Writer, broadcaster, politician and chef: Clement Freud never ran short of ways to fill his time. This was true until the very end. He died at his desk yesterday.
The grandson of Sigmund ‘sometimes a cigar is just a cigar’ Freud, he first appeared in the public eye on adverts for Minced Morsels dog food, with his co-star and lookalike Henry the bloodhound.
A varied career followed, from newspaper columns to the Houses of Parliament, but he is best remembered for his wonderfully dry wordplay. This quote sums up his humour – and a way to laugh at our current situation – perfectly:
“There’s not much doubt but we are in a period of great inflation. As the farmer said to me the other day, ‘Apples are going up,’ to which I replied, ‘This would come as a severe blow to Sir Isaac Newton.'”
There’s no doubt that his loss will be felt for much longer than just a minute.
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