“Oh for God’s sake, have a laugh!” – Margaret Wilson (1922-2014)

This was the type of psychological advice that our Mum would give us in the 60’s and 70s! When you’ve looked after 9 kids and fostered a couple more, time was of the essence so sitting down and workshopping our woes wasn’t much of a priority! Instead, it was “be grateful for what you’ve got and have a laugh!” I saw what Friday night comedies like Dave Allen and The Two Ronnies did for my Dad, a tortured WW2 veteran and that cemented my love for comedy and how profound an effect it can have. In the darkest of times it has always been those words (which are on our Mum’s gravestone) that have dragged me into the light.

To come up with only 27 comic influences on my life is tough, much like trying to pick a top 50 albums so I decided to go with those movies/TV shows/Artists that I’ve watched and listened to the most over the past 57 years. I understand there are a plethora I haven’t seen that have huge raps, such as Veep and The Larry Sanders Show, but one only has so much time on their hands. I hope there is something here that might spark some interest if you haven’t connected with it in the past.

Sincere apologies to:  The 3 Stooges, Billy Connolly, Fleabag, Extras, The Late Show, Woody Allen, F Troop, George Carlin, Aussie movies The Club, Malcolm and Death in Brunswick, The Two Ronnies, Gavin & Stacey, Hard Quiz, What we do in the Shadows, The Thick of It, Yes Prime Minister, The Four Lions, Stewart Lee, Lead Balloon, The Mighty Boosh, The Simpsons, Blackadder, Miranda, Portlandia, Broad City, Absolutely Fabulous, Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke, The IT Crowd, Slapshot, Father Ted, Would I Lie to You?, Spaced, Galaxy Quest, Flight of the Concords, Frontline, People Like Us, Man Down, Caddyshack, and Richard Pryor Live.

#7 – Seinfeld (1989-1998)

Based on re-runs alone, this brainchild of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David must surely be the most popular and profitable sitcom of all time.  Of the 180 episodes, I personally thought the first 30 to 40 were average to good and then suddenly the next 100 were a masterclass in dialogue and storylines. The final 30-40 or so were run of the mill but by then it didn’t matter. The show was a classic there and then. My favourites were the hapless George and the sassy, shallow Elaine. Larry David wrote George as himself but I see more of Woody Allen’s neurosis in him and he’s a selfish, scheming idiot, constantly searching for shortcuts to a happy life. (For I am Costanza…Lord of the Idiots!). Jason Alexander is brilliant in the role and his relationship with his parents is worth the price of admission alone.  Here are some of George’s finest moments:

Julia Louis Dreyfus is perfect as Elaine, the honest, feisty and often sarcastic member of the friendship group of 4. In the early episodes, the Elaine character was almost an afterthought by the writers but after Dreyfus stepped in demanding more inclusion, she became the gel the show needed. Everything Elaine does lights up the other 3 and her interactions with on/off boyfriend Puddy are fantastic. Here are some highlights from the gorgeous Elaine:

Kramer, played by Michael Richards is a brilliant physical actor so it would be remiss not to include a couple of highlights:

Lynda and I were blessed to see Jerry Seinfeld in Montreal in 2017 with 20,000 others. Seinfeld has said he was never an actor but he is one hell of a stand up and he had all of us that night in the palm of his hand. He is still doing stand-up shows in various sized venues and that’s where he is most comfortable, still working despite his enormous wealth. I’ve been reading his book of scripts from Xmas last year called “Is This Anything” and it’s a bit like eating a box of BBQ Shapes. I gorge through it for 30 minutes then I need a lengthy break before going back for another feed. I’m not a big fan of observational humour but he is the best at it and the book takes you through his writing evolution from the 70’s to the 2000’s.

Perhaps the most under rated quality of Seinfeld is the cameos from hundreds of actors who made memorable moments within the episodes. Here is just a couple of my favourites:

“The show about nothing” has left us with a plethora of catch phrases and some unforgettable episodes that will stand the test of time. Finally, if you are an adorer of Seinfeld you will love this hour long conversation between Julia Louis Dreyfus and Jason Alexander recorded during the pandemic last year and raised money for the front line workers in the US. It’s a beautiful conversation between 2 x genuine old friends reflecting on their favourite times on the show.

#6 – Withnail and I (1987)

Frankly, there’s not much to the storyline in this black comedy from first time director Bruce Robinson but it is very much a cult classic and a film I will watch every couple of years till the day I die. Two out of work actors, Withnail (played by Richard E Grant) and “I” (played by Paul McGann) live in an unheated, filthy flat in Camden Town, and need to get out of the city, so they head to a country house in the Lake District owned by Withnail’s eccentric and overtly gay Uncle Monty and find things aren’t as recuperative health-wise as they had planned.

This is a great summer film because it’s constantly wet and cold in the grim Camden Town and freezing moors where the story takes place. It’s 1969, no one has any money and these two, especially Withnail will accept any alcohol or drugs they can get their hands on. The consequences of their desperation are hilarious, especially Richard E Grant as Withnail who in real life has never drunk alcohol or smoked. It’s an amazing performance and led to him writing his fantastic memoir from the film “With Nails”.

Given the timing of the film, the music is sublime. The opening track, a version of “Whiter Shade of Pale” by King Curtis sets the tone for what’s to come and Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile” is used perfectly in this scene on the highway:

There is conjecture that “I” has a real name, “Marwood” but that is for the mega-worshippers of the film to debate. All I know is that McGann, Grant and Richard Griffiths as Uncle Monty are incredible is this blackest of black comedies. It’s not for everyone but it should never be ignored in terms of its place in the pantheon of British comedy, firmly cemented in the top 10. Funded by George Harrison as he did for Monty Python’s Life of Brian, Withnail and I is authentic, original, raw and very funny.