I thought that Simon Callow's narration nearly ruined it. I thought it was Stephen Fry at first and thought it was crap, even if it was meant to be deliberately over-the-top, sycophantic and supposedly ironic. It was simply crap in my opinion.
I watched the following episode of The Young Ones and wondered how the hell I'd managed to miss one when it was first shown. But where the hell did this come from, because it was absolutely awful? I'm sure it was never shown in either of the original series and I wish they'd left it buried in the vaults. It certainly wasn't a suitable tribute and should never have been shown.
Something I would really love to see again is the full length of the live performance where he simply stood looking at the audience and kept saying "what - what are you looking at?" - for about two or three minutes. I remember going into hysterics over that, purely because of his bemused facial expressions.
I was also very disappointed that Helena Bonham Carter wasn't asked to contribute, because I thought that Dancing Queen was probably his (and her) finest moment.
I haven't watched the show yet (it's lined up on Sky+) but it's disappointing that Ade isn't involved. I would have thought that the BBC would have basically done whatever tribute show Ade saw fit, and it is saddening that he didn't ensure they did exactly that.
I watched the following episode of The Young Ones and wondered how the hell I'd managed to miss one when it was first shown. But where the hell did this come from, because it was absolutely awful? I'm sure it was never shown in either of the original series and I wish they'd left it buried in the vaults. It certainly wasn't a suitable tribute and should never have been shown.
Something I would really love to see again is the full length of the live performance where he simply stood looking at the audience and kept saying "what - what are you looking at?" - for about two or three minutes. I remember going into hysterics over that, purely because of his bemused facial expressions.
I was also very disappointed that Helena Bonham Carter wasn't asked to contribute, because I thought that Dancing Queen was probably his (and her) finest moment.
Interesting was the 5th episode of the 1st series of TYO and It's my least fave of that series. Bomb would have been better with Rik's Thatcher ranting in the post office and his Urban Guerrilla outfit. The best bit in Interesting though is the "Telescope with a mouse in it brilliant".
Interesting was the 5th episode of the 1st series of TYO and It's my least fave of that series. Bomb would have been better with Rik's Thatcher ranting in the post office and his Urban Guerrilla outfit. The best bit in Interesting though is the "Telescope with a mouse in it brilliant".
I remember seeing that when I was a student, there was a group of us in a flat and when Rik did his telescope with a mouse in it routine we just sat gobsmacked and then fell about laughing.
An excellent tribute and another chance to see his Flashheart performance. An absolute tour-de-force (tour de France as my mate called it).
I agree they could have chosen a better ep of the Young Ones though. That one lost its way half way through and became an unfunny mess.
I used to love Bottom when I was a kid and the odd repeat of The Young Ones but I didn't know much about Rik Mayall's earlier years. You could see how his charisma , looks and comedic talent ensured he would make a big impact upon comedy.
I wondered where Ade Edmondson was but respect his reasons for choosing not to participate. I thought it was a decent enough tribute.
I really enjoyed the Blackadder episode that was shown beforehand , too. It made me wonder where all the modern day , slightly mad , very British comedy programmes have gone.
Perhaps there is a bit of guilt there on Ade's part, seeing as the new Bottom spin off series had been commissioned, but he backed out even though the show was written and about to be filmed.
An excellent tribute, but really missed a contribution from Ade. I can understand his reservations but it was very well put together. I guess it's just too soon for him, and there is a lot to be said for not wanting to rush about saying this and that about your friend, perhaps that is real friendship, and not the bargaining chip it so often seems to be in the world of celebrity these days. There was just a void and only Ade could have filled it.
An excellent tribute, but really missed a contribution from Ade. I can understand his reservations but it was very well put together. I guess it's just too soon for him, and there is a lot to be said for not wanting to rush about saying this and that about your friend, perhaps that is real friendship, and not the bargaining chip it so often seems to be in the world of celebrity these days. There was just a void and only Ade could have filled it.
Oh and just for smiles:
Richie: What about pin the tail on the donkey?
Eddie: We haven't got a donkey.
Richie: Well, pin the tail on the chicken.
Eddie: We haven't got a tail.
Richie: Oh. Well, pin the sausage on the chicken?
Eddie: We haven't got a chicken.
Richie: Well, pin the sausage on the fridge.
Eddie: Or a pin.
Richie: Sellotape a sausage to the fridge!
Eddie: We haven't got a sausage!
Richie: Put a bit of sellotape on the fridge!
Eddie: It's not much of a game, is it?
It was indeed well done and I enjoyed it very much. Well said about Ade. They were so close for so long and I'm sure he's dealing with the loss in his own way. I lost a friend very dear to me this year and it can still be quite raw. I suspect Ade talks about Rik a lot with those close to him, but it didn't feel right for him appear on camera going through things at this time?
Interesting was the 5th episode of the 1st series of TYO and It's my least fave of that series. Bomb would have been better with Rik's Thatcher ranting in the post office and his Urban Guerrilla outfit. The best bit in Interesting though is the "Telescope with a mouse in it brilliant".
I can't agree with this dissing of "Interesting". I think it's a cracking episode. "Boring" is the weakest one for me.
Interesting was the 5th episode of the 1st series of TYO and It's my least fave of that series. Bomb would have been better with Rik's Thatcher ranting in the post office and his Urban Guerrilla outfit. The best bit in Interesting though is the "Telescope with a mouse in it brilliant".
I wasn't that impressed. It was the usual stuff that nearly everyone already knows about. I would have liked to have seen less about The Young Ones and Bottom and more about his other projects that people might not know him for. I personally didn't think it was a good tribute to his 'fans'.
I thought it was an excellent hero to an absolute genius. I was 6/7 when I first saw the Young Ones (benefit of having a brother 10 years older), then went onto Catflap, New Statesman and Bottom whilst also over the years catching up on Comic Strips and looking at earlier stuff of his.
Suffice to say some of the Young Ones and New Statesmen went over my head on first view despite finding the characters hilarious, , but that made it all the greater when I returned to them in later times and re-watched.
My point is, as a retrospective of someone I enjoyed, sought out and laughed along at from childhood to mid thirties I thought it was suitably comprehensive, and although some may have seen the incredibly reverential tone as being a bit over the top, I felt it was warranted due to the genius of the man.
In terms of Ades involvement, I was initially disappointed on a selfish level, but It is completely understandable. Nobody can fully understand what he has gone through since Riks death so it would be impossible to state how he SHOULD be reacting and feeling.
Having read the interview and listened to Danny Baker Podcast its clear to me that he is really hurting. Somebody he was once so close with, so intrinsically linked with and who in latter years he actively tried to 'move away' from (professionally) and spurned advances to work together again, probably in some ultimately misguided view that 'theres time, we will do it one day'. I imagine he is in equal parts distraught and feeling guilty (although he has no need to). I hope one day somebody comes up with a vehicle and platform where Ade feels comfortable in sharing his own feelings, memories and thoughts on his long time friend and colleague, as it will be a hell of a tale to tall.
I wasn't that impressed. It was the usual stuff that nearly everyone already knows about. I would have liked to have seen less about The Young Ones and Bottom and more about his other projects that people might not know him for. I personally didn't think it was a good tribute to his 'fans'.
I'm not quite sure what they missed that was of any real importance? And a Rik Mayall tribute that didn't have focus on his two most popular, and beloved, roles would have been a strange tribute indeed.
It wasn't supposed to be some esoteric biography for the uber fan.
I caught it yesterday and i really liked it. When Simon Callow started reading the lyrics to The Young Ones at the end, I didn't quite realise but when I did, especially when he read the last line "'cos we may not be the Young Ones very long" I actually started to well up a bit
Comments
The one where Ben Elton was talking on oblivious as a bored Rik decided to steal the show with his ear trick was brilliant!
Produced at roughly the same time, but Bad News was shown before Spinal Tap.
Personally I find the bad news LPs (Bad news/bootleg) funnier than Spinal Tap..
Don't worry. To those of us who haven't seen it, it isn't a repeat
Something I would really love to see again is the full length of the live performance where he simply stood looking at the audience and kept saying "what - what are you looking at?" - for about two or three minutes. I remember going into hysterics over that, purely because of his bemused facial expressions.
I was also very disappointed that Helena Bonham Carter wasn't asked to contribute, because I thought that Dancing Queen was probably his (and her) finest moment.
Interesting was the 5th episode of the 1st series of TYO and It's my least fave of that series. Bomb would have been better with Rik's Thatcher ranting in the post office and his Urban Guerrilla outfit. The best bit in Interesting though is the "Telescope with a mouse in it brilliant".
I hope they start early in his career and have some 20th Century Coyote and Kevin Turvey.
Otherwise I will be cross, theatre.
They do, don't worry.
Lovely tribute. I teared up more than once. RIP Rik.
I remember seeing that when I was a student, there was a group of us in a flat and when Rik did his telescope with a mouse in it routine we just sat gobsmacked and then fell about laughing.
What a lovely man Rik was.
I agree they could have chosen a better ep of the Young Ones though. That one lost its way half way through and became an unfunny mess.
I wondered where Ade Edmondson was but respect his reasons for choosing not to participate. I thought it was a decent enough tribute.
I really enjoyed the Blackadder episode that was shown beforehand , too. It made me wonder where all the modern day , slightly mad , very British comedy programmes have gone.
I didn't like it either because the tone didn't sit right with me at first.
Oh and just for smiles:
Richie: What about pin the tail on the donkey?
Eddie: We haven't got a donkey.
Richie: Well, pin the tail on the chicken.
Eddie: We haven't got a tail.
Richie: Oh. Well, pin the sausage on the chicken?
Eddie: We haven't got a chicken.
Richie: Well, pin the sausage on the fridge.
Eddie: Or a pin.
Richie: Sellotape a sausage to the fridge!
Eddie: We haven't got a sausage!
Richie: Put a bit of sellotape on the fridge!
Eddie: It's not much of a game, is it?
It was indeed well done and I enjoyed it very much. Well said about Ade. They were so close for so long and I'm sure he's dealing with the loss in his own way. I lost a friend very dear to me this year and it can still be quite raw. I suspect Ade talks about Rik a lot with those close to him, but it didn't feel right for him appear on camera going through things at this time?
Ah, wasn't Rik brrwilliant though.
Stop being so Boring ;-)
What's your name? " Neil. Yes put Neil "
Suffice to say some of the Young Ones and New Statesmen went over my head on first view despite finding the characters hilarious, , but that made it all the greater when I returned to them in later times and re-watched.
My point is, as a retrospective of someone I enjoyed, sought out and laughed along at from childhood to mid thirties I thought it was suitably comprehensive, and although some may have seen the incredibly reverential tone as being a bit over the top, I felt it was warranted due to the genius of the man.
In terms of Ades involvement, I was initially disappointed on a selfish level, but It is completely understandable. Nobody can fully understand what he has gone through since Riks death so it would be impossible to state how he SHOULD be reacting and feeling.
Having read the interview and listened to Danny Baker Podcast its clear to me that he is really hurting. Somebody he was once so close with, so intrinsically linked with and who in latter years he actively tried to 'move away' from (professionally) and spurned advances to work together again, probably in some ultimately misguided view that 'theres time, we will do it one day'. I imagine he is in equal parts distraught and feeling guilty (although he has no need to). I hope one day somebody comes up with a vehicle and platform where Ade feels comfortable in sharing his own feelings, memories and thoughts on his long time friend and colleague, as it will be a hell of a tale to tall.
I'm not quite sure what they missed that was of any real importance? And a Rik Mayall tribute that didn't have focus on his two most popular, and beloved, roles would have been a strange tribute indeed.
It wasn't supposed to be some esoteric biography for the uber fan.