Councillor Ramsay Milne to award the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen to the trio for "their services to the Fine Arts, the Doric language and North East of Scotland culture; promotion of the City and, above all, for makin' a'body laugh." The conferral took place on 20 April 2008 at His Majesty's Theatre. An Early Day Motion tabled at the House of Commons by Malcolm Bruce MP asked that "That this House congratulates Scotland the What?, comprising Buff Hardie, Stephen Robertson and George Donald, on receiving the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen and thanks them for 50 years of entertainment and the promotion of Aberdeen, the Doric dialect and the distinctive character of North East country and city folk and, to quote the official citation, above all, for 'makin a'body laugh'." As at 8 May 2008 it had 23 signatures. Steve Robertson also appeared in "Bon Record!" – a show to celebrate the 750th anniversary of Aberdeen Grammar School – the school that he attended. (The school motto "Bon Record" is a play on words of the motto of Aberdeen City, which is "Bon Accord".) In May 2008 Stephen Robertson was elected as Rector of the University of Aberdeen; his installation took place in October 2008. He died in November 2011. In September 2013 George Donald died aged 79, and in 2020 Buff Hardie died aged 89. References Bibliography Hardie, Buff, Stephen Robertson, George Donald, Scotland the What? (Edinburgh: Gordon Wright, 1987). Hardie, Buff, Stephen Robertson, George Donald, Scotland the What? – Second Helping (Edinburgh: Gordon Wright, 1996). External links Minute of the Council Meeting conferring the Freedom of the City Ross Records – Publisher of two Best of Scotland the What? albums in 2000 and 2006 The Career and Performances of Scotland The What? Aboutaberdeen.com Culture in Aberdeen Theatre companies in Scotland Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Scottish male comedians Trios