They're saying it's very funny, which is usually the kiss of
death. Yeah, I do enjoy seeing blind
beggars being robbed. This is the movie for you.
Rehearsal please all. Right, I'll need you up camera
for this way. Up your camera too.
You'll be right over back here. I'll be right over back here.
Yeah, I was there when you called me over, remember?
Where did they get this guy? But if your job is to become
extremely Zen and put up with the uncomfortableness or just
just unpleasantness and get on with it.
And an 18th century galleon fooled around the Cove on a
longboat that came to the shore carrying half Monty Python
crown. And so Me Too and Shong are on
their way. Rushed on money.
Where they put the stuff wasn't here.
Have a piece of paper here. With the time on you see 918
stopped. It's a funny one, but I suppose
it's a wrong choice of words. It's it.
Yeah, it has. It has it's moments, yeah, but
we'll get to that, I presume. Yeah, we'll get to that.
And normally I would say around this time I would say hello and
welcome to Goon Pod. But owing to what we're going to
be talking about this week, I decided I might try and be
funny. OK, I've been I've been
workshopping this. Oh, have you?
Excellent. I appreciate the effort.
And I'm no good at voices, but I was going to try and say Army
tease and welcome to goon pod right?
Or something like that. Yeah, absolutely.
That sounds good. But yeah, but I haven't been
able to capture the piratical cadence properly.
Oh, I see of the the, yeah, the it's, I think it's fine.
You just do. It's a generic West Country
slash Norfolk accent, isn't it? Yeah, well, I found out a few
weeks ago when I was doing Goon Pod that it was all started by
the actor Robert Newton. Was it?
Was it Newton? What Long John Silver?
Or Blackbeard blue beard. Blackbeard Yeah, yeah.
But but I decided not to do that for an intro, so instead I've
just put on an eye patch. OK, I hope you got my e-mail by
the way, and I hope you followed instructions and and lopped off
a limb like. It.
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
I wasn't sure which one to lop off so I lopped off both.
Both. So now I'm on a trolley.
Good. I don't think I can't think of
anyone least suited to commandeer major seafaring
vessel than myself right now because I'm on a trolley and you
know, at best the surface in the open sea is uneven.
Well, so you've got a peg and a hook.
A peg and a hook, a parrot and and I, I think it's a pigeon to
be honest. There's a lot more low
maintenance than a parrot. Doesn't look as nice, but it's
reliable. Absolutely.
I've weighted down heavily. I think they basically act as a
counterweight. Well, listen, it's good job you
you followed my instructions. Because if you hadn't, if you
hadn't, I'd have sentenced you to an entire day locked in a
room with Tommy Chong as El Nebuloso.
Yes. And can you?
Can you think of a worse punishment than that?
I really can't. I will be covered in saliva.
Wouldn't. I anyway, I just listen.
I should introduce you formally because people are just hearing
us yakking. They don't know who the hell
this this guy is, this well spoken gentleman.
My guest this week is Adrian Mckinder.
Hello, hello, nice to be here. An honour to be on such a
hallowed pod. My pleasure, my pleasure.
Such hallowed company. And how would I describe you,
Writer, performer, podcaster? I think so.
Writer, performer. I've been performing and writing
comedy sort of professionally now for best part of 20 years.
Yep, I was started my sort of cut my teeth in TVI was ended up
being sort of a head writer at Comedy Central in the UK back in
the day whilst then performing brilliant and I now live in in
Copenhagen in Denmark. I was lured across the old sea.
My my wife basically was carrying on the whole Viking
tradition and some clubbed me over the head and dragged me
across the old sea. And that's when I was before and
I sort of rekindled performing stand up comedy across Europe
and then doing improv, American style, long form improv, not
just the whose line is it anyway, style stuff.
And I'm a writer still. I've published 2 books, 22 books
have come out. And the first was about Stan Lee
and how Marvel Comics changed the world was basically my the
theory that I posited that for good or I'll Marvel changed the
face of entertainment. And then the second book was is
called Death and the Victorians, which taps into my particular
interest in sort of late Victoriana and Gothic because I
went and back to university and studied Victorian culture.
I was drawn to the darker side of Victoriana and I published
that book. And it's basically the whole
idea that true crime and our obsessions that we have from
true crime podcasts. So it's quite a appropriate
given our chat and interest in serial killers and ghosts and
the supernatural. We can all thank the Victorians
for being the first sort of epoch that's popularised it on
the scale that we still enjoy to this day.
So I need to work on my personal brand because they couldn't be
more different, those two subjects.
So you and I were speaking earlier this year.
You actually contacted me, I think I did.
And you had some mad idea about writing another book.
I know that that's exactly it. So I contacted you because I
knew you were the font of all knowledge related to the subject
matter, which is different. Again, I'm not sure how much I'm
going to how how much I can divulge about the third book,
but I'm happy to talk about it in so far as it's shall I can.
I can do absolutely OK or is yours?
Well, basic. Thank you.
Well, it's a very simple idea. It's, I call it the golden age
of alternative comedy in so far as it is the period leading up
to the conception of Monty Python's Flying Circus, because
that's been written to death. I don't want to write about
Monty Python's Flying Circus now, you know, but I thought
what's interesting is looking at the shows, the people, the
performers, the writers that informed and directly created
Monty Python. So the book ends at 1969 and I
thought what would be much more interesting was to look at the
radio shows, the TV shows that came up from basically post war
to the end of the 60s that spawned Flying Circus.
So and interestingly, I'm, I'm deliberately looking across the
pond as well because of my improv background.
I think there's a lot of cross pollination between American
comedy and British comedy during this time.
And you can, you can lead that back to the war.
Basically, when we talk about, you know, Spike listening to
the, you know, the forces radio and everything.
And there's no doubt that the people, you know, like settlers,
you know, like Milligan, like Secum, they would have been
exposed to the forces radio and therefore they would be exposed
to that very particular American style of comedy that was on on
the wireless back then. And I think I believe that it
informed quite considerably the style that became known as
alternative comedy. So that's basically where the
book is, if that makes sense. Yeah, yeah.
But yeah, you're right. Absolutely.
There's, there's been so many, so many books about Pythons.
The only thing is, I would say nobody's, nobody's had the
notion yet of setting up a podcast about Python, which
really surprises me. There's a gap in the market
there. That's very interesting.
You're absolutely right. I don't know whether it's one of
those two. You know, people couldn't see
the the wood for the trees and they thought, well, obviously
it's there. It must be out there speaking
because there are so many niche, nuanced podcasts.
Because this the market's so saturated you'd think there'd be
at least 15 Python related podcasts.
Well, you see, when when I, when I finish Goon pod and I've and
I've I'll embark upon my Take It from Here podcast to my
Clitheroe kid podcast and and then, yeah, exactly.
Then I might make room for the Python podcast.
Yes, I think, I think if you can squeeze in 30 minutes every
other month on on a leap year, then maybe you can actually find
time to create that and I'd be on board 100%.
I don't mind telling you Python has been part of my DNA.
I I, as it is with so many I I I I didn't know something could be
that funny when I I snuck into the living room in my family
home when I was 10 years old because my sister was watching a
video of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and I wasn't allowed
in. She was considerably older than
me and I hid behind the sofa and I got rumbled by chortling
rather loudly at how ridiculous it was and my my sister
protested because she was with some friends and she didn't want
a younger brother going in being square.
But my mum who just think wanted a quiet afternoon at that point
just said let him watch. So I was allowed to watch the
rest of it. And then later that year, I
watched Life of Brian on New Year's Eve, back in the day
when, you know, parents took their kids to a New Year's Eve
party, were shoved in a small room with the telly.
Yeah. And so I was there with a good
friend of mine who's still a good friend of mine.
And we watched Live for Bride. And again, I didn't know
something could be that funny. That was what was interesting.
I was shocked as well as laughing.
And then I went to flash forward a few few years and I went to
the same school as Terry Jones. He was, he went to the same
school as me in in Guildford. So it was very much etched into
the curriculum, you know, And I remember just looking at his
name on the board because he was head boy.
So below the kind of school I went to.
And don't blame me. My parents sent me the and it
said, I remember just the year TGP Jones, you know, and I
thought, there he is. And it actually made it real.
It made it feel like, actually, no, someone who went to the same
school as me did did do this. Yeah.
And it suddenly it it, it it
breached the gap from some intangible sense of fame and
celebrity and distance and made it feel a real possibility.
And I think that definitely informed my desire to try and
earn a living through comedy, which I'm pleased to say on and
off for the most part I have. Well, I I went to the same
school as Chris Barry, so I can say I went to the same school as
Gordon Brittas. Oh, well, I, well, I, I would
always say Arnold Rimmer, but if you want to, you know, if it's
the, you know, that, that I'll, I'll keep him as Rimmer if I
may. But I I would be lying if I said
I didn't watch all of the British British Empire when it
was on TV as well. Hello Mr. Brutas.
That's all I remember. For that, yes, Yes, the.
Yeah. He always had some weeping
sword. He was like the jet, the janitor
of this of the area. And then there was the
receptionist who had a baby in a drawer.
That's right. He was always on the verge of
tears. He's now eased with that, I
believe. But it is she.
God, we're getting away from it, right?
This is the. Problem of this podcast.
I'm always departing from the path, taking these little byways
to conversational dead ends. So let's bring it.
Back but Tyler, that's part that's part of what makes it so
wonderful and I will do my best not to derail it any further.
So let's let's let's let's steady the ship, shall we?
Right, the course. Well done, Well done.
Yes. So there's a, there's a, there's
a little hint as to what I mean. Listeners know what this bloody
show's about today because they've read it.
They've read it exactly. You mentioned Life of Brian.
You could say, well, no. When, when was when was Time
Bandits? That was before.
OK, let's forget what I've just said there.
The next, the next sort of Python project, Afterlife of
Brian, apart from Time Bandits and maybe one or two others, the
next kind of sort of Python project was 1983's Yellow Beard,
which is which features half of the Python team basically.
I I think is that right half? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you've, you've
got, yeah, you've got Cleese, you've got Idol, you've got
Chapman. And, and I mean, it's got a
yellow beard. It's it's we'll talk about what
it is, but let me just preface it by saying it's, it's got an
astonishing cast. And, and what you were saying
earlier about before we started recording, actually, I think you
met, you were talking about British and American comedy from
the, from the period. And this, this film has
representatives from so much comedy aristocracy from both
Britain and America. Because obviously you've got,
you've got the Pythons, you've got representatives or a
representative of the of the goons, which is why we're
talking about it today. Why we're allowed to talk about.
It yes, that's right beyond the fringe, of course, and and the
satire boom, you've got you've got the young ones Even so so
the the new generation, you've got the Mel Brooks Rep company
and and you've got what I would call I guess you may have a
better idea of what to what genre this is.
I'm calling it US Stoner counterculture comedy.
I would say that's pretty accurate if we were talking
about Cheech and Chew. Yeah, I think that it is.
It's it's counterculture Stoner comedy.
And and I have I have a bit of a hot take, which I I would also
add inexplicably popular into that with Cheech and Chong.
I've never really got OK then, but that's that's that's by the.
By I am very, very briefly, I my sister is 10 years older than
me. She had a well she had a long
term fiance. They never got married in the
end, but anyway, but he had a extensive record collection
including the entire ouvre, I believe of Cheech and Chong.
So when I was whatever age 678, he would let me play these
Cheech and Chong LP's, which is probably inappropriate.
I'm sure it was. But I remember I was they, they
did a version of Sleeping Beauty, right?
Which was a like a Stoner version of Sleeping Beauty, you
know, which I just thought was absolutely hilarious at the
time, to the extent that I listened to it over and over and
over and over and over again. So so that I knew every line.
Hey, ugly old wart, let your head.
Or did someone crap on your shoulders?
Come on down here and have a drink.
For great's sake, no. I don't want a drink.
You're too late. I have uttered my class.
Nothing can change it. And then Fast forward maybe a
year later and I was in English whatever at school.
And the teacher said, right, I want you to write a creative,
creative story. Just write a story.
And so basically I just transcribed Sleeping Beauty by
Cheech and Chong. I obviously changed it a little
bit so as not to make it that obvious, right?
And handed it in. And then the next day, the
teacher said that she was so impressed by my story that she
wanted me to read it aloud to the class.
Right. Right.
And if, as if that wasn't daunting enough, halfway through
maybe the first paragraph, Stephen Miller in the back row
shouts out. That's Cheech and Chog.
Oh, you got rumbled. I got rumbled.
Oh, no. How did you?
How did the? How did that?
Result. Scandalous I was.
I was dragged out of class and beaten to a pulp.
No, it wasn't well, but I just remember the shame.
I just you feel it even now. Well see, hats off for trying
it. The nearest equivalent to that
is I had. I remember when I was 16 we had
to in English class. I had to write a poem about loss
and being a dedicated metal head, which I am, I wrote out
the lyrics to Fade to Black by Metallica.
Oh yes. And passed it off as a poem.
And I didn't get rumbled because it turned out, of course, you
know, the teacher wasn't a huge fan of Metallica's 1984 second
effort, but he gave it AB minus. So it was a kind of like, yes,
this is. Average fair, I think that's.
Probably fair, probably fair. Yeah, fair assessment of
something. But I so I didn't.
I didn't get tarred and feathered by it, but I didn't
get dragged out. But I understand what it's like
to to find yourself reaching for your influences directly.
Yeah, I learned a lesson that day, Adrian.
All right, I. Don't know what it was did.
No, I was going to say, what is the lesson?
The lesson is if you're going to if you're going to steal someone
a bit more obscure. That's what you're meant to say,
I think that sort of thing, isn't it?
I think it is. But yes, they're all in there.
To your point, I mean, it's, it is, it is.
It is just this complete split by a an ensemble comedy cast
that on paper should be absolutely dynamite.
Yeah, it really is. You know, and, and you know, and
you also have mentioned that there's also, you know, David
Bowie pops up briefly. We'll come to that.
Yeah, we'll come to that and you know, and yeah, but it's it's
it's astonishing that the cast and it's interesting, the young
ones thing. I always use this as the I
always like to play a little game with myself during those
quiet moments in life when I try and think of the the four
Hollywood films that featured, you know, one of the five, I
suppose a feature of the five principal cast of the young ones
in random roles where they shouldn't really be in it.
And this is one of them, of course, you know.
OK, well, there's there's American Werewolf which.
Got Rick? Yes, that's my that's my go to
Rick Rick film. Adrian, I don't know.
Well, this is the thing I was trying to work up there, but he
he randomly pops up in in Star Wars.
It's one of the Star Wars sequels recently as as as as one
of the 1st order officers. I think it's the last Jedi and
it's very distracting because it's aid Edmondson Alexis and
then in Gorky Park is he see, that's not that's an interesting
thing. My one is last Crusade Indiana
Jones, of course, up as the yeah, and he gives him the he
gives the the Walter Donovan. He gives him the tank, which is
allow for a terrible joke in the whole film news and tanks.
And then he goes, you're welcome.
And and then the most obscure 1 Christopher Ryan pops up in in
the horrible Elias Salkind produced 1984 Christmas movie
Santa Claus, the movie where he plays alongside Dudley Moore as
one of the as one of the elves. And it's like, oh, there's Mike
the cool person in in in Santa Claus the movie.
So they're they're the films then.
But then to the point before we go off down another rabbit hole,
Nigel Plainer is in yellow beard.
Yes, he's a very good role. Actually, yes, he is very good.
As what's his name again? Oh, I think of this.
The Hell's his name? I know how we forgot this
Mansil. Come.
Not now, man. Yes, he's he's basically #2 to
Eric Idle's officious, yes, sort of.
You know, I suppose he's some sort of proto MI 6 really in a
sense, the role. Is, yeah.
The secret it is, isn't it? They say.
He's the secret. Service spike kind of just kind
of blows the gaff on it though, isn't he inadvertently?
Next, the head of a manatee Secret Service not to be read
out aloud. Excuse me.
Give it apart. Oh, royal media, come on now,
please. So what's your history with this
film? Well, I, my history of this film
is, is actually quite particular my father, who we lovingly
nicknamed Mr. Betamax because he would always invest in the wrong
hardware. So he had a Phillips CDI game
console, he had a beta, so always backing the wrong horse.
He had a he had a laser disk player.
Yeah, you remember those lasers there?
So the basic was ACD the size of a vinyl album, and it was
purported to be incredible quality.
It had the same promotional benefits of ACDI.
You could spread jam on it and it would be fine, which I always
found a a baffling incentive to purchasing a new media.
I'm I'm I'll, I'll happily stick to toast with my jam.
But so anyway, Long story short, too late.
One of the, one of the films he had was Yellow Beard, right?
And, and I did that thing right, you know, I got into Python, I,
I devoured Python. I used to record with my best
friend at school. We'd, we had the book of the 1st
2 series of Flying Circus and we'd record on tape us reading
it out to each other at the character's schedule.
And once you start, you know, going through the four series of
of Flying Circus and everything in the films and, and now
something completely different, you start, you know, discovering
the other things that they did post Python.
So of course, you know, we have ripping yarns with Palin and
Jones and then Fawlty Towers needs nothing, no introduction.
And then Gilliam's, you know, Jabberwocky, etcetera.
And then Time Bandits. And then I discovered that, you
know, there was this yellow beard films, Graham Chapman's
pet project. And I thought, well, this is
exciting because he'd always been front and centre in the
films, you know. And and so my father having this
along with Greystoke legend of Tarzan, which I'm convinced my
father bought because Bo Derek is in it.
And and he had, he had, he had the well again, it keeps coming
back to this, this is and the one of the other films he had
was was return of the Pink Panther.
He had that on lazy disc as well.
So that's got me into that genre.
Well, the the Pink Panther film. But yes, so I, I watched yellow
bit and I was confused why I wasn't laughing at the time.
Berryman. I'm, I'm the target age because
I, I would argue it's not the most intellectually rigorous
comedy. You know, it, it, it appeals to
the farcical nature of, of, of, of the performers to a certain
extent, despite Cook's influence as one of the writers.
And so I watched it and I, and I, and then I, I keep coming
back to it every so often, quite regularly actually, because I do
this even films I'm not enamoured by, I tend to watch
because I, I, maybe it's a lack of self conviction, but I think
maybe I'm the problem. So I watched it, and as I
watched it, I've grown very fond of it.
I think it's because you could argue that Yellow Beard is a is
a magnificent time capsule of where the performers in these
respective groups from both sides of the the Atlantic were
at that time. It's also a rather morbid
curiosity because it's several people's final film, including,
sadly, Marty Marty Feldman, who died on set.
But we can probably come to that.
OK, well, I see I watched this on rotation.
I, I remember clearly when I first saw it, which was I was 14
and I remember I was 14 because it was, I first saw it at the
first ever house party I was invited to.
Oh really? And there was a girl there that
I was keen on. And I remember somebody put
bought this video of yellow beard, which I think that taped
off the TV, right. And I'd never heard of it
before. Never see, I don't think up to
that point either because the TVNZ repeated Flying Circus, I
think the following year. I, I think this yellow beard was
what I mean, obviously I'd seen 40 towers, but I, and I kind of
had heard of the name Monty Python, but I didn't really
associate it, although I just got into the goons around this
point in, in 88. OK, so, but I hadn't really seen
much Python content as such. So I think yellow beard was one
of the 1st that I saw. Anyway, the point is that I was
at this party and I was kind of preoccupied staring across the
room at this girl that I fancied who I don't think she knew I
existed. But anyway, but you know how
gradually my eyes started to be dragged away from her to the to
the screen and what was going on on the screen and all of us
there, or the lads, I should say, not the girls, but all of
us was hooting right with yeah, yeah, absolutely lapping it up,
all of it. Not just because it because it
does, let's face it, sags towards the end, I'd say.
But I just my memory is that we all thought it was the most
hilarious thing we'd ever seen. And then I got a copy.
I don't know how I got a copy with it, I don't know.
But I came in possession of a video recording off Yellow Beard
and me and my best mate would watch it over and over and over
and over again to the extent that I haven't seen it for 30
years, maybe coming up to this period.
I've watched it for this and I don't need to watch it again
because it all come flooding back to me.
I so that's, I think that's a fascinating take because your
particular story, you've got what they call nostalgia bump
tacked in there, whereby it's, it's, it's forever indelibly,
extricately linked with that house party and that vibe and
that moment. And, and it will always have a,
a fondness, I would imagine in your heart because of that.
And, and I think nothing really compares to that collective
shared laughter that we have as a teenager, actually young,
young boys. And, and I think Terry Gilliam
famously said that the P the prime age to watch Monty Python
and the prime target audiences is 11 year old boys or
thereabouts. And I know it certainly chimes
with when I got into Python. And I think that, you know,
seeing it at that, at that moment in that environment and
seeing yellow beard prior to knowing much Python type is very
interesting because like I said, I'd mainlined Python before I'd
saw yellow beard. So I think there that probably
had a detrimental effect to my enjoyment of yellow beard, which
is why I've come to enjoy it more and more over time because
I, I, I, I watch it, watch it as its own beast, you know, and I
can filter out the stuff that will always annoy me about the
film and just enjoy the bits that I really do like.
And there are, there is a lot to like about this film.
I, I do maintain that. So I'm I'm sure you share that
agreement as well. Yeah, I do.
I do. It's, it's, it's, it, is it, is
it? It should have been much better
than it was, I think. And I think it had the odds
stacked against it in many respects.
I think. That's part of the problem.
Yeah, I think looking back on it, thinking back on it, I think
because I'd seen, I'd certainly seen Blazing Saddles and Young
Frankenstein earlier than I'd seen before.
I'd seen Yellow Beard, OK. And I had them because I
remember they they played them on TV in 87 maybe, and and I
recorded them off the TV and again, watch them, watch them to
death, OK. And I think I probably watched
Yellow Beard and regarded it as kind of like a Mel Brooks movie
because of the cast. Because you've got Madeleine
Kahn. You've got Marty.
Peter Boyle. Peter Boyle.
You've got Kenneth Marsh. You've.
Got that that yeah. Kenneth Mars, absolutely.
He's two people in this. He's two people.
It's obviously don't know why you know, I reckon it's because
that he arrived and they got him, which actually I do.
I do think is part of the the way it was filmed to his
detriment. I was reading about this with
the development is basically the cast flew in a very just sort of
disjointed separate times to do their bit and then left again.
So there wasn't this cohesive hole.
And I know some of the reviews at the time because I had a
look, I was very interested to see what was said at the time.
We're saying it all felt very disjointed, like not the like a
lot of the performers feel like they're in different films and
that might be attributed to the fact that they were coming and
going to true point. I think Kenneth Miles probably
was in. Is that right?
We've got him for two days. What can we do with him?
You know which which is not, which is not too dissimilar to
what happens all the time in in film making and, and and
television. Yeah.
So that might have been why it. Had a weird as you will know, it
had a weird genesis this film because it came off the back.
From what I gather, it came off the back of a pissed up
afternoon in a in a London, a North London pub with Graham
Chapman, Keith Moon from The Who and Sam Peckinpah.
Oh, and yeah, and Bernard McKenna, who was Chapman's
writing partner. Yes, of course.
No, we mustn't forget McKenna because he's sort of a he's
actually a central part in in the in the, you know, because he
was the original. It was him and Chapman were
wanting to write. But you're absolutely right.
I apparently it was Keith Moon's brainchild.
He was long obsessed with with pirates, particularly Long John
Silver, and he wanted to make a pirate film.
And according to Cook, Peckinpah was there as well.
I think the name of the place is Trader Vicks.
It went sort of a pub done. And I don't know if that still
exists or where it is, but I presume it's somewhere
salubrious in Soho. And apparently Keith Moon
suggested he wanted to do this and he would play the lead and
Graham would write it. And I don't know, you probably
know this too, did you? Did you?
I, I, I learnt from a couple of sources that apparently Moon
literally said I can fund this for you right here and now or
something. Or he basically said I can give
you some money to get. Started he had £1000 in a in a
brown paper bag or. Something in a duffel bag that I
think his, his, his, his mind had with it and he just went
right, OK. And because there's a brilliant
quote if it, because Peter Cook says he said Keith suggested
doing a movie about pirates. We were all discussing it, being
enthusiastic, when I saw Sam, who was too tired to actually go
to the lavatory, relieving, relieving himself in the
artificial palm tree around the table.
It was then that I thought the whole thing was rather unlikely
to get off the ground, in typical Peter Cook fashion.
But yeah, so basically he said yes, and I want to do it.
And then, of course, Moon died in Shepherd's Market in Mayfair
in 1978. I always like this bit of
trivia. Mama Cass died in exactly the
same apartment as Keith Moon died in, which is a baffling
piece of. Having choked on the ham
sandwich or is that is that? Well, she she apparently choked
on, well, I think that's apocryphal, that she choked on a
ham sandwich. I think that was just rather
mean, disparaging allusion to her weight.
But she did. She died in this apartment flat
in Shepherd's Market, and it was the same flat that Keith Moon
had died in that deal in 78. So that because she was in
London doing a brief run in the West End, separate from the
Marmos and the Papas, but there we go.
But the but then, but the, the seed of the seed of inspiration
had been sown, I think. And despite Moon shuffling off
this mortal coil, the wheels were in place and it started.
It would have been awful with Keith Moon.
It would have been a bloody shambles, even more so.
I think, yeah, but I think this was the this was the time when
when the as as has happened since as well, when the commit
rock'n'roll and comedy were just coming together because they
were seen as the great agitators and it was all, you know, an
idol was waist deep in all this. He really would hang out with
musicians, didn't he? Because because of course
Handmade Films is a which went on to make, you know, a Life of
Brian and, and, and other thing with Neil and I where that's
George Harrison's company. Because of course they they said
that apparently it was members of Led Zeppelin and members of
The Beatles basically funded life of Bryant to happen.
And so there was all this connection and they would have
the big parties. And this goes back to when Cook
was on his uppers and, well, he was, you know, still hanging out
with members of of rock'n'roll royalty in in Hampstead.
But yeah, so with Moon gone and yeah, you're absolutely right,
it would have been awful. But this is that horrible thing
where rock stars prove time and again that they can't act, you
know, like, you know, David Bowie, to his creditors, had
mixed response as an actor, you know, And then, of course, we've
had, you know, Phil Collins in Buster Madonna, of course.
And these people that, you know, they they, they try and act and
very few of them can actually do it.
And so Keith Moon in the central part of a comedy surrounded by
all these comedy greats would would be awful.
There is there is a in a parallel universe, a film of
Yellow Beard. Was Keith Moon as Yellow Beard
and Adam Ant as his son? Yes, that's right.
He was briefly cast. Didn't he get fed up waiting
around? So he they got rid of him in the
OR or the studio. And I think this is important to
why it's, it's a, it's a, it's a problematic film is the studio
was involved and they they they installed the director.
Yeah, Mal Dansky. Mel Damsky, who was, you know,
he was appointed by the studio and he'd he'd had two Emmys, but
he'd done lots of TV primetime US shows.
But it was his first film, I think, you know, So there was
that going on, this unknown, you know, young upstart had to prove
his worth. And then and then they wanted an
American actor who could do an English accent, which is just
the logic is baffling. To his credit, I think, I think
this is the guy playing playing the sun, yellow beard sun.
And to his credit, I think he actually does quite a good.
Oh, Martin Hewitt, Yes. Yeah.
And The thing is right, if you're going to get an American
actor who can do a British accent, then get a get a well
known face, get someone, get, I don't know, I'm thinking 83.
A famous American actor Who, who?
You know who, who? Not not not not a headliner, but
maybe someone who's a good support.
I don't know, whoever. But Martin Hewitt was a nobody
really, wasn't he? Yeah, he was absolutely nobody
and and I and I and I don't think he has any stage presence,
screen presence rather. No.
At all. And I and I think and and that
again is to the detriment of the film because you really have
trouble caring about that. I know you're not supposed to.
It's that classic case of there's a scent.
There's a straight guy in the middle surrounded by all these
massive characters played by massive personalities.
So it's just, he's the through line to try and tell the
narrative, but you don't really. I, I put it this way, if he
removed him, you could probably tell an equally entertaining
story. It's not long before we sail and
we know it's an island close to Jamaica and we've got the map of
it. But without him to tell us which
island, we might as well go home.
But for the benefit of the of the listeners who haven't seen
it. And it's of course he he has the
treasure map tattooed on his head.
Doesn't it for the longest time, because when I was watching this
as a kid, I didn't bother about oh, that doesn't make sense, but
watching. And you don't, do you?
No, no. Watching it this time, I was
thinking, at first I was thinking, well, why has
Madeleine Kahn, who's his mother, why she tattooed the
treasure map on his head? What's what's what's to be
gained by that? And I guess it's because she
hoped to find the treasure herself at some later point.
But but but. Yeah, I, I suppose that is an
altruistic side is maybe she wanted to, to get Yellow Beard
back because, you know, he'd been estranged and, you know,
he, when they first meet because he, he gets, because the film
starts with this rather clunky opening where he, you know,
where we meet Cheech and Zhong very briefly.
And then and then and and then we have this sort of half, half
assed fight and Peter Boyle loses a hand.
And then and then it suddenly says as a postscript that he got
arrested and the Yellow Beard then spent 20 years in a jail.
For tax evasion. For tax evasion, which is a nod
to Al Capone, I guess, insofar as that's how they got him in,
as opposed to all the murders he was may or may not have been, I
should point out. By the way, Al Capone Estate,
Peter Boyle, who we see right at the beginning with the Cheech
and Chong character. So we've got Elder Nebuloso's
Galleon and we've got the honkingly bad acting by Tommy
Chong and Cheech. Cheech is a bit better, but
anyway. But you've got Bosun Moon.
Yes, and I think that's the nod to.
Keith, I think so. Legacy.
It's like we are nod to to Keith Moon by calling Peter Boyle's
character Boson. Boson Moon, Chapman would always
say. But but Peter Boyle's wasted in
this. But he's he's effectively Yellow
Beard's number two at the right at the beginning of the film,
but he's seemingly got hands made out of Mazapan because.
Yes. Because he opens the treasure
chest and then puts his hand in and then yellow bed slams the
lid down, his hand is is neatly sliced off completely.
With minimum effort, yeah. I I guess we're supposed to
believe that Yellow Beard is such a force of nature that he
has the power to to sever sever appendages?
I guess so. But you're right and and the
whole beginning just feels very odd.
And then it suddenly starts and you kind of feel the film starts
when we cut to the jail and Madeline Khan shows up with her
and she's a phenomenally talented comedy actress.
And then but she she, she doesn't do a great English
cockney accent in this at all. It's it's it's that theatrical
cockney that Americans approximation.
Of it, I'm I'm not going to say Dick Van Dyke, because that's.
Well, it seemed. That ballpark isn't it.
It's I know, but it is, yeah. It's like a Dick Van Dyke and
Lloyd Grossman had had issue. That's a That's a powerful image
which I now can't Unsee, but it's probably because it's
accurate and and it's funny because it's true.
I haven't told you this before because I wanted him to be
brought up like a gentleman and not a pirate.
Who are you talking about? The root of your loin Sugar
drawers. Oh yeah, mad woman.
I haven't got fruit in my loins. Lice.
Yes, I'm proud of them. It means that we have spawned a
sun. Done what?
You have just become the father of a 20 year old bouncing boy
called Dave. And then she comes in and then
we start, and this is interesting.
Then we start running, running joke, running jokes throughout
the film about rape. And that's when it gets a little
bit over because that that I mean, obviously I don't need to
say, well, that's problematic, but they're kind of, I
understand why they're doing it because it's that late hearted
little light raping kind of thing.
And of course, with modern ears, it's it's it's it's
uncomfortable to listen to, but then it's that kind of
cheekiness. Also, you know, it's a it's a
joke that was mined in Mel Brooks's films, particularly
Blazing Saddles. There's, you know, you said rape
twice. I like rape.
Yes. It's the joke, isn't it, with
this, but it it, it sits well because it's it it they kind of
hammer it home a bit too much. It keeps popping up throughout
the film because basically, you know, the we all know the
looting and pillaging. It's the the pirates are sort of
basically being mistaken for what the stereotype of the
Vikings is. And Yellow Beard is constantly
going on about, you know, that and having his way with people
and, and of course then he does, doesn't he with, with Beryl
Reed? Later on, stop.
Stop that man pissing in me, Edge.
I have to say Beryl Reed steals the film.
Does she is so good. There are there are two
performers that that steal the thing for me and I and I'm not
just saying because of where we are, but it is Spike and it is
Beryl Reed. The short screen time they have,
they are exceptional and Beryl Reed is very funny.
Just the nod. Oh, I'm going to go and have a
conversation with this gentleman.
She's being dragged off into a hedge to be sexually assaulted
by Graham Chapman and she's very, very fun.
Yeah. Etiquette.
Start the man pissing in the Royal edge.
She's brilliant. I mean, she's always been
brilliant. Lambo, stop that man pissing on
the edge. It's imported.
And actually, I would argue that that performance by Beryl Reed
gives you a stronger case for not letting the others off the
hook because if she can do that with what you've given, and the
others with all their pedigree and all their camaraderie, just
basically, you know, idols phoning it in.
Yeah, yeah, Cleese is Cleese is, is being Cleese, isn't he?
And then, of course, in true Cleese fashion, he had nothing
but bad words to say about this film afterwards.
You get the impression he's doing it as a favour to to
Graham. Yeah, Cleese is in it only
briefly as Blind Pew and he he said he only did it as a favour
to Chapman and later said it was one of the worst films ever
made, with typical understatement for Cleese.
Eric Idle also said that Yellow Beard is a terrible film, but he
said he enjoyed making it. I'm not surprised.
Yeah, yeah, that's right. Because Idle also said that if,
if, if apparently Graham had said that if he and Cleese
agreed to be in the film, it would get green lip, which I
think is very interesting. So it's like we needed someone.
We needed the Pythons in this enough Pythons for it to get
some. Momentous.
Well, yeah, Palin and Jones turned it down flat.
Did they actually get asked? I didn't know this OK, because I
was going to say I could totally see Palin and Jones in the idle
planer roles. Yes.
You know, if they were going to be in it.
Yes, Palin. Palin in the idle role.
And Jones is subordinate. Yeah.
Yeah, and or fail. Failing that, you know, maybe
Blind Pew could be one of the. I mean, the thing about Palin is
he was most he's one of the most phenomenal character actors of
his generation. It's just a shame that he didn't
like acting as much as we like watching him act, you know, So,
you know, he can do whatever he like.
He turns his hand to and and Jones is quite good as a
sniveling sidekick when he needs to.
Be oh, by the way, I'm going to use this podcast as a as a memo
for me. Because Oh yeah.
I meant to do this, Tyler, when you're listening to this, check
and see if the 1975 TV film of Three Men in a Boat exists,
because it's got Michael Palin and Stephen Moore and Tim Curry
in it, and it sounds fabulous. Yes, yes, yes.
That does sound for just to watch, just to watch Curry with
Palin, I think for me. And of course, of course, Kate
Curry, of course, is also excellent, including opposite
Madeleine Carr. Absolutely.
So it's all, it's all, it's all very incestuous, isn't it?
The comedy world? Yeah.
Because that's right. So they.
Yeah. And because it's because, of
course, we need to mention that the Peter Cook dimension because
he's he's brought on as a writer because.
Because Chapman asked Cook to help with the rewrites.
And there were several rewrites because so Chapman and McKenna
knuckle down to, to write the script And, and, and apparently
the major difference between Chapman and Mckenna's script at
the behest of the Hollywood suits is that the original had
less, less emphasis on the minor characters and more emphasis on
the plot. IE it sounds like they were
trying to make an actual film, you know, and, and then they
went, no, no, can we, can we make it a, a farce, really.
So they got cooking and apparently Cook, Chapman and
McKenna sat down in Jack Straw's Castle, which is a pub, used to
be a pub. It's now a residential
apartment, sadly, a beautiful old big pub right at the top of
Hampstead Heath, which I used to drive past a lot.
And they tried to hammer out the next iteration, but they
couldn't decide what it should be.
So they just decided to, you know, go ahead with the film
anyway. And I think there's a certain
sense where the script they were working with was a, was a
movable feast to a certain extent.
I mean, I can understand that. I think, I think you can.
There are senses where it feels very tightly written.
But I think you can also understand with that much talent
involved, with that much, you know, success behind them, there
would probably be an inclination to go.
You know what? I reckon it'll be OK once we get
out there. We've got enough time to do
rewrites in between shooting and let's just, you know, make it up
as we go. Not improvise it, but just, you
know, modify the script accordingly.
And of course that that happens all the time.
And also, were they, were they working on the principle that
they had such a fabulous cast that that that'll do half the
heavy lifting? Exactly, and it's, and it's and
it's and it's, it's a fantastic cast that has history because of
course, you know, they're all just mates being brought in.
And I, I think if I think the, if you could lay some a
particular fault of the film, I think it is one of those classic
examples where you get the sense the people are having more fun
making it than some of the audience who are watching it.
By the by the rubies. Yeah.
So they film in location in Rye in Sussex, and then they go to
Mexico. And I and I read that the
Mexican customs impounded their costumes and they had to pay to
get them back. So you know the the corrupt
Mexican officials kicked in as they barely got off the plane.
You said obviously Beryl Read is is stand out as well as Spike.
I'm very fond of Marty Feldman in this role.
In this film, yes. It's the voice.
It's comedy nerd voice #17 doesn't it?
Yes, he does the dust that that nasally he does he does the
bookshop sketch voice. Yes, basically, yeah.
I can't buy that. It's torn, you know he does that
voice, you know, and it and it. Yeah, and he's great in it, but.
I'm always looking for little in films that are that are ho hum
or mediocre or wanting for something.
I'm always looking for little comic flourishes that elevate
them slightly. Right, yes, and he he for me,
there's a great it's just right early on when we first meet
Gilbert, which is his character in in this prison that yellow
Beard is locked up in for 20 odd years or whatever it is.
And everyone's trying to find out where Yellow Beard is
hidden. His treasure and yellow beard
and Gilbert are on coffin building detail, aren't they?
That's right. And and at one point Gilbert
just mentions about it just just drops into conversation clumsily
about about the whereabouts of Yellow Beard's treasure.
And he Lizzy says that he just gives Chapman a little sideways
glance. It's amazing because it can't be
a little glance with with felt because of his eye.
So it's it's such a pretty. Yeah, I was, I was.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
That little bit when he just, he's sort of, he's got one hand
on the side of the cart, doesn't he?
And he's sort of fiddling. Trying to be nonchalant.
Gives him a try to be understanding and it's the least
nonchalant thing ever. Pathetic, taking the easy way
out like that. How do you mean exactly?
Dying? You don't live it.
In 15 years you won't catch me dying.
They'll have to kill me before I die.
Many a man has tried Captain Yellow Beard.
And soon you will be at large again with a hand picked crew of
the hardest Buccaneers that have ever stained the seven seas with
Spanish blood. Most unjust, I thought.
Locking you up for merely doing your duty. 20 years for killing
5000 dagos and frogs. Betrayed by my right hand man,
that bastard Moon. But he never found out where you
hid the treasure, did he? No, nor will he ever.
Where did you hide the treasure? Actually, you won't catch me
with those trick questions. And.
I'll tell you one thing about Chapman in this, which I, I is,
he has, he has a very, he's got a, he's a, he's a big guy.
I mean, we know that, you know, half of the pythons are over 6
foot, but he's got good presence.
It's not the sort of slightly awkward hunched running that he
does in Life of Brian all the time when he's trying to run
away from them or whatever. He's he's, he's like a daddy
long legs in this, you know, he's all, he's all limbs.
He's gangly, but he's big and and and he fills the screen when
he's in it. And yet some there's something
not quite there with the performance, but that might be
just down to the takes they went with in the.
Final Cut, Yeah, he's he's a very two-dimensional character.
He's very one note. Yeah, that's true.
He doesn't. He doesn't.
Yeah. And you don't want, as you say,
you don't. You don't pay attention to this
when you watch it as a kid and as an adult.
I certainly don't want nuance and Yellow Beard's character,
but I was actually sort of impressed by what a physical,
physically imposing character he cuts on the screen.
That struck me watching it again recently.
Although again, again, watching, watching this with a critical
eye because he loses his rag when Eric Idle's character
visits the prisoner, tells him that he's not he's not getting
out. He's not being released after
all. And he and he runs amok and
jumps, jumps in a coffin that's being transported out of the
prison and in order to escape. And 11 does wonder, why did he
leave it 20 years to try that ruse?
When he was waiting for the camera crew to be there, you
know, so he could be caught. So he's a showman.
He's like, the time was clearly not right until the sound man
arrived with the boom. And there's like, now's my
chance. I quite like that little chap
who keeps hitting him that he ignores.
I certainly just like, I mean, he's got one, he's got one job
to do and he just plays his part rather handily.
Just I quite like the fact that he doesn't notice he's being hit
and then he turns around to like an annoying, annoying little
character. I quite enjoy that.
I think. I think that's that.
That's a nice touch. And yeah.
And then he's off. And then, then the film.
Then the film begins. But then you get this let's
let's get Spikes bit. So I think that the highlight of
the film, the best sequence of the film really is, is it
Lamborn Hall? Is that where?
Yes. So you've got you've got
Commander Clement, which is which is Eric Idle's character
and Nigel playing as Mansell. They arrive at Lamborn Hall to
meet or to have an audience with the Queen Anne.
Queen Anne, which is. Which is Peter Bull?
Which? Is Peter Bull So we have a bat
to we have another goon connection because he of course
he was in Strangelove. Yes, he was and he was.
He was also. He played the Queen of Hearts in
Alice in Wonderland. Alice in Wonderland, which
Sellers was in and Milligan was in.
Yep, that's right. Yep.
So obviously he's no stranger to sitting looking vacant in a
frock. And it and it was.
And this is his last film as well.
Yes, that's right. That's right.
And I guess Lord Lamborn, which is Peter Cook.
It's his, It's his gaff, and Beryl Reid is his rather
unlikely spouse. Yeah, and and, and and and.
Cook's doing his one of his two characters, Yes.
And this comes from love, because he's one of my, both my
two comedy idols are both called Peter.
You can probably work out which which of the two they are.
So he's the other one. But the point is, I say this
with love. Cook's never been able to act.
He's he's notorious for being a bad actor.
He would be the first to admit it, then he would admit it in a
witty way. And, and I understand this was
during one of his sober periods. By sober, I mean no alcohol.
I think there were lots of other substances floating around
because it was the late, it was the early 80s and especially if
with the American influence. I do know apparently that when
when McKenna and Chapman were trying to write it, because they
were in LA trying to write the 12 page draft for the for the
film, there was a lot of cocaine flying around allegedly so they
could rush through it. Well, I think, I think, oh,
what's his name? Oh, Harry Nelson was involved
early on with this as well. And I think yes, yes, he, he,
Chapman wanted him to do the soundtrack.
And I think he, he came up with one song or one piece of music
and then the studio next him because they felt that he would
be totally unreliable. They wanted somebody reliable
who could, who could deliver. And, and, and, and, and so they,
they settled on a very generic sort of Dewolf yeah soundtrack.
And I think that's, that's another thing that seems to run
through the, the development of this film and the production,
which is I think Chapman felt, as far as I can tell from what
I've read, Chapman felt very frustrated by how it turned out
because he felt he had one hand tied behind his back a lot of
the time in terms of what the studio wanted to do in relation
to what he wanted to make. And, and I will say, I think
that, you know, you can tell the guy's ATV director, it's very
flat the way it's directed. Yeah.
It's it's not cinematic at all. I'm not saying I expect a kind
of Peter Jackson crashing zoom through the fires of Mount Doom,
but there are times when I just feel it's like, what am I
watching in this is like B roll footage, you know?
And the fight scenes are kind of very flatly choreographed.
And you know, again, it might be a case if they thought, well, it
doesn't matter because we can just we can cruise through on
the comedy. But as a result, it doesn't feel
cinematic at all, even though it has the big orchestral score,
you know? And it has the ship, which is
clearly not a set, you know, because you see it.
Well, it's it's the. It was the bounty that they used
for The Who was who was in the 1962 meeting on the bounty?
Was that Marlon Brando? Yeah, it's Brando, wasn't it?
Yeah, there we go. Oh, talking of which, though, we
should mention and probably get to, I mean, also another person
who I think is very good in the part that he's in is James
Mason. I think he, I think he's,
there's that one scene where he's with Mr. Mr. Prostitute,
Mr. Prostitute and he's just, he's got her legs, he's rubbing
her leg and he's just staring at her or staring into the middle
distance past her and he just says something under his breath
and it's so horribly sinister and accidentally I had to rewind
and watch that bit again. He's just like he's decided in
his portrayal of this to go, I'm good.
This is my motivation. I'm going to be in a horrible
trance because I'm just totally enamoured by my time with Mr.
Prostitute. I think that was his last film
as well, wasn't it? James Mason.
I think it was, I think it was either that or the water babies.
I think that was something I think.
Was that earlier? Yeah, you're right.
That was that was late 70s. But yes, he he pops and I think
he he acquits himself very well. And and you hear him talking,
you know. Oh, yes.
And of course, well, because there's him.
And also, we haven't mentioned Michael Horton.
In. It and and and Michael Horton
has no business being in it and adds nothing to it and shouldn't
really have been in it. Well, I'll tell you what I
think. I'm sure you'll you'd agree, no
pressure. We I'm sitting down.
We have a central trio in this film, which is which is what's
his name? Russell Bland?
Not Russell Bland. What's his name?
The Bland guy. Oh, the guy playing the sun,
Yeah. Well, what's he called?
Dan. Dan.
Dan yes. See, he's we, we talk, we watch
this. We can't.
Remember, he's very milk toast. Yeah.
Very. Much you've got him.
You've got Lord Lamb Lamborn, which is cook who's just just so
detached from everything. He's just sleepwalking through
the whole thing. Yeah.
And then Michael Horton, who's a bit of a nothing really.
And you've got the they're the central trio, or the trio that
we're meant to be, I guess, rooting for, I suppose.
Yeah, which is so strange because you couldn't care less
about. This They're the least
interesting characters in the film, really.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And and they're the through line
for what's left of the plot. Yeah, but you know, you don't
go. Oh, great.
We're back with them again. No, no.
And there's a funny bit when we first meet Michael Horton.
Lord Lamborn and Dan take in a bit to see Doctor Gilpin, which
is the Horton character. That's what I mean.
They go and take him to see him. I'm not quite sure why.
What what what what. What was the reason they were
Jack? No, I can't remember either.
That's what's so baffling. Maybe there was never one and
you're supposed not to notice he took him there.
Yeah, but I can't think of a reason why this is so strange.
But neither. Does that is that bit where
they're trying to think of a name of a of a they're trying to
think of an alias for somebody. Is that right?
And you've got you've got yellow beard going.
Professor Death, Professor Rape. Yeah.
And then Lord Lamb and Cook sort of sort of glancing around this
doctor's surgery going. Professor Flask, Professor
Chair. And then they settle on
Professor Anthrax, but I don't remember why they needed that.
I don't. It's.
It made no sense at all. And maybe they just loved the
word anthrax. I mean, everyone remembers the
castle anthrax in the Holy Grail.
It's just a funny word. We must find a name for you.
Professor. Professor Floss.
Professor Death. Professor Chair.
Professor Wright. Professor.
Professor Anthrax. Oh yes.
Anthrax, bugger off your way. They'll get our evening, doctor.
I was just saying good day to Mr. Pew.
Oh, Lord Lambo. And then and yeah.
This is Professor Anthrax. It's yellow beard.
I'm in disguise, you stupid tart.
It's like there are certain there are certain verbal ticks
through these comedians. Like I think there's a scene
jumping around a bit when when when Idol is talking to Clees as
blind Pew and Idol. And I just have the sense that
Clees wanted to. He probably wrote the scenes he
was in or attributed because there's a bit when Idol calls
him cloth eyes. Yeah.
Because he can't see, obviously. It's a variation of cloth ears.
And we know. Yeah.
Cleese loves using cloth ears. He uses that phrase in so many
sketches and when he's improvising.
I've seen him say it live on stage at the Python reunion at
the O2, you know, and he threw it.
He threw it in there at one point, you know?
Yeah. And he's.
And I remember just thinking that it's these little ticks.
That's. That's just a Cleese phrase.
He's given it to Idol. That's nice.
Maybe Idol when I'm going to use it because I know that's what he
likes. You never know.
To try and make him corpse maybe?
Maybe there is a sense of that, that fun.
And I just wish much more of that fun had been captured on
the screen because they must have had because they had fun
off camera, Because there's there's anecdotes about that,
like when they go to the the one bar on in the in the town,
Mexican town where they're filming, which is basically a, a
brothel. Yeah.
And please. And Cook.
Cook ended up doing a conga with the the ladies who works there
or something because he was not drinking.
We doesn't mean he wasn't doing anything else and I come in, but
I think it was like it was in Idols autobiography.
Well, I think he talks about. That maybe, maybe now's the time
to talk about the Bowie. Yes, please.
Please talk about the Bowie. And I want to give full credit
to good friend of the show, former guest Graham Rinaldi,
right? And Graham is in the process of
writing a book about David Bowie's acting career.
Interesting. And and he knew I was going to
be talking about Yellow Beard. So he sent me a lovely e-mail
with load of stuff. When filming wrapped on Merry
Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, which was the Bowie film, Bowie left
the island of Rarotonga for a well end holiday.
In excuse pronunciation here, Zahichuango in Mexico.
Somewhere in Mexico. That's that sounds about right.
With his son Duncan and Duncan's nanny Marion Skeen, and apart
from spending time with the sun, Bowie was there to recharge his
batteries before commencing work on the album.
Let's Dance and. Then favorite Bowie.
Is it OK by the? Yes, it is.
That's by the bow. And then one day, while sending
himself on the beach, he spotted this 18th century galleon ship
sailing past. Intrigued by this, Bowie went to
have a closer look, only to discover that the ship contained
his old mates Eric Heitel, Graham Chapman and Marty
Feldman. And for Bowie, this was the end
of my holiday as he spent the next fortnight in their company.
And during one of the numerous bouts of carousing in Mexico,
Eric Idle suggested it would be a laugh if Bowie made a brief
appearance in Yellow Bed. And, And now Damsky said that
he'd been looking for a bit between Eric and Madeline Khan
to keep the characters visible in the film, and suggested that
it include Bowie. So they wrote the scene, which
this very neat little cameo with Bowie is, is on screen for maybe
what, 20 seconds? 20 seconds and the.
Reveal is is that he's a shark. Yes, he plays the shark and you,
and that's the joke. See, I I'd have actually quite.
I'd have built him as the Thin White Duke if it'd be me.
Oh, very good. Yeah, very good.
Well, now it's out there for the world to enjoy.
And you should be proud of your child, the Thin White Duke.
I'm now frantically racking my brain for a shark pun that
crosses over into Bowie's over and I'm failing miserably, but
never mind. If you think of anything during
the during the chat, just shut. Up.
I'll suddenly. I'll just bellow, won't I?
I'll interrupt you. I've got it.
I've thought of something. It's not funny, but it's
accurate. I think you mentioned the red
light district, didn't you, in this place in Mexico that they
were filming? Yeah, the brothel, the brothel,
the school. Graham, Graham Rinaldi, who sent
me this info, I'll, I'll paraphrase this, I'll shorten
this because it's quite a bit here, But he basically said that
Bowie sort of hung around the team during the rest of the
production while they were there.
And Bowie and Graham Chapman borrowed one of the production's
jeeps with the intention of heading to the red light
district. And they picked up Martin Hewitt
who asked if he could join them. And apparently Bowie was very
drunk driving, But so because Bowie's driving a bit recklessly
and they rear end a taxi in the town and hit it so hard that it
disabled the Jeep, which, and it basically shoved the radiator
fan right into the engine. Graham Chapman hit his knee on
the dashboard. And then the the taxi driver
gets out and he's going to call the police and David is drunk,
but he's got a load of cash on him.
So he just pulls out a big wad of bills, starts pinning them
off, throwing them at the, the taxi driver who, who
surprisingly refuses this and, and still goes off to try and
find the police. And then luckily one of the crew
members was happened to be driving past and saw what
happened and, and told him to get in his car.
And they they speed off. And as a result of this,
director Mel Demsky banned the cast and crew from visiting to
the town from then on and said that, yeah, he he he basically
said he found Bowie had been a a very difficult presence, quite a
troublemaker. And Bowie actually avoided
making eye contact with him after that, so.
It is not. I was going to say, though, if
you think, if we circle back to how this film all started, I
think old, old Mel Damsky should be grateful it wasn't Keith.
But true. And by the way, he got big you.
Know absolutely, absolutely right.
But why? I'll just think about why was
Graham Chapman going after a brothel?
Well, that's a very, very good point.
But I mean, yeah, because the the other story is Idol tells of
when him and Cook went there to try and score some weed.
Oh, yes. And then and then the night
ended with the idol leaving to go back to his wife, I think,
who was there on, you know, we're leaving.
Cook as he danced the night away with some lovely ladies saying
don't worry, I've got this. No, because he was enjoying
himself very much. But I'll tell you what, Mel
Damsky, he I wouldn't be surprised given the egos of
these people. He just he probably put a the
kibosh on it purely because he was never invited.
If he'd if he'd been invited to a few of these little soirees,
he might have been a little bit more possibly as to what went
on. Possibly.
Possibly it was sour grapes on his part.
Yeah, it might be. It wouldn't surprise me.
We can't base that on anything. I want to say in case Mel is
listening, No, but you know, I think we have mentioned, of
course, you know, Feldman dying. He died on the 2nd of December
82 in his hotel room. Heart attack.
While this was being met. Yeah, it was a massive heart
attack. And a very interesting aside
again, and this is purely because I read it quite
recently, which is why it's top of mind.
Idle blames his death on the bad traffic.
So the ambulance couldn't get there in time.
And he he said in his autobiography, if he hadn't died
him, if he hadn't had the heart attack in Mexico, he'd still be
alive, which is, I get the sentiment, but if you've got
this heart condition, you know, as we know with Sellers, you
never know when it's going to attack again.
But I thought it was an interesting thing that that was
part of the problem. Apparently they couldn't get to
him in time to resuscitate him. And and then you notice he's not
in it because his death in the film, it's clearly not him.
Oh well, because he falls. The thing is, yeah, because when
I watched it back in the day on VHS, which is, which leaves a
lot. Of you desired.
You don't notice, you can't tell that it's a it's a someone,
someone standing, but watching it in super clear clarity this
time around, you can see clearly because you know that he died.
You're looking out for almost. You can see that it's a it's an
imposter dressed as Gilbert. And I hate that because you do
find yourself doing it and yet you don't want to.
But you're absolutely right. You're looking.
You'd find yourself looking. Because I wasn't sure how much
into production they'd done, because they don't say, because
we haven't got the the time sheets for the schedule of the
shooting. So I didn't know how much was
covered. But with the looks of it, it was
most of his stuff. And then of course, because they
all die in that I can't even remember the conceit by which
this was conceived, the the baffling swimming pool that that
is just acid. It's just acid in a pool, which
is just a really convenient way to to bump people off.
And he falls in it and it's, it's done with such a non
flourish because it's not him. By that point.
I had to go. Oh, so I guess that was him dead
then. Yep.
It's, it's done like that. It's like, and so ends the
illustrious career of one of the greatest comedy writers that has
ever, ever, ever been produced by the British Isles and
performers. And then he dies, you know,
Someone else dies for him. Yeah, He he.
Gets a nice He gets a little for Marty credit right at the.
End. Yeah, for Marty at the very end.
I noticed we didn't get that with Peter Ball, did we?
Or whatever, which is a shame. Or, or well, James Mason, if
indeed it was his last film. Yes, but then it wasn't it also
it was Spike's last film, wasn't it?
Or or like technically? Technically as in like an actual
performance or was he like there was T did TV, he did TV stuff,
Elizabeth Hollywood cinematic release.
I can't think of anything he'd been in and obviously he hung on
for many more years, but I can't think of it because again, we've
not talked about that. His was a similar thing to Life
of Brian, wasn't it? He would just was he just
passing through? Well this is the thing,
information is scarce so I don't.
I guess they just felt we need some slightly older a comic
performer to play the flunky or the what?
What do you call him? The the the guy he.
Does the classic trope of the novelty herald, doesn't it?
You know, it's, it's, it's, it's, I mean, they did Gilliam
did it as Patsy in that scene when they arrived at the French
castle. But I never get tired of someone
badly playing a bugle. And and he does, he does it as
well, if not better than anyone else.
And I just and and again, I would also attribute that, you
know, the the scene in in the Pink Panther, you know, when
he's dressed as an when Sellers is dressed as an exploded to
lose the trek. Yes.
And he's he's he's wandering around with that bugle.
Yes, he's just blasting it trying to find Cato.
And again, that always makes me laugh.
Yeah, even though that's one of the more patriot entries.
So an off tune bugle always gets my vote.
Well, Spike, Spike adds a little flourish of the Raspberry.
At the end. Oh yes.
Which of which you just can't help thinking of the, you know,
the of Q Yeah, in the little Raspberry.
I love, I love, I love when he introduces Eric Idol's
character, Commander Clement. He introduces, well, he points
out the queen to Commander Clement and he says, and you've
got you've got Peter Paul and you've got Susanna York, who's.
Oh. Yes, Susanna York's in there
too, isn't she? Yes.
Who is? Superman's mum.
Well, I saw her last week watching, I was watching a film
you probably won't have heard of that I hadn't heard of until
last week called Kaleidoscope, which 1966 filmed in Britain,
starring Warren Beatty of all people.
And it's got John Junkan in it and people like that and, and
she's the love interest. Really bad film, but anyway I
love the fact you've got Spike pointing out the Queen to
Commander Clement and he says. The fat one on the throne, she's
the queen. She's done very well today.
So I should kneel upwind to her? Every line he has is great.
I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's 100% strike rate.
I should call it a spike rate really, shouldn't I?
He's just so good in it from SO and it's just a shame he's in it
for that one's 1 1/2 scenes, isn't it really, you know, and
and and then we have to endure some of the other stuff, which
just and is he right? It's just the ending just feels
like they hadn't they they probably hadn't got an ending.
So they just did a series of scenes and it was sort of
cobbled together and then they then they leave it open for a,
you know, they tried to do a touching bit where where yellow
beard spoiler alert, dies. And then of course he doesn't
because they want to make a sequel, which never happened.
But that's the ending of this just boils my piss if you don't
mind me saying it's so ridiculous.
But before we get to that, the the Cheech and Chong bits in
this final third act, if you like, is it's trying, it's
tiring. Oh.
It's so as you say, Tommy Chong is Cheech Marion I always find
more watchable. I think it's because he's more
authentic. And like, even if you watch him
pop up in, you know, Robert Rodriguez from Dusk Till Dawn in
three roles in that film, he's great in all three of them.
And he's fun because he just plays a variation on the theme,
which is cheap. But then because, because he was
at, because Tommy Chong's Canadian, so he has that
Canadian accent cutting through and it it just, I don't know
what he's doing. He's just, he's like, he has no
business being in the film. It is an excuse to bring in the
love interest, isn't it? As well who's equally vast,
which they have to undercut because.
Oh yeah, because then she's she's not really.
She loses interest because they don't have any money.
That's right. She's just, which is fine, which
is which I prefer that. I suppose it's, I guess so, I
guess so. And then and then ultimately
you're just, you're just waiting for them to be dispatched, I
think. But you're watching this, I'm
watching this in HD, right? And we've got this running gag
where Cheech's character, who's lackey to El Nebuloso, Tommy
Chong, who's this Craven little Wretch basically who keeps, he's
feeling he has to smash his head on his penance for penance.
And there's a bit, there's a bit where he hits his head again and
again on sort of what do you call a bit of concrete
battlement. It's like a breeze block, isn't
it? As part of the.
Battle, but in HD you can see the dent in the polystyrene
begin to develop. You can see it tapping.
These these things were not meant to be watched.
A, with the the level of scrutiny to which we're
affording them and B on HD 4K and they would never make that
in four Ki mean I don't think there'd be the demand to release
this in Super HD. But yeah, you do notice these
things. Yeah, there's a couple of nice
things leading up to and including the the voyage on the
on the ship that I want to mention.
Yeah, I I did enjoy the the bit where Marty is kind of is trying
to get a crocodile loaded. On Oh, that's a great scene.
But that's a wonderful scene. Don't bother.
Yeah, yeah. And it's a woman in, but that
that feels like a Marty Feldman sketch inserted into the film.
You could imagine that sitting in in in Marty or or Flying
Circus. It has that same sensibility as
the bookshop sketch. It's just so absurd when he's
trying to smuggle a woman on board and then she walks up and
says don't bother because there's someone with with, with.
I can't remember what it is off the top of my.
Hand carrying a goat I think or. Something.
It's having a goat, isn't it? Or a sheep.
Yeah, it's a goat, and that's a nice little scene, but it feel,
it feels like a self-contained sketch you could take out of.
Context. It does, you know.
But it is a, it is a nice bit and there, there are bits that
made me laugh and, and there are bits always.
I just, it's just, it's just few and far between really.
And I, and I think as an adult watching it with a critical eye,
I, I ended up becoming distracted by the quality of the
film itself in terms of, you know, how it's made, which is
unhelpful. But I guess if you notice that
then something's not working, you know you shouldn't be
noticing. If you've got time to worry
about that. Yeah, exactly.
I'm not looking at it expecting to see, you know, the Godfather.
I I saw some stats. Did you, did you look into how
it was received and how it opened and everything?
So I had a quick look at that which I thought was quite
interesting. Well, I it didn't do well, I
don't believe. No, in in the US it opened in
11th place, well below the week's other new releases.
But I think it's interesting what came out that that week in
the US was Porky's 2, The next day, Twilight Zone, the movie
with its its own. Oh dear.
Exactly its own troubled history and the survivors.
I'm not sure what that is. No.
And but there's an interesting point because I I read Robert
Ebert, Roger Ebert, of course, the the celebrated late American
film critic. Yes, he gave it 1 1/2 stars and
he was brutal, He said. Monty Python has already done
it's pirate satire. The prologue of Monty Python's
Meaning of Life, which is one of the best parts of the film,
involved that funny fantasy in which a desk bound insurance
clerks turn their ancient building into a galleon and set
sail against the enemy skyscrapers.
It was funny, it was quick, it was original.
None of those statements applied to Yellow Beard.
So that was that was his take on.
It well, he did probably like the brief, the brief nudity,
because I believed he was into that sort of.
Thing yes, I think he was and there is that classic case was
like this. What is this film rated because
there is some nudity peppering in even though it's surrounding
I guess so and the general census is the same.
The New York Times said it. It offers an occasional chuckle
and yeah, there's an interesting point.
As for the other element, this is in the New York Times
article. Those these are all written at
the time it said. As for the other element of the
script, the action under the direction of Mel Damsky, it
tends mainly to plod, especially between the time the rival
faction set sail and their arrival on the Treasure Island.
One of the worst bits of this film, and I don't know whether
it's it was written like this or it was the direction, it's the
whole bit. When they reach the, we have
various people landing on the beach of this island.
So you've got Yellow Beard first of all, and then you've got the
dullest trio in Christendom, Dan and Lambourne and Gilpin.
And then you've got Commander Clement and, and the his crew,
soldiers or whatever. Yes, and they're all looking.
They're all wanting to find Yellow Beard's treasure and
Yellow Beard himself. OK, I can.
That's funny. When Yellow Beard's doing the
stagger, stagger, crawl, crawl. Oh, yes, That's that's funny.
That, that, that that's good. That's a nice little bit, Right.
What really annoyed me, and I'm thinking why did you do?
You don't need to, is when Madeleine Kahn and Commander
Clement are looking for the treasure and they're doing the
stagger, stagger, crawl, crawl with with all the crew doing it
as well. I'm thinking the crew don't
Nobody, only one person needs to do the stagger, stagger, crawl,
crawl. The rest of you don't need to do
it. You know what I mean?
It's it's. Completely.
It's the it's the all in thing of the early 80s.
It's like these films were all made under a cloud of coke and
they were just like, this is fine.
More is more, more is more. Come on, we can do this.
Tell us. You know what's even funnier
than one person doing it? Everyone doing it.
Yes, you know, and. And, and they roared with
laughter about it. And then they just thought it
was the best thing ever. And then sort of, you know,
sniffed, sniffed their way. Back doing it with fire.
Burn. It was fire.
I'm I'm irrationally angry about it.
Yeah, there is a DIS report. I have to say, Todd, I'm.
I didn't feel the same sense of ire as you at that bit.
I kind of felt by that point that they're all just trying to
get through to the end is what it kind of feels like.
I mean, I wonder. Yeah, I know.
Apparently, Chapman, it took a chunk out of him to the extent
that it caused him to change his lifestyle and diet to manage the
stress. Apparently it was the whole
thing was a big thing. And of course, you know, only
six years later, he was dead. He was dead.
Yeah, yeah. But yeah, it's it's it's it's
it's I think it's a shame because it's, again, as we said
at the beginning, it could have been, it could have been
exceptional. But by that point, I would argue
no one involved had anything to prove.
And I think that's a big factor in, in in the creative arts.
I think there's a certain sense where people are hungry for it
and they want to show that they've got their, you know,
they can really make their mark, leave their mark, do something
great. And I think there's a tipping
point. I mean, however, though they
were all approached, they're all 40 odd by this point, you know,
and they've all got their successes tucked under their
under their belt. So it's kind of like that.
It's that cliche of, you know, the same thing that you want,
you might think motivated the Pythons to go to the Caribbean
to write Life of Brian. It's just like, should we go and
have fun? And then I'm sure something will
come out of that positive energy, you know, and, and
something fun probably didn't. Of course, you never know when
you're working on something, how it's going to turn out until you
see the final cut. And, and there may be another
takes which would just much more, you know, had much more
energy in them. But I, I, I do think he was
hamstrung by a very, very pedestrian director.
And I would imagine I would hate to have been that director.
Yes, I agree. Having to manage all those egos.
Oh. Herod and cats.
Oh, absolutely. You know who, you know, the ones
that weren't drunk, who all know how to make something funny.
So they'll all have their opinion on it.
So there's probably a sense unless you've got complete
strength of character to the point of being a psychopath,
you'd have to just let them get on with it, wouldn't you, as
their director. And as a result you end up with
with what we got, which is, which is odd.
I'm in. I think she might be ready to
talk now. Sir, I seem to remember
something about an island. It must have been that shock.
What? What jog my memory?
Jolly good, Henson. Thank you, Sir.
Well done. Shall I meet you in the pump
room? Sir, I really enjoyed revisiting
it because like you, it had been a while since I'd seen it.
I was, I was scared I was going to really hate it and I didn't.
I, I, I, I, I my fondness of it was built on by looking at it
now, I think, because so many of them are no longer with us, you
know, even including, you know, not just the obvious ones, but,
you know, Peter Boyle's gone, Madeleine Kahn's gone, you know,
and I really like Mel Brooks's ensemble, his car.
And as you say, Boyle was completely wasted in that.
He could have been anyone playing bosun moon, you know, he
really didn't do anything with it.
No, you know, but even seeing, you know, they will read and
whatnot. I mean, I, I would, I would love
to, I would love to ask Nigel Plainer what he thought of the
experience because of course he's, you know, aside from doing
his bit in the, in the, you know, as part of the comic strip
in the West End, You know, he was a young upcoming actor of
not of any note at all. So it'd be interesting to see
how he experienced the whole thing being whether he was just
in awe or. Crushingly well he'd have been.
He'd have been known by this point for the first series of
The Young. Ones that's true.
That is true. Chiefly, yes, yeah.
Actually totally different character to to Mansell totally
different character. Yes, he's he's not.
Yeah, he's not Neil, is it? But I was might be interested to
see because he's one of the few people around to ask and, you
know, he might have an interesting take on it as
opposed to, you know, if he were to ask Idol about it.
Now they've got to the age now where they'll trot out the part,
the official line that they've cemented years ago when they
talk about it. So you're not going to get any
insights because they've said their piece.
You're absolutely right. Yeah, he would.
He would do. Yeah, and the Clees would just
go, oh, it's awful, isn't it? Because you can't.
You couldn't, probably couldn't even make those jokes anymore.
It's all right, John. It's.
Woke. Yes, exactly.
It's, yeah, You couldn't, you probably couldn't call it yellow
beard anymore because people would think it was racist.
It's like, oh heaven's sake, John.
Probably say that, yes. It's exactly the kind of thing
he he would. Say one thing I meant to mention
earlier. We mentioned Bernard McKenna.
Yes, at the top. And Barnaby Eton Jones contacted
me and directed me to an interview he'd done with Bernard
McKenna many years ago. And Bernard talks about making
this film, writing and making this film, and he's in it
briefly. Do you know this?
No. Oh, hang on, what?
Bernard Mckenna's in it. Yes, yes, yes.
He pops up briefly in it because I only knew who he was because
he also is in Life of Brian. And I was interested to see who
pops up playing those characters because Chris Langham is also in
Life for Brian and etcetera, etcetera.
You know, and it's just, oh, there's McKenna.
Yes. So I knew who he was.
So he's the, he's the sailor that kisses James Mason.
And he said, I'm just going to read this bit.
He, he, he, he spoke about that's that, that scene.
He said kissing James Mason was his idea.
We were waiting in a hotel in Acapulco to do a night shoot.
I was with James and his wife and James mentioned that he'd
like to reprise a scene from a film of his where a woman
suddenly kisses him and he says don't you ever do that again.
I was playing a rather naive recruit who was so happy to join
the ship he thought it would be funny if I enthused and then
kissed him. He also said I'd go on record as
the only man to kiss James Mason on screen.
He shoots me later in the film. He was a nice man but worried
about Cheech and Chong being drug dealers.
I think that's probably a fair concern, but if they were, they
wouldn't have had to get going to that brothel.
Basically do. You think they're dealing in
horse? Yes, exactly there.
Would it be in the middle of AK hole?
There's your shilling. Oh, thank you, Sir.
Don't do that. Don't do that ever again.
I think we've acquitted ourselves as well when it comes
to Yellow Beard. I think so do.
You the verdict is I'm still, I still think it's OK.
I think it's fine. I think it's fine.
And I really like spending time with these people, you know, and
I think it's in that alone is enough to warrant it be, you
know, stored away in a vault somewhere.
Yeah. It's a very good time capsule of
seeing where British and American comedy was by the, you
know, the very early 80s. Yes, indeed.
It was at a tipping point, I would argue, because it's
interesting, you could argue very quickly that this is kind
of the last gasp of the old guard from the new guard.
Because if you think about who's cutting through in the early 80s
in the UK, we've got the Silver Age alternative comedy, which
we've got the comedy, you know, we've got the comic strip team
of which we get player in. And then we've got the Saturday
night crew of, you know, your Murray, your Belushi, your
Chase. Yeah, Aykroyd.
And they're not in this. And and it's probably, this is
probably the last window of opportunity for these performers
from that generation to come together and make a film.
And you could argue that they peaked, which is why we got the
film we did. I wonder in a parallel universe,
what Yellow Beard will be like, where it's starring Rick Mail as
Yellow Beard, you know, with the rest of the comic strip team.
And then on the other side, we have the American.
We have Chevy Chase, you know, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Eddie
Murphy. Well, I'll tell you.
I'll tell you what it would be. It would be kind of like Carry
On Columbus a few years later, probably.
Oh, OK. Well, best, best, best.
Leave that as it is. Yeah, but thank you for for for
for this I I'm I'm I'm really enjoyed I really enjoyed
watching it actually fresh and. Yeah, and and talking about it,
it's been a hoot. Yes, and also listen listeners,
it's it used to be on it was for for a time on Netflix.
It's not anymore, but a very good copy of it has been
uploaded to YouTube. So if you haven't seen it, you
can easily access it via YT. And it's only 90 odd minutes.
It's the classic classic 80s comedy length.
It is, it is OK. Have you thought of any Bowie
shark puns? No, I'm very disappointed.
I I blame Bowie for having such an extensive back catalogue.
So I've got choice paralysis. That's what I'm going with.
If he'd only released 3 albums, If I was had to do some kind of
Nick Drake, Joe, I don't have 33 albums I'm supposed to work
with. But no, yeah.
So I, I can't. I've got to pick an era first
before I, I hone in on a, on a pun.
And I sort of think the crown is yours with the film's fault.
It is. It's always fine.
So I tend to blame him for most things.
Yeah, OK. Well, Adrian, listen, is there
anything you want to plug? Anything happening?
Any, any. I know you've got a book coming
up at some point, but, but. Yes, I've got a book.
Can we talk about that at some point?
But I can't really talk about that.
I am 1/2 of a a comedy history podcast called History for you
with Douglas and Hugh, which we have a lot of fun making.
It was basically to one of my my partner, James Devonshire come
up with it was sort of to puncture the pomposity of the
patriarchy in so far as you know, listening to sort of some
rather self important historians of a certain age and persuasion
talking about themselves. And we thought it'd be quite fun
to just do a ludicrous, silly parody of that.
So we play 2 characters that know far too much about history.
And there's a little bit of one upmanship there as we talk
nonsense into iconic periods, events and people from history.
So I that's ongoing. We've been doing it for a year
and it's going well. Got We enjoy doing it.
So listen to that. That's history.
History for you with Douglas and Hugh.
Yes. And other than that, I perform
stand up and improv anywhere there's a stage, but mainly
around Europe, but I have been known to come over to the UK.
Yeah, with the the historians, you don't lapse into the Newman
and Badeal territory, do you? No, not at all.
We don't do that's you. That is we, we, we play it
straight as we can as well. I will always love that, purely
because that one, that one sketch where he makes Badeal
completely corpse, I always remember that one.
That's because it's been in your mum's bra and he can't, they
can't end the sketch because he's laughing so much.
No, no, we, we don't go down that route.
It's been done. We try and we, it's, it's, it's,
it actually goes more to the kind of comedy we've been
talking about. We wanted to do something that's
completely silly, you know, so we, you know, we don't.
We, it's, it's, it's, but it's all there in truth.
We take, we take what's actually happened and then we just sort
of play with a little. So, you know, there is.
So, you know, so people doing GCSE history could probably
scrape through an F based on what we do in our.
Yeah. OK, so it's it's it's actually.
Hey listen, listen to me ascribing accusations of
plagiarism at you and I'm the one who nicked Chee Chee Ching
Chong Sleeping Beauty. I was going to say, and you and
you didn't even have the wherewithal to not get caught,
you know, So for all, for all I know, my, my English teacher
went home and wept at the profound concept of loss that I
gave him through the medium of 1984 thrash metal.
You know, I think, I think that's enough.
That's my that's my legacy, but it's AB minus legacy.
I'm because I'm happy with that. But thank you very much, Tyler.
I've really enjoyed being I'm a big fan of this pod.
So it was an honor to be asked to come on and thank you so
much. The.