1984: RIK MAYALL discusses THE YOUNG ONES comedy | Wogan | Classic TV Interview | BBC Archive
2022 ж. 20 Ақп.
340 165 Рет қаралды
Rik Mayall, in the guise and garb of his character Rick from the Young Ones, chats to Terry Wogan about comedy.
Originally broadcast 27 October, 1984.
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When Rik died I felt like I'd lost one of my mates. We'd grown up together, albeit on different sides of the TV. He was such a funny guy
Yeah same, he felt like family. Never got over it hey. No one comes close.
I cried my heart out and made a video on KZhead
Was lucky enough to meet him once, complete gentleman, a very funny guy and sadly missed.
Me too. Brilliant .
Met Rik on a Monday when I worked at the snobby Liberty's department store in Regent Street. I was about 20 years old and enjoyed The New Statesman, which by an amazing coincidence the last episode was aired the previous night. Rik spproached and spoke with me as his wife shopped around. I recall telling Rik that i was a big fan of his shows especially TNS. I was later told off by a horrible Spanish manager called Nella for chatting with a celebrity as you were not allowed to chat with them - but Rik spoke to me first.
I can't get over how genuine he is in this interview. Just totally himself. No trace of affect (save taking advantage of opportunities at humor). So articulate and real and humorous and human. I watched this with my wife and kids and loved seeing their shock at his change from (P)Rick to Rik. And the fact that his friends re-enacted the Pythons at school really hit home. The Young Ones aired at 10:30 on Sundays in the states when I was in 6th grade. Every Monday after lunch, we were re-enacting the Young Ones at recess.
I was driving to work when, on the radio, they said the words "The comedy actor Rik Mayall". I panicked and thought 'Not dead. Not dead.' Sadly, that was exactly the following words. I turned my London taxi around and drove home. I couldn't work after hearing this sad news. I had grown up with his comedy and now it was over. A great loss to us all.
Exactly the same for me. I was in the car and the local radio station news came on and they said 'And we start with the sad news that ths actor and comedian Rik Mayall.......' and I was the same dont say it, please! 'Has died.....' I just threw my hands out in disbelief. It's sad when anyone dies, but this hit me hard.
Had the pleasure of bumping into Rik briefly in 1991 on the street in London. Comedy legend.
Did he comment you on the smashing blouse you were wearing?
@@NecramoniumVideo😂😂😂😂
Rik was right: Australians loved The Young Ones. It was huge when I was at high school and it still makes me laugh today. The University Challenge episode was brilliant! Rik was my favourite character - such a snivelling, grotty faux anarchist 😅 I was genuinely upset when Rik Myall died. RIP, people's poet.
We Australians sure did! Time to dig up my copy of the book.
I was trying to remember which show it was when everyones answer was pork! Was that the university challenge?
Australians jumped in when The Young Ones followed The D-Generation in 1986 (Thursday nights, 8.30pm). But the first series of The Young Ones originally ran on the ABC in 1983, buried in a loose late night time slot around 11 to 11.30pm. I was able to sneak a peek at bits of two episodes when it was first broadcast, but as I was 13 and had to lie about why I was still up so late on a school night, I didn't see any more than that till it ran again. I knew my father would hate it. And he did. But I was utterly in love with it.
*-scratch an anarchist find a fascist-*
@@krpurple2678 Nope.
Intelligent , decent , respectful and above all truly a great comedian on every level
very intelligent man
As long as you weren’t using those adjectives to describe the supercilious creep once named terry wogan
@@j0nnyism Not words I've heard Terry Wogan described as before, seems anything but arrogant let along creepy, are you 15 and trying hard to be exciting?
Met him once crossing the road in West London seemed a warm guy when I chatted to him.
@@arfski I very much suspect (though I do not know for sure) the Wogan you see was not the real Wogan. This is true of many many people in showbiz. It's all an act. I DO know it is true of several tv "personalities", but have never met Wogan. I'm not saying he was an awful man.. but the warm cosy Tel that you see on the show like this....isn't the way he really was. Did you know for years and years, Wogan was the anchor for Children in Need? Where everyone but him, gave their time for free...while he was very handsomely paid? When it came out that he was being paid to do it, he said he thought everyone was being paid...which is very very hard to believe.
When the BBC had good honest talent, two of the greats 👍
I saw him once when he was going for a jog. He said hello to me and my mate with a big smile. A true gentleman.
I don't mean to sound cheesy but I always thought he had kind eyes ❤
I don't think I've ever seen Rick Mayall in an interview. So polite, intelligent and well spoken... surreal seeing him dressed as Rick being like that.
First time in 40 years I've ever seen or heard Rik playing it straight, not at all what I expected. He seems a very thoughtful guy, and I love the respect he had for his predecessors and his contemporaries. Gone too soon.
Wogan was the BIG show back then, his parents and grandparents would have been watching and of course all their friends and neighbours so he had to be a good lad, he did plenty of interviews on channel 4 pissed and stoned!
There are more on YT!
@@burgersbeansandchips Your last remark:That's just not true, show me one!!😅😅
@@sundaypeople5791 Sorry. I didn't realise watching them at the time I'd need to record them to prove it to someone named after a newspaper in 2023.
Rest in Peace Terry Wogan & Rik Mayall and those were the days ✔
Indeed they were
Indeed Gary. Great Days👍👍 All the best to you
@Fur Q brainwashed by the tabloids, maybe he gave it to his own choice of charity
@Fur Q In 2006, it was revealed long-running host Sir Terry Wogan had been paid more than £10,000 to anchor the TV appeal, on top of his £800,000-a-year Radio 2 salary. When the details emerged he said he would “happily do it for nothing”. But BBC bosses argued they found it “appropriate” to pay the fee.
BBC Children in Need, the charity, has never paid a fee to Terry Wogan. In the past, his presenting fee for the Appeal Show has come out of the BBC's programming budget, and not charity funds, because it was a TV production cost. However, Terry has said that he never sought a fee for presenting BBC Children in Need and he made sure that he did not get one in 2007.
'Drop dead Fred' had a huge impact on me as a child. This dude was an AMAZING physical comedian!!
Love that film :)
Love that movie, he was great in it. Check out his show "the new statesman" where he spoofs a conservative politian. Several episodes available free on KZhead.
@@capttrips1523 Rik was handsome in that series, i think he could have been elected PM if he felt like it :)
Wow, cobwebs!😃😃😃
I don't think it did particularly well at the box office but I loved that film!
Had the biggest crush on him in the 80s. 💕
What a lovely guy Terry was and young Rik's eccentricity, nervousness, politeness and trademark cheeky humour was something else. Two legends.
Wogan that is
Weird seeing Rik dressed as 'Rick' but being Rik. Still makes me laugh, even just being himself. Not many modern 'comedians' do.
You missed off the P!
What would be even weirder would be seeing Ade Edmondson dressed as Vyvyan but being Ade!😃
Too many of the modern comedians are like Rick the character: right on people’s poets.
It is a little odd though I think being on a TV chat show to him would feel like a 'performance' of some kind, and easier to do at least partially in character.
@@ymb9shinzou743 He's being asked questions about himself though, so I think doing it in character would also seem a little odd. People usually want to see the person behind the act in an interview (for the most part) He probably feels more vulnerable not hiding behind the character traits.
Young Ones was on here in America for a short time on MTV, and I absolutely loved it...so different from anything in the States...Gen X forever! :)
IIRC here in NY it was on PBS, I was switching it on for Dr Who and instead of Tom Baker I got Rik, lovely Rik. Amazing show! Funny fact: I switched on PBS to watch Red Dwarf and discovered Dr. Who.
The first MTV episode I saw was Bambi. I was 13, and having VYVVYAN'S head being ripped off by the train was just mind blowing. This was a long way from Different Strokes and Alice!
I was an 18 year old college freshman when I saw it on MTV, didn't like it. But comedy is subjective; just because I didn't like it doesn't mean it wasn't for anybody else.
You folks may enjoy this story as told by Adrian Edmondson (i.e. Vyvyan) kzhead.info/sun/p6ijYNSSn2aGp6M/bejne.html
Same, I wonder how many Americans actually watched and remembered from those days. There was an even a very weird spell when they showed Python (uncensored) in the afternoons on US MTV.
As a 7 year old American boy living in Britain (military brat) The Young Ones was one of my favorite shows, made me belly laugh every time. Of course my mom hated it. It is literally a deal breaker if I meet someone that knows English culture, that if they know and don't like The Young Ones, Python, Ab Fab, Red Dwarf, or Are You Being Served. These people know not joy...
Red Dwarf and Ab Fab ❤
The comedy I watch is 95% British. Dad's Army, Allo Allo, Frankie Boyle, Fawlty Towers, 8 out of 10 cats, Apollo shows, the list goes on and one. The only major American shows I enjoyed were Taxi and Mash, along with some scenes from Cheers
A few weeks ago in town, a Robin Reliant at a junction was belting out the Only Fools and Horses soundtrack. As the driver went past, he gave me the thumbs up after spotting my phone out recording 👍 I just about had a heart attack when I saw it was Del Boy himself! Or rather a guy with a paper mask and sheepskin jacket on 😂
With you on that
Protect this American legend at all costs! Glad you liked the quirky UK stuff, especially The Young Ones and Red Dwarf!
Rik is one of the greatest comics ever, and i ended up obsessed with The New Statesman, which i think is his by far his best work, B'Stard as a character is comedy perfection!
Yeah, I liked The Young Ones, but New Statesman was the one I looked forward to every episode.
The Swedish audience loved Rik! We miss him 😢
R I P Terry and Rick, thanks for all you gave us.
What a legend he is, the peoples poet god bless you rik mayall, r.i.p
No way I could have gone toe to toe with Wogan at 26. 26! Very smart bloke.
Very humble for his genus talent
So shy and awkward, yet so funny and talented. Taken far too soon and sorely missed. A true legend.
Thank you so much for uploading. I’ve never seen this before and there aren’t nearly enough serious interviews with Rick Mayall. He was a comedy genius and the world is a poorer and grayer place without him. I really miss him.
And, by all accounts, a truly decent man. I always wondered if it was that quad bike accident or all those blows to the head he took, professionally, that did for him? It came as such a terrible shock for many Britons. For me, it’s like when I heard Diana was dead, or the twin towers attack. Strangely, more saddening and more of a blow that stayed with me, at least in some emotional ways. I so miss him.
No, he was killed
The chemistry beyond these two was non eisistent. A very awkward interview to watch 😮
@@vickyvictoria7115 Wasn't!
On YT are around 10 to 20 good Rik or Rik& Ade interviews. & some audio ones, good as well & partly veerryy funny!😅❤️
The world suddenly got a little less colourful and a little more colder when Rik passed away. I grew up watching him and although he didn't know me and we never met, I still felt the loss of a loved one. R.I.P to one of the greats
As an early 2000s child, I am so glad that my parents had tapes of the young ones, fry and laurie, blackadder, fawly towers etc. It's such a shame that so few of my generation have seen these classics of British comedy - everyone I've recommended them to has absolutely loved them. Just wish they were on Netflix!
Lord Flashheart is one of the greatest comedy scenes made... you can see even the other actors are loving the performance ❤️❤️i smile every time i think of it "RRRrrrrhhhuuuu"
Fawlty Towers only went for 13 episodes but was very fu6
Open All hours, or anything with Ronny Barker in is hilarious.
@@denisegore1884 Yes, i loved Porridge.
@@ukqwerty999 Not to mention Mad Gerald from the first series of Blackadder
Two greats in conversation. The world is poorer for their absence.
Massively. RIP Terry and Rik
My parents were mad about the Young ones. When I was about 12 years old they showed me and I grew up from then watching The Young Ones and I still love it today. It was and is forever legendary. Thank you Rik and everyone that had a hand in the creation of this great show that brought so much joy to so many people!
I remember the first series of the Young Ones landing when I was 10. I'd never seen anything like it and my brother and I were hooked from the first minute. I also couldn't understand why my Mum, who would just be milling around the house and not really watching, would chuckle at something I didn't think was meant to be funny, yet years later I would get the joke. A great show; so broad in some ways but sharp and observant in others.
It's hard to find thoughtful interviews, and interviewers, like this now.
Rik is the only celebrity that genuinely hit me with his death. It’s not that he was funny, but that he was real.
Rik is such a loss. Not just as a comedic actor but as a fantastic human being. RIP RM
What an interesting little window into the past about attitudes to comedy and just the way two people would talk to each other. Rik saying he’s doesn’t know anything about engines or electricity because they were very prominent jobs at the time, not the insane amount of different jobs we can choose from now. RIP Rik
That was bwilliant! Terry Wogan was such a skilled host and Rik was wonderful. Bless them both.
New Zealand loved the Young Ones.
Rick and the comic strip produced some of the best comedy for generations…..bad news and more bad news were so incredibly funny, with the most excellent scripts
I remember this interview when it was on. Rik was right about not carrying on the Young Ones. That's what kept it special. He also comes across really well on here.
Rik was a genius of comedy. Shame we still don't have him to make us laugh.
I was in primary when the young ones came out and it was my favourite show . Loved when they did livin doll with cliff
Such a talented comedian and unbelievable he isn't here any more. What a beautiful smile and a lovely soul.
One of my favourite comedians. A real loss. This was such a nice interview, he allowed us to see something of the real person beneath the armour of humour.
He was an amazing comedian with an energetic maniac approach to his art and I loved it. When he got older the energy inevitably drained but his wit and creativity was still there and the world was denied a few more decades of it when he died; just like the musical creativity lost when John Lennon prematurely left us all.
This is superb. It’s hard to imagine an interviewer or interviewee like this now. Brilliant and sorely missed.
What a sensitive and intelligent soul Rik Mayall was ; sorely missed ; I must have heard this interview at the time as I can recall Rik’s insight into laughter as a ‘baring of teeth’ by the pack and this would certainly appear to explain slapstick type humour. I’m thinking now though that more generally we really laugh at how silly the human ego can be ( we all have one and so we are really laughing at ourselves )
God I miss this man. If I could pick anyone to be Prime minister it would be him. His comedy certainly got me through some tough times over the years. Xxxx
Agreed. I was lucky enough to meet Rik (& Ade) when I worked in a theatre and Bottom Live was touring. Awesome pair, lovely to the hilt. There will never be another.
What a complete B'stard he would have been
Same👍
He knew - one by one .
The world is a much lamer place now without Rik. He was one of a kind. ❤️
Without the Peoples Poet, there’s just … the people ☹🫣🤮
One by one, his 2nd to last film, has been linked to why he died. Some very un nerving facts in there. It seems to lend a hand to the fact he knew he wasn't going to be around for much longer. I've yet to see his last film, ''The Escape'' Anyone seen it?
26. 26. And he was already prolific in his creative output. Bloody love him. He'll never die for me.
He won't ! ❤❤
rik absolutely basked in interacting with the audience, i love to see it, during bottom live and recordings of the episodes he is in his element when performing directly to them, it’s incredible ❤️
Great interview, I love seeing Rik being himself thoughtful, intelligent and still missed by a legion of fans R.I.P Prick.
growing up watching him.. true legend of his time for sure RIP you nutter
Watched The Young Ones here in the US on MTV back in the day and it was absolutely brilliant!
My favorite show🇺🇸on MTV 80's.Still makes me laugh
What a lovely man. Two lovely men actually. He cringes a bit when he mentions the book. A lot of people these days only seem to go on chat shows to promote stuff. I loved when Rik talked about Cannon and Ball....real respect for his peers.
Love this man a lovely human being nothing like his characters always loved his blue peter badge being upside down rip
A true Brit. The way his eyes light up when he says “bum” 😂
When he said he didn't think the Young Ones would translate well in America he was definitely wrong. Seems we all fell in love with it.
I used to listen to Terry Wogan every morning getting ready for school, and watch The Young Ones and occasionally, Jackanory, with Rik Mayall after school! Great days, great entertainers, both appreciated and missed!
We were living through the best of times.....if only we knew. RIP Terry & Rik.
What a nice, genuine, funny guy.
Fond memories of this interview, RIP Rik and Terry.
I was a teen in the 80s and loved to watch the Young Ones. Have the episodes on DVD and in digital, as well as 46-song soundtrack I put together for both seasons combined. So yeah, I'm a fan. I miss Rik and his crazy side to comedy. The whole gang were awesome in their chaotic humor.
Beautiful, beautiful man. I miss him enormously.
At last! Someone’s uploaded a good quality video of this interview.
If the BBC can't upload a good quality version, heaven help us! 8)
@@mick2d2 I guess Lord Snot finally got made Director General of the BBC
A man of indisputable talent, actually managed to upstage the brilliant cast of blackadder as lord flashheart! Legend 😂
Ooh I must look for that!
Literally joking about his future before he even knew about it. Legend
I miss this man so much, he was amazing ❤ It's nice to see him being himself in this interview
Bless him. 26 years old. So modern and cutting edge at the time but now classic. We all miss his unique wit.
I saw Rik Mayell live far too many years ago. My god, he was insanely funny. The only time I genuinely hurt from laughing so much.
When he and Ade did the live shows of Bottom, those are up there with some of the things I wish I had seen live.
@@krashd me too. My brother was lucky enough to see them life & still laughs to this day😂
@@krashd you've seen them on the net yeah Rob ?
Rick you will always be missed but never forgotten ❤️
STILL miss you Rick, even though I never met you. These old interviews are helping.
Died too young. A true genious comedian. Funny to see how unsure he was of himself at 26. And yes, the young ones was a big hit in Australia.
This was my go to show when I was around 17, truthfully a wonderful show and wonderful comedians
It did do well in Australia, Rick, and thank-you!
Glad Aussies have bawdy taste. Y. Ones for definitely a USA minority channel..
So surreal that he is only 26 in this interview. Some of his voiceover work for the BBC was also so brilliant, he had many strings to his bow. Another taken to soon who had so much more to give. Aussies loved The Young Ones, we get the English sense of humour where is I'm not sure US audience's ever would. I remember seeing the US version of Coupling (Ouch) compared to the BBC original series it just never measured up in the slightest. RIP Rik Mayall & thank you
Rik was a genius and a gentleman. I miss his presence badly.
What he says around the 8 minute mark is an insight in to the essence, evolutionarily speaking, of comedy. I agree with him.
Rest in peace Terry and Rik love you both sadly missed by many fans gone too soon 😭😭😭😭
What a loss. Every time I see him, i'm gutted he's no longer with us. A special talent.
another era...another time...heavy nostalgia,,,R.I.P Rick
Love him to bits, I was lucky enough to see him live in 85 at The dominion. Sadly missed.
Loved the Young Ones. Always felt sorry for Neil but loved Rik Mayall. He was a really good looking guy! RIP both of you legends.
Oh Rick , you made me cry for two different reasons , miss you bud 🙏🏻🙏🏻 ❤️
Crazy to think that this interview was done almost 40 years ago. Unleaded fuel didn't even exist in the UK at the time.
Thank you for uploading this video 👍This man was an absolute legend. RIP Rik ❤️🙏
Still love Rik and Ade. RIP Rik.
Every episode of Young Ones was so action packed and it was so good to watch them back in the early 80s and randomly ever since.
Rik mayall is an absolute legend taken way too soon.
Excellent quality for an upload from 1984.
Have truly loved this man for 40 years and will forever. Thank you for bringing laughter to my life Rik RIP
so awesome that this has finally been uploaded in decent quality! rik’s great here too- it’s so odd seeing him as he is here. he’d usually go on these shows and exaggerate his comedic persona, which was still always unforgettably charming.
What a smart dude. Awesome interview. Love ya, Rik.
These 3 as comedy writers did so much and even as individuals with thier own characters did some amazing stuff over the decades . BAd News , Bottom , New Statesman some of the most memorable ones
The new statesman one of the most underrated comedies ever the writing and acting were brilliant.
i’m an american boy and my parents had watched the show on old school mtv and they showed it to me and i damn loved it
What a gentle soul he was. He always stayed humble. When he died I felt like a piece of joy had been sliced out of the world like a cake.
Absolute legend ! Love from Ireland
A remarkable man , absolutely brilliant at his craft!so many laughs over the years thankyou Rick ,a true gent! Rip.
Scary times ahead, came here to catch a laugh from our old friend Rik... and it worked. 😂❤️
The peoples poet will never die.
"Believe nothing".
How wonderful they both were. Such a great loss, nobody can match them.
Both absolute legends of our TV screens!!
Rik was my first hero & role model, and i had the good fortune to meet him twice and speak with him. i re-watch this interview periodically and think back to how he must have felt at that time in his life, with so much success, creativity and wide open future ahead of him...What a brilliant man and what a great life and career he enjoyed. Gone but never forgotten bogeyface! 🧡🙏🏻