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Popworld

Started by Robot DeNiro, July 08, 2004, 10:02:54 PM

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Robot DeNiro

I've been meaning to write this topic for ages.

Does anyone here watch Popworld on Channel 4 on Sunday mornings?  If you enjoy the parade of shiny nonsense that is pop music, Popworld is by far the best show in town.  It's the only programme I regularly set the video for.

Hosted by Miquita Oliver and Simon Amstell, the show is irreverent, bitchy and funny.  The hosts regularly make scathing remarks about the guests (sometimes to their faces), describing songs as boring or singers as nobodies.

Quote"If you've just joined us, you have missed Mya, Shapeshifters and Nina Sky"
(sarcastic indifferent shrug)
"Thank the lord we're now joined by Mania."
Miquita and Simon would be the first to admit that the show is a bit "zany", but it manages to be that rarest of things, both zany and funny.  This week Simon interviewed some whiny American rockers, but the interview was filmed as if they were in separate locations and were speaking on the phone.  At various points Simon would put the rockers on hold as he got another call, and it would cut to another celebrity, thus:

QuoteSimon: Hang on, there's a call on the other line.
Cut to Peter Andre on the phone.
Andre: Hi, Simon, it's Peter Andre.
Cut to Simon who howls in disgust and hangs up.

Or:

Simon: Hold please
Cut to Emma Bunton on the phone in a car park
Bunton: Simon, have you seen my mother?
Simon: Oh, not again.  Have you looked in the cupboards?
Bunton: Of course I have.  Just call me if you see her.
Bunton hangs up and walks around the car park, shouting "Mum! Mum!"

Or:

Simon: Just a minute.
Cut to Christopher Biggins.
Biggins:  Simon, it's Biggins.
Simon: Ah, Biggins, hello.
Biggins: Will you please tell Peter Andre to stop calling me?
If that all sounds dreadful, trust me it is funny when you see it.

Sometimes they have those ludicrously easy phone competitions that all shows do nowadays, and they're always good fun.  I can't remember a genuine example, but they are always a bit like this:

"Which Spice Girl was the first to leave the group?  Was it A – Ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, B – Popular holiday destination Orlando, Florida or C – Turning point in British democracy the Great Reform Act of 1832?"

Essentially the programme feels as if no one at Channel 4 is watching it, so the hosts are able to muck about and just take the piss.

Use this thread to post your favourite moments, to disagree with me or I guess just to talk about pop music.

The new Rachel Stevens song is good isn't it?  Nice glam rock influence, very unusual.

Dr David V

I'm no fan, but I thought this was on MTV Hits now. Hm, maybe it's no both. Thought you might like to know.

Quote from: "Robot DeNiro"The new Rachel Stevens song is good isn't it?  Nice glam rock influence, very unusual.
I strongly suggest you listen to Strict Machine by Goldfrapp, released a year ago on the Black Cherry album. Then you will see it's 'influence'.

BetaKarraTene

I used to watch it before I became an insomniac.  I remember a guy called (I think) Barry Gibb who used to do piss-poor mock interviews and album cover reconstructions that were obviously thought up in 2 minutes.  It later transpired that it was one Leigh Francis pre Bo Selecta fame.  Eeek.
I do have to give him credit for his feature on trying to become a pop star though.  He did a mock garage tune that was basically the same phrase - something along the lines of, "Bo! Bo! Bo! Say bo! Say bo! Say bo!" - repeated for about a minute over a sub Casio dance beat, which had me guffawing loudly.  In the preceding interview he got angry and claimed he was splitting himself up before swearing profusely and walking out.  I was young and naive OK?

Anyway, that Simon Amstell seems to be a sound bloke.  He constantly has a look of bemusement on his face that always makes it hard to work out when he's taking the mick or not.

I'd dearly love to see the interview when he made Britney Spears cry. I'm a heartless beast OK?

Robot DeNiro

Quote from: "Dr David V"I strongly suggest you listen to Strict Machine by Goldfrapp, released a year ago on the Black Cherry album. Then you will see it's 'influence' [on Rachel Stevens].

I've heard that.  They were on Popworld when they released it for the second time.  I think the singer was trying to bake a cake.  The interview took place in a kitchen anyway.

Strict Machine is itself strangely reminiscent of another song ('I Feel Love' I think).  Spotting who's ripping off who is all part of the fun of pop music.  I maintain that the Rachel Stevens song is surprisingly distinctive sounding when compared to those of her pop brethren.

...Blimey!  I've got 'Hollyoaks Late and A Bit Naughty' on in the background, and they just used 'It's Yer Money I'm After Baby' by The Wonderstuff.  Now that's a pop song.

dan dirty ape

Re: Leigh Francis on 'Popworld'. Yeah, his character was called Barry Gibson and was embarrasingly bad. 'The Bear' on Bo Selecta has the same voice and fake front teeth. He did a version of 'Big Brother'  with dolls standing in for pop celebrities, which largely involved 'Elton John' saying "look at my pants, look at my pants" and might well be the least funny thing I've ever seen.

'Popworld' itself is great though.  Simon Amstell appears to be an arch-master of giving sub standard pop acts enough rope to hang themselves.

EDIT: I count myself among the many young males who go a bit gooey over Rachel Stevens but that 'Some Girls' song is custom built to annoy.

mwude

People tend to look at me oddly when I say I fancy Miquita (apparently she's a bit fat or something) but I think she's lovely.  She's got a sexy laugh that's not quite out & out filthy, but almost - the foxy bitch.

I have absolutely no interest in the pop charts whatsoever, but always try to catch this show.  Simon has a deeply punchable monkey face but is very funny most of the time.  It's the sort of show that would be on E4 except it's not shite enough.  It reminds me a bit of The O-Zone which was similarly entertaining in a throwaway manner.

falafel

Shit shit shit shit shit. And what an ugly, ugly pair of people.

Doctor Stamen

I saw this when that Simon fella was interviewing Blue.  Jesus, what a bunch of thick cunts.  He was taking the piss out of them and they responded by saying that he was "gay", but under their breath and started sniggering about it.  It was like watching a teacher and a bunch of 12 year olds.

boki

Quote from: "mwude"People tend to look at me oddly when I say I fancy Miquita (apparently she's a bit fat or something) but I think she's lovely.  She's got a sexy laugh that's not quite out & out filthy, but almost - the foxy bitch.

Absolutely, fully, totally 108% agree.

Robot DeNiro

Re Miquita:  yup I agree also.  I think it's because she's a television personality who has actually got one (a personality that is, not a televison.  That would be stupid).

BetaKarraTene

Quote from: "Doctor Stamen"He was taking the piss out of them and they responded by saying that he was "gay"
Actually he is gay, so either the joke's on them for stating the obvious, or their fanbase is going to take a significant dent.

mikeyg27

Quote from: "boki"
Quote from: "mwude"People tend to look at me oddly when I say I fancy Miquita (apparently she's a bit fat or something) but I think she's lovely.  She's got a sexy laugh that's not quite out & out filthy, but almost - the foxy bitch.

Absolutely, fully, totally 108% agree.

I once saw her on Oxford Street with some man I can only assume was her boyfriend. She seemed a lot smaller than I'd have thought.

I think this programme is great. I love the way that they are pretty much taking the piss out of the stars pretty much in front of their faces without them realising.

hoverdonkey

Cracking show. Caught it this week for the first time in ages and Simon's voiceover for an on-the-set report of a video shoot for some nondescript 'R&B artist' was very funny.

Miquita is attractive, but I still get drawn to Simon's vacant stare. I like his irreverance. I am not 'a gay'.

Robot DeNiro

This week's show was ok, but not the best.  Simon's video report was quite funny, but usually he visits the shoot himself, taking the piss and generally getting in the way, which is much better.

Highlights for me this week were the questions for Badly Drawn Boy "What's the best sort of transplant?" and "Have you ever had a stroke?"

Music wise, the new Jamelia and Chris Martin song is good, and I thought the new Natasha Beddingfield was excellent.  She's a lot better than her brother.