British Comedy Guide

DIY

1. EXT. GARDEN. ANDREW (LATE THIRTIES/EARLY FORTIES) STANDS AT FENCE WITH BIG PAINTBRUSH AND TIN IN HAND.

WIFE
(O.O.V) Have you done that fence yet?

ANDREW
(UNDER BREATH, MOCKING) Have you done that fence yet? (SHOUTS BACK) Just doing it, won't be long.

ANDREW LOOKS AT TIN.

ANDREW
Right. (READS FROM SIDE) How to open. 1) Disengage clasp A. There's four clasps, which one's A?

HE ROTATES TIN.

(READS) A ... A ... A ... A. What? There are four clasps marked A (BEAT) It must be any of them.

DISENGAGES CLASP. GREEN PAINT SPRAYS FROM TIN INTO HIS FACE. PANICKING, HE CLOSES CLASP AND TRIES ANOTHER. MORE PAINT SPRAYS OUT. HE CLOSES IT. GOES TO THIRD. SUCCESS.

ANDREW
(WIPING FACE) Phew! Right. 2) Swivel off lid anti-clockwise. (DOES SO) Right that's easy enough. Done.

HE PLACES TIN ON GROUND AND ATTEMPTS TO DIP IN PAINTBRUSH. BUT IT'S TOO BIG.

ANDREW
Aaarggh!

HE PICKS UP TIN.

ANDREW
(READS) Trouble-shooting. If you wish to use a non-standard brush (eg BS1269), remove outer ring by rotating clockwise. This will increase paint access aperture. Tut! Fair enough.

HE ROTATES OUTER RING. ENTIRE CONTENTS OF PAINT TIN EMPTY OUT OF BOTTOM OF TIN ALL OVER ANDREW'S TROUSERS AND SHOES, JUST AS WIFE APPEARS.

WIFE
Andrew, you really are a useless twat.

2. EXT. GARDEN. PRODUCT SHOT. TIN ON GARDEN TABLE. IN BACKGROUND OUT OF FOCUS ANDREW AND WIFE ARE ARGUING.

VOICEOVER: Ronseal Twat Baffler. It does exactly what it says on the tin.

I like it but I am not a fan of the end - perhaps, in OOV, the wife could just shout out "actually, I think I would prefer the fence brown - have you started yet?".

I like this one. I think both your ending and what Alan suggested are good, don't know what one I'd prefer.

Quote: Alan C @ June 17 2008, 9:16 PM BST

I like it but I am not a fan of the end - perhaps, in OOV, the wife could just shout out "actually, I think I would prefer the fence brown - have you started yet?".

It's funny. I actually started at the punchline and worked my way backward. Oh well.

Quote: Graham Bandage @ June 18 2008, 9:39 AM BST

It's funny. I actually started at the punchline and worked my way backward. Oh well.

I agree it is funny and it works either way, my style is more old-fashioned I guess.

I don't mean funny ha-ha, by the way. Funny peculiar, I mean.

Ten points just for the phrase "Twat Baffler".

The rest of the sketch I'm not so sure. Doesn't it just re-enforce the "aren't men are dum-dums?" attitude that's become the mainstay of TV commercials?

Quote: David Bussell @ June 19 2008, 2:04 PM BST

The rest of the sketch I'm not so sure. Doesn't it just re-enforce the "aren't men are dum-dums?" attitude that's become the mainstay of TV commercials?

You've clearly never seen me attempt DIY. I make Andrew the Twat look like Tommy Walsh off of Ground Force.

I thought this good.

Liked the 4 clasp A's and paint aperture gags - can't beat a bit of slapstick either. Plus the ending was as it should be - excellent.

The ronseal twat baffler line is absolutely perfect. in fact its a damn good sketch in my opinion

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