[New post] MoroniCast Episode #11: Notes on Bottom, Comedy, and Satire
Mr. Wapojif posted: " Welcome back to another edition of this podcast majigger. This time out, it's the classic sitcom Bottom as the topic of DISCUSSION. We've covered quite a bit on this recently, so decided to rant about it for any of you who are unaware ab"
Welcome back to another edition of this podcast majigger. This time out, it's the classic sitcom Bottom as the topic of DISCUSSION.
We've covered quite a bit on this recently, so decided to rant about it for any of you who are unaware about the show. As a celebration! Plus, to pay tribute to this major influence on us.
Bottom and its Comedic Inspirations for a Generation
Yes, so that's groovy and all that listening to Mr. Wapojif droning on and on like an idiot.
What he forget to mention was the social commentary in Bottom. Yes. There's plenty of that, alongside biting satire as seen in Bottom Live 2. And the slapstick, cartoonish violence. Let us not forget that.
As we've mentioned in various recent posts, the show was partly inspired by Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. It's just more accessible for a wider audience.
Except posh people. We can't imagine the Queen sitting down for her 96th birthday the other day to have a few beers and watching re-runs of Bottom.
The show started in 1991 and ran through to 1995, ending with Richie and Eddie being gunned down after threatening to blackmail the Prime Minister.
And we have a clear memory of watching the Culture episode in late 1992 and laughing ourselves stupid at it.
We think it's testament to the writing and performances from Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson that, decades later, we're still getting many laughs from the sitcom. And still watching it! Even the intro is brilliant.
Bottom has great replay value and there's nothing else like it around these days.
As we mentioned in the podcast, it was like an English version of America's Vaudeville with Buster Keaton. Inspired, a little bit anarchic, and wholesome in its absurdities.
Oh, and Richie's line here:
"And may I say that's a smashing blouse you have on."
The greatest chat up line in all of flirting history. Use it liberally! Including on your husband or boyfriend.
A Bit About the Talking Bottom Podcast
The Talking Bottom podcast is very insightful and entertaining, offering a mixture of personal insights from the hosts (Angela Pearson, Mat Brooks, and Paul Tanter) plus rare interviews.
For example, they caught up with Robert Llwellyn (Kryten from Red Dwarf) and character actors who appeared in the show, such as Mark Lambert as the GAS MAN! GAS MAN! GAS MAN!
Our favourite from the podcast is the interview with Lisa Maxwell. It was a massive unexpected highlight for us. You can have a listen to it here and it's well worth sticking around for the full hour, she's an awesome lady.
Also, here's part of Maxwell's performance from the show. She wore a wig and frumpy '80s clothing as the role of Lily Linneker.
Mayall and Edmondson specifically asked for her in this role, which was short but memorable. She really nailed it, plus landed this most tremendous of lines:
"You want someone homely. With cooking skills. Fun to be with. And a wazzo pair of jugs?!"
Yes, subscribe to Talking Bottom if you want more of that store. They take a wider exploration into class structures and life in England than we did today, if you're interested in that type of thing.
Britain is the greatest planet on Earth, why would you not want to?!
You can also pre-order the Talking Bottom book at Unbound, if you want! There aren't any books at all about Bottom, so this will be a most welcome arrival at some point in 2022.
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