A4e NJ Reject

Justin -Following allegations of fraud Emma Harrison has resigned from her government position and stepped down as chair of her business that gets people back to work - ironic. The company now face an independent audit - we have sent our reporter to try to unravel this story. Are you there Sarah Face-For-Radio?

Sarah - Hi Justin. Thanks for sending me to Slough, think I've OD-ed on the colour gray. I'll try to get an interview with some staff. Excuse me, sir. Hold on are you..?

Ricky - Multi-award winning dwarf bullying Ricky Gervais? (Laughs) Maybe

Sarah - Are you?

Ricky - Yes. Yes I am

Sarah - What are you doing here?

Ricky - I own the copyright to all Slough based office managers

Sarah - So you're the manager?

Ricky - Ding ding shes got it (Laughs) Don't be nervous

Sarah - I'm not

Rick y - Yeah, why would you be nervous around a Golden Globe winner (!)

Sarah - Are you worried about the fraud investigation?

Ricky - No, I welcome it. What happens when you do something illegal?

Sarah - You pay a six figure sum to Charlotte Church?

Ricky - No, you go to court. And as an atheist I can lie under oath. Thank God (Laughs)

Sarah - Close!

Ricky - What? I'm close to an idiot

Sarah - Bingo!

Ricky - So you're admitting you're an idiot. First step (Laughs)

Sarah - No. Arrogant, mentioned Golden Globes, denied there's a God and belittled me. I've won Ricky Gervais bingo! Thanks for joining us Ricky back to the studio
END

Great idea, excellent execution. Loved it.

I don't get the link from the story to Ricky Gervais so maybe that needs clarifying. Perhaps if Ricky had been sent in as the independent auditor, that would have worked better?

It's not a bad standalone sketch; just feels a bit like something you wrote that you're trying to crowbar in. Lose the intro and send to Radio Rejects.

Dan

I agree with Dan. The sketch itself has nothing to do with the intro. That's never good...

I thought the connection was that Ricky Gervais owns the copyright to all Slough based office managers. It worked well for me, but I am easily pleased.

I get that connection. But just having digs at Gervais, which is pretty much what the sketch is about, doesn't have much to do with the Emma Harrison fraud case.

The Slough link is fine, but it needs to be stronger. And using Gervais is fine, but there needs to be a better reason for him being there. Maybe Gervais is coming in to take over from her, because he knows Slough and has had unparalleled success - apart from Life's Too Short. Maybe he's gone back to his first success, a Slough office manager, because Life's Too Short was such a disaster. That way you CAN link the two stories (one topical, one more in the zeitgeist) without it being too contrived.

With the majority on this one. It's a good sketch having a pop at Gervais (and the more the better) but nothing to do with A4e.
Possibly rework the intro to get in the Montreux nomination. Or just cut the intro and as suggested try RR or NR with it.

thanks for comments. I'm planning to re-write for newsrevue and have got some good points from you all