Rik Mayall

All these threads about the relative merits of Jim Davidson and Michael Barrymore have reminded me of one genuine genius of British comedy who more than merits his own thread: Rik Mayall.

It was great to see Rik back on telly with Ade in the recent Comic Relief dance thing, but I have absolutely no idea what he's up to anymore. Anybody know?
I mean, is he just generally out of favour? The most I've heard him mentioned recently is when Greg Davies regularly likens himself to a 'fat Rik Mayall'.

Growing up in the '80s, Rik was a massive influence, effortlessly funny. There's still a place for him now, surely?

I'm sure there's a place for him still, he seemed quite with it on that Comic Relief thing. I'd love to see him in a new sitcom, with or without Ade Edmonson, infact, preferably without him. I'd like to see Kevin Turvey return with his own sitcom, that would be ace! With Alexei Sayle in it too. But maybe they're a bit old for that now. Something anyway.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 30 2011, 10:08 AM BST

There's still a place for him now, surely?

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I thought he had to cut down his physical comedy work after a serious accident on a quad bike about 10 years ago as he suffers seizures and requires medication? Or is he fully recovered now?

Quote: Kenneth @ March 30 2011, 11:25 AM BST

I thought he had to cut down his physical comedy work after a serious accident on a quad bike about 10 years ago as he suffers seizures and requires medication? Or is he fully recovered now?

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He's certainly been well enough to do some tours of The New Statesman stage version. But even they were a while ago now. Maybe it's just a cyclical thing as with most comedians.

Yes, unlike the people in the other recent threads, I would be very happy to see Rik back.

Quote: Kenneth @ March 30 2011, 11:25 AM BST

I thought he had to cut down his physical comedy work after a serious accident on a quad bike about 10 years ago as he suffers seizures and requires medication? Or is he fully recovered now?

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Perhaps he just being sensible and works within his limitations these days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pwksXq1toA

I remember going to the cinema to see Drop Dead Fred and being impressed only by Carrie Fisher looking much older than she had in Return of the Jedi. Perhaps the passing of time has been kind to Drop Dead Fred. Someone must have massively overestimated demand for it on DVD here, as it is constantly in the specials bins. There is no way in hell I'm going to watch the remake starring Russell Brand.

Quote: Kenneth @ March 30 2011, 1:41 PM BST

I remember going to the cinema to see Drop Dead Fred and being impressed only by Carrie Fisher looking much older than she had in Return of the Jedi. Perhaps the passing of time has been kind to Drop Dead Fred. Someone must have massively overestimated demand for it on DVD here, as it is constantly in the specials bins. There is no way in hell I'm going to watch the remake starring Russell Brand.

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Christ. Another film annoyingly re-Branded. Lazy bastards.

According to this source he's due to be in the new Johnny English film. Which I didn't even know was being made. Decent cast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_English_Reborn

I think that Rik is a genius - and would like to see him around more. The revolution of the alternative comedians certainly started to wind down after he was injured and didn't work as much - and more's the pity. New revolutionaries have sprung up, but the energy of that generation was unique, and as they got older they proved that they could still shake up the state of comedy.
I love the way that Rik and Ade took conventions of English comedy, that had been used ad nauseam in the seventies - slapstick and innuendo - and massacred them. They deliberately took them to a self-defeating extreme - to hilarious effect. As they matured, the style refined and, while still anarchic, there was a clever, absurdist quality to their work.
I also love the satire of "The New Statesman" and "Believe Nothing". I wait eagerly for more Rik. I hope that he and Ade haven't really called it a day.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 31 2011, 9:30 AM BST

According to this source he's due to be in the new Johnny English film. Which I didn't even know was being made. Decent cast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_English_Reborn

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Except the Johnny English films get panned all the time and arguably did more harm to Atkinson's career than good.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ March 31 2011, 11:06 AM BST

Except the Johnny English films get panned all the time and arguably did more harm to Atkinson's career than good.

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Haven't seen the first one. Is it generally held as being cobblers?

To say the least, yes I think so, though I've only seen the first one. It's a film franchise born out of a credit card commercial ffs, it's not gonna be great!

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ March 31 2011, 11:26 AM BST

To say the least, yes I think so, though I've only seen the first one. It's a film franchise born out of a credit card commercial ffs, it's not gonna be great!

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I though there was currently only the one?

Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 31 2011, 11:30 AM BST

I though there was currently only the one?

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I thought there were more, blimey the first one was nearly ten years ago wasn't it? Anyway it did have Malkovich in it, so it wasn't all bad I suppose. Believe it still got panned though and Atkinson sunk into one of his depressions because of it, remember reading that.