I’ve had difficulty choosing a clip from ‘The Day Today’ as there are so many great moments. The whole ‘It’s War!’ sequence is wonderful, but I finally went for this Jam Festival interview. Just wait for that smile at the end. Perfect.
Archive for November, 2008
Comedy Masterclasses #2 – Absolutely / Frank Hovis
‘Absolutely’ was a sketch show shown on Channel 4 during the 1990s. It had many fondly-remembered characters such as the Nice family, ‘Stoneybridge’, Denzil and Gwynneth, Calum Gilhooly and Morwenna Banks’ Little Girl character who pronounced ‘because’ as ‘febus’.
My favourite Absolutely sketch is without a doubt this one featuring Frank Hovis, played by Welsh comedian John Sparkes. There were a number of Frank Hovis sketches, most of them featuring him ‘On the Lavatory’, including a memorable one where he sits there and just farts (a LOT funnier than it sounds).
This one has some killer lines, including the first big laugh which is a genius piece of writing. It’s also brilliantly performed. Enjoy.
gazuky Survey Results
I recently put out a short survey to get some feedback on my comedy output.
I did this because I’ve been out of the loop for a little while, and wanted to gauge what people felt my strengths and weaknesses were in terms of content and branding.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete the survey – it was a really worthwhile exercise, and I really recommend it to anyone.
The main two pieces of feedback that came through loud and clear were (i) to increase the frequency and regularity of the shows, and (ii) to make use of guest voices as was more the case in earlier shows.
I definitely agree with these comments; the frequency of the shows is something that, unfortunately, I have little control over, as it relies solely on the amount of free time I have during the year. Nothing else motivates me as much as comedy and podcasting, and so if I am unable to deliver shows, there is usually a very good reason for it. However, what I perhaps haven’t done is make a sterling effort during the time I do have to get ahead with shows, so I have a few ‘in hand’ during the more difficult periods. I’m now going to make this a priority so I have a bank of sketches I can draw upon.
The second point about guest voices is also down to time issues; when I record CLP, I often do it from hastily scribbled notes, and am often re-writing during recording. Involving guests in the process means I have to spend extra time formatting scripts for others, and then making sure the script that gets sent through is the absolute final version. Of course, I also need to wait for the guest to record their lines too. However, I do agree with the points made that there is a need for greater variety in the voices on the show, and so I will attempt to include one guest voice at the very minimum for each show.
In the survey, I also asked whether people felt ‘gazuky’ or ‘Clever Little Pod’ was the stronger brand. The response was split 50:50. People liked ‘gazuky’ because it transcended all media, but then not all were sure what it actually stood for. CLP was liked because it was the most recognised part of my output and had been associated with me for longer.
I think gazuky is probably the more flexible brand because it doesn’t have ‘Pod’ in it, but then the show title doesn’t necessarily have to accurately define it.
The question really is where to go from here. If all of you guys who support me in my comedy were here in Birmingham, I feel sure there would have been a CLP live in front of an audience by now. But I can’t do it on my own, and there’s a distinct lack of a ’scene’ here in Brum. I’ve explored setting up comedy groups, and I’ve had meetings about live shows, but ultimately it’s a bit like pushing jelly/jello.
So I’ve been thinking more and more about a second go at stand-up comedy, but this time as a character. The last time I had a go, I was 25 and didn’t really understand how difficult it is. Plus, I was delivering it as myself, and that’s definitely not the best way for me to exploit my abilities.
I’ve started writing down ideas for routines, and I’m watching more stand-up comedy than ever to try to identify what I can offer that’s new. Certainly there are fewer comics appearing as characters than as themselves; if I can develop and sustain routines as a fictitious persona, then it might be different enough to get me noticed. The question is… which persona?
Comedy Masterclasses: #1 – Two Ronnies/Crossed Lines.
I am going to start regularly posting links to classic pieces of comedy that are examples of the highest levels of writing and performance.
The first is the sort of silly, clever comedy that I wish I could write. It is absolute genius and, most importantly, very very funny.
Anyone who can get a laugh just out of the word ‘Hovis’ has my vote.
Watch, enjoy and laugh.
Things to do when you’re really bored: number 47.
Make a shield out of the new British coins.
You may have noticed (if you’re in the UK) that the Royal Mint has been issuing some rather strange designs of coin in recent weeks. Individually, the new designs on the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p look rather odd – but put them all together, and look what you get!
The most fun you can have with 88p.
Now I have to say that set out in that sort of pixel-perfect alignment, the idea seems quite good and clever. But how often will we see the coins in that configuration? I would say never – because even if you collect one of each of the coins and put them together, the resulting shield never quite looks as clever and impressive. It’s the sort of thing that would impress your gran for 5 seconds before she goes back to her crocheting. So let’s look at the merits of each design individually:
10p – Two of the three lions are shown, within the top left corner of the shield. Stands on its own merit.
2p – Opposite top corner of the shield with a larger, somewhat grander lion standing up on its hind legs. Again – a good design on its own.
1p – This is where it goes a bit wrong. Because of the configuration, the 1p has had to feature 2 of the third lion’s paws and a bit of a harp.
50p – Another bit of a harp and a lion. The lion seems to be presenting the harp in the same way that a busty blonde might present a dishwasher on ‘The Price is Right’.
20p – Oh dear. This is where it all goes very wrong. Because the only thing shown on a 20 pence piece is a lion’s arse. That’s right. The arse of a lion. On 20 pence sterling. With the Queen’s head on the reverse. It’s a national disgrace.
5p – The centre of the shield. Clockwise from top right – a bit of frame, the front half of a lion, a bit of harp and another lion’s arse.
Is this really the best we can do? Think of all those British legends we could have had on there: Brunel, Churchill, Gladstone… in fact, that’s got me thinking. Perhaps the new coinage should feature a national treasure using the same design technique…
Survey Time
I’ve set up a short survey to solicit some feedback on my output.
It takes just a couple of minutes, and covers my written as well as audio output.
You can find it here: http://cleverlittlepod.com/gazuky/survey.html
Thanks!
The Muppets: Return or Revive?
It’s official; ‘The Muppet Show’ is the show that most 30-40 year-olds would like to see back on their screens. But do we want it returned or revived?
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a135795/viewers-want-the-muppets-revived.html
We need to be careful; there is a world of difference between the word ‘returned’ and the word ‘revived’. The former conjures up a cosy world in which old memories are rekindled, and where new generations can marvel at the siliness of our fuzzy friends. The latter, however, brings forth a Henson-less nightmare, complete with new characters to strike a chord with the txt-spk generation, and… well, you get the idea.
Speaking as a 36-year old fan of the original Muppet Show (filmed right here in the UK thanks to the late uncle of the current boss of ITV), the last thing I want to see is a revival of the show. It’s true that I think TV is crying out for the values of the Muppet Show to be returned to our screens – clean, family-friendly silliness – but that’s a whole different wish. A revival of the Muppet Show would simply lack the Henson magic. ‘Muppets Tonight’ in the 90s proved that – although that was an admirable attempt.
Why can’t the mainstream TV channels take a brave decision and simply repeat the original series? Young kids would love it, teenagers would find it a blast, and adults like me would revel in the memories. (We can live with a few kipper ties and side-burns on the guests.)
It’s something that mainstream TV in the UK no longer does. Repeats of the big BBC shows aside (such as Fawlty Towers and Keeping Up Appearances), we don’t ever get the chance to see old shows scheduled in prime-time slots. Constant whinging from a very vocal minority about the frequency of repeats in years gone by has meant that the BBC and other major channels see repeats as a dirty word (unless they’re in the same week of the original broadcast of course.)
There are lots of precedents for shows finding new audiences due to high-profile scheduling. The 60s Batman series saved TV-AM in the 80s as millions (myself included) discovered the hilariously camp wonders of the dynamic duo. Channel 4 showed ‘The Gong Show’ sometime during the 80s/90s which was a revelation to a UK audience that had never seen its like before. And even the silent film-star Harold Lloyd became a household name in the 80s thanks to teatime repeats on BBC2.
Where are the modern equivalents of these retro treats? The answer is simple; on Bravo, Challenge or one of the hundreds of other minority-interest channels on Sky. And as a result, mainstream TV has become stale and the audience that would previously have discovered these rare treats miss out because they didn’t happen to be watching channel 4855 at the right time. And how can you seek these classics out if you don’t know what you’re looking for?
So come on TV bosses! Next time you consider running a repeat of the Weakest Link, how about being a little more adventurous and introduce a real old classic to a new audience? There are some great shows from the US that I’ve never had the opportunity to see at all! ‘Soap’ for one. Many of Lucille Ball’s shows for two. And do you know that Gilligan’s Island has NEVER been shown on British TV? There may well be a good reason for that – but I like to at least find out for myself…
CLP Show 42
Clever Little Pod Show 42 is finally here:-
Please click here to vote at Podcast Alley.
To say it’s been a tough one to do would be an understatement. I was left with writer’s block after show 41, and was then distracted by various changes in my routine and lifestyle that meant I was robbed of my usual writing slots. If that wasn’t enough, I’ve been ill with severe vertigo for 2 weeks which has been an absolute nightmare and left me in no mood to write comedy.
I don’t think the resulting show is really up to scratch.
The first sketch, set in the stone age, was written several months ago, and so was used as a fallback option. I’d tried to record it before, but the challenge of doing two distinct female voices was too much, and so I left it alone with the intention of getting a guest voice to play one part. However, I;ve gone ahead with it anyway, and made one of the women sound ‘posh’ which wasn’t the real intention of the sketch and perhaps compromises it somewhat. They are, after all, meant to be two washer-women.
The second sketch is based on Autumnwatch with Bill Oddie and Kate Humble, which has just left UK TV screens for the year after a fortnight watching deer rutting and seals flop about on a beach. So who knows what the rest of the world will make of my spoof.
The last sketch is the one I’m quite proud of, simply because it’s a real distinct character piece, and is the sort of thing I’d like to do as a comedy act. It is a restaurant review with a drunken old lech called Henry. Although he’s a little difficult to understand at times, I think that’s part of the charm and probably is no bad thing, encouraging repeat listens.
And that’s it for another show. I’m very relieved that it’s done, and out there at last. However, there’s no format to speak of, and I’m struggling for music as the PMN seems to be pretty dire at the moment.
It’s never a positive step, to release something you’re less than happy with, but I think I’ve got the show to an acceptable standard that at the least maintains my presence on the podcasting rosta. The next one needs to be a happier experience though, and the main priority is for me to find those time-slots for writing once again.
I hope you enjoy the show.
Peter Dickson – THE Voice of the Nation
It’s 1993, and I’m waking up in my tiny room in a shared house in Cheltenham, most probably with a hangover. I reach across the room (which was quite possible – this was a TINY room!) and flick on the radio for my favourite show of the moment: Steve Wright in the Morning! Yes, the thought of it now is quite bizarre, but for almost a year back then, Steve ‘Love the Show’ Wright was the man that the nation woke up to on BBC Radio 1.
But I wasn’t really listening for Steve himself – although I did love the energy of the show, which was great for the morning in a kind of ‘up and at ‘em’ way. I listened partly for the sketches written and performed by Richard Easter, but mostly for the sheer genius that was ‘Voiceover Man!’
Voiceover Man didn’t have a name on the show, and appeared on the show courtesy of an old-fashioned phone-line link (complete with full distort). His role on the show was to give an insight into the life of a Voiceover Artist – which essentially gave him carte-blanche to talk about himself for a few minutes.
These scripted monologues were real gems – Voiceover Man delivered his speeches in an absurdly over-the-top style that reached its peak when he was expressing outrage over some petty misdemeanour of which he’d been the victim. Such was the quality of the writing – and the delivery – that a character with such a massively over-sized ego was made to be funny and charming.
You can hear one of Voiceover Man’s appearances here: http://www.sidthemanager.co.uk/sound/vover.ram
The man behind the voice – and, I believe, the scripts – is Peter Dickson. He is now Britain’s most prolific voiceover artist, being particularly well-known for his completely OTT announcements as the E4 man, and the X Factor (“Rhydian!!!!!” remains a particular favourite of mine…)
In fact, he pops up everywhere; there’s a commercial on my local station Aston FM which – although it’s delivered in a very straight, run-of-the-mill style – is definitely Mr Dickson. He does exactly what the client asks. In fact, not only does he do the X Factor announcements, he also did the announcements on Peter Kay’s spoof of… the X Factor! And as he clearly sends up his own style with those ridiculously OTT X Factor announcements, it means he’s prepared to send himself up sending himself up! What a trooper! (That last sentence could easily be read in his style…go on, you can hear him doing it can’t you!)
What is also remarkable is the variety of accents, voices and – well – sounds that he can get from his voice. Visit his website at peterdickson.co.uk and you’ll be able to hear a variety of the work he’s done. It’s astounding.
So, Peter Dickson – you are indeed the voice of the nation from your humble beginnings as an unknown jobbing voiceover artist doing local radio carpet commercials for DFS.
You are also, no doubt, worth a shed-load of money. And good luck to you! Long may your outrageously over-the-top pronuncements continue. As you once said on a voiceover for ‘The Sun’: We Love It!
