Their spoof of Robert Robinson’s “style” on ‘Welcome to the Smug Hour’ didn’t appear to require a great shift in approach, especially from Mr Fry. Excellent nonetheless.
Yes, that did strike me as a little pot/kettle. It also makes me realise that as children we all ended up watching Robert Robinson presenting things without any idea of who he was, simply because there was nothing else to watch, which is not an experience contemporary children will have with Fry, for example
Back then, I thought Stephen Fry was the properly funny one and that Hugh Laurie was just really good at being funny in his slipstream. But you’ve articulated so well why (though SF is - or was - indeed a great comedian) HL is actually extraordinary, a real chameleon who seems to be capable of shifting even the shape of his own skull to get a laugh. And it’s funny how age has taught me to appreciate that skill and energy - there’s a special kind of pathos in it, suggesting lengthy experience of trying to fit in or belong, that probably speaks more clearly to me after (now) a lifetime of having to engage in that very fight and its consequences for my self-esteem.
Hugh Laurie really is extraordinary - and there’s one thing I rather danced around in the piece, which is that in some ways he could look very establishment: Eton, rowing at Cambridge, etc - but that doesn’t prevent him from being extraordinarily talented. Being posh might not mean you’re automatically gifted but it doesn’t mean you can’t be, either.
Thank you! I’m pretty sure I didn’t clock how annoying they could have seemed at the time, but that’s largely because I was also pretty annoying myself. It does make for an interesting distillation of late ‘80s culture now.
Their spoof of Robert Robinson’s “style” on ‘Welcome to the Smug Hour’ didn’t appear to require a great shift in approach, especially from Mr Fry. Excellent nonetheless.
“Nish, tussock, flimp and fivepence.”
Yes, that did strike me as a little pot/kettle. It also makes me realise that as children we all ended up watching Robert Robinson presenting things without any idea of who he was, simply because there was nothing else to watch, which is not an experience contemporary children will have with Fry, for example
Same game John, different rules.
“last time you looked out of that window you saw an idea” “I seem to remember thinking it would be a good place for a car park”
Soupy Twist!!
Please, Mr Music, will you play?
I love hyssop, don’t you?
I’ll have to ask Mr Dalliard about that
He’s not my Mr Dalliard…
…he’s everyone’s Mr Dalliard
Back then, I thought Stephen Fry was the properly funny one and that Hugh Laurie was just really good at being funny in his slipstream. But you’ve articulated so well why (though SF is - or was - indeed a great comedian) HL is actually extraordinary, a real chameleon who seems to be capable of shifting even the shape of his own skull to get a laugh. And it’s funny how age has taught me to appreciate that skill and energy - there’s a special kind of pathos in it, suggesting lengthy experience of trying to fit in or belong, that probably speaks more clearly to me after (now) a lifetime of having to engage in that very fight and its consequences for my self-esteem.
Hugh Laurie really is extraordinary - and there’s one thing I rather danced around in the piece, which is that in some ways he could look very establishment: Eton, rowing at Cambridge, etc - but that doesn’t prevent him from being extraordinarily talented. Being posh might not mean you’re automatically gifted but it doesn’t mean you can’t be, either.
Loved this. Brought out all the things that REALLY ANNOYED me about F&L, made me feel excluded etc, but also salutes them.
Thank you! I’m pretty sure I didn’t clock how annoying they could have seemed at the time, but that’s largely because I was also pretty annoying myself. It does make for an interesting distillation of late ‘80s culture now.