Oh, Mills, I agree with you so much on this. Most years the Last Night coincides with the family holiday, so I'm usually spared it, but when I do catch it, I spend much of the programme cringeing; no wonder classical music is becoming sidelined in the UK when the on one big occasion when it gets it wider exposure it appears so hopelessly and parochially end of term, portraying the audience as little more than a bunch of jingoistic eccentrics. If it does encourage anybody new to go to a concert, they're really not going to have much idea what it's really all about once they get there, are they? And if that's the behaviour they think is customary, it's going to be rather a shock both to them and the rest of the audience, too.

I believe it is going to be one of those never ending reality show formats. Whether it will have all the aspects of that ( audience phone in to vote someone off every week etc ) remains to be seen. I read Jon Snow may be the host, which might imply that it will be a bit different than if it was Graham Norton. I presume they would just conduct one pre-prepared piece ( maybe in the Park rather than the Albert Hall ? ) Since it's the abysmal Last Night, I can't get too worked up about it. I was never a child who hid behind the sofa when watching Doctor Who but that's where you find me when the bobbing up and down and horn tooting starts.  I do resent the image it gives of "classical music" and the fear that when I mention that it is an interest of mine, people may think I'm talking about something like the Last Night.

As I remember it, it was the Gulf War in 1990, not the Falklands War, and Elder did not turn down the Last Night but was sacked.

It may not be quite so bad.  I've met many people who think this kind of behaviour is what *The Proms* is all about; indeed I'd guess a great many people think the last night *is* The Proms.  Lots of people I know have been quite amazed to learn just how long the festival is.  Even those who know there's more than one night think it's something like Knebworth or Glastonbury.

There are lots of clichés about classical music - most people I've introduced to concerts still ask if they need to wear a tie and are quite surprised that you can get in wearing jeans and trainers (I believe that's not the case in night clubs - not that I frequent such places you understand).  Luckily most people will be aware of the clichés but are smart enough to know they won't all be true.

I'm past caring what happens to the 2nd half of the last night.  I don't begrudge people's enjoyment of it but I find it all rather silly.  If the regulars want to save it from the added indignity of a celeb conductor they must organise to that end.  I can't see that it would be much worse conducted by a TV personality.

TV channels around the world show a British audience waving union flags and singing 'Rule Britannia'? 

I'm so embarrassed 

Brits go to Italy to La Scala or Verona, or to Germany to Bayreuth...in exchange we offer the chance to attend concerts where you can behave like football hooligans?

O tempora! O mores...

It is interesting. I assume that there's something built into the American education system from an early age that turns them into extroverted patriots (and conformists)?

As for France, I didn't realise that they were prone to the same patriotic demonstrations. I suppose that a lot of countries are.

Without intending any offence to Americans or others for their chosen way of life, I'm glad that I wasn't programmed in the same way.