Dave Gorman: Not a nice man, apparently

[alan strang]

Probably not though, he's always really annoyed me when I've seen him on TV etc, didn't he post a load of annoying things on the sotcaa forums or something?

Not as such. You might be thinking of the time BBC radio producer Adam Bromley posted as 'Danny Wallace' (and 'Dave Gorman', 'The Boosh' and various other fake names), taking the piss out of the idea of 'Are You Dave Gorman' (presumably prompted by our Danny Wallace/Funny Talk parodies). It was quite entertaining at the time.

'Somebody' (can't imagine who) then snitched on Bromley in a "Please Sir, Mr BBC Sir - Adam Bromley's posting anti-BBC comments and wasting BBC resources, Sir..." manner - a complaint which resulted in said producer being disciplined, losing work and having to make a formal apology on the same forum (not that anyone really cared a bugger either way).

Gorman later claimed that Adam Bromley only took the piss out of Danny Wallace because he was "just bitter because Danny got to work with better people and was getting more work than he did." - which of course is a good media way of deflecting satire which has hit home - "Hrrn, hrrn, personal attacks, bitter, failed, hrrn, hrrn..."

Rivalry or not, neither Bromley nor Wallace are particularly good radio producers. The former posseses the magical ability to turn a golden quiz show radio session into half an hour of very very bland teatime Radio 4. The Motion Show was killed on a weekly basis by his editorial decisions.

Wallace meanwhile was (and presumably still is) a conniving little sod who habitually used his old BBC page to slyly promote projects he was working on, big up his industry mates (and diss the opposition), and - perhaps worst of all -  continually, and maliciously look at us with that bloody face.

Wallace once had a conversation with Rory Ford (of the Edinburgh Evening News) on the subject of SOTCAA. Rory liked it - Wallace didn't. "Hmph, you don't like *that thing* do you?", he whined. "Yeah, why not - it's great, it's very funny!", insisted Rory. "You do know they called me  'cunt' don't you!", said Danny, to which Rory scoffed "Och, Danny - up in Edinburgh we all call each other 'cunt'! It's a term of affection!"

[The Duck Man]

I thought Wallace's bits in AYDG? were the better written, and whilst he's obviously a crap boyfriend (see Join Me) I didn't think he was pretty whiny.

Of the two author's books, I think Gorman's is the better. But I've never had any indication that Wallace is anything other than a decent writer and good bloke.

[Solid Snail]

I remember being bored at some point and adding davegorman@hotmail.com to MSN Messenger.

It turned out to be Danny Wallace (according to him) and he also effectively told me to piss off.

[The Duck Man]

Well in the book don't they try out all the possible Hotmail/Yahoo etc. Dave Gorman e-mail variants?

Actually, that wouldn't explain at all why Wallace had that MSN sign-in. Unless they saw no-one had it, signed up, then he just decided to use it. Hmmm.

[Neil]

We've seen those party photos before haven't we? I seem to recall a very amusing one of Morris boogieing on down like the night was young.

Here they are:

[Purple Tentacle]

Cor, Peter Serafinowicz has been raiding the pie cupboard!

[Dark Sky]

Is Morris' hair real there, or is that a strap I can see...?

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

No, it's real. It's all crazy in the TDT pilot as well isn't it?

[Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer]

Morris seems to be taking his boogying very seriously. I like his hair, wish mine was that characterful and wild, instead of just flaccid and girly.

Purple Tentacle wrote:

Cor, Peter Serafinowicz has been raiding the pie cupboard!

The group photo with Morris implies he's been frequenting the same cupboard. Probably just the angle....

[Jet Set Willy]

I like "adam"'s pointy finger dance, reminds me of the very amusing section he and Joe did on dancing.

[danielsan]

I met Dave Gorman about a year ago at some tatty comedy awards thing and i'm afraid he was a bit of a cunt. I remember being disappointed cos I had recently finished his AYDG book and he came across as a great bloke in that.

When we and my mate spoke to him, he kept going on about the fact that only Eddie Izzard had sold more tickets than he had. I mentioned that I would have liked to see that thing he did based on the Ian Dury song Reasons to be Cheerful, and he just turned his nose up at me like I was a wanker and said it was something he had done years ago and if I hadn't seen it then, I couldn't have been that bothered and he wasn't going to do it again just for my benefit. CUNT!!

Remember he was Have I Got News For You as well and did some shit joke and Paul Merton took the piss saying it was the most contrived joke of the evening and he sulked for the rest of the show.

My mate told me that Danny Wallace nicked his bird and they've fallen out now - maybe that's why he's so bitter!

[slim]

Remember he was Have I Got News For You as well and did some shit joke and Paul Merton took the piss saying it was the most contrived joke of the evening and he sulked for the rest of the show.

Yes, I remember that. I also remember thinking he was a bit of a twat and was quietly pleased as Paul Merton mocked him with his much superior comic  abilities.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I guess his "look at me I'm still student like" muttonchop jeffs should have been a warning to us all.

[The Duck Man]

Ha!

I remember that show. Gorman's joke really was bad, completely contrived as Merton rightly said. Bringing in puppets because it was the last show of the series.

I don't think he can improvise. Much like Bob Monkhouse who had to prepare all his material. Gorman's shows contain no improvisation so that corresponds.

[Solid Snail]

I remember there was some statistic about the average man having sex once a week, and Gorman said (to Angus - his last show) "With people like you around, there must be some people getting none at all."

Well, it seemed pretty bad compared to the other Angus jokes.

...Or was there some other joke? I do remember something about puppets.

[It Was Cancer]

The only thing I have against Dave Gorman is that I don't find him funny.  I've heard stories (ooh, must be true then) that he can be a bit wanky to fans.  

I think comedians should be nice to fans.  As has been said, it's not like they're of David Beckham fame (well, some are) so they mustn't get hassled that much.  It's just manners to be nice to someone who takes the effort to talk to you.  Everyone's allowed an off day, I guess.

The only comedian I've had a proper conversation with was Eddie Izzard at a David Bowie aftershow, and I went up like the slathering fan I am (the most irritating type) and started an animated conversation with him.  I was a little tipsy, but he was very, very friendly and chatty.  Very friendly, in fact, and I ended up making my excuses as his breath smelt so strongly of drink that I was getting pissed just breathing his air.  At the same thing I met Ricky Gervais and Paul Merton who were stand-offish and probably sober.

So a lesson.  Get them when they're hammered and they'll be nice.  I bet Dave Gorman's just hopped off the wagon or something. Or maybe he was just  as bored and tired of Pete Doherty's "now you see me now you don't" jolly japes.

[John Williams]

Get them when they're hammered and they'll be nice.  I bet Dave Gorman's just hopped off the wagon or something

Do you mean "on the wagon"?  Or maybe it's off, I can never work it out.

[ninestonecreature]

Remember he was Have I Got News For You as well and did some shit joke and Paul Merton took the piss saying it was the most contrived joke of the evening and he sulked for the rest of the show

I faintly recall a similar incident when he appeared on 'They Think It's All Over' a few years back. One of the regulars (Hancock or McGrath) took the piss out of his sideburns and he was visibly disgruntled...though I sided with him on that occasion, as I had similar facial foliage at the time... :o)

[imitationleather]

Get them when they're hammered and they'll be nice.  I bet Dave Gorman's just hopped off the wagon or something

Do you mean "on the wagon"?  Or maybe it's off, I can never work it out.

He's fallen on the wagon? If I was allowed to see him do that, all would be forgiven.

[Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer]

Solid Snail wrote:

Well, it seemed pretty bad compared to the other Angus jokes

.

I think Gorman was the only one who didn't say something funny on that HIGNFY. I remember the terrible puppets stunt, reminiscent of the guest with the 'talking' parrot and the Elton John lookalike. Gorman looks like someone whose act is very fragile and could be destroyed, as demonstrated by Merton, in a second.

[The Duck Man]

Well I don't really see how Gorman's stage show could fall apart, as it requires no audience participation, nor any kind of improv. As a general comic guest, then yes, I agree. It'll be interesting to see how his new Radio 4 show "Genius" will turn out, as he can't read off a memorised script.

I liked the Elton John look-alike though (even though I'm a big fan). Especially the subtitles they put on at one point - "Ring John. He won't let you down. Unlike Elton." Don't recall the parrot.

[mrlizard]

Mayer (I think it was) came up with a great quote in his post about meeting Morris...I think he was taking the mick out of what could be shouted at Morris to best annoy him.

"WELCOME TO PAEDOGEDDON!!!! Ha ha...don't mind me. Only, I'm a bit MAD!!!"

That stuck in my head.

hehehe... t'was funny that, but unfortunately not an example of my classic "wit"

I dare the next person to encounter Morris in real life to shout "This is the NEWWWWS!.... ahahah, don't mind me, I'm a bit MAD!!

i'm still speculating as to whether he would've been so pleasant and polite if i asked him i could "bourrouw a staypler please".

I once saw Mark Lamarr walking down the road near the BBC in Manchester. I was pissed and shouted "'50s throwback Mark Lamarr!" in his general direction. What a twat I am.

[Xander]

Just saw reaction shots of Dave now and again on An Audience With Harry Hill. For the mostpart, he seemed to be smiling, but not really laughing or enjoying himself. Really here nor there, but I thought I'd throw it in.

[DuncanC]

Just saw reaction shots of Dave now and again on An Audience With Harry Hill. For the mostpart, he seemed to be smiling, but not really laughing or enjoying himself. Really here nor there, but I thought I'd throw it in.

In every audience shot there were people completely stony-faced, not even smiling.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Come on, most of the shots had all the people laughing quite hard, like the shots of Paul Zenon for example. But there was always one person completely stony faced in the corner. There was one shot of some random old woman who was probably famous for something and she had a look of complete seriousness on her face while everyone else around her was in hysterics.

[Glyn]

ooh its gone off on a harry hill tangent. I was just suprised at how hard al murray was laughing every time they cut to him, surely over the years he's heard 90% of that material literally thousands of times. Guess harry hills one of the few comics who usually can get away with re-using jokes though

[DuncanC]

Come on, most of the shots had all the people laughing quite hard, like the shots of Paul Zenon for example. But there was always one person completely stony faced in the corner.

That is what I meant. Not that everyone was like that, just in every shot there were people like that (and not just in the corner, right in the middle where my eye was naturally drawn to), plus the others who were enjoying it weren't enough to make up for it.

I liked it, though. Looking forward to the new TV Burp.

(Also, I completely forgot Al Murray was big brother Alan etc. until just now. Doh!)

[The Duck Man]

Gorman said on his website that he had a very good time at Harry Hill and was sitting behind Bill Oddie or something. Isn't that lovely?

[Xander]

I wonder what the reaction would have been if Bill Oddie had turned around and said "Hi Dave. My name isn't Dave Gorman, sorry!" Would he have told the Oddster to piss off? I doubt it.

I still like Gorman's work, regardless...

[Goldentony]

oddie would have set an army of owls onto gorman if he'd have said that.