R.I.P. Rik Mayall

[Toledo Man]

The comedian best known for being in The Young Ones & Bottom has died at the age of 56. Ironically, I was watching the first episodes of The Young Ones at the weekend (I've got them all on DVD).

I know I haven't posted an obituray for ages but I had to do this one having grown up with his comedy.

[mbellinger]

Whilst terribly sad for his family and friends (as it is when anybody dies at a comparatively young age), I have to say his humour was, for the most part, as amusing to me as pressing shards of glass into my eyes.

I have rather more respect for the variety of scripts that he was involved in co-authoring, and in this respect see some parallels with Ben Elton in that he was rather a better writer than performer (for me at least).

The one exception for me was that I did laugh out loud at his superb portrayal of the mad father in 'Man Down' last year with Greg Davies - he was genuinely hysterics inducing.

A sad loss whichever way you look at it.

[xvivalve]

I have to agree Martin, for me he was always the 'unfunny' one in 'The Young Ones', the misfit, but then reading interviews with him that was supposed to be part of the character, similar to 'Kevin Turvey' where he sought to make the most boring person alive, funny...I guess it was part of his genre, but it just didn't do it for me; in many interviews he was a self confessed 'show-off', never a character trait I've warmed to. Alan B'stard however had me howling, but that was Marks & Gran's script rather than Mayall's...

I had the great pleasure to share Halls of Residence during my first year as an undergraduate with his sister Kate, and my condolences go to his extended family

[Carledo]

I have to agree Martin, for me he was always the 'unfunny' one in 'The Young Ones', the misfit, but then reading interviews with him that was supposed to be part of the character, similar to 'Kevin Turvey' where he sought to make the most boring person alive, funny...I guess it was part of his genre, but it just didn't do it for me; in many interviews he was a self confessed 'show-off', never a character trait I've warmed to. Alan B'stard however had me howling, but that was Marks & Gran's script rather than Mayall's...

I had the great pleasure to share Halls of Residence during my first year as an undergraduate with his sister Kate, and my condolences go to his extended family

I'm with you Alun, Alan B'Stard was definitely his finest work! But anyone who can make a Tory MP hysterically funny MUST have talent! A sad loss to comedy and the nation as well as his family.

Steve

[trackerjack]

Rik made me laugh often except Bottom which I never got past one episode.

My children met him in the course of their work down in Devon as he lived not far from us.

Ha goodbye Lord Flashhard.