I can't always explain why I do things.
(The text behind Mr Brooker says 'COMPLICATED BACKGROUND'. I attempted at first to piece said complicated background together from different screenshots, but my success was limited.)
I can't always explain why I do things.
(The text behind Mr Brooker says 'COMPLICATED BACKGROUND'. I attempted at first to piece said complicated background together from different screenshots, but my success was limited.)
If I read something immediately after watching something unrelated, I tend to have trouble getting the images of the characters I've just watched out of my head. This means that I have caught myself picturing Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of Charlie Brooker and Martin Freeman in the role of David Mitchell whilst reading fanfiction. It is bizarre.
I mention this because, having just been watching Phineas and Ferb on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hippyjolteon's recommendation, I began catching up on a fabulous work of Brooker/Mitchell UST and realised that I was envisioning Brooker as Phineas.
Charlie Brooker is not an animated triangle-headed ten-year-old. He's really not.
So, yes, Phineas and Ferb! Thoughts!
- Phineas and Ferb has possibly the most repetitive structure of anything I've ever watched. I worried at first that this might mean it would quickly become boring, but six episodes (twelve half-episode stories) in I'm still having fun. I do occasionally feel as if it's trying a bit too hard to be cool, but that's not a terribly meaningful complaint; what is 'too hard'?
- It is quite frustrating to watch, though, because my favourite characters appear to be Candace and Dr Doofenshmirtz, both of whom are constantly thwarted. I really wanted something good to happen for Doofenshmirtz on his birthday. You could at least have given him a present, Perry!
- I'm fascinated by Doofenshmirtz's relationship with Perry, actually. I always love it when villains and heroes have a hint of something a little warmer than enmity in their relationship; we see it between Sherlock and Moriarty, between Red John and Jane, and here we see it between Perry and Doofenshmirtz. Apparently I am no less fascinated by such a dynamic when the hero a) cannot speak, on account of the fact that he b) is a platypus. (Here is a charmingly daft song about their complicated enmity.)
...would it be wrong to 'ship them? (Yes. Yes, it would.)
- I would rather like to see Holmes and Watson (any incarnation, but the Sherlock version could be particularly fun) investigating Dr Doofenshmirtz. I can't imagine such an investigation would take very long, though.
- I suppose part of the reason I've warmed to Candace (besides the fact that she is voiced by Ashley Tisdale (Sharpay of High School Musical), which is just hilarious) is because she isn't exaggeratedly, invariably malicious in the way in which Vicky of The Fairly OddParents is. She's more of a Squidward figure; she's an antagonist, but she's also a victim, and she definitely has a softer side. I do enjoy The Fairly OddParents, but I was never particularly interested in Vicky, whereas I like Squidward of SpongeBob SquarePants and Candace of Phineas and Ferb enormously. Don't judge! I may watch quite a bit of children's television, but it is good children's television, I swear.
- Perry the Platypus is sort of, erm, hot. You're allowed to judge me for this one.
Speaking of Phineas and Ferb and David Mitchell: would you like to hear David Mitchell voicing a villain in a children's cartoon? If so, here you go! (His character appears at around the 2.30 mark; that link should take you directly there.)
I mention this because, having just been watching Phineas and Ferb on
hippyjolteon's recommendation, I began catching up on a fabulous work of Brooker/Mitchell UST and realised that I was envisioning Brooker as Phineas.Charlie Brooker is not an animated triangle-headed ten-year-old. He's really not.
So, yes, Phineas and Ferb! Thoughts!
- Phineas and Ferb has possibly the most repetitive structure of anything I've ever watched. I worried at first that this might mean it would quickly become boring, but six episodes (twelve half-episode stories) in I'm still having fun. I do occasionally feel as if it's trying a bit too hard to be cool, but that's not a terribly meaningful complaint; what is 'too hard'?
- It is quite frustrating to watch, though, because my favourite characters appear to be Candace and Dr Doofenshmirtz, both of whom are constantly thwarted. I really wanted something good to happen for Doofenshmirtz on his birthday. You could at least have given him a present, Perry!
- I'm fascinated by Doofenshmirtz's relationship with Perry, actually. I always love it when villains and heroes have a hint of something a little warmer than enmity in their relationship; we see it between Sherlock and Moriarty, between Red John and Jane, and here we see it between Perry and Doofenshmirtz. Apparently I am no less fascinated by such a dynamic when the hero a) cannot speak, on account of the fact that he b) is a platypus. (Here is a charmingly daft song about their complicated enmity.)
...would it be wrong to 'ship them? (Yes. Yes, it would.)
- I would rather like to see Holmes and Watson (any incarnation, but the Sherlock version could be particularly fun) investigating Dr Doofenshmirtz. I can't imagine such an investigation would take very long, though.
- I suppose part of the reason I've warmed to Candace (besides the fact that she is voiced by Ashley Tisdale (Sharpay of High School Musical), which is just hilarious) is because she isn't exaggeratedly, invariably malicious in the way in which Vicky of The Fairly OddParents is. She's more of a Squidward figure; she's an antagonist, but she's also a victim, and she definitely has a softer side. I do enjoy The Fairly OddParents, but I was never particularly interested in Vicky, whereas I like Squidward of SpongeBob SquarePants and Candace of Phineas and Ferb enormously. Don't judge! I may watch quite a bit of children's television, but it is good children's television, I swear.
- Perry the Platypus is sort of, erm, hot. You're allowed to judge me for this one.
Speaking of Phineas and Ferb and David Mitchell: would you like to hear David Mitchell voicing a villain in a children's cartoon? If so, here you go! (His character appears at around the 2.30 mark; that link should take you directly there.)
Saw a fireball in the sky over Brighton last night, to my alarm, and then ran to the Internet and discovered that I was probably seeing the Hayabusa space probe returning to Earth. How exciting! (But not too exciting, thank goodness.)
I've been thinking about the Not Set in Stone universe: the Pokémon AU in which Charlie Brooker is the Pewter City Gym Leader and David Mitchell a resident reluctant to embrace Pokémon ownership. Specifically, I've been wondering how other characters in the fandom would fit in.
Victoria Coren is another Gym Leader. I am in no doubt about this. Possibly, being a rather down-to-earth person, she specialises in Ground types: Sandslash, Cubone, Dugtrio? This would place her in Viridian City, which has the advantage of being quite close to Pewter City, so she and Brooker could easily be friends. (Alternatively, she could be a Psychic specialist, because it seems rather fitting for a skilled poker player, or a Grass specialist, just because I can see her with an Ivysaur.)
Aisleyne competes in Pokémon Contests and is extremely good at them. Brooker's not particularly interested in Pokémon Contests, but he does tend to watch whatever's on television when he's got nothing else to do, and so he's grown to rather like her, although they've never met.
The other reason Brooker watches Pokémon Contests is because Konnie Huq presents them. Sadly, I don't know Huq or Aisleyne well enough to assign them Pokémon, but I'm fairly confident of the role they would play in the Pokémon world. Brooker has met Huq, because she presents quite a lot of television and has covered the broadcasting of significant Pewter Gym matches on a couple of occasions. They don't really know each other personally, but they've got on well on the occasions on which they've met, so who knows?
Perhaps Huq could get Mitchell into television? PERHAPS THE POKÉMON WORLD COULD HAVE ITS OWN VERSION OF PEEP SHOW. PEEP SHOW WITH POKÉMON. Although that would sort of require the presence of Robert Webb, and in this universe Robert Webb is an Eevee.
'Nathan Barley' is the name Brooker has mentally given Gary Oak since he passed through Brooker's Gym, having forgotten Gary's real name. Gary was only mildly obnoxious, but Brooker has mentally built him up (down?) into the worst human being who ever lived.
(I love Gary. I love that he matures and develops over the course of Pokémon. But he would have met Brooker fairly early on in his journey, and Brooker would not have been impressed.)
I don't have any more fanfiction in this universe planned at the moment, but I'm very much enjoying thinking about it.
I've been thinking about the Not Set in Stone universe: the Pokémon AU in which Charlie Brooker is the Pewter City Gym Leader and David Mitchell a resident reluctant to embrace Pokémon ownership. Specifically, I've been wondering how other characters in the fandom would fit in.
Victoria Coren is another Gym Leader. I am in no doubt about this. Possibly, being a rather down-to-earth person, she specialises in Ground types: Sandslash, Cubone, Dugtrio? This would place her in Viridian City, which has the advantage of being quite close to Pewter City, so she and Brooker could easily be friends. (Alternatively, she could be a Psychic specialist, because it seems rather fitting for a skilled poker player, or a Grass specialist, just because I can see her with an Ivysaur.)
Aisleyne competes in Pokémon Contests and is extremely good at them. Brooker's not particularly interested in Pokémon Contests, but he does tend to watch whatever's on television when he's got nothing else to do, and so he's grown to rather like her, although they've never met.
The other reason Brooker watches Pokémon Contests is because Konnie Huq presents them. Sadly, I don't know Huq or Aisleyne well enough to assign them Pokémon, but I'm fairly confident of the role they would play in the Pokémon world. Brooker has met Huq, because she presents quite a lot of television and has covered the broadcasting of significant Pewter Gym matches on a couple of occasions. They don't really know each other personally, but they've got on well on the occasions on which they've met, so who knows?
Perhaps Huq could get Mitchell into television? PERHAPS THE POKÉMON WORLD COULD HAVE ITS OWN VERSION OF PEEP SHOW. PEEP SHOW WITH POKÉMON. Although that would sort of require the presence of Robert Webb, and in this universe Robert Webb is an Eevee.
'Nathan Barley' is the name Brooker has mentally given Gary Oak since he passed through Brooker's Gym, having forgotten Gary's real name. Gary was only mildly obnoxious, but Brooker has mentally built him up (down?) into the worst human being who ever lived.
(I love Gary. I love that he matures and develops over the course of Pokémon. But he would have met Brooker fairly early on in his journey, and Brooker would not have been impressed.)
I don't have any more fanfiction in this universe planned at the moment, but I'm very much enjoying thinking about it.
So it turns out that Charlie Brooker and Konnie Huq are engaged! I am a bit sad that the media found out, because I suspect that the plan was to get married secretly and then go 'LOL WE'RE MARRIED AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE WERE DATING', which would have been hilarious. Alas, it was not to be.
I won't pretend my reaction to the news wasn't mixed, given how unexpected it was and the part of my little fannish heart that massively 'ships Brooker with David Mitchell/Victoria Coren/me. But the two of them are charmingly mismatched, and Huq seemed adorable during Konnie's Great British Wee (parts one, two): 'I'm Konnie Huq. I'm thirty-three years old, but I look about nine, and for as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by the world of urination.'
(I really hope that Konnie's Great British Wee was how Huq and Brooker first met. I can't imagine a better answer to the question 'So, how did you two meet?' than 'Well, we were making a documentary about weeing in public...')
Also, Brooker has seemed happier and calmer in recent months than he used to be, and perhaps that's due to Huq's influence. If so, that's a good thing. Brooker's misanthropy and rage may be entertaining, but I disagree with comments I've seen on the Internet criticising him for becoming more mellow; it's absurd to wish unhappiness upon someone we admire for the sake of our amusement (and, in any case, I think he's still hilarious even in his mellowed state). I wish them the very best of luck.
(My only real selfish concern about this is how it will affect the Brooker fandom. I love this fandom, but this revelation has made me feel a bit guilty about writing for it. I hope I'll be able to get past this, because Brooker and Mitchell are such a joy to write (and read) for. I'm not ready to switch fandoms yet.
I suppose I can always write gen.)
I won't pretend my reaction to the news wasn't mixed, given how unexpected it was and the part of my little fannish heart that massively 'ships Brooker with David Mitchell/Victoria Coren/me. But the two of them are charmingly mismatched, and Huq seemed adorable during Konnie's Great British Wee (parts one, two): 'I'm Konnie Huq. I'm thirty-three years old, but I look about nine, and for as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by the world of urination.'
(I really hope that Konnie's Great British Wee was how Huq and Brooker first met. I can't imagine a better answer to the question 'So, how did you two meet?' than 'Well, we were making a documentary about weeing in public...')
Also, Brooker has seemed happier and calmer in recent months than he used to be, and perhaps that's due to Huq's influence. If so, that's a good thing. Brooker's misanthropy and rage may be entertaining, but I disagree with comments I've seen on the Internet criticising him for becoming more mellow; it's absurd to wish unhappiness upon someone we admire for the sake of our amusement (and, in any case, I think he's still hilarious even in his mellowed state). I wish them the very best of luck.
(My only real selfish concern about this is how it will affect the Brooker fandom. I love this fandom, but this revelation has made me feel a bit guilty about writing for it. I hope I'll be able to get past this, because Brooker and Mitchell are such a joy to write (and read) for. I'm not ready to switch fandoms yet.
I suppose I can always write gen.)
I really shouldn't look at forum comments about You Have Been Watching, because they just end up making me angry.
it could've been improved by ditching that Holly Walsh bint and replacing her with someone who's actually funny and would have contributed to the show
No, Internet. No. Shut up. Holly Walsh contributed, if I recall correctly, more than Mark Watson, but you're not criticising him; chances are you just ignored her contributions because she's an attractive young woman and so you assumed she wouldn't have anything to say worth hearing before she'd even opened her mouth.
It is fine not to find her funny! It is the blatant untruth of saying that she didn't contribute that makes me suspect differences in comedic taste aren't the only factor at work here.
Maybe they could have the next series with a regular panel of David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Reginald D Hunter and Victoria Coren - to look pretty.
OH MY GOD, INTERNET, SHUT UP.
The different standard to which female panel show guests are held really does make me seethe. It is fine not to like Victoria Coren or Josie Long or Holly Walsh or Sue Perkins or Jo Brand or Sarah Millican or Shappi Khorsandi or Lucy Porter or Catherine Tate or Miranda Hart as a performer. It really is. Some of them I love; some of them I can take or leave. It's the same with male comedians; I'm generally not a fan of Frankie Boyle's material, but I understand he's a popular comedian, and I've never really found Andy Parsons funny. They're just not to my tastes. That's fine.
But so often women are simply dismissed as the 'token panel show woman'. So often people seem to assume, the second they see that a panellist has breasts, that she isn't going to be funny, and of course if the viewer is already working under that assumption any woman on the panel is going to have to work much harder than the men to impress them. I know this attitude exists, because, to my shame, I've had to catch it and train it out of myself. Then there's the appearance paradox, which I simply haven't seen in comments about male comedians: women in comedy are criticised if they're attractive, because obviously in that case they're just there to provide 'eye candy' (as we all know, if you spend all the points you gain on levelling up on Charisma, you won't have any left to spend on Intelligence, and I see no reason why we shouldn't apply RPG logic to real life), and they're criticised if they're not attractive, because then what's the point of having them there?
THEY ARE THERE TO MAKE HUMOROUS COMMENTS, INTERNET. THEY ARE THERE TO BE FUNNY. AND, IF YOU GAVE THEM A CHANCE, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT THEY SUCCEED. THEY GET SOME RESPECT; YOU ENJOY PANEL SHOWS MORE. IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
Perhaps it's easier to name truly outstanding male comedians than it is to name female ones, but I suspect that's just because there are fewer female comedians, and, given the way they're treated, is that a surprise?
In conclusion: shut up, Internet. Shut up, shut up, shut up. There are good female comedians, but you are never going to realise this unless you gain enough respect for women to be able to laugh at them.
(This rant isn't directed at any of you; I just felt it needed to be said.)
it could've been improved by ditching that Holly Walsh bint and replacing her with someone who's actually funny and would have contributed to the show
No, Internet. No. Shut up. Holly Walsh contributed, if I recall correctly, more than Mark Watson, but you're not criticising him; chances are you just ignored her contributions because she's an attractive young woman and so you assumed she wouldn't have anything to say worth hearing before she'd even opened her mouth.
It is fine not to find her funny! It is the blatant untruth of saying that she didn't contribute that makes me suspect differences in comedic taste aren't the only factor at work here.
Maybe they could have the next series with a regular panel of David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Reginald D Hunter and Victoria Coren - to look pretty.
OH MY GOD, INTERNET, SHUT UP.
The different standard to which female panel show guests are held really does make me seethe. It is fine not to like Victoria Coren or Josie Long or Holly Walsh or Sue Perkins or Jo Brand or Sarah Millican or Shappi Khorsandi or Lucy Porter or Catherine Tate or Miranda Hart as a performer. It really is. Some of them I love; some of them I can take or leave. It's the same with male comedians; I'm generally not a fan of Frankie Boyle's material, but I understand he's a popular comedian, and I've never really found Andy Parsons funny. They're just not to my tastes. That's fine.
But so often women are simply dismissed as the 'token panel show woman'. So often people seem to assume, the second they see that a panellist has breasts, that she isn't going to be funny, and of course if the viewer is already working under that assumption any woman on the panel is going to have to work much harder than the men to impress them. I know this attitude exists, because, to my shame, I've had to catch it and train it out of myself. Then there's the appearance paradox, which I simply haven't seen in comments about male comedians: women in comedy are criticised if they're attractive, because obviously in that case they're just there to provide 'eye candy' (as we all know, if you spend all the points you gain on levelling up on Charisma, you won't have any left to spend on Intelligence, and I see no reason why we shouldn't apply RPG logic to real life), and they're criticised if they're not attractive, because then what's the point of having them there?
THEY ARE THERE TO MAKE HUMOROUS COMMENTS, INTERNET. THEY ARE THERE TO BE FUNNY. AND, IF YOU GAVE THEM A CHANCE, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT THEY SUCCEED. THEY GET SOME RESPECT; YOU ENJOY PANEL SHOWS MORE. IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
Perhaps it's easier to name truly outstanding male comedians than it is to name female ones, but I suspect that's just because there are fewer female comedians, and, given the way they're treated, is that a surprise?
In conclusion: shut up, Internet. Shut up, shut up, shut up. There are good female comedians, but you are never going to realise this unless you gain enough respect for women to be able to laugh at them.
(This rant isn't directed at any of you; I just felt it needed to be said.)
I met up with vampirespider yesterday, which was lovely! We rambled about the fandomisation of politics and Charlie Brooker's uniquely disturbing brand of adorability, and then we watched the Kids' TV Special of You Have Been Watching, which showcases both the disturbing and the adorable aspects of Brooker rather well. (I was lucky enough to be at the recording; my report is here.)
My main thought: I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY KEPT THE END OF THE MR FUGGLES SEGMENT IN. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE CHARLIE BROOKER DID THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE. It delights me in ways I'd prefer not to examine too closely.
Some brilliant person has already uploaded the Mr Fuggles segment of last night's You Have Been Watching to YouTube. Watch it before the channel gets wind of it and it gets blocked in the UK! It is only three minutes long and so adorable and also so very, very twisted. CHARLIE BROOKER, SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH YOUand I love it.
Seriously, I love Mr Fuggles' puppeteer. He is an absolute genius. And I very much hope that Mr Fuggles becomes a recurring figure in fanfiction and indeed in my life. Mr Fuggles is a bit odd-looking but has captured my heart utterly, much like Brooker himself.
why whyyyyyyyyy is the ending of that clip hot Brooker you have broken me
EDIT:th_esaurus has made a GIF of That Moment.
( Beneath the cut. )
I can't stop watching it. I'm genuinely worried. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, BROOKER; YOUR INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL TASTES HAVE RUINED MY MIND.
vampirespider yesterday, which was lovely! We rambled about the fandomisation of politics and Charlie Brooker's uniquely disturbing brand of adorability, and then we watched the Kids' TV Special of You Have Been Watching, which showcases both the disturbing and the adorable aspects of Brooker rather well. (I was lucky enough to be at the recording; my report is here.)My main thought: I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY KEPT THE END OF THE MR FUGGLES SEGMENT IN. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE CHARLIE BROOKER DID THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE. It delights me in ways I'd prefer not to examine too closely.
Some brilliant person has already uploaded the Mr Fuggles segment of last night's You Have Been Watching to YouTube. Watch it before the channel gets wind of it and it gets blocked in the UK! It is only three minutes long and so adorable and also so very, very twisted. CHARLIE BROOKER, SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH YOU
Seriously, I love Mr Fuggles' puppeteer. He is an absolute genius. And I very much hope that Mr Fuggles becomes a recurring figure in fanfiction and indeed in my life. Mr Fuggles is a bit odd-looking but has captured my heart utterly, much like Brooker himself.
EDIT:
th_esaurus has made a GIF of That Moment.( Beneath the cut. )
I can't stop watching it. I'm genuinely worried. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, BROOKER; YOUR INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL TASTES HAVE RUINED MY MIND.
Just Taking Another Sip Of My 'Water'.
May. 19th, 2010 10:27 amHere is the second episode of Charlie Brooker's Radio 4 panel show, So Wrong It's Right, on iPlayer! The panel are Lee Mack, Josie Long and Tom Basden, and it literally made me laugh until I cried. You may be able to listen to it if you're outside the UK, as I think radio on iPlayer isn't as restricted as television; can anyone confirm?
I've been seeing a fair bit of vitriol about Victoria Coren on the Internet, and it's annoying me. I'm sure it's possible for her not to be to one's tastes, but I genuinely believe that she is intelligent and witty and that much of the dislike of her is spawned from pure sexism. I hope I'm wrong, but I suspect people are thinking 'oh, she's the token panel show woman, she won't be any good', and so fail to appreciate her because they're already determined to be disappointed. I think women in comedy are generally judged far more harshly than men.
Anyway, I had the pleasure of seeing Ms Coren in person yesterday, becausecausethesounds, chocolatepeach, anewcitylife and I went to see Heresy being recorded! If, like me, you've never heard Heresy before: it's a Radio 4 panel show in which the panel argue against commonly-held opinions. The host is the lovely Victoria Coren; the panel on this occasion were David Schneider, David Mitchell and a man who was not called David and therefore unimportant. He will not be mentioned again.*
The recording was extremely short (under an hour! For comparison: Would I Lie To You? recordings take about three hours to ultimately produce an episode of the same length), so this won't be a very long report, but here's what I can remember.
( Heresy recording, 18th May 2010. )
Whilst waiting for the venue doors to open, we decided that Charlie Brooker should record Mills & Boon audiobooks. In incredibly sarcastic tones. With mock-wanking noises.
It would be a delight.
(Oh, and Team Too Many Recordings brought tiny cakes to congratulate me on meeting my deadline! ♥! (Victoria sponges, appropriately enough.))
* Nothing against the man; I just genuinely can't remember anything he said.
I've been seeing a fair bit of vitriol about Victoria Coren on the Internet, and it's annoying me. I'm sure it's possible for her not to be to one's tastes, but I genuinely believe that she is intelligent and witty and that much of the dislike of her is spawned from pure sexism. I hope I'm wrong, but I suspect people are thinking 'oh, she's the token panel show woman, she won't be any good', and so fail to appreciate her because they're already determined to be disappointed. I think women in comedy are generally judged far more harshly than men.
Anyway, I had the pleasure of seeing Ms Coren in person yesterday, because
causethesounds, chocolatepeach, anewcitylife and I went to see Heresy being recorded! If, like me, you've never heard Heresy before: it's a Radio 4 panel show in which the panel argue against commonly-held opinions. The host is the lovely Victoria Coren; the panel on this occasion were David Schneider, David Mitchell and a man who was not called David and therefore unimportant. He will not be mentioned again.*The recording was extremely short (under an hour! For comparison: Would I Lie To You? recordings take about three hours to ultimately produce an episode of the same length), so this won't be a very long report, but here's what I can remember.
( Heresy recording, 18th May 2010. )
Whilst waiting for the venue doors to open, we decided that Charlie Brooker should record Mills & Boon audiobooks. In incredibly sarcastic tones. With mock-wanking noises.
It would be a delight.
(Oh, and Team Too Many Recordings brought tiny cakes to congratulate me on meeting my deadline! ♥! (Victoria sponges, appropriately enough.))
* Nothing against the man; I just genuinely can't remember anything he said.
Sneeze Your Womb Out? That's Your Plan?
May. 17th, 2010 05:53 pmWell, that's university over and done with.
...bit anticlimactic, really, isn't it? Hang on:
You defeated UNIVERSITY!
Thank you so much for your support, both in the comments to my previous entry and over the past four months of stress. I am so lucky to know all of you. (I suppose it's conceivable that You, The Reader might be someone I do not, in fact, know, but I'm sure you're excellent anyway.)
I feel a bit odd now. I don't quite know what to do when I don't have a massive deadline looming over me, it seems. What do people do when they're not panicking over dissertations?
Ooh, I can start writing again! Well, yes, I was writing before, but now I can write without guilt. The drive to write may well have scarpered now that the allure of procrastination no longer hovers about it, but let's give this a go anyway:
Give me a prompt (or several), and I'll write you a one-sentence fic.
(I should become slightly less terrible at responding to things now. Let's hope.)
...bit anticlimactic, really, isn't it? Hang on:
You defeated UNIVERSITY!
Thank you so much for your support, both in the comments to my previous entry and over the past four months of stress. I am so lucky to know all of you. (I suppose it's conceivable that You, The Reader might be someone I do not, in fact, know, but I'm sure you're excellent anyway.)
I feel a bit odd now. I don't quite know what to do when I don't have a massive deadline looming over me, it seems. What do people do when they're not panicking over dissertations?
Ooh, I can start writing again! Well, yes, I was writing before, but now I can write without guilt. The drive to write may well have scarpered now that the allure of procrastination no longer hovers about it, but let's give this a go anyway:
Give me a prompt (or several), and I'll write you a one-sentence fic.
(I should become slightly less terrible at responding to things now. Let's hope.)
Hot Seats! Hot Seats, Yeah!
May. 12th, 2010 11:29 am(Riona and housemate Rachael have returned from a trip to the supermarket. Riona checks the Internet.)
Riona: Rachael!
Rachael: What?
Riona: While we were out, David Cameron became Prime Minister.
Rachael: Oh, God! This is what happens when you leave the house!
Had to crack up at Charlie Brooker's response on Twitter: LEAST SEXY PRIME MINISTER EVER
It's not the outcome for which I was hoping, and Cameron still terrifies me, but I do find it hilarious that the media have been portraying our political turmoil as a massive Cameron/Clegg slashfic (this manip was on the BBC website, apparently). And, as was pointed out on the Alternative Election Night, a Conservative government means these are going to be a great few years for satire (a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition probably even more so. Are Cameron and Clegg going to be living together at Downing Street, thus making the running of this country into a ridiculous sitcom? I do hope so). Every cloud has a hilarious lining!
(Here is a video on the BBC site of Clegg arriving at Number 10. Is it just me, or is Cameron's body language incredibly, creepily possessive?)
Anyway, you already knew that David Cameron was Prime Minister. To continue the entry's theme of 'Things You Already Knew': SO IT TURNS OUT THAT I WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN CHARLIE BROOKER WET HIMSELF ON LIVE TELEVISION. I can't believe he actually wrote about that in a column. That's amazing. It would have been a great fact for Would I Lie To You?
Also, in case you're interested but somehow missed it, the first episode of Charlie Brooker's new Radio Four panel show, So Wrong It's Right, aired yesterday. The panel were David Mitchell, Victoria Coren and Rufus Hound; you can listen to it here if you're in the UK. My favourite part, predictably, is about seventeen minutes in, when Mitchell gets shirty with Brooker for calling him 'smartypants' and then comes up with an entire bitter reality TV premise in response to it; this was recorded over a year ago, so I'm delighted Mitchell and Brooker had chemistry even then. I want Mitchell, Brooker and Coren to be on everything together. (They're all on tomorrow's episode of You Have Been Watching, incidentally: ten o'clock on Channel Four.)
Bit of advertising now:draegonhawke is looking for players for a panfandom roleplay, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
beyondtherift! It's been around for a while, but a number of players have recently moved on, leaving vacancies for characters from fandoms including Doctor Who, Torchwood, Life on Mars and Buffy. If you're looking for plotty roleplaying and won't be too disconcerted by the fact that the characters already there have undergone development over the course of the game, you could check it out.
Riona: Rachael!
Rachael: What?
Riona: While we were out, David Cameron became Prime Minister.
Rachael: Oh, God! This is what happens when you leave the house!
Had to crack up at Charlie Brooker's response on Twitter: LEAST SEXY PRIME MINISTER EVER
It's not the outcome for which I was hoping, and Cameron still terrifies me, but I do find it hilarious that the media have been portraying our political turmoil as a massive Cameron/Clegg slashfic (this manip was on the BBC website, apparently). And, as was pointed out on the Alternative Election Night, a Conservative government means these are going to be a great few years for satire (a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition probably even more so. Are Cameron and Clegg going to be living together at Downing Street, thus making the running of this country into a ridiculous sitcom? I do hope so). Every cloud has a hilarious lining!
(Here is a video on the BBC site of Clegg arriving at Number 10. Is it just me, or is Cameron's body language incredibly, creepily possessive?)
Anyway, you already knew that David Cameron was Prime Minister. To continue the entry's theme of 'Things You Already Knew': SO IT TURNS OUT THAT I WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN CHARLIE BROOKER WET HIMSELF ON LIVE TELEVISION. I can't believe he actually wrote about that in a column. That's amazing. It would have been a great fact for Would I Lie To You?
Also, in case you're interested but somehow missed it, the first episode of Charlie Brooker's new Radio Four panel show, So Wrong It's Right, aired yesterday. The panel were David Mitchell, Victoria Coren and Rufus Hound; you can listen to it here if you're in the UK. My favourite part, predictably, is about seventeen minutes in, when Mitchell gets shirty with Brooker for calling him 'smartypants' and then comes up with an entire bitter reality TV premise in response to it; this was recorded over a year ago, so I'm delighted Mitchell and Brooker had chemistry even then. I want Mitchell, Brooker and Coren to be on everything together. (They're all on tomorrow's episode of You Have Been Watching, incidentally: ten o'clock on Channel Four.)
Bit of advertising now:
draegonhawke is looking for players for a panfandom roleplay, beyondtherift! It's been around for a while, but a number of players have recently moved on, leaving vacancies for characters from fandoms including Doctor Who, Torchwood, Life on Mars and Buffy. If you're looking for plotty roleplaying and won't be too disconcerted by the fact that the characters already there have undergone development over the course of the game, you could check it out.My constituency's gone Conservative. I feel as if my vote somehow exploded in the ballot box and burnt up four thousand Lib Dem votes. Blast. Should have realised that was a risk.
AWESOMER THINGS: last night I was at the live broadcast of Channel Four's Alternative Election Night! IT'S NOT AS IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING ANY WORK WHEN DAVID MITCHELL WAS PRESENTING ELECTION COVERAGE; I'M ALLOWED. I was a bit saddened by how scripted it was, but I suppose they want to take as few risks as possible on live television. Also saddened by how little Mitchell and Brooker interacted, and for a long time afraid that they might not interact at all, but then came the last ten minutes or so to prove that they should never not be together. If you have Brooker and Mitchell and they are not speaking to each other, programme-makers, you are wasting an opportunity.
I suppose they couldn't have Brooker on too much because he is absolutely, hilariously terrible with autocues. (Mitchell, however, will happily read out anything that's on an autocue without thinking about it; at one point, he said, 'I'm sitting here with [name], [name], David, [name] and [name].' There was no other David at the table. You're sitting there with yourself, Mitchell?)
Don't know whether anyone caught sight of me in the audience.anewcitylife, causethesounds and I were all Lib Dems, but were seated in the tiny section for miscellaneous parties because the Lib Dem section was full; the rest of our contingent had to say they were Labour supporters to be allowed in.
Anyway, I didn't make detailed notes, because it was being broadcast live and so things wouldn't be cut out. Here are a few notes on various events of which you might not be aware, though.
-derryderrydown: Vagina dentata: what a wonderful phrase! Vagina dentata, ain't no passing craze! It means no penis for the rest of your days...
- Jimmy Carr seems quite a friendly chap! He said hello as he walked past the queue at the beginning, hung back to talk to the audience at the end, and shook hands withanewcitylife when she commiserated with him about their mockable laughs.
- During an ad break, when Carr and Mitchell were preparing to do a bit to camera, Carr linked his hands together over Mitchell's shoulder and attempted to lean on him.
Mitchell: ...are you going to do that? Because it's a bit weird.
EVERYONE FLIRTS WITH DAVID MITCHELL. It is just true.
- On one occasion, whilst leaving the studio, Brooker paused to say something to Mitchell: the first contact the two of them had had. Mitchell was speaking to someone else, though, and didn't seem to notice; Brooker left, casting a backwards glance. I was bizarrely heartbroken.
- Later, Brooker attempted to engage Mitchell and succeeded! They looked at some sort of document together, and then Mitchell clapped a hand on Brooker's back and gave him a playful shove towards where he was supposed to be sitting. It was adorable.
- EDIT: Oh, yes, and at the beginning David Mitchell was sitting on a table with his legs apart and his crotch practically inanewcitylife's face.
And a few things that were broadcast, just because they give me glee (and because the programme isn't available on 4oD, tsk):
- Brooker's 'now over to our very own David Mitchell': the most delightfully sarcastic pronunciation of a name I've ever heard.
- Mitchell made a joke about killing all the politicians. There were cheers and applause from the audience, to his visible alarm.
Carr: People will ask how the revolution started, and we'll say, 'It was David Mitchell.'
Carr then cast Brooker as the leader of the revolution. I love it when they write their own AU prompts for us.
- Towards the end of broadcasting, Mitchell made a joke that didn't really work, and then, after a moment, exclaimed, 'Don't give me that look, Charlie! It's late!'
They are so married. The marriedest.
AWESOMER THINGS: last night I was at the live broadcast of Channel Four's Alternative Election Night! IT'S NOT AS IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING ANY WORK WHEN DAVID MITCHELL WAS PRESENTING ELECTION COVERAGE; I'M ALLOWED. I was a bit saddened by how scripted it was, but I suppose they want to take as few risks as possible on live television. Also saddened by how little Mitchell and Brooker interacted, and for a long time afraid that they might not interact at all, but then came the last ten minutes or so to prove that they should never not be together. If you have Brooker and Mitchell and they are not speaking to each other, programme-makers, you are wasting an opportunity.
I suppose they couldn't have Brooker on too much because he is absolutely, hilariously terrible with autocues. (Mitchell, however, will happily read out anything that's on an autocue without thinking about it; at one point, he said, 'I'm sitting here with [name], [name], David, [name] and [name].' There was no other David at the table. You're sitting there with yourself, Mitchell?)
Don't know whether anyone caught sight of me in the audience.
anewcitylife, causethesounds and I were all Lib Dems, but were seated in the tiny section for miscellaneous parties because the Lib Dem section was full; the rest of our contingent had to say they were Labour supporters to be allowed in.Anyway, I didn't make detailed notes, because it was being broadcast live and so things wouldn't be cut out. Here are a few notes on various events of which you might not be aware, though.
-
derryderrydown: Vagina dentata: what a wonderful phrase! Vagina dentata, ain't no passing craze! It means no penis for the rest of your days...- Jimmy Carr seems quite a friendly chap! He said hello as he walked past the queue at the beginning, hung back to talk to the audience at the end, and shook hands with
anewcitylife when she commiserated with him about their mockable laughs.- During an ad break, when Carr and Mitchell were preparing to do a bit to camera, Carr linked his hands together over Mitchell's shoulder and attempted to lean on him.
Mitchell: ...are you going to do that? Because it's a bit weird.
EVERYONE FLIRTS WITH DAVID MITCHELL. It is just true.
- On one occasion, whilst leaving the studio, Brooker paused to say something to Mitchell: the first contact the two of them had had. Mitchell was speaking to someone else, though, and didn't seem to notice; Brooker left, casting a backwards glance. I was bizarrely heartbroken.
- Later, Brooker attempted to engage Mitchell and succeeded! They looked at some sort of document together, and then Mitchell clapped a hand on Brooker's back and gave him a playful shove towards where he was supposed to be sitting. It was adorable.
- EDIT: Oh, yes, and at the beginning David Mitchell was sitting on a table with his legs apart and his crotch practically in
anewcitylife's face.And a few things that were broadcast, just because they give me glee (and because the programme isn't available on 4oD, tsk):
- Brooker's 'now over to our very own David Mitchell': the most delightfully sarcastic pronunciation of a name I've ever heard.
- Mitchell made a joke about killing all the politicians. There were cheers and applause from the audience, to his visible alarm.
Carr: People will ask how the revolution started, and we'll say, 'It was David Mitchell.'
Carr then cast Brooker as the leader of the revolution. I love it when they write their own AU prompts for us.
- Towards the end of broadcasting, Mitchell made a joke that didn't really work, and then, after a moment, exclaimed, 'Don't give me that look, Charlie! It's late!'
They are so married. The marriedest.
Glancing through my notebook, and apparently I recently dreamt that Charlie Brooker knocked me out and stole my trousers. I don't remember this at all.
Also dreamt that he made me hand over four thousand pounds' worth of my property, then amused himself by forcing me to kneel in front of a shelf in a toy shop, staring at a tin of Lego that said abusive things about me on the packaging. Charlie Brooker, you are such a dick in my dreams.
(Here, incidentally, is a clip of Brooker getting VERY, VERY ANGRY about the Over the Rainbow trail ruining the ending of last week's Doctor Who episode ('The Time of Angels'). I enjoy it when he shouts.)
Random Facts About Riona's Family, as I've just remembered this: my mother was somehow taught the wrong History curriculum when she was at school. They'd spent the entire year learning about the First World War, and the exam was on the Second. The entire class failed, of course. One of her friends wrote nothing on her paper but 'Garibaldi was a biscuit and I want to go home'.
Whilst I'm at it: my mother and a friend of hers once stole some plums from a neighbour's garden, found they were nasty and, outraged, squashed them and posted them through the letterbox. My brothers and I evidently inherited her plum-related audacity, as we used to steal plums from the tree next door using a fishing net poked through the upstairs window. Oh, dear.
Work update: 18,000 words written. 4,000 to write. Two weeks to go. The plan is to get first drafts of everything finished this week and then spend the final week rearranging things and finding secondary sources. I have been absolutely losing my mind lately (cooped up indoors, bingeing on chocolate, bursting into hysterical hyperventilating tears in front of my long-suffering housemate), but it should be possible. I have reached a stage at which it sounds possible. I'm just so exhausted and fretting at the moment.
The Charlie Brooker fandom is what's been keeping me from completely breaking down, and I am so, so grateful. I love the fic and the people and the ridiculous ideas and the enthusiasm and the recordings. I love Brooker himself, and Mitchell, and the way they interact (the second Brooker episode of The Unbelievable Truth should be on Radio Four at 6.30 this afternoon, incidentally). I love it when entries about this fandom show up on my flist. It makes me happy, and that's what I need when university is pressing down on me. Thanks for supporting me in my time of academic terror, guys. ♥
Also dreamt that he made me hand over four thousand pounds' worth of my property, then amused himself by forcing me to kneel in front of a shelf in a toy shop, staring at a tin of Lego that said abusive things about me on the packaging. Charlie Brooker, you are such a dick in my dreams.
(Here, incidentally, is a clip of Brooker getting VERY, VERY ANGRY about the Over the Rainbow trail ruining the ending of last week's Doctor Who episode ('The Time of Angels'). I enjoy it when he shouts.)
Random Facts About Riona's Family, as I've just remembered this: my mother was somehow taught the wrong History curriculum when she was at school. They'd spent the entire year learning about the First World War, and the exam was on the Second. The entire class failed, of course. One of her friends wrote nothing on her paper but 'Garibaldi was a biscuit and I want to go home'.
Whilst I'm at it: my mother and a friend of hers once stole some plums from a neighbour's garden, found they were nasty and, outraged, squashed them and posted them through the letterbox. My brothers and I evidently inherited her plum-related audacity, as we used to steal plums from the tree next door using a fishing net poked through the upstairs window. Oh, dear.
Work update: 18,000 words written. 4,000 to write. Two weeks to go. The plan is to get first drafts of everything finished this week and then spend the final week rearranging things and finding secondary sources. I have been absolutely losing my mind lately (cooped up indoors, bingeing on chocolate, bursting into hysterical hyperventilating tears in front of my long-suffering housemate), but it should be possible. I have reached a stage at which it sounds possible. I'm just so exhausted and fretting at the moment.
The Charlie Brooker fandom is what's been keeping me from completely breaking down, and I am so, so grateful. I love the fic and the people and the ridiculous ideas and the enthusiasm and the recordings. I love Brooker himself, and Mitchell, and the way they interact (the second Brooker episode of The Unbelievable Truth should be on Radio Four at 6.30 this afternoon, incidentally). I love it when entries about this fandom show up on my flist. It makes me happy, and that's what I need when university is pressing down on me. Thanks for supporting me in my time of academic terror, guys. ♥
I was going to be responsible. I really was. anewcitylife offered me a ticket to last night's Would I Lie To You?, and I reluctantly turned it down; my deadline was approaching, after all, and I needed to work.
And then I got another offer fromamandapear, and it turns out I have only so much willpower.
Whoops.
So, Would I Lie To You?! The guests were Rhod Gilbert, Rufus Hound, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Miranda Hart.
Out-of-Context Theatre:
'I'm just going to take some cocaine and shag my rent boy.' - Lee Mack
'A Garibaldi and an anus are fairly different-looking things.' - David Mitchell
'Please don't use the bit where I compared paedophilia to drink-driving for the trailer.' - Lee Mack
At the end, David Mitchell got to his knees behind Rob Brydon's desk.
( Would I Lie To You? recording, 30th April 2010. )
That was a rather disjointed recap. I apologise! My memory is somewhat impaired, because we were seated behind a camera and the autocue and so we had to strain to see anyone.
(causethesounds' recap is over here.)
And now I really am going to get some work done. No more recordings until my deadline! Unless a ticket for the Mitchell and Brooker Sexually-Frustrated Bickering Hour happens to fall into my lap, because I can't resist that. These things are terrifyingly addictive. TWO MONTHS AGO I HAD NEVER BEEN TO A COMEDY RECORDING BEFORE. NOW I HAVE GONE TO SEVEN. (My considered opinion: The Unbelievable Truth, You Have Been Watching and Would I Lie To You? recordings are all great fun, but the You Have Been Watching ones are my favourite.)
According tocausethesounds, I sound very like David Mitchell online, and so seeing me interact with sos_your_face is a strange experience, as she sounds like Charlie Brooker. I was amused and rather flattered by this.
anewcitylife offered me a ticket to last night's Would I Lie To You?, and I reluctantly turned it down; my deadline was approaching, after all, and I needed to work.And then I got another offer from
amandapear, and it turns out I have only so much willpower.Whoops.
So, Would I Lie To You?! The guests were Rhod Gilbert, Rufus Hound, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Miranda Hart.
Out-of-Context Theatre:
'I'm just going to take some cocaine and shag my rent boy.' - Lee Mack
'A Garibaldi and an anus are fairly different-looking things.' - David Mitchell
'Please don't use the bit where I compared paedophilia to drink-driving for the trailer.' - Lee Mack
At the end, David Mitchell got to his knees behind Rob Brydon's desk.
( Would I Lie To You? recording, 30th April 2010. )
That was a rather disjointed recap. I apologise! My memory is somewhat impaired, because we were seated behind a camera and the autocue and so we had to strain to see anyone.
(
causethesounds' recap is over here.)And now I really am going to get some work done. No more recordings until my deadline! Unless a ticket for the Mitchell and Brooker Sexually-Frustrated Bickering Hour happens to fall into my lap, because I can't resist that. These things are terrifyingly addictive. TWO MONTHS AGO I HAD NEVER BEEN TO A COMEDY RECORDING BEFORE. NOW I HAVE GONE TO SEVEN. (My considered opinion: The Unbelievable Truth, You Have Been Watching and Would I Lie To You? recordings are all great fun, but the You Have Been Watching ones are my favourite.)
According to
causethesounds, I sound very like David Mitchell online, and so seeing me interact with sos_your_face is a strange experience, as she sounds like Charlie Brooker. I was amused and rather flattered by this.My mental screensaver is now Charlie Brooker snogging an adorable furry handpuppet. If I'm not thinking of anything in particular, I'm seeing Brooker making out with a puppet. I suspect this may be the case for a while.
By which I mean that I went to see the You Have Been Watching Children's TV Special being recorded yesterday withcausethesounds, anewcitylife and th_esaurus. My memory is sort of overwhelmed by CHARLIE BROOKER SNOGGED A PUPPET, but I'll try to recall enough things to make a proper report.
The guests were Mark Watson, Chris Addison and Holly Walsh; the host, of course, was Charlie Brooker.
( Mr Fuggles and Other Stories: the recording of the You Have Been Watching Children's TV Special. )
There was a LINE here. It's gone now.
By which I mean that I went to see the You Have Been Watching Children's TV Special being recorded yesterday with
causethesounds, anewcitylife and th_esaurus. My memory is sort of overwhelmed by CHARLIE BROOKER SNOGGED A PUPPET, but I'll try to recall enough things to make a proper report.The guests were Mark Watson, Chris Addison and Holly Walsh; the host, of course, was Charlie Brooker.
( Mr Fuggles and Other Stories: the recording of the You Have Been Watching Children's TV Special. )
There was a LINE here. It's gone now.
David Mitchell is a boilerhouse of pure sexual energy. Every time I meet him I act all aggressive without realising it, because I'm suppressing the urge to get all Gone With The Wind on his arse.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL THING THAT CHARLIE BROOKER SAID. AN ACTUAL THING. CHARLIE BROOKER ACTUALLY SAID THIS.
And to think I've been worried about tinhatting! I have every excuse.
I really just wanted to say that, but that's hardly a proper entry, is it? So I'm going to type up the Post-it exchanges between Mark and Jeremy in the book of Peep Show scripts I've just rediscovered (Peep Show: The Scripts and More), because they amuse me.
( FUCK OFF MY FOOD. )
I want to see so many more of their note exchanges. This is why the world needs more Peep Show fanfiction! (Which you should post over atpeepshowfic should you write/have written any, incidentally.)
Finally, here isfirefly99 singing the Pokémon theme to the tune of Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face'. It is one of the greatest things I have ever heard.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL THING THAT CHARLIE BROOKER SAID. AN ACTUAL THING. CHARLIE BROOKER ACTUALLY SAID THIS.
And to think I've been worried about tinhatting! I have every excuse.
I really just wanted to say that, but that's hardly a proper entry, is it? So I'm going to type up the Post-it exchanges between Mark and Jeremy in the book of Peep Show scripts I've just rediscovered (Peep Show: The Scripts and More), because they amuse me.
( FUCK OFF MY FOOD. )
I want to see so many more of their note exchanges. This is why the world needs more Peep Show fanfiction! (Which you should post over at
peepshowfic should you write/have written any, incidentally.)Finally, here is
firefly99 singing the Pokémon theme to the tune of Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face'. It is one of the greatest things I have ever heard.Whoops, Forgot The Title.
Apr. 22nd, 2010 03:10 pmOn Tuesday, there was a You Have Been Watching recording that I could not attend. I sort of hate everyone who could be there, because the panel were Andy Nyman, Victoria Coren and David Mitchell. BROOKER, COREN AND MITCHELL IN THE SAME ROOM. I WOULD HAVE FAINTED.
I also love the people who could be there, though, because they wrote wonderful reports: derryderrydown, causethesounds.
Apparently (this isn't spoilery for the episode, as the context, alas, means it won't be broadcast), Brooker at one point, whilst relaying instructions from the voice in his ear to Mitchell, said, 'You want me to take off his what? Kiss him tenderly?'
BROOKER. BROOKER. YOU ARE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BE SANE ABOUT THIS PAIRING. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE GAY FOR DAVID MITCHELL AND YOU HAVE ONLY YOURSELF TO BLAME.
Anyway, last night I was able to attend another recording of Would I Lie To You?. I was rather hoping that the universe would make up for my absence at You Have Been Watching by having the guests be Charlie Brooker, Victoria Coren, Derren Brown and a clone of David Mitchell, but alas it was not to be. It was excellent fun, though!
The guests were Stephen Mangan, Kevin Bridges, Professor Brian Cox and Keeley Hawes (♥!). Fans present wereanewcitylife, causethesounds, chocolatepeach, swing_set, amandapear and sawnoffcourtney.
Here is my report.
( Would I Lie To You? recording, 21st April 2010. )
Finally, an exchange that took place prior to the actual recording, because it amused me. During a conversation about Mitchell and Brooker:
anewcitylife: Fuck it, they just need to get married.
causethesounds: And then they can adopt me!
anewcitylife: Yeah, but that'd be creepy, 'cause you'd keep trying to walk in on them.
And she would!
I also love the people who could be there, though, because they wrote wonderful reports: derryderrydown, causethesounds.
Apparently (this isn't spoilery for the episode, as the context, alas, means it won't be broadcast), Brooker at one point, whilst relaying instructions from the voice in his ear to Mitchell, said, 'You want me to take off his what? Kiss him tenderly?'
BROOKER. BROOKER. YOU ARE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BE SANE ABOUT THIS PAIRING. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE GAY FOR DAVID MITCHELL AND YOU HAVE ONLY YOURSELF TO BLAME.
Anyway, last night I was able to attend another recording of Would I Lie To You?. I was rather hoping that the universe would make up for my absence at You Have Been Watching by having the guests be Charlie Brooker, Victoria Coren, Derren Brown and a clone of David Mitchell, but alas it was not to be. It was excellent fun, though!
The guests were Stephen Mangan, Kevin Bridges, Professor Brian Cox and Keeley Hawes (♥!). Fans present were
anewcitylife, causethesounds, chocolatepeach, swing_set, amandapear and sawnoffcourtney.Here is my report.
( Would I Lie To You? recording, 21st April 2010. )
Finally, an exchange that took place prior to the actual recording, because it amused me. During a conversation about Mitchell and Brooker:
anewcitylife: Fuck it, they just need to get married.causethesounds: And then they can adopt me!anewcitylife: Yeah, but that'd be creepy, 'cause you'd keep trying to walk in on them.And she would!
I'm Glad I'm Not An Elephant.
Apr. 18th, 2010 02:43 pmI love the Charlie Brooker fandom, but it's terribly damaging for my confidence as a writer. The standard is simply too good. Even on the anon meme, my writing feels mediocre amongst all the anonymous brilliance; I feel guilty about taking a prompt because I'm sure someone else could fill it better, and I feel embarrassed despite the anonymity because I have quite a recognisable writing style.
Not that I'm complaining about having all this wonderful work to read, of course.
I am very disappointed in whoever was responsible for cutting Brooker's speculation on going back in time to give himself a handjob out of Thursday's episode of You Have Been Watching. It makes me quite sad that I cannot feasibly go to every comedy recording*, as I'm now so very aware of all that I'll be missing. If Radio Four can broadcast a conversation about a man having sex with a frozen chicken at six in the afternoon, surely you could have kept that in.
* although, as I have somehow lined up three recordings for the next two weeks, I appear to be having a bloody good crack at it. Oh, dear. I'm actually doing more work on my dissertations than I would otherwise, though, out of guilt, so that's something.
Actually, I haven't yet linked to the Charlie Brooker episode of The Unbelievable Truth, have I? For those of you who can use the BBC iPlayer, it is here, although it'll be taken down in a week. Particular highlights:
09.10-10.40 (although listen up to 11.30 for a rather wonderful followup): the man who had sex with a frozen chicken.
16.50-18.30: Brooker, Mitchell and some of the most alarming flirtation you will ever hear.
Anyway, back to the question of time-travelling sex with oneself!
( Cut for more speculation on the subject of self-sex than I imagine you want to read. )
...this is a terrible, terrible, terrible entry.
Not that I'm complaining about having all this wonderful work to read, of course.
I am very disappointed in whoever was responsible for cutting Brooker's speculation on going back in time to give himself a handjob out of Thursday's episode of You Have Been Watching. It makes me quite sad that I cannot feasibly go to every comedy recording*, as I'm now so very aware of all that I'll be missing. If Radio Four can broadcast a conversation about a man having sex with a frozen chicken at six in the afternoon, surely you could have kept that in.
* although, as I have somehow lined up three recordings for the next two weeks, I appear to be having a bloody good crack at it. Oh, dear. I'm actually doing more work on my dissertations than I would otherwise, though, out of guilt, so that's something.
Actually, I haven't yet linked to the Charlie Brooker episode of The Unbelievable Truth, have I? For those of you who can use the BBC iPlayer, it is here, although it'll be taken down in a week. Particular highlights:
09.10-10.40 (although listen up to 11.30 for a rather wonderful followup): the man who had sex with a frozen chicken.
16.50-18.30: Brooker, Mitchell and some of the most alarming flirtation you will ever hear.
Anyway, back to the question of time-travelling sex with oneself!
( Cut for more speculation on the subject of self-sex than I imagine you want to read. )
...this is a terrible, terrible, terrible entry.
I have been to see the recording of the first episode of the second series of You Have Been Watching, with anewcitylife, causethesounds (EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: causethesounds at the time) and derryderrydown! (It's a shame my username isn't 'bionaleonhart'; we almost had an alphabet theme going.)
My companions were wonderful. The recording was extremely enjoyable; not quite as funny as the recordings of The Unbelievable Truth, but, for reasons that are about to become clear, just as engrossing. The problem is that I am going to be unable to provide a detailed report, as I was more than a little distracted throughout by how much I needed to have sex with Charlie Brooker.
Seriously, we found ourselves sitting only four rows back, so we had an excellent view of his stupid weird attractive face, and I proceeded to spend the next three hours fighting back bizarre sexually-frustrated noises and the urge to run onto the set and, I don't know, lick him or something. This is not something that has ever happened to me before. How can that man exist?
I was actually shaking afterwards. It's ridiculous.
(Oh, yes, there were panellists, weren't there? They were David Baddiel, Liza Tarbuck and Kevin Bridges, but I'm afraid you won't see a great deal of them in here. LOOK, I CAN'T HELP IT IF I WAS STARING AT BROOKER THE ENTIRE TIME.
Actually, I've managed to recall a little more than I thought I would be able to.)
The episode will be broadcast tomorrow (Thursday) at ten in the evening on Channel Four, but obviously I'll be covering some things that won't be in the final cut.
( You Have Been Watching recording! )
Oh, I can't remember anything else. THE POINT OF THIS ENTRY: CHARLIE BROOKER IS A SEXY BASTARD. I don't know how or why, but it is true.
anewcitylife, causethesounds (EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: causethesounds at the time) and derryderrydown! (It's a shame my username isn't 'bionaleonhart'; we almost had an alphabet theme going.)My companions were wonderful. The recording was extremely enjoyable; not quite as funny as the recordings of The Unbelievable Truth, but, for reasons that are about to become clear, just as engrossing. The problem is that I am going to be unable to provide a detailed report, as I was more than a little distracted throughout by how much I needed to have sex with Charlie Brooker.
Seriously, we found ourselves sitting only four rows back, so we had an excellent view of his stupid weird attractive face, and I proceeded to spend the next three hours fighting back bizarre sexually-frustrated noises and the urge to run onto the set and, I don't know, lick him or something. This is not something that has ever happened to me before. How can that man exist?
I was actually shaking afterwards. It's ridiculous.
(Oh, yes, there were panellists, weren't there? They were David Baddiel, Liza Tarbuck and Kevin Bridges, but I'm afraid you won't see a great deal of them in here. LOOK, I CAN'T HELP IT IF I WAS STARING AT BROOKER THE ENTIRE TIME.
Actually, I've managed to recall a little more than I thought I would be able to.)
The episode will be broadcast tomorrow (Thursday) at ten in the evening on Channel Four, but obviously I'll be covering some things that won't be in the final cut.
( You Have Been Watching recording! )
Oh, I can't remember anything else. THE POINT OF THIS ENTRY: CHARLIE BROOKER IS A SEXY BASTARD. I don't know how or why, but it is true.
I haven't been remembering my dreams for a couple of months, and all of a sudden my subconscious is filled with befriending anthropomorphic foxes and being groped by David Tennant (as I'm not attracted to him at all, I feel that this dream was rather wasted on me) and fleeing zombies in a hot-air balloon and seeing Charlie Brooker around Camelot. I wonder whether it's something to do with the hayfever medication. In any case, it's quite cool to be dreaming again, even if it involves moments when I'm bitten by my zombie brother and see my hands greying in front of my eyes.
Has Brooker said anything about Merlin? I like to imagine he has a weird, shameful fondness for it, despite its many flaws.
Having dreamt about seeing Charlie Brooker in Camelot, in fact, I sort of want fiction in which he is in Camelot, but I have no idea what he'd do there. Get on Uther's bad side, I imagine, by criticising and mocking his attitude to magic users, largely because he is one of the few to know of David Mitchell's magical powers, which Mitchell is barely able to keep under control. DAVID MITCHELL AND CHARLIE BROOKER: MEDIAEVAL POLITICAL CRITICS IN LOVE.
This is an incredibly stupid concept. Never mind.
(I noted this down as 'Brooker/Merlin' in my notebook and then had to hastily clarify that this was a crossover concept, not a pairing. Charlie Brooker/Merlin as a pairing would work on exactly no levels. I think Merlin would be slightly alarmed by him. Brooker would be frustrated by Merlin's well-meaning thickness. My mind absolutely refuses to entertain ideas of a romantic relationship.
David Mitchell/Guinevere, on the other hand, could be incredibly weirdly cute.)
Because it just reoccurred to me, Tales of Riona's Rubbishness: in my late teens, I bought a pair of size 16-18 pyjamas because I thought the numbers referred to age.
I'm a UK size 10.
This should give you an idea of how often I buy clothes.
Has Brooker said anything about Merlin? I like to imagine he has a weird, shameful fondness for it, despite its many flaws.
Having dreamt about seeing Charlie Brooker in Camelot, in fact, I sort of want fiction in which he is in Camelot, but I have no idea what he'd do there. Get on Uther's bad side, I imagine, by criticising and mocking his attitude to magic users, largely because he is one of the few to know of David Mitchell's magical powers, which Mitchell is barely able to keep under control. DAVID MITCHELL AND CHARLIE BROOKER: MEDIAEVAL POLITICAL CRITICS IN LOVE.
This is an incredibly stupid concept. Never mind.
(I noted this down as 'Brooker/Merlin' in my notebook and then had to hastily clarify that this was a crossover concept, not a pairing. Charlie Brooker/Merlin as a pairing would work on exactly no levels. I think Merlin would be slightly alarmed by him. Brooker would be frustrated by Merlin's well-meaning thickness. My mind absolutely refuses to entertain ideas of a romantic relationship.
David Mitchell/Guinevere, on the other hand, could be incredibly weirdly cute.)
Because it just reoccurred to me, Tales of Riona's Rubbishness: in my late teens, I bought a pair of size 16-18 pyjamas because I thought the numbers referred to age.
I'm a UK size 10.
This should give you an idea of how often I buy clothes.
Thank You For Having Us, David.
Mar. 27th, 2010 02:30 pmI grinned the whole way through the final episode of The Bubble. I love that both Hart and Khorsandi are clearly Mitchell/Webb 'shippers. I love that they had cause; 'my David' was the most adorable thing I've heard in weeks. (Mitchell's reaction made me laugh extremely hard.)
Here is the first part of the episode on YouTube; do watch at least up to 3.20 if you would like to see Mitchell and Webb being cute. (The other parts, if you decide to watch the entire thing, are here and here. If you just want to see more Mitchell-and-Webb adorableness, watch from 7.05 to 7.25 on the third part, and 1.30 to 1.40 isn't technically Mitchell and Webb being adorable together but might make you smile.)
Please commission a second series, BBC! And have Robert Webb on again, because it is great when he and Mitchell are together. ALSO, CHARLIE BROOKER. You have missed an amazing opportunity in not having him for this series, but I shall forgive you if you bring him in for the second. If you're worried about finding people he won't want to kill after half an hour in the Bubble, fear not; there's no need to bother with other guests for the week with Brooker, because he and Mitchell will just spend the entire recordingsnogging arguing, same thing.
It was really nice to see the Mitchell-and-Webb friendship on this episode of The Bubble, because their relationship sort of perplexes and worries me on occasion. They talk in interviews sometimes about consciously trying to spend less time together and always being very polite to each other because they're afraid of having a proper row, which sounds a bit stilted and unhealthy, but then they appear together on this and laugh and joke and Webb looks immensely distressed at That Bit in the quickfire round and, awww, they really are friends. ♥
Wait a moment: is Mitchell's wonderfully bickery relationship with Brooker in part because he's having all the arguments with him that he can't have with Webb? Hmmm.
On an entirely unrelated note: here is an amazing orchestral rendition of the Metal Gear Solid 2/3 theme. Even if you're not familiar with Metal Gear Solid (or perhaps especially if you're not familiar with it, because then you won't be familiar with the theme, and the theme is gorgeous), I'd recommend listening to it. I sobbed.
Here is the first part of the episode on YouTube; do watch at least up to 3.20 if you would like to see Mitchell and Webb being cute. (The other parts, if you decide to watch the entire thing, are here and here. If you just want to see more Mitchell-and-Webb adorableness, watch from 7.05 to 7.25 on the third part, and 1.30 to 1.40 isn't technically Mitchell and Webb being adorable together but might make you smile.)
Please commission a second series, BBC! And have Robert Webb on again, because it is great when he and Mitchell are together. ALSO, CHARLIE BROOKER. You have missed an amazing opportunity in not having him for this series, but I shall forgive you if you bring him in for the second. If you're worried about finding people he won't want to kill after half an hour in the Bubble, fear not; there's no need to bother with other guests for the week with Brooker, because he and Mitchell will just spend the entire recording
It was really nice to see the Mitchell-and-Webb friendship on this episode of The Bubble, because their relationship sort of perplexes and worries me on occasion. They talk in interviews sometimes about consciously trying to spend less time together and always being very polite to each other because they're afraid of having a proper row, which sounds a bit stilted and unhealthy, but then they appear together on this and laugh and joke and Webb looks immensely distressed at That Bit in the quickfire round and, awww, they really are friends. ♥
Wait a moment: is Mitchell's wonderfully bickery relationship with Brooker in part because he's having all the arguments with him that he can't have with Webb? Hmmm.
On an entirely unrelated note: here is an amazing orchestral rendition of the Metal Gear Solid 2/3 theme. Even if you're not familiar with Metal Gear Solid (or perhaps especially if you're not familiar with it, because then you won't be familiar with the theme, and the theme is gorgeous), I'd recommend listening to it. I sobbed.
I have been to another recording of The Unbelievable Truth, with anewcitylife and causethesounds! It was hosted, of course, by David Mitchell; the panellists were Fred MacAulay, Susan Calman, Liza Tarbuck and Charlie 'Charlie Freaking Brooker' Brooker.
I'll say that again: one of the panellists was Charlie Brooker.
I cannot express how excited I have been for the past week.
I was trying to be dignified whilst queueing withanewcitylife and causethesounds, and almost succeeded until we spotted Brooker nearby, taking a phone call, his dry cleaning over his shoulder. Charlie Brooker is a real person! I can confirm this because I saw him with my eyes. We all promptly became extremely giggly, which set the tone for the evening.
Here is my report on that evening! (This report may, I'll be honest, be slightly biased towards recording exchanges between David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker.)
Charlie Brooker's hair was astonishingly stupid. It brought me a great deal of joy.
David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker have such chemistry. They really do. I just want to sit and listen to them disputing things for hours.
Mitchell and Brooker were sort of monopolising each other's attention; they certainly seemed to have more extended exchanges than other members of the panel, although perhaps it just seemed that way because I was paying particular attention to the Mitchell-and-Brooker exchanges. I'd describe the tone of their relationship at the recording as 'playful hostility with occasional outright flirting'. I don't think I could have asked for anything better.
( And here are some of the things that were said! )
It was an absolute joy. Thank you so, so much toamandapear for the tickets.
anewcitylife and causethesounds! It was hosted, of course, by David Mitchell; the panellists were Fred MacAulay, Susan Calman, Liza Tarbuck and Charlie 'Charlie Freaking Brooker' Brooker.I'll say that again: one of the panellists was Charlie Brooker.
I cannot express how excited I have been for the past week.
I was trying to be dignified whilst queueing with
anewcitylife and causethesounds, and almost succeeded until we spotted Brooker nearby, taking a phone call, his dry cleaning over his shoulder. Charlie Brooker is a real person! I can confirm this because I saw him with my eyes. We all promptly became extremely giggly, which set the tone for the evening.Here is my report on that evening! (This report may, I'll be honest, be slightly biased towards recording exchanges between David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker.)
Charlie Brooker's hair was astonishingly stupid. It brought me a great deal of joy.
David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker have such chemistry. They really do. I just want to sit and listen to them disputing things for hours.
Mitchell and Brooker were sort of monopolising each other's attention; they certainly seemed to have more extended exchanges than other members of the panel, although perhaps it just seemed that way because I was paying particular attention to the Mitchell-and-Brooker exchanges. I'd describe the tone of their relationship at the recording as 'playful hostility with occasional outright flirting'. I don't think I could have asked for anything better.
( And here are some of the things that were said! )
It was an absolute joy. Thank you so, so much to
amandapear for the tickets.