The Best of Kevin Eldon

[Mustow Green]

Over the last couple of days I've been listening to the L&H Radio 1 shows and hearing Simon Quinlank again after so many years is an absolute joy, (well kind of a terrifying joy.)

I'm positive it was on the Sunday Show where he played Ghee Boudilare (?) and Dr. Brebnar(?), the final Dr. monologue saw him break down and crawl across the studio floor whilst screaming.  Sort of a jaw on the floor moment.

Definately look for the Comedy Lab piece, about a crap poet, it's just lovely.

[alan strang]

I'm positive it was on the Sunday Show where he played Ghee Boudilare (?) and Dr. Brebnar(?)

It was. I always assumed it was spelt 'Guy Boudelaire' though. The French pronunciation would have rendered in 'Ghee' (despite the character's West-Country voice). Could be wrong.

the final Dr. monologue saw him break down and crawl across the studio floor whilst screaming.  Sort of a jaw on the floor moment.

An early outing for the "Oh God, what have I done..." school of comedy which has been somewhat overdone since.  I remember Stewart Lee thought that was "an amazing thing to watch."

[NobodyGetsOutAlive]

Is the Comedy Lab about a crap poet that Paul Hamilton (I think?) character Eldon performed on 28 Acts in 28 Minutes the other week?

[burpmitosis]

I always cheer when Eldon shows up in whatever I'm watching, I love him to bits and it makes me very happy. If you get the Bill Bailey Part Troll DVD, the bit where he comes out at the end to do das hokey cokey, you might be able to hear my cry of joy slightly louder than the rest of the audience.

I have to say the frankenstein sketch at the end of one of the Big Trains, and the Chairman Mau sketch, those are my favourite.

To whoever asked, you cannot have too much Eldon.  He's like comedic prozac, whenever he appears all is well.  Love the man.

The comedy lab about the poet is currently knocking around on uknova. Well worth getting.  Such attention to every detail.  Reminds me of those schools things about poetry that used to be on bbc2 with Craig Charles before he got accused of rape and his career was ruined.
Brilliant stuff.

I would be very happy to get an Eldon based show, very happy indeed.

I am not Kevin Eldon

[Jemble Fred]

On re-watching IANAA, it's a close run between Coogan's Mark the Sparrow and Eldon's Hugh the Monkey as to who stood the better chance of almost making the series a classic. In some ways folk might believe Hugh was an easy character – shout out any non-sequitur Vince from Rex the Runt-style and you get a laugh.

But... well, laughing is fun.

[ninestonecreature]

His 'guy with the shrunken car' routine, from Blue Jam (later reprised in Jam), is superb- never fails to induce belly laughs, that one.

I also fondly recall his contributions to The Sunday Show, where he would punctuate his routines by 'randomly' punching out a member of the audience (usually a nun or an elderly woman).

[Garfield And Friends]

at the end of one of the Big Trains, and the Chairman Mao sketch, those are my favourite.

I love that sketch too, but pedantically wish the the rest of the band were as appropriate as Eldon's Bryan Ferry / Chairman Mao.

Edit: Mark Heap as Brian Eno was spot on too.

[Jemble Fred]

The only bit I enjoy of the Roxy Music sketch is Arthur's spot-on 'Look I'm Famous' grinning on the drums.

[wavvle]

I've just found out that Eldon will be performing a weekly 15-minute monologue, 6:45 - 7:00pm every Wednesday on Resonance104.4FM, from 23rd March. There's also a show by Jessica Stevenson on there tonight at 7.00pm.

More info: www.resonancefm.com/

My favourite things he's done are Paul Hamilton and also Ralph McTell, haplessly attempting to introduce some new songs to his audience.
...and the antiques expert on Big Train. Genius.

If 'Shadows of Reflections' was put out on DVD I'd buy it! (Any chance?)

[wavvle]

The only bit I enjoy of the Roxy Music sketch is Arthur's spot-on 'Look I'm Famous' grinning on the drums.

Wish I'd seen this! Is it on the DVD? Just remembered that he was also the tranny cook in the Alan Partridge Christmas Special.

[Yer Man]

I remember a brilliant bit in his stand up routine (I think it was the Paramount thing mentioned earlier) where he says "here's my impression of Michael Caine", and then puts on a pair of glasses but doesn't say anything.

You had to be there...

[fudgemonkey]

Yes, Kevin Eldon is a genius, which is why I am posting something and putting this thread abck where it should be at the top.

[Alberon]

I just love the look on his face here that clearly is saying "Fuck! I've been found out."

It's about time he was at the centre of another project.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

Here's one of Kevin Eldon and Simon Munnery's 'Mr Bartlett and Mr Willis' sketches, performed (live, apparently - this fact amazes me) on Munnery's old Resonance show circa early '05.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/llrd3h

[lazyhour]

I can confirm that some or all of these were performed completely live, as I have seen it happen with my own eyes!

Now then - I've been working on putting together a full collection of Mr Bartlett & Mr Willis, with a view to sharing it on here when it's done.  I think I'm only missing one episode, assuming that the so-called "Part 17" was the first episode.  Anyway, I have a complete run from "Part 17" to "part 31" (I'm sure this was the last episode) except "Part 18", which would have been broadcast on Munnery's show dated 3rd Feb 2005.

Can anyone help with this?  I've never seen an off-air recording of this particular show, so it might be a case of having to get it from Resonance themselves...

Edit:  Excitingly, my file of Part 21 (the one you're sharing via SendSpace) is quite a lot higher in quality than the SendSpace one.  In fact, I think all the episodes I have are in sparkling quality.  We have jigsaw250 to thank for that in most cases.  The man's a Resonance FM-specific saint!

[The Duck Man]

Can anyone tell me why Kevin Eldon (amongst others - Josie Long, Billy Conolly, Spike Milligan, Richard Herring) is credited at the end of Stewart Lee's Standup Comedian DVD for "Creative Input" (or something like it.)

[benthalo]

"Part 18", which would have been broadcast on Munnery's show dated 3rd Feb 2005.

Drop me a line if you're stuck for it. I've got a decent off-air.

[lazyhour]

I think I've just successfully sent you a PM, but something confusing has happened.  Let me know if you didn't receive it.  Thanks for your kind offer, at any rate.

Full set coming soon!

[Jemble Fred]

Is this any good then? I gave up trying to download on the thirtieth attempt. Sendspace is the worst of a bad bunch of download sites, it really is a joke.

EDIT: That was a bit brusque, didn't want it to sound like a criticism of other folk's generosity on here. But all that reloading until you find a save window or whatever is ridiculously annoying.

[jennifer]

Saw him recently at Maxwell's Full Mooners, doing his Paul Hamilton character. (I love that name. it's so utterly normal)

None of the material was new but I still couldn't breathe for some minutes after the Dalek poem. Anyway, erm, whenever this glorious sounding material goes up I'll be downloading with excitment and thanks.

[benthalo]

I think I've just successfully sent you a PM, but something confusing has happened.  Let me know if you didn't receive it.  Thanks for your kind offer, at any rate.

You should have a reply.

[thewomb]

Here's an interview I did with Kevin Eldon around the time of the first series of Big Train, which may be of interest:

In the last episode of "Lee And Herring's This Morning With Richard Not Judy", you used the word "twat" on Sunday lunchtime television. Did anyone complain?

Yes, there were some complaints. Actually, two weeks ago, all BBC departments and some independant production companies were sent circulars prohibiting any use of the word before the watershed as "in some parts of the country it has the same meaning as the C word". That's what they said. The twats.[/b]

Do you get recognised often? If so, what catchphrase do fans call out to you the most often?

No, not often, thank God. People mostly shout "Will you leave my shopping alone."

Your characters are often fuelled by some brutal observations, recognisable from people we all know. Is there anyone you really hate?

No. There are however some people I view with great disapprobation.

Whichever programme you're in, you seem happy to play a minor supporting role while other performers hog the camera. Do you have any desires you do your own show, or at least one with you playing the central character?

I don't really want to do my own show. It's too much hard work. I would like to have a good part in a really brilliant sit com. Shame there aren't any around.

What inspires your stand-up comedy material?

I don't do stand up any more, but I suppose it was whatever made me laugh. It didn't always work, obviously.

Who impresses you the most out of the current crop of new stand-up comedians?

How new? I like Bill Bailey, Sean Lock, Julian Barrett and Simon Munnery. And Harry Hill. Oh, there's loads.

Do you know any great stories about other comedians? I know the one about Lee Evans crossing the Scottish border on his way to find a gig, before looking in his diary and finding only the word "Scotland".

Yes. Phil Jupitus trained as a ballet dancer. In Glasgow from 1983 - 86.

What's the absolute funniest thing in the world?

My Uncle George pretending to be mentally challenged as he parked his car in 1975.

Are there any comedians or types of comedy that really piss you off?

Bland observation - "doesn't it hurt when you trip over". Basically any cock-faced bad-haired American comedian on Just for Laughs who has a comedy career plan.

What advice would you give to any budding stand-up comedians?

Don't panic.

Have you any idea what Chris Morris is working on at the moment? Can we expect another series of Brass Eye?

Chris is working on another one of his crazy projects right now. He's working with Gerry Anderson on a sort of sci-fi puppet satire show. They start filming in February and they've got some great voices lined up: Leslie Phillips and Emma Thompson being just two.

What are your immediate plans for the future? Any long-term ambitions left to fulfil?

I'm about to start filming a sketch show for BBC 2 called Big Train which is mostly written by the Father Ted boys Graham Linehen and Arthur Matthews. Me and four other actors are doing the main parts in it.

What's the best joke you've ever heard?

Knock knock
Who's There?
Leather thong
Leather thong who?
(sings) Leather thong in my heart.....

I've been emailing Richard Herring asking for an interview, but he hasn't replied yet. Can you give me a personal secret about him that I can get his attention with, even if he only wants to know how I found out?

When he was on a holiday in France with the sixth form when he was seventeen, he had full sex with an hermaphrodite in the Latin Quarter.

While we're at it, can you give me one about Stewart Lee that I can scare him with at Glastonbury?

Stewart Lee reads tarot cards for his friends.

Can you give us a Tony Blair joke? I promise not to interrupt you.

It's all in the vocal delivery, my son. It would cheapen it to just write it down. Yeah, I could write down in notated form the first few bars of Beethoven's fifth but... I think you know what I mean.

You're something of an icon to those insomniacs among us who find ourselves eating fish fingers and watching late night TV when all sensible people are asleep. Do you have any obscure favourite shows that we might not have stumbled upon?

No obscure ones. Watch the Likely Lads re-runs. Brilliant. The first series is the best.

Finally, let's pretend that you've seen Average Garden Chainsaw. Can you give us an endorsement that we can quote you on?

As our world collapses around us economically, environmentally, spiritually and morally, it's good that Average Garden Chainsaw is around to take up the slack and drag us out of this sad and sorry mess. I salute you!

That's about it. Thanks a lot for taking the time to talk to us. Cheers.

[Cack Hen]

edit- removed.

[Go With The Flow]

Can anyone tell me why Kevin Eldon (amongst others - Josie Long, Billy Conolly, Spike Milligan, Richard Herring) is credited at the end of Stewart Lee's Standup Comedian DVD for "Creative Input" (or something like it.)

There's a part where he is mentioned. I presume that is why he's in the credits.

[Beep Cleep Chimney]

The Duck Man wrote:

Can anyone tell me why Kevin Eldon (amongst others - Josie Long, Billy Conolly, Spike Milligan, Richard Herring) is credited at the end of Stewart Lee's Standup Comedian DVD for "Creative Input" (or something like it.)

Mr Eldon can also be heard doing the warm-up and introducing Stewart Lee just before he takes to the stage on that very DVD.

[Lee]

Can anyone tell me why Kevin Eldon (amongst others - Josie Long, Billy Conolly, Spike Milligan, Richard Herring) is credited at the end of Stewart Lee's Standup Comedian DVD for "Creative Input" (or something like it.)

There's a part where he is mentioned. I presume that is why he's in the credits.

He made suggestions about the bit in the show about inanimate objects working in Curry's. This is mentioned in the show too.

[lazyhour]

Well, Kevin Eldon and Josie Long toured all over the country with Stewart Lee (I'm sure both were present on the night of the DVD taping) and they all travelled together and stuff like that, so I'd imagine he felt that they'd both contributed a lot to his set and his performance on the tour.  Billy Connolly, Spike Milligan and Richard Herring took turns carrying the equipment.

[Brutus Beefcake]

Kevin Eldon opened the show as Paul Hamilton.

[mcbpete]

Have you any idea what Chris Morris is working on at the moment? Can we expect another series of Brass Eye?
Chris is working on another one of his crazy projects right now. He's working with Gerry Anderson on a sort of sci-fi puppet satire show. They start filming in February and they've got some great voices lined up: Leslie Phillips and Emma Thompson being just two.

I wonder what on earth ever happened to this ?

[lazyhour]

It's so hard to tell when people are joking on here.  We need a series of code words, or colour-coded text, perhaps?