Legend is a word thrown about a little to often for my liking. You only have to watch some of the reality TV shows to hear it thrown about loosely. TV legend ....insert name here of someone from third rate show like TOWIE or my own personal favourite wrestling legend....insert name here of someone who once appeared as a jobber on Monday Night Raw in the 1990's. Then there are true legends of there field and this challenge is all about honouring two of the true legends of British TV comedy, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson.
The duo were inseparable for years, from the early 1980's and the Young Ones, which many would say was the precursor to Bottom. For me they will always be Richard Richard and Edward HItler, the two halfwits who often resorted to violence to solve there disputes. The antics they go up to in the 18 episodes across three series were a masterclass in the warped British sense of humour. If I had to pick a favourite episode it would be where they are getting ready to go on holiday to sunny Doncaster and the way they try and get into shape and pack for the trip, it's made me laugh just thinking about it, as a sidenote after this episode I could never quite think of Des Lynam in the same way either.
You have to remember when the series first came out I was only eight years old and let's be honest I shouldn't of been allowed to watch it at that age should I? Maybe it's one of the main reasons that my sense of humour is as warped as it is? I wasn't alone however and a small group of us who endlessly quote them, even on one occasion trying to recreate some of the violent acts. A name just popped into my head John Beck, who was one of the other main fans, who probably watched them more than me. I haven't seen him in years but I always think of him whenever the series pops up. It's a testament to the memories that it helped me make and that I cherish.
However good the television show was, that was nothing compared to the live tours which unleashed them from the constraints of the rules they had to abide by, the violence was ramped up, the foul language was also ramped up. The funniest bits of these shows are when things went wrong and being live shows they often did, the improvisation skills and the situations that they found themselves in, again without spoiling to much, because I think you should all go watch them and all the live shows are available in full on YouTube, my personal highlight can be found in Hooligans Island and the case of the door that wouldn't shut properly. I had all the live tours on VHS and used to watch them on average of once a month and they never failed to make me laugh. I knew them almost line for line and my one the quotes I've used frequently "what is in your head should be sealed in concrete and dumped in the North Sea"
Doing the actual task was very simple, a quick trip on the tube down to Hammersmith station, a quick look on google maps and hey presto there was the bench. It's not in the position it is in the TV show credits, it's been put on an island on the opposite side to the station entrance. I also a little disappointed that all of the cards and banners had recently been removed according to another Bottom fan who was making the same trip. They do it sporadically and I hadn't thought of bringing one myself.
I sat down there on the bench and thought of all those times the duo had made me laugh, I even played the theme song on Spotify while I sat there. Thank you Rik and Adrian for giving me many laugh over the years, thank you for being the comedy, madcap geniuses you were and thank you for entertaining the nation!
It's over ten years since Rik passed away and every time I see him in any of the roles he played I wonder what more he could have done, maybe a Flash spinoff or maybe more Bottom, maybe a return in today's politcal climate of Alan B'stard? Who knows, but one thing I do know, and have no regret in saying that he was a legend, and that is a true honour not many people should get.
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