The Billionaires' Space Race | Spitting Image

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson race to be the first billionaires on Mars.
Spitting Image is treading the boards for the very first time in 2023.
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With the world getting smaller and more turbulent, the time couldn’t be more appropriate for an iconic British satirical take on global events. Produced by Avalon (Taskmaster, The Russell Howard Hour, Catastrophe, Breeders, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, over 100 puppets have already been developed by socially distanced teams of artists ready for launch, including: Adele, Angela Merkel, Baby Yoda, Barack Obama, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Boris Johnson, Boris Baby, The Johnson Dog, Brad Pitt, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Chrissy Teigen, Covid-19, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dominic Cummings, Dominic Raab, Donald Trump, Dwayne Johnson, Ed Sheeran, Elon Musk, Elton John, Emmanuel Macron, Greta Thunberg, Grimes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Harry Styles, Idris Elba, Ivanka Trump, Jacinda Ardern, James Corden, Jeff Bezos, Joe Biden, Jürgen Klopp, Kanye West, Keir Starmer, Kim Kardashian, Lewis Hamilton, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Hancock, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Melania Trump, Michael Gove, Michelle Obama, Narendra Modi, Oprah Winfrey, Piers Morgan, The Pope, Prince Andrew, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William, Priti Patel, The Queen, Richard Branson, Rishi Sunak, RuPaul, Taylor Swift, Tiger Woods, Tyson Fury, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, all falling under the show’s legendary gaze.
A next generation of satirical writers and voice artists are working with established talent to drive a new wave of ‘public service satire’. Writers on the show include: Al Murray, Bert Tyler-Moore & George Jeffrie (The Windsors), Bill Odenkirk (The Simpsons), Brona C. Titley (The Tracey Ullman Show), David X. Cohen (The Simpsons), Gemma Arrowsmith (The Tracey Ullman Show), Jason Hazeley & Nico Tatarowicz (Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe/Murder in Successville), Karl Minns (Russell Howard’s Good News), Keisha Zollar (Astronomy Club), Laura Major (Famalam), Matt Forde, Patric Verrone (The Simpsons), Phil Wang, Richard Herring, Sophie Duker (Frankie Boyle’s New World Order) and Travis Jay (Dave Chapelle and Friends) with many more joining the growing team. Voice artists include: Billy West (Futurama), Debra Stephenson (The Impressions Show), Debra Wilson (Family Guy), Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Jess Robinson (The Imitation Game), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Lewis MacLeod (Dead Ringers), Lobo Chan (Killing Eve), Luke Kempner (The Imitation Game), Matt Forde (Unspun) and Phil LaMarr (Pulp Fiction), with many more joining as the puppet cast grows.

[@CheapCheerful]

It's been 2 weeks since I watched this, and I STILL have "Grimes... Grimes on Mars... Red Plaaaaanet!" stuck in my head.

[@goodisnipr]

Why would that be what's in your head rather than the actual lyrics: "Mars. Grimes on Mars. Red planet!"

[@TimmyTickle]

@@goodisnipr Still better than having "Oblivion" in your head

[@Evzone1821]

@@TimmyTickleOblivion is a good song you (REDACTED)

[@MSYNGWIE12]

I had to check her out on KZbin since as a music lover I listen to actual music- horrendous...( does Elon actually have sex, like a rock star, with these women or are they inseminated because who'd "sleep" with him? ) Namaste World

[@adamelliott2302]

Wow! We've warped back to the '80's satire puppets. Brings back memories.

[@fish97826]

Right? Genesis would be proud, someone tweet phil collins

[@tobiwonkanogy2975]

the cameras and fabrics did get more vibrant , it still works though.

[@adrianred236]

was that ronnie regans pupit that they used as the scientist?

[@Tony-iu7sw]

You forgot Crank Yankers on Comedy Central in the 2ks

[@pacomonje]

@@fish97826 I was thinking just the same

[@LennyCole96]

*"Don't forget the fucking bicycle pump!"* Absolutely class 😂🤣

[@noconnection1839]

When they had that exchange: " *sshole", "pedo"! I had to play it back. Lmao.

[@vic2266]

I told you to bring a bicycle pump....

[@anuradhapriyankara5226]

I like how Branson always finds an entirely different solution or piggyback on other two 😂

[@Jahoomis]

Thats Branson’s job

[@yeahman147]

Crazy how realistic they look and act

[@miguelcastaneda7257]

You mean it's not real

[@danieladamczyk4024]

40 years of experince do the thing.

[@yeahman147]

@@danieladamczyk4024 imagine wasting 40 years of your life

[@danieladamczyk4024]

@@yeahman147 For doing things you love? Beside, EVERYTHING we do is a waste of time.

[@yeahman147]

@@danieladamczyk4024 I love football but I'm not wasting 40years on it. 40 years bro that's half of life, I get bored easy

[@pineutrino]

I can’t believe it wasn’t until halfway through the video that I’d realised the puppets have puppet-heads but their hands are actual real human hands. I was staring at the hands for ages, thinking “how the hell did they make such sophisticated mechanical puppet hands? Their gestures are phenomenal! Utterly realistic - oh.”

[@Ron-Ayres]

Well, they're latex up to the elbow, then an arm actor slides his arms inside to articulate them, while another puppeteer operates the head. Either way, you're right, they're so expressive.

[@robertmargraves3509]

Elon musk mars

[@teknicron1080]

Jim Henson's Company has been doing that method for 50+ years now. Spitting Image started their routines back in the 1980s, maybe 1970s.

[@nvsv_wintersport]

Please bring back Spitting Image with the current bunch of 'politicians'. Plenty of absolutely gold material. And kudos to see Bazos being shipped to Mars in his own box.

[@Sniffles69]

A once funny show that when it was last relaunched was as biased as expected. Pass.

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

Just think in the future they will think ELIAR MUSK and DONALD TRUMP where sitcom comedy characters!

[@jimbob-robob]

I think the clown car comedy of the Tories is way past mockery...

[@doctorpanigrahi9975]

They can't keep up with the reality

[@zybch]

The problem is that spitting image was a parody. Its difficult to parody the current political critters. They do an amazing job themselves.

[@greenlamp9219]

no matter how far you think youve come. Splitting Image is there to always bring you back down to earth.

[@andybray9791]

Terrible pun

[@tommyoreal]

Mid pun.

[@theo1216]

Controversial pun

[@kasperchristensen8416]

* Mars ;)

[@gdutfulkbhh7537]

Or in the case of Elon Muck, ‘No matter how far you’ve sunk.’

[@wheresmyeyebrow1608]

"I've got 5 billion in bitcoin, the password is 1" Lmao

[@jussikankinen9409]

So funny, not even real, some bought hamburgers with bitcoins companys lost money

[@-xirx-]

Yea, there's no way Elon is that witty and charismatic in real life.

[@chunwookie89763]

No, but really nailed it with his pudgy and rubber face.

[@teresashinkansen9402]

Your absolutely right, uhhhhhhhh.............. he is the smartest in the room because when you uhhhhhhhhhh.................. Are the best in manufacturing things just open up, by 2024 we will have uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........................... Tesla powered rollercoasters in mars.

[@aldunlop4622]

Well, he is actually, so you're a bit short.

[@-xirx-]

@aldunlop4622 did he offer to buy you a horse as well?

[@aldunlop4622]

@@-xirx- Sounds like you need a horse, or something, oh I know, a life. Go get a life!

[@inconceivabledark]

The Richard Branson pupppet got me 😂😂😂

[@mermaidaw]

He's so positive 🤣

[@mermaidaw]

With his inflatables

[@harrypell2603]

Cracks me up the way they designed Richard Branson 😂😂😂

[@gregorysagegreene]

WTF happened to the Rutan shuttlecock. It *was* so far ahead of it's time.

[@doctorpanigrahi9975]

The funny thing is,the puppets do resemble the real people they are based on.

[@ashleywalker1411]

Genius ☺️

[@ashleywalker1411]

@@doctorpanigrahi9975 they are more like them than they are. Genius. ☺️

[@ashleywalker1411]

Bubble buddy ☺️

[@gb7702]

It's just like watching the family guy. My brain switched off and am left without words by the end. So well done.

[@garycannon1247]

1:52 future Elon actually looks like his mum! 😂😂

[@josephsalgado7184]

10:13 Elons face killed me 😂😂😅

[@Teag_Brohman15]

this feels like the plot to a really bad Jules Verne novel and I love it

[@TheBockenator]

Your comment deserves more than a mere 11 likes.

[@RosesOfSaturn]

"don't forget the fucking bicycle pump"

[@zachmerritt4661]

Pure gold

[@tangdynasty4779]

Bring this show back, i’m 15 and love it

[@Ah_Lee_Sun]

Spitting Image is just hilarious. Loved the originals with Margaret Thatcher, HM The Queen and many other sports stars & government figures.

[@tao3803]

We need this as a series, yes pls It's very entertaining 😂

[@terjeaasheim3651]

It is a series

[@Ron-Ayres]

Spitting Image literally _is_ a series. And has been for decades.

[@aldunlop4622]

I love Grimes’ big red Autotune button haha. So true it hurts.

[@Thedarkknight2244]

I feel the the writers wants to do a short sketch with musk and they kept coming up with ideas and thought “fuck it! we’re doing a proper narrative”

[@RateOfChange]

To me, the best comedy shows are the ones that are nothing but accurate depictions of reality as it is, like South Park, Monty Python and, of course, Spitting Image. By the way, I cried in laughter when Grimes recorded her song idea and then went on to press the "autotune" button hahaha

[@tgdomnemo5052]

... what came bevor FSD AI ? contemporary music-industries FSC NI ... full self composing , No I's. Ingenuinty Inspiration Integrity ... at all . 😂👍🏽😂

[@Alfablue227]

Bronson's overbite is epic!! 🤣🤣

[@ZackXa]

This is the world we live in, and these are the hands we're given

[@mermaidaw]

And God love us 😪

[@madameletrange]

Use them and let's start trying To make it a place worth living in

[@justinwatson1510]

These hands can build guillotines to make the world a better place.

[@ashleywalker1411]

☺️

[@davmo72]

That Grimes song is too accurate! :D

[@iandeeley9033]

Now we know that there is no INTELLIGENT life on Mars!

[@allenseeallendo5844]

The Grimes one had me dying laughing.

[@jockrot-fixit719]

I love the fact that they used real puppets for the show!

[@Duncanwg7]

"How soon will it do whatever it does" 🤣classic

[@jonas7510]

if only mars had a door . we could weld it shut .

[@spaceorbison]

This is the closest thing I've seen in a long time to the way they used to create shows in the past, beautiful satiric art

[@aster4jaden]

The Sun's pissed, I laughed so much.

[@nerobaal6655]

😂

[@qubeinteract]

The creases on Branson's face tho!! 🤣

[@Jahoomis]

Very accurate because when you vote for Bill Johnson in this upcoming West Virginia election, you can count on his expertise to run the government with a future-driven view

[@hijazlander]

I think it would be great if they all went to space and got stuck there. Their money wouldn't save them then.

[@davidthescottishvegan]

I wouldn't miss any of them if they all wènt to space and got stuck there. I wonder if anyone would send Liz Truss and the rest of the government to space and make sure they remain there.

[@hijazlander]

@@davidthescottishvegan A man can dream....

[@davidthescottishvegan]

@@hijazlander Yes, Liz Truss and the government would probably be replaced with worst people than Liz Truss and the present government so maybe I should be careful what I wish for.

[@Jb-ky1ri]

There’s no put space!

[@emmanuel1227]

Dude they're pushing civilization cut them some slack

[@MotorTorq_ZA]

This is like old top gear just with billionaires. Branson would be James May Elon Musk would be Clarkson And Bezos would be Hammond 😂😂

[@justmehereUK]

It's just not funny anymore is it? SI was amazing in the 90s....not really any good now though

[@MotorTorq_ZA]

@@justmehereUK eh I actually prefer the new one. But they’re both pretty great

[@selfproclaimednobody4614]

No

[@Manguadesignz]

Dope lol

[@djanitatiana]

@@justmehereUK I like them just as much. The difference being there's FA decent satire around these days that isn't some politically motivated group or something trying to make a useless point. However Spitting Image know they're all assholes :)

[@SARISS80]

Lmao anyone notice the sun got pissed off when it heard that stupid song?

[@dannygeebee]

Yes everyone did

[@zpardus]

Expecting any of those three to lead us to the future is like expecting professional orchestral compositions to come from poultry.

[@Deontjie]

Maybe Biden or Fetterman can do a better job?

[@waldemarjesswein7997]

"Don´t be a fool, you idiot! Earth has served it´s purpose. It created YOU." Brilliant 😂

[@nnannakalu9423]

LMAO...MARVELOUS sketch! Grimes' hilariously awful ditty is now etched in my mind!

[@gregorysagegreene]

You have this really pretty French name, and then you go: No, I wanna' sound like Dirt.

[@WilHenDavis]

"Thank you, my dear, I am no longer afraid of death!" 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@leaedt7614]

The special effects are amazing. This must have cost a fortune.

[@georgeiii2998]

£10,000 a puppet.

[@danielahoti4109]

@@georgeiii2998 Pardon my ignorance, but how are these.fantastic puppets made and animated? Do you know? I love them ❤️ since many years, esp.the Royal family. I read below:this vid "Tickets available" Does it mean one can see them on Stage? How? Tx and greetings from Germany ♥️🇩🇪

[@georgeiii2998]

@@danielahoti4109 And yes, you can see them on stage. The show goes on stage in Birmingham, UK in February 2023.

[@danielahoti4109]

@@georgeiii2998 Thank you for your kind reply. Unfortunately doesn't explain how they are made.It is a mystery to me. 😏

[@robert.holter]

@@danielahoti4109 They're made from latex and are mostly hand operated. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGW0faiuebukl7M Grüße

[@b_altmann]

A masterpiece. And they look so real

[@MESSY-AF]

creator of those dolls is a real talent

[@niamhryan9677]

This is beyond epic. Musk's out of tune auto tune girlfriend had me cracked up

[@ZoanBlade90]

"Should we tell them about the dragon on Mars?" "No way. If they slay it (let alone survive), then they'll have a cool story and dragon claws for scientists to study." "And if they don't?" "We won't have to deal with them anymore. They're the Void Dragon's problem now."

[@andyschwartz8808]

Elon’s life is suspiciously like a Disney channel sitcom

[@ashleywalker1411]

A prototype self driving sub machine 🤭

[@williamsanders2439]

5:37...probably would be the same reaction in real life! This iteration of SI is as funny and hard-hitting as the first! 🤣

[@atas2561]

I wouldn’t be surprised😂

[@pickle4034]

The password is 1 😂 had me dead😂

[@xChinky123x]

Mars, Grimes on Mars, reTUUURNING

[@chef7658]

I gotta tell you, spitting image puppets alsways look so impressive.

[@j0917DW]

Spitting image from 80’s with Sylvester Stallone, and several characters from back in the day were so spot on funny

[@sean.butterworth]

Remember the grey John Major puppet?

[@j0917DW]

@@sean.butterworth I can’t remember that particular one. I remember Spok from Star Trek 😂

[@totalrecone]

10:52 Classic line!! Solid gold T-Shirt material right there.

[@cassandratq9301]

"Why is there so little air in this air?" 😆

[@Abelius]

Wow, I had no idea this show was still going on! We had it in Spain a lot of years ago, then some day it was no more.

[@samankucher5117]

the "another great job by me " was on point to his character 💀

[@shantishanti1949]

STOP .... you had me at 5:30 ..... lets do it

[@speleokeir]

Reminds me the Golgfrinians from the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and how they got rid of the most useless third of their society.

[@lovemommybaby]

Him knawing on the corn literally killed me.

[@peterszar]

This is crazy stuff, I love it. I wish these clips were longer or a few bundled into a weekly series. I believe they're on Brit Box, but on my fixed income that's out of the question, oh well. I guess I'll have to enjoy what good 'ol U-Tube has to offer.

[@Mortthemoose]

Me too

[@djanitatiana]

at 11:25 this was a lot of animation!

[@DanceTranced]

utorrent sold and the new version has infectious cancer, super aids and ads. bit torrent itself is preferable at this point. tixati is nice. there are several viable options.

[@Incognito-vc9wj]

“Wait, Mars? Like over by Jupiter?” 😂

[@girleyreds11-11]

I swear to God this has to be one of your best episodes yet I was so immersed halfway through I had to check myself and realize I was watching a video LOL I mean I got lost in this video and only Grimes music blinked me out of it LMAO lol you guys are awesome keep going

[@Viewable11]

Assistant repeatedly slaps the face of Musk. Musk: _"Ow, I am awake!"_ Assistant: _"I know,"_ and continues slapping Musk.

[@ReubenAStern]

...That's actually pretty close to what Grimes's music sounds like.

[@aldunlop4622]

Music? Is that what you call it?

[@IBSSnape]

2:40 I envy that SpaceX employee

[@i-yell-a-lot4906]

"THANK YOU MY DEAR, I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF DEATH"

[@andyjay729]

I thought Oprah was going to tell Bezos, "Even better! YOU GET A CAR!!!" (Sticks a small car in his sleeve)

[@narlyskillzdosadar2743]

5:45 😂 I’m no longer afraid of death ☠️

[@narlyskillzdosadar2743]

7:40 then he escapes that feeling 👺🖤😈💯🤡

[@the_bane_of_all_anti_furry]

10:15 nobody is gonna talk of the blue origins? 😂😂

[@fermit_thekrog1720]

Branson looks like he was born eating corn.

[@ryano8002]

"Thank you Dear, I no longer have fear of death" Fucking lol.

[@diana-cy4kj]

I wish they all went to space and stayed there!

[@everthealtruist]

You've done it now, you've gone and pissed off the sun.

[@yobrojoost9497]

So good to see Spitting Image back! And I'd love to see the back of those three plus a whole bunch of others!

[@axeblue]

Spitting image has probably been the most, that our humankind could imagine out of mars.

[@PsychoticWolfie]

Holy shit, I didn't think puppet shows could be this good. I thought we peaked with Mr Meaty

[@markhepworth1556]

Spitting Image is a legend of show

[@IndeterminateMetal]

The scene with angry sun and grime's music was hilarious 😂

[@DEAD_ACCOUNT0000]

The smartest thing Elon did in this video was that he picked up on Bezos subtle mentioning of his own Mars program.

[@ric270]

Saving money on that test pilot seemed like a good idea

[@JustsomeSteve]

7:53 Ok, it's a whole masterpiece but the sun was the thing that made me laugh really hard. 😅

[@fistyann8434]

Apropos of everything, I really need Spitting Image and Genesis to give us a new Land Of Confusion video with the current crop of monsters.

[@HereForTheComments]

If Britbox really did pass on renewing Spitting Image, I think this would make a good next big project.

[@Atheist7]

"Spittin' Image"...... You STILL "GOT IT"!!!!!! LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Silver_o]

I've never heard musk speak so smoothly.

[@mermaidaw]

"That's what she said hehehehe" 🤣

[@mermaidaw]

"Just shoot me out the hole hehehe", bubble buddies and inflatables. A psychoanalytic wet dream. 🤣🤣🤣

[@Kaiyats]

I can’t get over how much Elon musks character looks like him I wonder what I would look like if they made me a character Lmao

[@BobbyBearhugTheWestHamFan96]

0:28 Don't tell Nero that XD

[@miriamweller812]

This would actually make an awesome video game.

[@satpar415]

Lmaooooo this wild, amazing who ever created this, this made my day

[@NefetariMoonRay]

I ADORE THE WAY THAT EVERYBODY KEEPS KICKING OR SLAPPING ELON, EVEN THOUGH HES ALREADY AWAKE. HILARIOUS.

[@Dash101]

Branson has been done dirty here, claiming everything outside the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. 🤣🤣

[@gm9984]

This style of 80s puppets used in that old Genesis video Land of Confusion used to give me nightmares.. still gives me the creeps

[@vladabuba]

"Ooh man... I'm getting space sick... Only one solution!..."

[@Kiloburn]

This is made so much better by Billy West as scientist and John DiMaggio as Musk, plus Phil Llamar as Bezos.

[@SK-sy8qm]

PATSCH Musk: "I'm awake!" Howitzer Lady: "I know!" PATSCH PATSCH PATSCH - absolutely gold!

[@Anti_Woke]

Any nitpicks I may have are overwhelmed by just how good the puppets are.

[@appa609]

they're puppets?

[@Anti_Woke]

@@appa609 The actual individuals were too busy to take part in the making of this documentary. ;-)

[@appa609]

@@Anti_Woke I thought it was stop motion

[@Ukraineaissance2014]

@@appa609 they did a documentary about making the puppets it was really interesting

[@ajiusasikander1701]

Impatiently waiting for the Liz Truss Spitfest.😀

[@speleokeir]

You might want to rephrase that. The image that conjures up just made me throw up in my mouth a little!

[@georgeiii2998]

You'll be waiting an eternity.

[@volcwatcher7563]

She's rather busy wondering whether to start wearing panties again 😂

[@Willzb-xk4ew]

Mars. Grimes on mars. Red PlA̸̧̨̘̪̮͕̫̝̟̮͌̊̈́̓͋͝ͅâ̵͔̱̼̱̳͍̈́̃̒̈́͂́̕͠a̶̧̼̹̮̪̹̪̯͈̅͐̊͊͂͑̿̿̐͐̉̈͐̔͝a̴̭̱̮͂̄̅̀̄͒̀̍͜͝a̸̧͖̻͚̗̣̞̰̥̞͂̉̑͗̌̅̋͘ͅa̸̤̘̺̤̣̤̯̳̳̪̦̗̹̺͒̑͑͊͗̓̂̾̏̈̂ͅa̵̢͓͚͚̰̼̝̫̲̖̺͆̋ͅą̵̡̪̜̟̹͚̻͓̦͕̺͗̍̀̀̑̉̅̈̑͜a̶̛͉̮̙͍͈̩̲̪͐̃̿̉͆̎̌̿̌̉͑́͘̕a̵̞̹̺͇̞̻̬̝͙̹͒͂ͅneeeet

[@blaster915]

Can't wait for the next season!!

[@Patashu]

So many good moments in this lmao

[@cubanman2009]

Id would pay to see them all get stuck on mars

[@swansong5960]

Carefull now dont go giving them any ideas. They'll take your money and still find a way to weasel out of it.

[@sushaw6570]

Good to see that Douglas Herd's 'hair' has been upcycled from the 80s lol 🤣

[@StardustYT]

This is so perfect ! It's so sad Britbox is not available for french customers

[@ct1762]

its called VPN

[@StardustYT]

@@ct1762 no, the subscription declines non UK credit cards

[@jamiehughes5573]

Ah how it should be

[@fubar12345]

@@StardustYT 'the subscription declines non UK credit cards' So they're finally learning

[@GeneralKenobi69420]

Les Guignols