Author Topic: Kenny Everett (Read 2353 times)

BeardFaceMan · « **on:** April 05, 2019, 05:24:15 PM »

It's just occured to me that I haven't seen any of Cuddly Ken's TV stuff since it was last broadcast in the 80s. I remember being a big fan as a kid but thinking about it now I only really remember the characters, not the material. So is Kenny Everett worth revisiting? Does it hold up now or has it dated a lot? And where's the best place to go about watching them? His shows never really got repeated by either channel after he finished did they?

Also a quick mention of his audio stuff too, I've never heard any of his radio shows or albums or anything? Any good stuff worth checking out?

Ooh actually I remember renting some sort of Everett video from a bloke who used to come around and rent them out of the boot of his car, and it had a sketch where Cleo Rocos got her tits out in the bath as Kenny came in as the blind man, that wouldn't have been broadcast in the TV shows would it? Happy days.

EOLAN · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2019, 05:40:36 PM »

There is a discussion on one of his albums in the "Rule of Three" podcast just recently. Seemed good old fun. A guy I always enjoy seeing being discussed in nostalgia shows or being discussed. Never actually delved into a full episode of any of his work myself and not sure how I would find it. CAB watch?

BeardFaceMan · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2019, 06:06:12 PM »

Yeah that was what got me thinking about it. There wasnt much material on offer though, it was mostly Kenny being silly and playing other peoples stuff. All I recall is the characters like Sid Snot, Cupid Stunt, Marcel Miming Bloke, DIY Bloke etc. Ooh and I now recall a sketch where he was Rod Stewart with an inflating bum. But thats it. Hes not someone you see discussed very often for some reason and his work is rarely rebroadcast, has it dated that badly? Whats even odder is that when you do see him talked about, its usually always positive.

Phoenix Lazarus · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2019, 06:08:59 PM »

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on April 05, 2019, 05:24:15 PM

It's just occured to me that I haven't seen any of Cuddly Ken's TV stuff since it was last broadcast in the 80s. I remember being a big fan as a kid but thinking about it now I only really remember the characters, not the material. So is Kenny Everett worth revisiting? Does it hold up now or has it dated a lot? And where's the best place to go about watching them? His shows never really got repeated by either channel after he finished did they?

He started out funny, then became progressively more shit as the 80s progressed. A revisit to the his early-80s stuff, and his ITV Video Show, from the late-70s, might be worthwhile.

Alberon · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2019, 06:26:42 PM »

Here's a collection of clips from his Thames TV show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnpl4Op_FhE

I've only watched a bit of this now, but I know I watched a lot of this the first time it went out when I was under ten. 90% must have gone right over my head.

Alternative Carpark · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2019, 07:11:47 PM »

They recently released his Thames series on DVD - a few edits but most of it was there - that did get a bit of publicity, I thought.

Here's a compilation of his BBC stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQXksQ_uCSs

Malcy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2019, 10:35:24 PM »

Friend of mine stuck on a DVD one night and although I recognised some stuff it was basically a treasure trove of comedy I had missed out on or never got round to for various reasons.

Very funny and worth getting more of.

Chriddof · « **Reply #7 on:** April 06, 2019, 12:58:01 AM »

Yeah, I've yet to get that Thames collection but I've seen a lot of it already through the internet, and a brief repeat run on Granada Plus years and years ago (as well as a previous "Best Of" DVD) - a lot of fun, despite the odd unfortunate racial joke (which is par the course for these sorts of things). And admittedly the Hot Gossip "naughty bits" are merely tiresome these days too (I found myself fast forwarding through them). But overall a lot of it stands up, and there's a certain kind of fun and loose feel to it that no other comedy show before or since has really recaptured, what with things like using the camera crew as the audience, leaving outtakes in the final show, etc.

Satchmo Distel · « **Reply #8 on:** April 06, 2019, 10:27:36 AM »

OTT copied a lot of his Thames stuff (crew laughter, racial jokes, woman gets tits out).

I've never understood how he got away with "Cupid Stunt" given how taboo "cunt" was in 1981.

His stuff with The Beatles is worth tracking down: I imagine he and Lennon got along well regarding sense of humour. Strongly doubt Lennon knew he was gay.

Brundle-Fly · « **Reply #9 on:** April 06, 2019, 11:43:58 AM »

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on April 05, 2019, 05:24:15 PM

Ooh actually I remember renting some sort of Everett video from a bloke who used to come around and rent them out of the boot of his car, and it had a sketch where Cleo Rocos got her tits out in the bath as Kenny came in as the blind man, that wouldn't have been broadcast in the TV shows would it? Happy days.

I think you might have embellished that sketch in your memory. Although near the knuckle, I remember she was discreetly covered in soap suds. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but Rocos might have worn some very low cut outfits in the various Everett shows but never went completely topless. This is where ex-Cabber, Sydward Lartle would have been very informative.

BeardFaceMan · « **Reply #10 on:** April 06, 2019, 01:53:37 PM »

Just had a google and it might be this - http://muuta.net/KennyEverett/Cassettes/NewNaughty.html

There's a sketch listed called "Blind deliveryboy (with topless girl) " so maybe there was boobage but it wasn't Cleo Rocos, I'm sure it was though.

ETA I think they may have done a modified version of the sketch for video release and I'm mixing the 2 sketches into 1 - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x34qc9q starts at about 12:40

Lisa Jesusandmarychain · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2019, 01:53:58 PM »

Yer woman Jilly Johnson went all completely look-at-my-norks lads topless in the late night Channel 4 Comedy Show "Assaulted Nuts", circa early 1985. She was also sat in a bath tub, but there was a distinct lack of obscuring suds. The cast also had Cleo Rocos , who performed alongside Tim Brooke-Taylor , Barry Cryer, Danny"Like Shit In A Field In The 1980s" Peacock and EMMA BLUMMIN' THOMPSON. Writers included David Renwick and Andrew Marshall. Some crazy show, hey, gang ?
Just to add to the crazy cast list, which CaBber of a certain age can tell me who was the bloke who walked into the bathroom in which we, the viewers saw the Johnson Jubblies, and said something like "OK, Not a great gag- but what a great pair of tits eh?" No googling for this.

I'd be interested to see who can answer this poser, but remember-No Googling!

(Well, you can google if you like, I don't give a fuck.)

Chriddof · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2019, 02:41:45 PM »

I googled it. Was it Wayne "Newman from Seinfeld / Dinosaur Bait in Jurassic Park" Knight?

Lisa Jesusandmarychain · « **Reply #13 on:** April 06, 2019, 03:23:04 PM »

Yes. Very fond memories of watching that sketch when first broadcast. Wayne Knight delivered the punchline, while Jilly Johnson pointed disdainfully to her knockers in a " Oh, it's like that, is it ? " stylee in the background.

kaprisky · « **Reply #14 on:** April 06, 2019, 11:19:58 PM »

The Network 6-DVD set is the final thing I bought from HMV Oxford Street last year. I haven't been back since so I assume it's now closed. I managed to complete the first series recently and the edits are not just for some music performances (Wings/McCartney, Kate Bush) but apparently third-party stuff like commercials (archive) and promo videos. The running times for episodes vary from 29 minutes to 38, which I assume is probably the maximum considering series one was in a 45-minute slot.

The first New Year's special does feature a couple of genuinely live Rod Stewart performances of Maggie May and Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

Brundle-Fly · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2019, 03:37:47 AM »

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on April 06, 2019, 01:53:37 PM

Just had a google and it might be this - http://muuta.net/KennyEverett/Cassettes/NewNaughty.html

There's a sketch listed called "Blind deliveryboy (with topless girl) " so maybe there was boobage but it wasn't Cleo Rocos, I'm sure it was though.

ETA I think they may have done a modified version of the sketch for video release and I'm mixing the 2 sketches into 1 - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x34qc9q starts at about 12:40

Bleedin' ell! You're right! That must've been an exclusive video that never met transmission.

greenman · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2019, 07:49:53 AM »

Quote from: Chriddof on April 06, 2019, 12:58:01 AM

Yeah, I've yet to get that Thames collection but I've seen a lot of it already through the internet, and a brief repeat run on Granada Plus years and years ago (as well as a previous "Best Of" DVD) - a lot of fun, despite the odd unfortunate racial joke (which is par the course for these sorts of things). And admittedly the Hot Gossip "naughty bits" are merely tiresome these days too (I found myself fast forwarding through them). But overall a lot of it stands up, and there's a certain kind of fun and loose feel to it that no other comedy show before or since has really recaptured, what with things like using the camera crew as the audience, leaving outtakes in the final show, etc.

Whilst its not all dated well he does to me feel like somewhat of a missing link between your standard mainstream comedy of the 70's and the "the alternatives to alternative comedy" such as Vic and Bob

kalowski · « **Reply #17 on:** April 07, 2019, 08:29:03 AM »

I loved it when he put on those big hands and said, "Let's bomb Russia" and all the Tories clapped, laughed and cheered.

Jockice · « **Reply #18 on:** April 07, 2019, 11:58:17 AM »

I found him a bit irritating. But this is a great sketch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXgkuM2NhYI

Phoenix Lazarus · « **Reply #19 on:** April 07, 2019, 12:05:44 PM »

Quote from: kalowski on April 07, 2019, 08:29:03 AM

I loved it when he put on those big hands and said, "Let's bomb Russia" and all the Tories clapped, laughed and cheered.

The big hands were originally for his Pentecostal minister character, Brother Lee Love. I liked him better than the American general, though both sketches were pretty much a case of seen-one-seen-em-all.

TheMonk · « **Reply #20 on:** April 07, 2019, 01:14:39 PM »

There’s loads of his TV work on Daily Motion. It’s technically not hilarious in retrospect but I find it comforting to put on late at night. His performances always rise above the material.

There’s some unedited radio shows on YouTube too, which is nice to chuck on while driving.

paruses · « **Reply #21 on:** April 07, 2019, 01:45:08 PM »

He's the most interesting one in that Man Alive: The Disk Jockeys programme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6tBzY8EHgk&t=18s

Well, the others are grimly fascinating. I watched it a couple of years ago and remember thinking that although his stuff was dated now it seemed quite fresh then and he put some effort in. Obvs he didn't really want to be a DJ - that seemed to me to be just a job he'd found as an outlet for his stuff.

Phil_A · « **Reply #22 on:** April 07, 2019, 02:22:08 PM »

A nice little clip of Kenny being interviewed on the TOTP set by a couple of teenagers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZt7PAI0Wfs

DrGreggles · « **Reply #23 on:** April 07, 2019, 02:51:52 PM »

I got the Thames DVD in a charity shop a couple of years ago for 50p or something like that.
Just a compilation I think, definitely nothing highbrow but it's good fun.

Satchmo Distel · « **Reply #24 on:** April 07, 2019, 09:01:15 PM »

Quote from: Phil_A on April 07, 2019, 02:22:08 PM

A nice little clip of Kenny being interviewed on the TOTP set by a couple of teenagers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZt7PAI0Wfs

He seems acutely shy; unable to "be himself" (he's always switching into other characters) or maintain eye contact.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley · « **Reply #25 on:** April 07, 2019, 09:52:28 PM »

He was a very shy, sensitive man. Radio and TV were the perfect formats for him, really, as he could muck about and perform without having to deal directly with an audience of strangers (hence why his best TV stuff was only performed in front of a production team he presumably felt comfortable with?).

nec1974 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 08, 2019, 12:02:08 AM »

Quote from: Satchmo Distel on April 06, 2019, 10:27:36 AM

I've never understood how he got away with "Cupid Stunt" given how taboo "cunt" was in 1981.

Sir Barold Cryer claims the character was initially going to be called Mary Hinge.

steveh · « **Reply #27 on:** April 08, 2019, 07:24:36 AM »

This interview with Mavis Nicholson in 1989 is a good insight into him. Deals with the Conservative rally, coming out, his suicide attempts and his love of radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHcQGe4u9ZY.

buzby · « **Reply #28 on:** April 08, 2019, 08:12:11 AM »

I can highly recommend his mid-80s autobiography The Custard Stops At Hatfield (it was also the primary source for the story of Cupid Stunt's original name being vetoed by the Beeb).

The amount of work he used to put into his radio shows was amazing - he had a studio in his house and used to record all his own jingles and sketches, including of course the Adventures Of Captain Kremmen. I'm not sure he wanted to be on TV as such (he was happiest being left alone to put together his sketches and play the occasional record on radio*), but it was another outlet for his characters and he was happy working with his usual crew and writers (primarly Mr. Cryer). As mentioned by previous posters he was painfully shy and certainly wasn't the type to seek out the approval of performing in front of an audience.

* Including being the first to play Bohemian Rhapsody due to his friendship with Freddie Mercury, playing the track 14 times over 2 days as part of the band's underhand plan to force EMI to release it as the first single off A Day At The Races.

Jockice · « **Reply #29 on:** April 08, 2019, 09:08:27 AM »

Quote from: Jockice on April 07, 2019, 11:58:17 AM

I found him a bit irritating. But this is a great sketch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXgkuM2NhYI

Did you all get it eh? What a sidesplitter! Ambient Sheep for some reason didn't find it funny though. Er...

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Author Topic: Kenny Everett (Read 2353 times)