Speakers Corner: the Nineties & Noughties
During the 1990s and Noughties, regular speakers at Speakers Corner included Tony Allen, “Advocate Heckler, Anarchist Parasite and Mixed Ability Shaman”. Tony had a short career on the alternative comedy scene of the 1980s even starring in a brief appearance on the Young Ones. He published a book on the wonders of the Corner called “A Summer in the Park”, available in all good bookshops. Tony still comes occasionally to take us on a rambling meander through life’s mysteries.
Diane Hamilton, one of the very few regular female speakers, began as a born again Christian but morphed in to a nationalist, condemning any foreigners who dared venture to the Corner without a proper English accent. “God didn’t intend us to travel” she would rant, in her rather un-south like Northumberland accent. Diane retired to Southend and has now not been seen for many years.
And who could forget the Master, with his black supremicist rantings and shaking of his beads. Now with Black Lives Matter he seems slightly ahead of his time. Much scarier were the rather fearful but daft Nation of Islam, led by ex-actor Leo Chester (now calling himself Leo Muhammad), with his circle of beefy security guards in their little dickie bows. They are rumoured to be returning to the Corner in the Summer of 2018.
Heiko Khoo, is the Corner’s resident Marxist, and provided a slightly more educated and intellectual input than many. Heiko is one of the longest serving speakers currently, having started way back on 1986. Even his presence is limited these days, may be as he is too busy helping Comrade Corbyn prepare for the corridors of power.
Martin Besserman, is the Corners comedian, always ready to pull up his shirt and expose his belly, with his “looking at penises in the toilets” joke and jumping off his ladder to chat up any passing young female tourists, he was a very welcome bit of light relief from the seriousness of many of the other speakers. Martin occasionally returns to the Corner but can be found hosting his regular comedy club Monkey Business.
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