Smashing Blouse Productions

When I first launched this website, back in February 2019, Jup from Smashing Blouse Productions was probably one of the first to visit the site. Being a blogger and fan of Alternative Comedy himself, he made contact. I was very pleased he did, as he really helped me to launch the site and learn a bit more about how this blogging lark works.

At Smashing Blouse Productions you can read about and remember many great TV Shows and comedy people, that to lots of people today are sorely missed in the current PC gone mad world of television and entertainment. Jup too is a big fan of Rik Mayall and I think he especially liked my write up and experience of seeing the Gas episode of Bottom filmed. Jup here, shares some of his experiences of growing up under Rik Mayall’s influence.

You can read more about what Jup has to say at: www.smashingblouseproductions.com

Thank you to: Jup

My earliest memory of Rik Mayall is from the Sick episode of The Young Ones. Like many people of my generation I encountered him at a tender age, in my case thanks to my Mum!

The Young Ones was something very special and was unlike anything else on TV at the time. It was anarchic and the petty bickering and random acts of violence as well as the abstract asides made it even more engaging to my youthful mind, when you added in the feeling that you were watching something you really weren’t meant to be seeing it made it all the better!

At the time my best friend at school was Richard, a somewhat troubled lad who had a mischievous streak. I remember both of us being obsessed with the Comic Relief single of Living Doll that came out in 1986 (I’ve still got it somewhere) and Richard was particularly taken by the B side (All The Little Flowers Are) Happy to the point that he produced his own tape of the song where he overdubbed himself swearing instead of the bleep at the end of the track!

Bottom along with The Dangerous Brothers are probably my favourite things that Rik and Ade did together, both are completely over the top and both are amazingly funny and can be watched over and over again without the hilarity fading. I’ll always remember the Bottom episode Gas as the eureka moment when it suddenly clicked just how amazing this show was going to be and you really should watch the Babysitting Dangerous Brothers sketch, it’s on YouTube.

Sadly I didn’t ever get to see Rik on stage or recording any of his shows with Ade, I wouldn’t say it’s a regret as I didn’t have the opportunity but it would have been nice to have seen him in the flesh so to speak.

Rik’s Performance in Man Down is also something special, it shows that even though several years had passed his energy never faded and his talent as a character actor was still growing.

Jup Barrett.

P.S Let’s also not forget the amazing Flashheart!

Smashing Blouse Productions can also be found on:

Twitter  @SmashingBP

Instagram  Smashing_Blouse_Productions

Pinterest  Jup Barrett

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