Clunkers from the Alan Partridge Canon

[Menu]

No, it's because he thinks REO Speedwagon are one of the biggest stadium bands in the world. Bye [hangs up]

Correct. It's funny, firstly for the surprise at him not saying REM after appearing to be doing so, and then because he genuinely thinks REO Speedwagon are one of the biggest stadium bands in the world. It's a comedy double-whammy to launch the episode.

[royce coolidge]

Never been happy with "you dirty get" to sidekick Simon. Not something you would hear from a Norwich native,more a northern phrase.
(I know APs accent has been all over the place from the first radio shows).

[Captain Z]

It was a phrase popular with Chris Moyles/Comedy Dave, and we're supposed to assume that's been part of Alan's inspiration for hiring Sidekick Simon.

[Menu]

I don't like Simon's 'Which muppet?' punchline to the SAS man's horrific story of semi-decapitating members of a militant RSPB. It doesn't make sense because all muppets have that same semi-decapitated open mouth thing. Needed a better punchline there.

[neveragain]

Never been happy with "you dirty get" to sidekick Simon. Not something you would hear from a Norwich native,more a northern phrase.

Overused recently too. One of those things that didn't get funnier with repetition.

[QDRPHNC]

Always found it bizarre that Alan had a vicious dog with him in Scissored Isle.

Old English Sheepdog seems more Alan's style, a throwback to a gentler, and better, time.

[Twed]

Always found it bizarre that Alan had a vicious dog with him in Scissored Isle.

Old English Sheepdog seems more Alan's style, a throwback to a gentler, and better, time.

I found that hilarious though. The dog was clearly too much for Alan to cope with and he'd never be able to outright admit it.

I also love that the dog was called Seldom, which is at odds with what a brute it is.

[H-O-W-L]

I don't like Simon's 'Which muppet?' punchline to the SAS man's horrific story of semi-decapitating members of a militant RSPB. It doesn't make sense because all muppets have that same semi-decapitated open mouth thing. Needed a better punchline there.

I thought it was hilarious in how fucking morbid it was and how it showed Simon to either be out of touch, insensitive, or have a hidden heart of darkness. Probably all three!

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

Is there anything in I'm Alan Partridge series 1 to explicitly state that it's set in 1997 though?  It could just as easily be set in 1998, surely?  Recording/air date does not necessarily dictate the year in which the series itself is set.

The Kurt Cobain reference means it must be after 1994.

The references to Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness arguably imply we are  pre-GFA.

[Paul Calf]

The bit in IAP1 where he references the Pete Best album Best Of The Beatles, an album with no original Beatles material on it, as his favourite doesn't really work for me.

[mr. logic]

I don't like Simon's 'Which muppet?' punchline to the SAS man's horrific story of semi-decapitating members of a militant RSPB. It doesn't make sense because all muppets have that same semi-decapitated open mouth thing. Needed a better punchline there.

Surely the joke is that he's completely missed the point and hasn't associated it with the open mouth thing?

[Cuellar]

I think he's just trying to be edgy, like saying "neither could she" when the book club woman says she couldn't get through Anne Frank's diary

[Paul Calf]

I thought he was nervously trying to break the awkward silence, perhaps by being flippant and edgy.

[mrpupkin]

I thought he was just trying to picture it and needed more detail.

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

Are the Gibbon Brothers the same as the Dawson Brothers, and who are they anyway?

[Menu]

Surely the joke is that he's completely missed the point and hasn't associated it with the open mouth thing?

Well maybe. I just think it doesn't work as a punchline cos the viewer has absorbed the muppet-mouth reference even if SS hasn't. The scene up until that last line is superb.

[Konki]

[Alan voice] This whole thread is a clunker from the CaB Canon!

[Solid Jim]

At the 2000 British Comedy Awards, Alan remarks to Elton John that the lyrics of Rocket Man are absurd because nobody in their right mind would want to raise their kids on Mars. However, the lyric in question is "Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids", so the song is in fact in 100% agreement with Alan's assessment. There is no basis for any disagreement. Also, Alan has just quoted this line verbatim, so it cannot be that he has misheard or misunderstood the song. I have a sneaking suspicion that this line was only written to set up the following joke about Alan's show having no atmosphere.

This does not bother me as much as I am implying.

[Twed]

Is Alan saying that it's so obvious that the lyric is redundant?

I haven't seen/can't remember the skit though

[Morrison Lard]

It's actually a reference to the album "Venus and Mars" by Wings,
the band The Beatles could have been, had they not sacked Pete Best.