenter, and personality.
Born in Shaftmoor Lane, Acocks Green, in Birmingham, Carrott was educated at Acocks Green primary school and Moseley School. He worked as a trainee buyer at a city centre department store, the Beehive, with schoolmate Bev Bevan.
In February 1969 he started his own folk club, "The Boggery", in nearby Solihull with his friend Les Ward. Carrott performed folk songs and as an MC. His banter overtook the songs and he became more a comedian than singer. He also worked as a musical agent (with John Starkey, who was his manager from 1974 to 1992), as Fingimigig, managing among others Harvey Andrews. He toured UK rugby clubs. He recorded an album in 1973 called Jasper Carrot – In the Club, which he sold from his van. The album contained the original "Magic Roundabout", although mainly material used in his next three LPs (such as "Hare Krishna", "Car Insurance", "Bastity Chelt", and "Hava Nagila") plus the Fred Wedlock song "The Folker".
He had a UK Top 5 chart hit in August 1975 with the novelty record "Funky Moped", written by Chris Rohmann and produced by Jeff Lynne.
By the late 1970s, Carrott had developed anecdotal sketches which he still performs 30 years on. Often they purport to be autobiographical; many celebrate the Birmingham accent and culture, including his support of Birmingham City.
His live performances were recorded as Jasper Carrott Rabbitts on and on and on... and Carrott in Notts. Notable hits were "Bastity Chelt", a song in Spoonerism, "The Football Match" describing a visit to Old Trafford, "The Nutter on the Bus" (including the cry "Has anybody seen my camel?"), "The Mole" ("There's only one way to get rid of a mole – blow its bloody head off!") and "Zits" – an explanation of American slang for spots that brought the word into use in Britain.
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Wikipedia