I'm doing it!
Right, when's the next census?
Ben Elton Page 3
2011. I'm definitely planning on putting it down! 
All hail zooo! The great leader! *praise*
Quote: Curt @ February 22, 2008, 3:47 PMSorry about the inaccuracies I really didn't know who he was until I saw the interview that night.
As for the interview you can watch it here: http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1971
Along with Ricky Gervais interview: (wich should be available later today) I thought he was rather funny and polite. http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1977
Don't worry - most people at the time thought Elton was more involved and someone to look up to.
It's just in later years he's become seen as a hypocrite in so many ways.
For those interested, Ben Elton was on "The Museum of Curiosity" tonight. He seemed rather good - choosing privacy as his donation to the Museum (presumably to get away from all the complaints he hears).
All Hail Zooo! You're a nobody unless you have 3 vowels in your name.
at change of sig.
zooo for world leader! All hail her excellence!
Quote: Curt @ March 3, 2008, 9:45 AMAll Hail Zooo! You're a nobody unless you have 3 vowels in your name.
Irritable vowel syndrome!
Ah Ben Elton.
A rare example of proof that karma exists.
Enjoy obscurity, traitor.
Are you unwell?
Quote: gon gon @ September 21 2012, 11:32 PM BSTAh Ben Elton.
A rare example of proof that karma exists.Enjoy obscurity, traitor.
You do realise he is just a comedy writer not the antichrist. He's done some great stuff, good stuff, bad stuff. It was just his standup persona that gives him some torch bearing eighties nonsense. All comedians borrow and steal from each other, ever has it been thus. He did what everyone would do and took the cash. We will rock You !
Quote: Pingl @ September 22 2012, 11:24 AM BSTHe did what everyone would do and took the cash. We will rock You !
Taking the cash is ok and understandable to a certain extent. But does it really have to be musicals?
If someone offers me a musical I'm taking it, they are a massive cashcow - Mamma Mia etc. They are harmless rubbish, and everyone from P G Wodehouse to Stewart Lee has been involved in it. I mean does it really matter if your entertaining people. Stephen Fry made a fortune out of 'Me and My Girl' no one accuses him of selling out.
We ('d like to) see something in certain people. If Richard Curtis would have written musicals this would't have been much of a shock. But Elton made us believe that he's a cynical rebel right from the start (or: we wanted to believe this from what we've seen of him)...so this seems to be a bigger sellout than if Curtis would have made this careerstep. And the problem is, that musical is maybe the most cynic-free medium in the whole world, so this isso contradictory to the picture we had of him. I would have forgiven him even if he wrote commercials (he could have earned money with that medium).
A further problem: I just haaaaaaaaaaaaaate musicals...they're worse than bad romantic movies.
(excuse my bad English)
Yes most musicals are rubbish. But Elton made a rod for his own back with his stage persona. But he always was primarily a writer, I never saw him as some comedy Moses in the desert, he was just one of many comedians of the time; and far less original and interesting then some that have now been forgotten.
Quote: Pingl @ September 22 2012, 11:51 AM BSTBut Elton made a rod for his own back with his stage persona. But he always was primarily a writer, I never saw him as some comedy Moses in the desert, he was just one of many comedians of the time; and far less original and interesting then some that have now been forgotten.
I give you that...but even as a writer he seemed as some sort of rebel, i.e. "Young Ones", "Filthy, Rich & Catflap". Maybe he did only produce smut (look and most of all LISTEN to FR&C dialogues) but in the right context and the right time it seemed as a translation of the Punk-movement/subculture/fashion onto television comedy, I don't know. But even if it was only smut (and not a political statement) then it is nevertheless a big step from smut to p.c. family entertainment. It screams "SELLOUT" imo.
Anyway, he can do with his career what he wants to...but he disappointed many of his "believers".