The Rik & Ade BIG THREAD

[Jemble Fred]

manchester arts
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Wednesday, 10th August 2005
Rik's ready for a write bust-up
Ian Wylie


Rik MayallRIK Mayall says he's ready to face any controversy over the title of his new autobiography. Bigger Than Hitler, Better Than Christ is expected to cause a stir when it's published next month.


"It's the greatest book ever written by the greatest man who ever lived," says the Manchester University graduate, with tongue firmly in cheek.

It's now over seven years since the actor and comedian almost lost his life in a quad bike accident. He suffered serious head injuries when he fell off the vehicle at his farm in Devon.

"I was in a coma for five days - I was dead longer than Jesus before he was raised from the dead," says Rik, in explanation of one half of the book title.

"Bigger Than Hitler is because I made so many more sitcoms than Hitler ever made. It's just vast. Videos of me have been watched in countries that weren't invented when he was around. It's just a fact of who I am."

The book includes an image of Rik, 47, as Jesus, with his 12 disciples, said to have been painted by Leonardo Da Vinci on the ceiling of a church in Redditch, where Mayall was raised.

Other contents, also perhaps not to be taken too seriously, include an allegation that his 1998 accident was a government-inspired assassination attempt.

The anarchic former star of The Young Ones and The New Statesman has more good news for fans, following his split from comedy partner Ade Edmondson.

The Bottom duo, who first met as students in Manchester, decided to bring to a close their hugely successful screen and stage union after a final 2003 tour.

But Rik says he plans to work with Ade again. "We'll wait until the next thing comes along and we shall do another thing - probably about being old."

Father-of-three Rik was speaking at the launch of his new Granada comedy drama called All About George, which starts on ITV1 next month.

The madcap star plays the title role in the six-part series by Bramhall-born Cold Feet and Life Begins writer Mike Bullen, which is set across six generations.

Doctors feared Rik would either die or suffer permanent brain damage after his accident. He admits to some problems, but adds: "I am a global light entertainment phenomena, so how can I remember everything?"

Good title? Or has Rik Mayall gone too far? Have your say and vote in our poll.

Just to recap:

But Rik says he plans to work with Ade again. "We'll wait until the next thing comes along and we shall do another thing - probably about being old."

Yes, well I was going to say... Hooray to that.

[alan strang]

It's Vyvyan in the book.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

This will be an irritating book, I suspect. 'Now the interesting thing about the rushes of Demolition is that...they were made of blancmange!'

[Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer]

I just bought Bottom Live: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts, the last live sho2 (2003). Now, I'm a huge Bottom (and Young Ones and Flithy...) fan. The first two series of the TV show were fantastic; the third show was lazy but had it's great moments; and the live shows, on the whole, have been terrific. 2001: An Arse Oddity showed signs of weakness, but it was mostly great stuff. But am I alone in thinking that Y-Fronts was awful? It felt so meandering and lame, as if they'd suddenly got incredibly self-conscious and stopped wanting to make complete arses of themselves - most of the violence was pretty limp, and actually, it wasn't particularly funny. It had its moments - the 'rewind' sequence was very well done; and bits of the second act were fun, but it had little of the manic energy or pure silliness of the last 4 shows. There were good ideas - the 'Turdis' could have been great, yet it felt gimmicky. The whole first act had no structure to do whatsoever. Despite the 'oh, we've got a plot this year' jokes of the last shows, actually they did have plots, and they did gell together. This felt like Guest House Paradiso - a load of limp sketches cobbled together. I can understand why Edmondson wanted out, because it genuinely feels taht they've run out of ideas. They even had to borrow the ending (the 'Pants' song) from their last show - ironic self-referencing or just laziness? I enjoyed bits and bobs, but it's probably better they wait another 20 years and write The Old Ones, which actually, I imagine would be very good.

[Jemble Fred]

"I'm writing a TV film with Peter Richardson (The Comic Strip Presents) called Sex, Actually"

Through his tribulations, his ability to shock has not deserted him. During his time off last year, he co-authored a 13-part comedy series, The Murderers, starring a psychotic, very English killer called Eustace, a part he would like to play himself. 'He's foul, hypocritical, a ball of vanity. I put into the characters I create myself parts of my own personality that embarrass me. My characters are all vain and self-obsessed. That's how you exorcise those traits. Self-obsession is the Achilles heel that my family use on me. "Oh, Dad, stop talking about yourself."'

All courtesy of this superb site: http://www.orangeneko.com/rik/ – Did I get that URL from here? It's one of the best fan sites I've seen.

[Jemble Fred]

I know he's roughly as popular as a chill wind in an incubator on this site these days, but I'm certainly getting my ticket for this baby:

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/jan06/bstard910103.php

And especially looking forward to it if Michael Troughton's on board. Well, he's got to be, hasn't he? You can't have Dangermouse without Penfold.

Ah, and just to even things up in the spirit of the thread, Ade was amazing on the Bonzos gig the other night, you should look forward to the broadcast and/or DVD.Didn't see him on that ecological disaster drama the other week though.

[Darrell]

Sod that, the important thing is that his 'George's Marvellous Medicine' Jackanory reading is being repeated on BBC4, Feb 14th, 10:30pm.

[jennifer]

Sod that, the important thing is that his 'George's Marvellous Medicine' Jackanory reading is being repeated on BBC4, Feb 14th, 10:30pm.

YAY!

[weirdbeard]

Sod that, the important thing is that his 'George's Marvellous Medicine' Jackanory reading is being repeated on BBC4, Feb 14th, 10:30pm.

As part of Jackanory Night, which should be good.

ARTS:  Jackanory Night
Channel: BBC 4
Date: Tuesday 14th February 2006
Time: 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm (starting in 11 days)
Duration: 2 hours.
Bernard Cribbins presents an evening featuring four of Jackanory's most iconic episodes, plus a 60-minute documentary exploring the enduring appeal of this simple storytelling children's series. 9.00 Kenneth Williams reads The Dribblesome Teapots. 9.15 Judi Dench reads A Dog So Small. 9.30 The Story of Jackanory. 10.30 Rik Mayall reads George's Marvellous Medicine. 10.45 Alan Bennett reads The House at Pooh Corner.

[Darrell]

Oh, so it's just one instalment? What's the point in that?

It's saying 'look how good we are at archive TV' whilst proving totally useless at it.

[TotalNightmare]

Stupid TV... must do better

D-

[Jemble Fred]

Rik-haters can get the knives out once again. Rik-lovers can go 'oh good god, what now?' once again.

Oh Marbella!
Released on DVD May 22nd 2006

Prism Leisure Press Release – DVD £5.99

DVD Premiere
With superb performances from
Mike Reid, Rik Mayall, Tom Bell and David Gant

Versatile Film presents this laugh out loud comedy; set in sunny Marbella, where one weekend can change your life!!

A quartet of equally outrageous adventures overlap as we follow the antics of nudists, dreamers, goat-hurlers and hit-men over one weekend in the most popular destination of all British holiday makers... Marbella!

Over 8 million tourists visit Marbella every year in pursuit of sun, sea, sand and ahem.. sangria...  this hilarious film portrays the darker side of the holiday hot spot that an unlucky few experience when things don't go quite according to plan.

Meet the reluctant nudists – Ashley (Craig Kelly) and Emily (Charlotte Lucas) who have been mistakenly booked into a nudist hotel, an experience made 100 times worse when they are confronted (quite literally) by Ashley's suspicious boss Harvey (David Gant)...The dreamers Dave (Eddie Webber) and Tina (Cathy Murphy) are chasing the perfect holiday weekend in the hopes of escaping their hum drum life but it starts to fall apart as soon as they get off the plane... enter unscrupulous, immoral time share salesman, Greg Dubois (Rik Mayall) who will stop at nothing to make that sale!

Next up are the goat-hurlers Sophie, (Lara Belmont) and Bradley (Roland Manookian) who meet at the airport and combine their rather dubious talents to rescue the hapless goat destined to be hurled off a roof during a Spanish celebration...Finally Tom Bell and Mike Reid are expertly cast as the resident aging gangster Jack Winter and hitman Ronnie Ackerman, in town to take him out...

Four outrageous stories, one long hot weekend... a lot can happen in 48 hours!




Extra's

- Rik Mayall Interview
- Making Of Featurette
- Riks' Bits
- Trailer
- Film Background
- Star Biographies
- Principal Cast & Production Credit Lists

May I be the first to say that this sounds great? As in the first person ever, and the last. I don't mean it, but at least it makes me unique.

[Jemble Fred]

ADE'S NEW SITCOM!

Punk's not dead



Ade pens 'punk dad' sitcom
Picture © BBC

   
Adrian Edmondson is to revive the memory of Young Ones Vyvyan by writing a sitcom about a punk-loving dad.

He is working on a script about a middle-aged man who is kicked out of home to live with his student children, much to their embarrassment.

The show, which is now awaiting the green light from commissioners, has been described as 'like the Young Ones in reverse'.

Edmondson, 49, told BBC Breakfast News this morning: 'I'm writing a sitcom about a punk dad – he is the most embarrassing dad, who moves in with his children in a student flat.'

He has also said: 'I'll be singing the theme tune for it if it gets the go ahead.'

Edmondson also admitted he had now come to terms with the fact his career was defined by the 12 Young Ones shows, even though he barely recalls making them more than 20 years ago,

He said: 'People come up to you in the street and quote lines and expect you to respond, but I can't. It was [annoying] about five years ago, but now it's interesting baggage.'
Edmondson was on the programme to talk about his new permanent role in hospital soap Holby City, following earlier guest appearances as Percy 'Abra' Durant. Coincidentally, Vyvyan was a medical student.

Thankyou, Mr Chortle.

Sorry, but am I the only person who thinks this sounds fucking ace? A completely logical step, and with a bit of luck it will work BRILLIANTLY. Here's hoping there's a live audience etc.

Feels good to know that he's not just 'the guy from Holby' these days.

[Garam]

Yeah, saw him this morning. They showed the clip from Oil where Rick and Vyv are fighting over the bedroom, but they didn't show 'Neil, your bedroom's on fire!!'. Cunts.

David Mitchell's in this, ain't he? I didn't watch Doctors and Nurses, so I dunno how their chemistry is. I really hope Edmondson's writing skills haven't left him after the laziness of the last few stage shows.


Oh, I watched this Mindless Violence thing. It shows a clip from FR&C where Rik Cuts through Ade's hand. Is that cut on the Filthy Rich DVD?

[Brett Shrapnel]

All right then have the bedroom.