The Diary of a Teenage Comedy Freak – and a ruddy whole lot more
Huge thanks to everyone who entered this next competition, I received many amazing entries. It was a very difficult decision, but eventually after a weekend of careful discussion with my panel of expert judges, the stand out winner this time is... Our winner: Holly Orpen Holly wins a signed copy of Chris Shield's book. 'Early… Continue reading And the next winner is…
25th October - 7th November 1984 The Young Ones Rick, Vyvyan, Mike and Neil have got a book coming out on October 25. It's called Bachelor Boys and it's very funny. It's also, according to Rik Mayall, the last thing they'll ever do. By Mark Ellen. "It's smut and I'm proud of it!" declares Rik… Continue reading The Young Ones – Smash Hits 1984
4th August 1984 As Vyvyan said, it's... RIK WITH A SILENT P Or as Ian Penman said... "he's a bit of a boring bastard" - but which bit? And is Rik Mayall a great enough comic to become a 20th Century legend along with his own hero, Tommy Cooper? Photo Peter Anderson Someone comes up… Continue reading Rik with a Silent P – NME 1984
20th March 1983 Oh that Rik Mayall When he was only six, Rik Mayall had terrible tantrums, showed off and got over-excited. Now he uses all these childhood faults in his angry, manic and "alternative" comedy routines. He reveals almost all to Stephen Pile. Photograph by Snowden. Forget everything you have read about Rik Mayall.… Continue reading Oh that Rik Mayall – Sunday Times 1983
The first competition saw Matthew Zwick from the USA chosen as the lucky winner. You can read Matt's winning entry here: And the winner is... So here's another chance to win a signed copy of Chris Shields book - Early Rik: Thoughts of a Clown, Rik Mayall in the Early Eighties, plus a few other… Continue reading It’s Competition Time again!
I had a lovely email recently from a fan called Merel in The Netherlands, who came across an interview Rik Mayall gave to a Dutch reporter in 2003. It was published in a magazine by Dutch broadcaster, VPRO. Merel has kindly translated the text for me as good as she could. In Holland VPRO (a… Continue reading Believe Nothing – A Dutch interview from 2003
5th -11th May 1984 Young, gifted and back 'The Young Ones' - Christopher Ryan, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson and Nigel Planer - return to BBC2. Inside: on a trail of disaster The Young Ones, Tuesday 9.0 BBC2 Was it fair to send an unarmed writer on the trail of The Young Ones? In retrospect, no.… Continue reading A Trail of Disaster – Radio Times 1984
Our winner is: Matthew Zwick from USA Matthew wins a signed copy of Chris Shield's book. 'Early Rik: Thoughts of a Clown - Rik Mayall in the Early Eighties' a Waiting for Godot flyer, The Government Inspector programme, a B&W photo and an original copy of NME from 1981. Thank you to everyone who took… Continue reading And the winner is…
CHARACTER ASSASSINATION Rik Mayall is in the uncomfortably double-edged position of being well-known enough to make a living, but too well-known to be credible as his creations Kevin Turvey and Rik the Poet. SIMON GARFIELD spoke to him in Edinburgh during the run of Standup Comedy with Ben Elton and Andy de la Tour. Photographs… Continue reading Character Assassination – Biltz 1983
Smash Hits April 14-27 1983 KEVIN TURVEY & THE YOUNG ONES Croydon Stationed at the rear of the Fairfield Hall's ample stage tonight are three musicians. They wear grisly maroon jacket's and dark glasses and supply soothing sections of super-club jazz when the actors are off changing costumes. Right now they're flicking idly through the… Continue reading Kevin Turvey & The Young Ones – Smash Hits 1983
Rik Mayall Scrapbook 