================================== B R I T C O M E D Y D I G E S T ================================== V. 1 Rest In Peace, Peter JAN. 1995 no.8 November 17, 1937 - January 9, 1995 A monthly electronic newsletter on British comedies. What's Inside ============= * Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: Grand Old Men Of Comedy (Part 3) * Absolutely Indulgent! Why I love AbFab * A Look Back At The Young Ones * Op/Ed: The Myth of Cultural Quality * Listy and Rimsey: The Odd Couple * The Creation of a Python Sketch * Sprechen Sie Python? Transcriptions: * Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: One Leg Too Few Regular Departments: Editor's Page Mailbox Britcomedy News Newsquirks Editorial/Opinion Page net.comedy Quote-'O-the-Month FAQs and Comprehensive Lists Circulation/Back Issues Staff ===== Managing Editor..................Melinda 'Bob' Casino Contributing Editor..............Michelle Street Assistant Editor.................James Kew Contributing writers: James Kew, Lizbeth Marc, Alison Siegel, Michelle Street, Chris Welty, Jennifer L. Wyatt. HTML logo by Nathan Gasser; HTML conversion by James Kew. Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) Copyright (c) 1994 by Melinda Casino. Reproduction for personal and non-profit use is permitted only if this copyright notice is retained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission. E D I T O R 'S P A G E ------------------------ Peter Cook, the comedian and writer, died of a gastro-intestinal hemorrhage in London's Royal Free Hospital on the morning of January 9th. His death at 57 was unexpected, and drew many tributes in the press from friends and colleagues. I first heard Peter Cook's work when a friend at University brought back a muffled, distorted, many-times-copied tape of "Derek & Clive (Live)". I was stunned listening to it for the first time by the crude, savage humour, riddled with expletives and crashing through taboos, and then by the imagination and wit behind the rambling, improvised pieces. I wanted to know more about this man, who through a single well-placed ad-lib could reduce both Dudley Moore and myself to fits of laughter. I discovered "Beyond The Fringe". I discovered "Not Only...But Also...". I discovered E. L. Wisty, Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling, Dud and Pete. I learnt of Cook's involvement in the Establishment Club and Private Eye. Cook's comedy was strongly observational, often sharply satirical, and always entertaining. He had a gift of turning even the most ordinary subject inside out, of finding humour in every situation. As he demonstrated on his all-too-infrequent chat-show appearances, his wit was spontaneous and uninhibited. The news of Cook's death is a terrible blow, both to British comedy, which he did so much to inspire, and to all the people to whom he brought so much joy. He was a great hero to me; I and many others shall miss him dearly. --James Kew, Assistant Editor MAILBOX ======= I recently heard Terry Jones in an interview on our local public radio station (KQED). [He was on] for about half an hour and was hilarious. He said that tapes of "Complete and Utter History" (see vol.1, no. 7) had been found in the BBC vaults this year. Apparently they were filed, not under "comedy" but under "history"! Terry said that plans are in the works to make them available in some form. Laurel Sutton -- Berkeley, CA ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There's a lot in these pages about British TV shows, but apart from the "Goons" and the original "Hitchiker's", I haven't seen much about British radio comedy. Obviously some of it is too regional (e.g., "Week Ending" - all about the preceding week's news) but shows like "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue", "Radio Active" and "Just A Minute" were gems. [Why is there] this lack of discussion? R. Winn -- Vienna, Austria P.S. - Did you know that the German title of "Search for the Holy Grail" is "Die Ritter des Kokos" - The Knights of the Coconut...it's just not the same. EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Thanks for bringing this point up. I have been trying to get writers from the UK to cover shows that aren't in America, to no success. If you can write on British radio shows, _please_ email me at casino@pobox.upenn.edu. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I have just found Britcomedy Digest on the 'net and it is fantastic-- congratulations. I am writing in the hopes that someone has scripts from the best comedy show ever recorded in the history of television, the news spoof programme "The Day Today." While a lot of comedies claim to be dangerous and risquŽ, here was a real comedy programme where the presenter (Chris Morris) actually got his wrists slapped by the Broadcasting Standards Council for "inducing an elderly man into using offensive language." Could you try and get some of the scripts for your 'zine? "The Day To-day--because the last scintilla of doubt just rode out of town!" Barry Cronin -- Navan, Republic of Ireland EDITOR'S RESPONSE: "The Day Today" hasn't been aired in the U.S. yet, as far as I know. Please contact me if you have transcriptions or would like to write an article about this program. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My name is Mikael. I got your address from my brother who has written to you a couple of times. I was just wondering...why is Rodesia called Rodesia? Mikael Stromberg -- Uddevalla, Sweden EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Contrary to the widespread belief that the causative organism, the bacterium _Neisseria gonorrheoeae_, cannot live apart from moist, warm, mucous membranes, live bacteria have been recovered from contaminated bathroom fixtures fifteen minutes to four hours later...hence, the name "Rhodesia". ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ MAILBOX: Send letters to casino@pobox.upennn.edu. BRITCOMEDY NEWS... ------------------ PETER COOK DIES AT 57 -- FANS WORLD-WIDE MOURN Peter Cook died on January 9, 1995, of a gastro-intestinal hemorrhage, in the Royal Free Hospital in London. He is survived by two daughters by his first marriage to Wendy Snowden. Cook was a heavy drinker and smoker. He reportedly downed triple vodkas and orange juice for breakfast. The funeral is for family only, but it will be followed by a more public memorial service in London for friends and associates. Dudley Moore, 59, his former partner, flew in from California for the memorial service. "His talent was extraordinary. He was on the fringe and understated because of that. I knew his death was just a matter of time, but it's so sad. Life will never be the same." He went on to say that he had lost a close and dear friend. Cook married three times and leaves a widow, Lin Chong, whom he married in 1987. Private Eye (#863, Jan. 13 1995) marked its proprietor's death with a cover picture of Cook, holding a drink and cigarette in his right hand, under the caption "So. Farewell then...". The issue includes tributes written by Eye editors Richard Ingrams and Ian Hislop. ROSEANNE TAKES CONTROL OF ABFAB--BUT WON'T STAR It has been confirmed that after a hot and heavy bidding war, Roseanne has purchased the American rights to Absolutely Fabulous. She is not planning to star in the series (phew--there's a relief!) but will search for two other actresses to take the roles of Patsy and Edina. A pilot will be shot starting in April and Jennifer Saunders has agreed to act as creative consultant. With her reputation for crude, shocking behavior, Roseanne may actually be the perfect person to take on this project and ensure that it stays true to the spirit of the original. Still, it'll be very interesting to see how far television executives will let her go and if America is ready for the adventures of two fortyish drug-abusing, heavy drinking, politically incorrect basket cases. SEVERAL BRITCOMS RECEIVE CABLE ACE AWARDS The CableACE award, the industry's highest award, was given this year to "Mr. Bean," "Whose Line is It Anyway?," Tracey Ullman, and Robbie Coltrane. Whose Award is It, Anyway? Comedy Central has been giving the American public what they want with Britain's "Whose Line is It Anyway?"; now the cable industry recognizes this outstanding comedy quiz show with the award from "Special Series, Movie, Or Miniseries" category. The host is Clive Anderson and guests who have appeared on the show include Tony Slattery, Josie Lawrence, Ryan Stiles, and Greg Proops. One question: whose mantlepiece is the award going to sit on, anyway? Comic Strip Boy Makes Good Scottish actor and comedian Robbie Coltrane won a CableACE award for best actor in a movie or miniseries for "Cracker: To Say I Love You" (A&E). The series itself won in the category "Best Movie or Miniseries." Coltrane plays detective Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald in the popular mystery series. The role was created for him by writer Jimmy McGovern. Coltrane has already received Best Actor awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the British Broadcast Press Guild, and the Monte Carlo Film Festival. Coltrane, who was born in Glasgow in 1950, has appeared in several Comic Strip films, Eric Idle's movie "Nuns on the Run," and "The Pope Must Die(t)." Ullman Kills 'Em in New York Tracey Ullman won the CableACE award for her performance in the HBO comedy special "Tracey Ullman Takes on New York." Ullman is no stranger to American audiences, who have seen her talents displayed in Fox TV's "The Tracey Ullman Show." A VERY Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean" (HBO) walked away with a couple of CableACE awards. Written by Rowan Atkinson, Richard Curtis, and Robin Driscoll, it won "Best Comedy Special," and John Dirkin won "Best Director" for a comedy special. Let's hope the upcoming Mr. Bean movie will win awards, too. The CableACE award was established by the National Cable Television Association. It took place Sunday, January 15 at the Wiltern Theatre and was televised nationally on TNT. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET OBE... Speaking of awards, AbFab's Joanna Lumley got an extra Christmas present this year when she found her name among the list of honorees to be made an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for "services to drama." The ex-Bond girl said she was going to celebrate her OBE in typical Pats fashion--with a bottle of champagne. Newsquirks ----------Pixels in the press MR. BEAN PROCREATES Rowan Atkinson and wife Sunetra are expecting a child this February. The couple, who met on the set of Blackadder in 1990 and were wed a year later, are delighted about their second bundle of joy--the couple already have a two-year old son. FRY HAS CAMEO IN "I.Q." MOVIE Sighted in the new movie "I.Q": Stephen Fry, in a small role as Meg Ryan's fiance. The movie also stars Tim Robbins and Walter Matthau (as Albert Einstein). E D I T O R I A L / O P I N I O N P A G E =========================================== The Myth of Cultural Quality................by Alison Siegel Every month or so some neophyte on alt.comedy.british posts the question "Why do British television series run for 6 episodes, when American shows have 23 or 46 per season?" And quicker than you can say "Knowing Me, Knowing You, Ah-ha" some Brit posts the follow-up: "Because we have something called 'quality' over here." The rationale being that the British writers turn out only so many episodes and then exercise considerable restraint and halt the series before a show goes downhill. It's simply too glib an answer, too superior, and just plain inaccurate. Let's examine this issue--the myth that cultural quality exists--in terms of the latter. Let's assume that all British t.v. series writers are committed to bringing the best quality programs to the British public. How, then, would the number turn out to be six episodes per season, then? Just a freak coincidence? Some superstition rooted no doubt in the fixation Queen Elizabeth has on the number '6'? No, surely there must be some real historical explanation for why each season is six episodes long. However, I'll give my opponents the benefit of the doubt and overlook the above point. Let's assume that in this case, seven is the unlucky number at which t.v. writers feel their creative juices drying up. Why would that automatically hold true for American writers? As anyone who's familiar with this cultural comparison will point out, the entertainment industry in the U.S. is much stronger. Usually a large team of writers are employed for each program, thereby ensuring consistent quality and interesting and new plots. But the advocates of the "British = quality" mentality claim the extra episodes are "filler" or "throw-aways". Yet there are plenty of examples of American t.v. shows that have run for 7 years or longer and have maintained high quality: M*A*S*H, All In The Family, Seinfeld, L.A. Law (alright, it's not a comedy, but it has some damn funny moments), Barney Miller, Murphy Brown, Cheers--just to name a few. Not to mention long-standing talk shows like The Tonight Show and David Letterman; variety shows like The Carol Burnett Show. And by the same token, everything the British touch does NOT turn to gold--anyone who has seen an episode of "From May to December" can attest to that! And what's a hit right now over in the U.K.? "Roseanne." And it's not just the British who buy into the cultural quality myth; Americans often fall under the "Merchant Ivory" spell--which causes them to salivate over anything that smacks of the British. But if we idolize this culture, aren't we putting it on a pedestal that it never asked to be put on? And if the British view American pop culture as plastic, superficial, and without merit, does that really do our culture justice? The truth is, remarks made asserting that Americans turn out crap shows and the British make all "Masterpiece Theaters" perpetuate harmful stereotypes about _both_ cultures. There is no such thing as a culture that has the corner on quality--to say so only demeans that culture by reducing it to a stereotype. ### Britcomedy Digest welcomes contrasting views. Mail rebuttals and editorials to with the subject "EDITORIAL". ==================================================== Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: Grand Old Men Of Comedy by James Kew ==================================================== This is the conclusion of a series of articles on Cook and Moore written prior to Cook's death. We've decided to keep the article as it was originally written. FILMS In 1967 Peter Cook and Dudley Moore made the film "Bedazzled", which came from an idea he and Moore had. Dudley plays Stanley Moon, an inadequate burger-bar cook infatuated with a waitress (Eleanor Bron). After an attempt to kill himself, be meets a George Spigott (Cook), who he later discovers is the Devil, and who offers Stanley seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Each wish Stanley uses is, in effect, a self-contained sketch, linked together by the narrative device of Stanley's growing friendship with George. One sketch borrowed an idea from "Not Only...But Also...": Stanley, having specified that he and his beloved should enjoy eternal love in quiet surroundings, finds that they are both nuns of The Order of Leaping Berelians--a bizarre order who dedicate themselves to the Lord by perpetual leaping. (This leads to be one of the all-time funniest moments in movie history: Dudley Moore, a nun's habit, and a trampoline. Enough said.) "Bedazzled" was given mixed reviews by British critics, who compared it unfavourably with their television work. Abroad, however, it was popular and given rave reviews. Cook has described it as the only film he's ever worked on that he's remotely satisfied with. Between "Goodbye Again" and 1970's third series of "Not Only...But Also" Cook and Moore made a string of uninspiring film appearances. Cook appeared in the 1968 thriller "A Dandy In Aspic", playing a straight part; Moore co-wrote and starred in "Thirty Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthia"; and in 1969 they both appeared in "Monte Carlo Or Bust!" (known in America as "Those Daring Young Men In Their Jaunty Jalopies"). They did not return to film until 1978's "The Hound Of The Baskervilles", a Sherlock Holmes movie made "from the point of view of the dog," according to Cook. That may have been why it turned out to be a mess of a movie. Dudley Moore continued his film career. A cameo in "Foul Play" led to his breakthrough role in the Blake Edward film "10." He starred opposite Bo Derek. Moore earned a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of cocktail pianist George Webber and became one of Hollywood's most unlikeliest sex symbols. Further success came in 1981 with "Arthur", in which he played the happy drunk millionaire Arthur Bach. He falls in love with the Linda Marolla (Liza Minelli), and finds he must choose between riches and happiness. John Gielgud filled Cook's shoes as Moore's sidekick butler Hobson, and the interactions between Moore and Gielgud provided much of the comedy. Moore deservedly received a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination; John Gielgud won a best-supporting-actor Oscar. Moore has since starred in a number of films, including "Lovesick", "Micki And Maude" and the uninspiring sequel, "Arthur 2: On The Rocks", of which few have lived up to his earlier successes. DEREK AND CLIVE A departure in style are the "Derek and Clive" recordings. The first album, "Derek and Clive Live" was originally recorded privately during the New York run of "Good Evening"; inevitably, the tapes "escaped" and multiplied on the bootleg circuit. In 1976, three years later, Cook and Moore relented and issued the material on an LP. Their reluctance was due to the nature of the material, much of which depended on language and subject material which made them quite unsuitable for public distribution. The albums "Come Again" (1977) and "Ad Nauseam" (1978) were released after the relative success of "Derek and Clive Live". The comedy on these three albums is rough, improvised stuff delivered by a clearly inebriated Cook and Moore. There is much which is still shocking today: Derek and Clive argue, screeching expletives at each other; Derek composes a filthy song about his mother; a "Bo Duddley" song is dissected in a manner which veers uncomfortably close to racism. There are moments of sheer brilliance, however: Cook's sketch "Horse Racing", a masterpiece of vulgar double-entendre; the rambling 25 minute piece "The Horn", which ends in a vicious spoof of the Moonlight Sonata; "Squatter and the Ant", a surreally twisted war memoir in which two crusty colonials recount the story of a lone fighter facing a menacing ant. Dudley: What's he up to at the moment? Peter: Squatter Madras? Dudley: Hmm. Peter: Well he tends to lie a bit low, you know. Dudley: Really? Why is that? Peter: Well, he, he...that's the way he lies. A bit low. Which is the best way to lie, I think, in my view. But Squatter was, er, one of my very best friends, which is, erm, him and, um, and him. He is in fact my only best friend. Dudley: Mmm, mm. Peter: But Squatter had this incredible quality, which was, erm, I don't know how you could define it but I would, er, say it was, hm, I'd say it was stupidity. Derek and Clive have been variously described as "Pete and Dud on speed" and "a punk Pete and Dud", and the rambling, freewheeling style is certainly reminiscent of Cook and Moore's earlier characters. Maybe the description on the sleeve of "Derek and Clive Live" fits them best: "just a couple of c***s". A film--"Derek and Clive Get The Horn"--was made of one of the "Ad Nauseam" recording sessions, and was recently re-released on video. THE LATE YEARS Peter Cook's career lately has been somewhat patchy. He continues his involvement in Private Eye, makes infrequent appearances on chat shows, where his ready wit and whimsical outlook is still very apparent, and takes the occasional cameo role in comedy films--notably appearing as the murderous Ralph Jolly in the Comic Strip feature, "Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door". His recent work has included a series of shorts for BBC2 based around the Twelve Days Of Christmas, voicing the animated version of the Viz cartoon "Roger Mellie--The Man On The Telly", and a sparkling special edition of "Clive Anderson Talks Back" in which he improvised the roles of all four of the show's guests. Accused of some by laziness, he claims to have fulfilled all his ambitions by the age of 30. "Ambition can lead people to take some fairly desperate measures at times, and I am not that desperate." Dudley Moore now lives in Los Angeles with his current wife, Nicole Rothschild, who he married in April 1994. He continues to work as an actor, his most notable films recently being "Crazy People" (1990), a satire on the advertising industry, and "Blame It On The Bell-Boy" (1992)--a "mistaken-identity" farce. Music is still his greatest love, and he is an excellent pianist, giving charity performances and presenting two major TV series, "Orchestra!" and "Concerto!" SOURCES: Net --- http://www.cm.cf.ac.uk/Movies/ ftp://cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/humor/british.humour/beyond.the.fringe/ http://cathouse.org:8000/BritishComedy/BeyondTheFringe/ ftp://cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/humor/british.humour/ peter.cook.and.dudley.moore/ http://cathouse.org:8000/BritishComedy/PeterCook_DudleyMoore/ Books ----- _Beyond the Fringe...and Beyond: A Critical Biography of Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, and Dudley Moore_ by Ronald Bergan (W.H. Allen 1989, 1-852-27175-2) _From Fringe To Flying Circus_ by Roger Wilmut (Methuen, 0-413-50770-X) _The Complete Beyond The Fringe_ by Bennett, Cook, Miller and Moore (Methuen, 0-413-14670-7) _Dud and Pete--The Dagenham Dialogues_ by Cook and Moore (Methuen, 0-7493-1036-7) Video ----- "The Best Of...What's Left Of...Not Only...But Also..." (BBC Video) "Derek and Clive Get The Horn" (Polygram) Audio ----- "Beyond The Fringe" (2xCD, EMI) "An Evening With Peter Cook And Dudley Moore/E. L. Wisty" (Polygram cassette, 'funny business' series) "The World Of Pete And Dud" (cassette, Laughing Stock) "Peter Cook and Dudley Moore--The Clean Tapes" (cassette, Castle Classics) "Derek and Clive--Live!" (Island) "Come Again", "Ad Nauseam" (Virgin) ### The Creation of a Python Sketch ------------------------------- The following is from Christopher Welty , a computer science faculty member at Vassar College. Around 1987, when Welty was a member of the New York Arthurian Club (a group interested in King Arthur), he arranged for Graham Chapman to speak to the group. "Graham Chapman had been invited to give a talk to our group and since I was his 'host,' I got to pick him up at the airport and go to dinner after his show, and generally take him around. This is how the funny walks sketch came to be: Graham said that Monty Python worked pretty much in two separate groups, Cleese and he, and Palin and Jones. Eric Idle sort of floated around and wrote songs, and clearly Graham didn't think much of Terry Gilliam and didn't talk about him much. The only thing I remember him saying was that Brazil was the most confusing movie he'd ever seen. Anyway, one day he was at Cleese's house, which at the time was located about two-thirds the way up a fairly steep hill. The house had a small front lawn and a large hedge that bordered it. On the other side of the hedge was the sidewalk which went up to the top of the hill. The room where they worked looked out the front of the house, and as people walked by, you could typically only see the tops of their heads or their hats, and sometimes taller people would walk by and you could see their whole head. That day the two of them had decided they would write something about English Ministries. They were both of the feeling that the mostly ancestral positions in British government were a real crock. They had focused in particular on a fellow who was about as stupid as they felt a human could be, and was so utterly useless yet was required by birthright to be a minister. Apparently, most other government officials were aware of his ineptitude, and so they created a ministry especially for him. At the time, there was a drought, so they made him Minister of Droughts. About four months later the rains came so they changed his title to Minister of Floods. John and Graham felt they simply had to write a sketch about this fellow. They were thinking about it for a while when they noticed a tall man walking by outside. Because of the hedge, they could only see his head. Cleese was making a very confused face as he watched the guy and finally they both realized that, somehow, this guy was walking up the hill keeping his body perpendicular to the sidewalk (while most people tend to lean forward when walking up a hill, to keep themselves opposed to the pull of gravity). They watched mesmerized for a few moments, and then Cleese blurted out, "How is he *doing* that?" So they rushed outside to see but by the time they got out to the sidewalk he had crested the hill. They spent the next few hours hypothesizing increasingly ludicrous ways in which someone might accomplish walking up a hill in that manner, and by the time they got inside the connection to useless British Ministries was made. For the sketch, Cleese added the goose-step to his impression of the way the guy must have been walking up that hill." ### Absolutely Indulgent! Why I Love AbFab..........by Jennifer L. Wyatt I have found my little slice of sleazy, shameless heaven on Comedy Central this year. While they ran the promotional advertisements for the new show "Absolutely Fabulous," there was little clue as to what I was really in for. I was only slightly curious, but during the AbFab marathon, I found myself coming back to the television, my other tasks forgotten. My first thoughts were, "what the hell are these women doing?"; "don't they work?"; "how do they get all the money for champagne and caviar?"; and "_what_ did she say to her daughter?!?". I was still so naive to the true beauty of the program--still entrenched in my confining, polite, structured sphere of existence. The appeal of AbFab is the total freedom it represents. What a relief it would be to be able to behave like Patsy and Edina...endless drinking, smoking, snorting, shopping, lunching, and scathing remarks. It's cathartic-- after a day in the conservative, corporate world, to come home, relax on the couch and to be able to forget the rules that govern our behavior (if only for 30 minutes). "Id Blonde" and "Id Brunette" act as we truly want to act, not as we're expected. Its most refreshing quality is the absence of a moral to the show. We don't have to hear a sappy justification or apology from Patsy and Edina for getting high in the bathroom then blowing birthday candles off the cake with a fire extinguisher. In the U.S., it would be explained that even though it was very funny, it was a Bad Thing to do and of course, would never happen again. I'm so happy they keep doing things like throwing tantrums on the floor, selling Saffron to white slavers in Morocco, sucking down bottles of wine and sucking up packages of white powder. Sometimes it's sad when the show is over. I know I will return to being responsible and facing life with my chin up. I look forward to the next season of episodes--my wristwatch is programmed to remind me when to tune in. "I'm your _best_ friend." -- Patsy Stone --------------------------------- Listy and Rimsey: The Odd Couple by Lizbeth Marcs --------------------------------- Neil Simon couldn't have asked for better actors to play Oscar Madison and Felix Unger than Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in the movie version of "The Odd Couple." But I say if he were casting the famously mismatched duo today, Craig Charles and Chris Barrie could give the two originals a run for their money. Why? Check out this exchange from season two's "Better Than Life:" Rimmer: "It's not easy, Lister, cooking, when you're dead, you don't exist and made entirely of light." Lister: "That's your excuse for everything, isn't it? Bein' dead!" And there's more where that came from. Throughout the series, Lister and Rimmer engage in verbal warfare, and sometimes threaten to do violence to each other. They're the perfect science fiction version of Oscar Madison and Felix Unger, stranded together 3 million years in the future. Matthau and Lemmon with British accents. Yet, five seasons into the series, they're still sharing the same quarters, despite Rimmer moving in with himself in season one's "Me^2" and the move to the Officers Quarters between seasons two and three. They went through the trouble of _actually_ packing their things and moving out of that dingy room where they originally resided to better quarters and yet remained bunkmates! The way they beat on each other, you'd think one of them would move out, even if it's only to the room next door. While Cat hangs out most of the time in the quarters Lister and Rimmer share, you don't see him sleeping there on a regular basis. Kryten, when he's off-line, does it elsewhere. In fact, when Rimmer locks Kryten, Cat and Lister up together in season five's "Quarantine," the three go at it hammer-and-tongs until the violence escalates to the physical plane, something that rarely happens when it's just Rimmer and Lister. Granted, the quarters in "Quarantine" are smaller and the three individuals in question are locked in with only a video on knitting, sprout-based meals and a chess-set with half the pieces missing, but I can't escape the feeling that if Lister was locked in there with Rimmer, the two of them would've somehow managed to make it work by simply driving each other crazy. So we still come to the question of why do Lister and Rimmer continue to share the same room, despite their professed dislike for each other? I know what you're thinking, "Because it's _funny_!" But it's not that simple. Think about it: would any of the comedy really be lost if Rimmer moved out just like Felix Unger did at the end of "The Odd Couple?" No. So what is it then? Could it be that these two _are_ actually friends? Or is it that they need each other to stay sane? The answer is, it's a little of both. In "Psirens" (season 6), an amnesiatic Lister asks Kryten if Rimmer is his best mate. The punchline is that Lister _must_ be seriously ill to think this thought. Yet, I can't escape the suspicion that there's some truth to this bamboozled observation, mostly because in certain matters, Rimmer is the only person he _can_ talk to. Rimmer may be a hologram, but he did used to be human (well, sort of) and is someone with whom he shares a pre-accident past. The show is peppered with references to "the time before the accident," in seasons one and two (understandably) and in "Marooned" (3). In some of those references, it's stated outright that Lister and Rimmer occasionally hung out together. In the pilot episode, "The End," Rimmer is the only person on the Red Dwarf who knows of Lister's 5-year plan. Granted, Rimmer makes fun of Lister's plans for a horse farm on Fiji, but he does listen to the hare-brained idea. In "Stasis Leak" (2), after Rimmer tries to throw Lister into the brig for drugging him with "freaky fungus," the two of them hold a reasonably friendly conversation while walking back to their room. During this exchange, Lister admits that he didn't know he was feeding his bunkmate hallucinogenics and that he really _was_ trying to do something nice. Then in "Kryten" (2) we learn that the wonder duo went on a double date with two women from supplies, though Lister tried to make Rimmer look foolish during the excursion. And in "Marooned" Lister makes reference to the fact that they went to a bar together. It would seem that even before the accident Lister and Rimmer were trying to make the best of a bad situation and attempting to make their compulsory living arrangement work. But why even bother? The answer is because Rimmer couldn't stand being with himself any more than Lister could stand being by himself. In "Me^2," both of them actually go out of their way to cross each other's paths during the whole episode until Rimmer is finally driven back to his old bed by his double. When Lister "chooses" which Rimmer will stay, is there _ever_ any doubt that the original will win? Even more revealing is that all discussion of switching Rimmer off in favor of another hologram goes out the window after "Me^2," though Lister did find all of the personality discs in season one's "Confidence and Paranoia." Granted, Rimmer had hidden Kochanski's disc, but it only would've been a matter of time before Lister found the right one, had he bothered to keep looking. The only time Lister brings up shutting off Rimmer in favor of another hologram _after_ season one is in "Quarantine," and even then he tries to placate his understandably hurt bunkmate by promising to work out "some sort of timeshare" so Rimmer can exist on a part-time basis. As Holly notes, to stay sane Lister needs Rimmer's aggravating presence. By the time "Kryten" rolls around, Lister is able to admit, "Driving Rimmer nuts is the only thing that keeps me sane." In season four's "Dimension Jump," Lister goes so far as to defend Rimmer after "Ace," the hologram's heroic alter-ego, calls him a "maggot." By the same token, Rimmer is acutely aware that he needs Lister if he's going to survive. Setting aside his numerous cowardly acts over the course of the series, Rimmer _does_ try to save Lister on several occasions. In "The End," he attacks Cat when he thinks the felinus sapiens poses a danger to his bunkmate. In "Confidence and Paranoia," Rimmer is afraid Lister might die just after the man contracts mutated pneumonia and passes out. In season three's "Polymorph," Rimmer proposes they run away from a homicidal GELF, but the thought of leaving an incapacitated Lister behind doesn't even seem to cross his mind. Rimmer also admits several times that he doesn't want to be alone ("Future Echoes" [1], "Timeslides" [3] and "Rimmerworld" [6] for example), if only because he knows he would go crazy. But the keynote of Lister and Rimmer's relationship are long, rambling conversations that punctuate the first four seasons. The result? Lister knows his bunkmate so well that he's able to convince a skeptical Rimmer in "The Inquisitor" (5) that his story about being from a parallel universe is true by spilling everything he knows about the hologram. When Cat and Rimmer decide to throw in with Lister and Kryten in that same episode, Lister is disturbed that Rimmer doesn't know him, but seems less concerned by Cat's "forgetfulness." Interesting, considering that Lister and Cat are actually friends in the more conventional sense. One of the most subtle examples of Lister and Rimmer's relationship can be found in season five's "Holoship." While there are no trademark long-winded exchanges, the mark of two people who know each other perhaps a little _too_ well for their own good is there. When it looks like Rimmer is going to again fail in his dream to become an officer and berates himself for being a life-long failure, Lister tries to comfort him ("There's nothing wrong with what you did."). When Rimmer actually wins a place on the Enlightenment, he's at a loss. He's stunned he's won, but he seems equally upset over the fact that he's leaving without much of a chance to say good-bye. Finally, and here I give Charles' and Barrie's acting skills credit for this, the scene where Rimmer takes his leave is a touching one. While Cat and Kryten look disinterestedly on, Rimmer and Lister actually look upset at the prospect of parting ways. I've always suspected that Rimmer's reluctance to leave Red Dwarf played a part (albeit a small one) in his decision to return home. It was this very uncertain alliance between Lister and Rimmer that attracted me to "Red Dwarf" to begin with. One minute, they're trying to beat each other into submission. The next, they're debating about faith ("The Last Day"), families ("Better Than Life"), improving their lot ("Stasis Leak" and "Backwards"), technology ("DNA"), dying ("Marooned"), love ("Thanks for the Memory") and friendship ("Queeg"). To make it even more intriguing, despite the verbal jabs and cheap shots, they seem to take each other seriously. If they didn't, would they get so frustrated with each other's stubbornness? By the same token, it's this give-and-take relationship that was sorely missed in season six. Those long conversations were replaced by four-way rat-a-tat-tat exchanges. Lister and Rimmer's shaky relationship got smothered in the close quarters they shared with Kryten and Cat. It takes away the intimacy, the feeling that Grant and Naylor and, no doubt, Charles and Barrie, wanted you to feel: That sometimes you caught these two characters with their guards down and eavesdropped in on those rare moments when they were able to actually agree on something, or at least agree to disagree. I hold out hope things will improve between Lister and Rimmer, should both characters exist in the not-yet-filmed season seven. The reason is simple. It's the actors. To see what I mean, watch the scene in "Psirens" just after Starbug crashes when Lister jokingly tells Cat that the reason why Starbug survived is because it's made from the same material as "those cute little dolls" that were invariably the only things that survived fatal plane crashes. Cat, who's never been subjected to Lister's complicated jokes, believes him instantly. But just as Lister starts his story, watch Rimmer's expression in the background very closely. Rimmer, who's been subjected to stories about Peterson's shoes ("Queeg") and other tall-tales for six long years, reacts just the way _anyone_ who's been burned by Lister should react. He shakes his head, rolls his eyes...but he doesn't interrupt the story, either. ### Lizbeth Marcs is a reporter. She has written a fan fiction story with Michele Martin, "Battlestar Red." She describes it as a Red Dwarf - Battlestar Galactica crossover piece--email her for a copy! One Leg Too Few =============== Thanks to Michael Palmer for the following transcription. This was originally performed by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in "Beyond the Fringe" in London. A slightly different version (along with many others) can be found at the Cathouse.org British Comedy Pages. (http://cathouse.org:8000/BritishComedy/PeterCook_DudleyMoore/) Peter: Miss Rigby! Stella, my love! Would you please send in the next auditioner, please. Mr. Spigott, I believe it is. (enter Dudley, hopping on one leg) Peter: Mr. Spigott, I believe? Dudley: Yes, Spigott by name, Spigott by nature. (keeps hopping) Peter: Yes...if you'd like to remain motionless for a moment, Mr. Spigott. Please be stood. Now, Mr. Spigott you are, I believe, auditioning for the part of Tarzan? Dudley: Right. Peter: Now, Mr. Spigott, I couldn't help noticing almost at once that you are a one-legged person. Dudley: You noticed that? Peter: I noticed that, Mr. Spigott. When you have been in the business as long as I have you come to notice these things almost instinctively. Now, Mr. Spigott, you, a one-legged man, are applying for the role of Tarzan - a role which, traditionally, involves the use of a two-legged actor. Dudley: Correct. Peter: And yet you, a unidexter, are applying for the role. Dudley: Right. Peter: A role for which two legs would seem to be the minimum requirement. Dudley: Very true. Peter: Well, Mr. Spigott, need I point out to you where your deficiency lies as regards landing the role? Dudley: Yes, I think you ought to. Peter: Need I say without overmuch emphasis that it is in the leg division that you are deficient. Dudley: The leg division? Peter: Yes, the leg division, Mr. Spigott. You are deficient in it to the tune of one. Your right leg I like. I like your right leg. A lovely leg for the role. That's what I said when I saw you come in. I said "A lovely leg for the role." I've got nothing against your right leg. The trouble is - neither have you. You fall down on your left. Dudley: You mean it's inadequate? Peter: Yes, it's inadequate, Mr. Spigott. And, to my mind, the British public is not ready for the sight of a one-legged apeman swinging through the jungly tendrils. Dudley: I see. Peter: However, don't despair. After all, you score over a man with no legs at all. Should a legless man come in here demanding the role, I should have no hesitation in saying "Get out. Run away." Dudley: So there's still a chance? Peter: There is still a very good chance. If we get no two-legged actors in here within the next two months, there is still a very good chance that you'll land this vital role. Failing two-legged actors, you, a unidexter, are just the sort of person we shall be attempting to contact telephonically. Dudley: Well...thank you very much. Peter: So my advice is, to hop on a bus, go home, and sit by your telephone in the hope that we will be getting in touch with you. (shows Dudley out) I'm sorry I can't be more definite, but as you realise, it's really a two-legged man we're after. Good morning Mr. Spigott. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Look Back At The Young Ones...............by Michelle Street -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A young man named Vyvyan is about to have a baby. Predictably, all hell breaks loose as his roommates prepare for the big event in vastly different ways. Neil worries about gathering towels and putting the water on to boil. Mike uncharacteristically loses his cool and has to make a hasty retreat. Rik frets over the fact that the baby will be born a pauper since they have no food, heat, or electricity. Ever the anarchist, he points an accusatory finger and places the blame for this situation squarley on the shoulders of his favourite target: "I hope you're satisfied, Thatcher!" he yells. Moments later, Vyv's pregnancy turns out to be nothing more than a massive case of gas. Unaware, Mike returns to the room and lights a celebratory cigar. The house explodes. A typical surreal event in the world of "The Young Ones"--a world in which not only the house but tempers, the tea kettle, the cooker and the front door exploded on a regular basis. In sharp contrast to gentle contemporary shows on the BBC, this show took the spirit of punk and kept it alive: it was loud, anarchic, juvenile, and, most of all, rude. It was "The Sex Pistols Meet The Three Stooges." Well, make that "The Four Stooges." Four highly unpleasant, totally mismatched college housemates whose misadventures form the basis of this sitcom. Vyvyan is a medical student with spiky red hair, a mean pair of kicker boots, and a jean jacket with "Very Metal" studded across the back. Oh, and did I mention the four metal stars on his forehead? His nemesis is Rick, an arrogant little poseur who thinks he's a real anarchist but is in reality a cowardly twit. The only common ground these two share is their hatred of Neil, a sad sack hippy who attempts suicide about every other episode to the chronic indifference of his roommates. Finally there's Mike. In a house full of pathetic losers, he's the house "cool guy." These character were, for the most part, created and refined during the period when most of its stars were performing at Peter Richardson's London club called "The Comic Strip." When the idea came to Rik Mayall and Lise Mayer to put these characters together living in the same house, they wrote a pilot script along with Ben Elton. Mayall pitched the script to producer Paul Jackson. Given that the BBC was at this time especially interested in "minority" programming and also afraid of losing this talent to the new competition at Channel 4, they decided to give the go-ahead and for a brief period snot-nosed anarchy reigned on the usually prim Auntie Beeb. What made this show work was not only the energy and originality of the scripts, but four talented actors who were at this time relative newcomers to television. Rik Mayall played Rick, the trendy spewer of bad,angry poetry with plenty of prissy mannerisms and almost no redeeming qualities. Adrian Edmondson, as Vyvyan, also played an eminently unlikeable character but managed to infuse him with an occasional dollop of sweetness and humanity. As Neil, Nigel Planer showed his gift for comedic timing and ability to submerge himself into his character. The character of Mike proved harder to cast. Ben Elton expressed an early interest in being considered for the part, but his suggestion was rejected by Mayall. Peter Richardson, who's on-stage partner was Planer, was supposed to have been the fourth person in the troupe, but had last-minute creative differences with producer Paul Jackson. The part was given at a very late date to Christopher Ryan, who had hardly any time to develop his role. Also important to the cast was Alexei Sayle. Sayle took the Eastern European immigrant character he performed at "The Comic Strip" and created the Balowski family, as well as some other zany characters such as the Vampire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- BAMBI: Who holds the world record for stuffing the most marshmallows up one nostril? MIKE: Ah, Toxic O'Grady, USA, 364. VYV: I told you that, Mike, you bloody cheat! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- During the course of 12 episodes these "loony lads from Great Britain" (to quote an ex-MTV vee jay now languishing in well-deserved obscurity) farted, screamed, threw household objects at each other, accused each other of being a virgin, squeezed their zits and picked their noses. Yep, just about everything guaranteed to make them role models for countless British youth, who no doubt went around quoting lines like the following: - Rick: "I'm so bored I might as well be listening to Genesis." - Vyv: "You're a complete bastard and we all hate you." - Rick: "Well, someone's got to do it, Vivian. It's very easy to sit on your backside." Vyv: "Not if you haven't got a bottom." However, it is important that "The Young Ones" be remembered for more than just its juvenile fartiness. This show was as much a technological triumph as anything else. The imagination and anarchic surrealism shown in the scripts could not have come to full fruition if not for the efforts of the producer, director, and special effects people. Their technological innovations allowed for the seamless integration of the show's "cutaway" sequences (i.e. the two men having their holiday underneath a light bulb) and also brought to life puppets such as SPG (Vyv's hamster with an attitude) and the tomato in the fridge who has to "catch up" on his life. It is also easy to overlook the fact that there was some very strong political commentary as well. That the BBC turned over the reigns of a network show to people in their early 20s, then let them use it to criticize Thatcher by name seems completely nuts, but in hindsight the gamble paid off. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "OH, COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO, NEAL!" -- Rick -------------------------------------------------------------------------- There were also some highly successful spin-off books. The _Young Ones Bachelor Boys_ sold over 600,000 copies, and Nigel Planer parlayed his Neil character into a tome of pseudo-hippy philosophy called _Neil's Book Of The Dead_. The boys also had a #1 hit in the UK when they teamed up with pop legend Cliff Richard to remake his classic "Living Doll," and there were stage tours in the UK and Australia. The theme song (a remake of an old Cliff Richard gem) ends with the line "Cause we may not be the young ones very long." Much to the dismay of the BBC they weren't. After the second series the principals decided to opt out as they were eager to move on to other projects and afraid of things getting stale. Just to make sure they couldn't be brought back for more the final episode ends with them being killed in a bus crash. Yes, "The Young Ones" was short-lived, but it was important in that in opened the door for a group of talented newcomers and also administered the short, sharp kick that British comedy needed to get out of the post-Python doldrums into the alternative era. -------------------- Sprechen Sie Python? -------------------- During its recent "Python-a-thon," Comedy Central gave viewers a rare treat by showing for the first time in America the two episodes which Monty Python made especially for German television. The shows were done at the suggestion of a producer at Bavarian TV who was a great fan of the troupe. The programs were shown on German/Austrian TV in 1972 and 1973. The second episode was later run as a special on the BBC but the first has rarely been seen...that is until now. The episodes contain new sketches, some of the classics, and material which would be later be used in their stage shows. What follows is a partial run-down of each program. EPISODE EIN The main running gag is an attempt to present a biography of the German artist Albrecht Duhrer, which in typical Python style becomes increasingly absurd and inaccurate. Of course it doesn't help that some of the people interviewed about Duhrer include an Australian in the outback drinking Fosters. Also showing her appreciation of Duhrer is a cutout of Anita Ekberg, who sings an "Albrecht Duhrer" tribute song to the tune of "Dennis Moore/Robin Hood." Other highlights include an adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" performed by cows (specifically the Bad Toltz Dairy Herd) and the story of a Frenchman who has been to the toilet only once in the last five years. Vouching for this fact are such luminaries as Richard Nixon and The Pope. And of course what would Python be without "The Lumberjack Song" sung in German with a chorus comprised of Austrian border police? The letter of complaint which follows is from a man who writes that he has known many lumberjacks and only 70% were transvestites. The others formed relationships with farm animals in the usual way. EPISODE ZWEI This highlights of this program include "International Philosophy," about the soccer match between Greek and German philosophers during which Neitzche is thrown out for arguing with the referee, Confucius. There is also a prolonged fairy tale about King Otto and his daughter, Princess Mitzi Gaynor, who live in Happy Valley...where sadness is punishable by death. Well, one day Prince Charming comes along and promises to slay a dragon for Mitzi, which he does with a revolver. (Of course it's a very tiny dragon.) The fact that Mitzi falls in love with Prince Charming irritates her fiance, Prince Walther, and he vows revenge. A witch then makes a mockery of Mitzi and Charming's wedding by changing the groom into all kinds of objects including a toad and the congregation into chickens. How does this fairy tale end? With a moral of course. And this one is, "If you don't have a good way of ending a fairy store, have a moral." All in all, the Pythons don't seem to have held back for these episodes and though the look is somewhat changed (these were done entirely on film), and the language is different, the lunacy remains the same. My only complaint is now that I know how to say "lumberjack" in German (it's "holzfeller") I'm dying to know how to say "Semprini." ### QUOTE-O-THE-MONTH: "Have you any idea how long it took me to prepare those files? My wife didn't see me for three months. Fortunately she was very brave and cheerful about it, actually." -- Gordon Brittas SHOW: The Brittas Empire ========== net.comedy ========== This month net.comedy looks at Terry Pratchett--British author of humourous fantasy books, including the popular Discworld series. There's an active newsgroup devoted to Pratchett and his work: alt.fan.pratchett, home to sprawling, convoluted and often totally irrelevant but delightful discussion. Terry himself is a frequent contributor. The alt.fan.pratchett FAQ, maintained by Nathan Torkington , is posted twice a month to alt.fan.pratchett, alt.answers and news.answers. Nathan also maintains a Bibliographic FAQ describing the books, posted at the same time. Both files are available by ftp from the Pratchett Archives (below). A brand-new moderated newsgroup, alt.fan.pratchett.announce, was recently created for fans who crave the information in alt.fan.pratchett but lack the time to read the entire group. The Pratchett Archives, maintained by Leo Breebart, hold a comprehensive collection of Pratchett-related information: FAQs, pictures, trivia, etc. Of special note is the Annotated Pratchett File, which contains many hundreds of notes on the references, allusions, parodies and in-jokes in the books; and the Pratchett Quote File, which collects the best lines from the both books and Terry's posts to the newsgroup. The Archives reside at a "mother" site in the UK, which is then mirrored by a number of other world-wide locations: [UK] ftp://ftp.pavilion.co.uk/pub/pratchett/ [Europe] ftp.britain.eu.net/pub/misc/pratchett/ [America] ftp://theory.lcs.mit.edu/pub/pratchett/ ftp://rincewind.mech.virginia.edu/pub/pratchett/ [Australia] ftp://death.socs.uts.edu.au/Mirror/Pratchett/ The rincewind site in America operates an ftp-by-mail server for the convenience of those who do not have FTP. (Readers unfamiliar with FTP-by-mail should refer to net.comedy in vol. 1, no. 7). For information, send a message with the single line "help" in the body to: pratchett-server@rincewind.mech.virginia.edu As one might suspect, there are many WWW pages devoted to Pratchett and his worlds; the two most comprehensive collections are both at Warwick: http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~frugal/pratchett/ http://www.csv.warwick.ac.uk/~mautx/PTerry/PTerry.html Both have nice versions of the FAQs, the Annotated Pratchett File, information, pictures, and links to other sites. Clarecraft make pottery figures of the Discworld characters. Their electronic catalogue has many wonderful pictures: http://vangogh.cs.tcd.ie/cbuckley/clarecraft/catalogue.html ---> Mail news and views on "net.comedy" to James Kew . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FAQs & COMPREHENSIVE LISTS, ETC. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Andy Raffle has created the CARRY ON FAQ! It's posted monthly to alt.comedy.british, rec.arts.tv.uk, and rec.arts.movies. http://cathouse.org:8000/BritishComedy/CarryOnFilms/FAQ.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Press Gang Fanzine address: Breakfast At Czar's, Yahoo Publications, Stephen O'Brien, 20 Thirlmere Avenue, Litherland, Liverpool, L21 5HP. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jeffrey Rice has put together an ARE YOU BEING SERVED? Home Page! He needs a fellow fan to produce a .gif of the "Grace Brothers" logo to make it complete...can anyone help him out? http://humphries.pomona.claremont.edu/comedy.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Looking for a great book? Check out Melinda "Bob" Casino's "BOOKS FOR THE AVID BRITCOMEDY FAN", posted monthly to alt.comedy.british. The list can also be downloaded from the following sites: http://cathouse.org:8000/BritishComedy/Info/Booklist.html ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/media/tv/collections/tardis/uk/comedy/Booklist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hans ten Cate has created THE MONTY PYTHON BIBLIOGRAPHY. Email him for version 1.0. Feedback is greatly appreciated. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTION INFO.: Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) is a free electronic newsletter posted monthly to alt.comedy.british and rec.arts.tv.uk. DELPHI: In the "UK-American Connexion" forum, cf171. GENIE: In the "Showbiz" roundtable, page 185. SUBSCRIPTIONS: To receive an issue every month in your emailbox, send your email address to . 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