RIP Rik Mayall

[DanaC]

Every so often a famous person dies and it really rocks you. This one rocked me. He was such a massive presence in youth culture when i was growing up, and along with his colleagues on the Young Ones, Comic Strip, Bottom and the like, he helped change the face of British comedy.

In the 90s he had a very bad accident on his quad bike and spent five days in a coma. He recovered, but suffered long term memory loss and short term memory problems. He was never quite the same after that - and has had all sorts of related issues since. He never quite disappeared though - and in recent years has been quite busy on various projects, including a stage show based on his late 80s political sitcom The New Statesman.

I was really gutted to hear the news of his death. 56 is no fucking age - and made all the sadder because the last couple of times I've seen him in interviews he seemed so much more settled and happy than he'd previously been.

One of the all-time greats of British 'alternative' comedy.


So, here's a little run-down of some of his work. Most of this stuff I knew by heart when I was a kid and into my teens. Some of these maybe mildly nsfw


Starting with Kevin Turvy - a strange young man, who lived with his mum and 'investigated' various subjects - a regular section on the Kick up the Eighties , sketch show (1981). Kevin's investigations were just rambling monologues, most of which feature some mention of Theresa Kelly, a girl he really fancies.



I remember watching these on tv when they aired. Me and my bro used to repeat lines to each other.


The Young Ones



I was 10 when the Young Ones first aired. It was The. Coolest. Show. on tv.


And finally, possibly best of all: Alan B'stard, the New Statesman





He was in lots of other stuff: Blackadder, Comic Strip Presents, some movies and some kids shows that passed me by, and of course Bottom, which was a tv show and also a stage show with Ade Edmondson- but the ones I've shown here were the ones that I most remember watching and loving.