The Fast Show - Arthur Atkinson Complete Part 1

iv seen you wrapping presents when its no ones birthday! more comedy genius from the fast show. arthur atkinson and tommy cockles :) wheres me washboard!! have you seen it!

[@angels77100]

The Fast show was one of the best comedies to emerge in the 90's, and there was a lot of competition around then. Look at the talent this show produced!

[@ianmangham4570]

I use to be in agony, belly laughing rolling around in stitches 🤣

[@ianmangham4570]

I've had the privilege of seeing Arthur back in 1923,it didn't get any better, good clean fun until the scandal 🙄

[@Lazy_Sundae]

He was framed, I tells ya! Ask Wilson, Keppel and Betty - they were in on it.

[@andrewjoyce7789]

Was that when Baldwin introduced Atkinson to Lloyd George during a clandestine visit to a Soho brothel?

[@anorakus8272]

​@@andrewjoyce7789Lloyd George knew my father, Father knew Lloyd George 👍

[@anorakus8272]

Disgusting 😡 and with ladies in the audience

[@bryanleigh6497]

Atkinson is like the ghost of musical hall. What lived and was warm and richly diverse reduced to a cold figure endlessly repeating simple actions and phrases. As ghosts do. This is dark and creepy stuff from Whitehouse, and not untypical.

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

Interesting.

[@Lazy_Sundae]

*music hall

[@DaveDexterMusic]

Maybe music hall was just not that great, and consigned rightfully to the grave as entertainment became better, more available and easier to absorb. If it was warm and richly diverse, you'd think it would still be around.

[@matthewhendy5785]

Paul Whitehouse in my opinion is a seriously underrated actor. Brilliant in dramatic roles.

[@gcb474]

I'm not sure if we're too far removed from Music Hall to properly contrast it's heyday with its decline, if indeed it did decline. There might be someone who could enlighten us, a character like Tommy Cockles, a man who represents these odd figures with an encyclopedic knowledge of forgotten "stars" from a long since gone era of entertainment. At times it appears they pretend to actually enjoy this stuff and are more invested in the fact that their area of expertise is exceptionally niche. I think Arthur Atkinson is taking a swipe at those who appreciate a good instep as much as the artform itself. Arthur is clearly phoning it in with minimal effort here, but the audience and our critic are lapping it up. I think for the most part the jokes on them, but I really like the ghost analysis, its a really interesting take.

[@Lazy_Sundae]

I wonder if he ever found his washboard.

[@Dekoherence-ii8pw]

Bono hasn't.

[@Lazy_Sundae]

@@Dekoherence-ii8pw Not seeing the connection, sorry

[@nath909]

Billy Onions - Here's my wife, here's my life.

[@elliotbullman4765]

unfunny

[@normanmeharry58]

Like all comedy, this sketch is underpinned with sadness. So many comedians I laughed at in my youth when I wasn't sophisticated, I look back and revisit them and can't see what I found so funny.

[@jayhache5609]

>Refers to himself as sophisticated. I’ve got bad news for you, anon.

[@MrDavey2010]

This is a clever pastiche of Arthur Askey.

[@martinhughes2549]

& the ITV show" Looks familiar" I think. The Dennis Norsen fronted afternoon show, reminiscing about music Hall etc.

[@dannycheesums]

Quite a bit of Max Miller and the vomit-inducing George Formby in there too

[@rainblaze.]

​@@dannycheesums george formby wasnt vomit induceing. In fact he was deceptively sophisticated for his time. His songs full of inuendo and existential angst of life in Britain and the human condition. What with such titles as "my grandfathers flanelette night shirt" and " and my little stick of bllackpool rock". Morrissey sshould owes him a debt.... or two And i am only half joking by the way.... Seriously

[@HooDatDonDar]

A catchphrase show like the “Fast Show” making fun of a catchphrase comedian, Arthur Askey. How queer! [Silence from all] I’ll get me coat...

[@simoncollett4524]

Mate that deserves *way* more upvotes 👍

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

He sounds like a quare...

[@littlepippin8445]

Max Miller.

[@anaccount8474]

I saw Simon Day live doing a whole show as Tommy Cockles in the early 90s, he was brilliant.

[@JoeBleasdaleReal]

I've seen nineteen people wrapping presents like it's nobody's birthday

[@Doctor_Kissworthy]

Here I have discovered a brilliant, understated performer. An old-time Stuart Lee, who understood comedy and an audience like no other comedian. He chose the jokes, and chose what you laughed at, and how loud and how long. Genius. We lost a great Briton when Arthur Atkinson died. Thank you so much for sharing this historic footage!

[@theculturedthug6609]

Arthur was one of the greats....where's me washboard?

[@kevanbrown7620]

Only Tommy Cockles Knows when Arthur Atkinson died. "I've seen you wrapping presents when it's nobody's birthday"

[@kevanbrown7620]

@@rayixon7890 Ha, Brilliant, as soon as he said it he knew the audience weren't having that, Oooohh! Whitehouse makes me creased up with laughing. I wish they made shows like that now

[@drinkwater319]

@@rayixon7890 ...Arthur sadly killed himself in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of the War. His wife, fellow performer Elsie and mother to Arthur’s son, left him for his best mate, Billy Onions. In a fit of despair Arthur jumped off Battersea bridge. The betrayal was too much to bear. Apparently Arthur left a note which succinctly stated ..’you pair of cunts’. In 1978, their son, Billy, a bus driver from Bradford, on the death of his mother Elsie, revealed that Billy Onions was actually his real dad. quoted from Wikipedia.

[@MrGoneTroppo]

I was only just talking to me dad about Arthur, he said it was only listening to Hot and Cold All Over on the wireless what got 'em through the war. (Me dad said that, not Arthur.)

[@DMEB]

i love these segments of the fast show.. especially the one where he swears by mistake!!! haha

[@KrillLiberator]

Is that a moustache.

[@johnafirth]

Kills the crowd, and I believe his career, dead in one word.

[@josheldridge8546]

Went from the talk of the town to the whisper of the village. Couldn't even get a game of golf. Do I care? No.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

Later from Series 2 onwards, Tommy Cockles reveals he hates Arthur Atkinson.

[@0248959]

wheres me washboard lol

[@drwinkle101]

Music hall comedy reduced to catchphrases. No jokes, no punchline, all catchphrases. Why? Satire? Who knows?: it's the dark mind of Whitehouse at work. Bleak, unsettling, and brilliantly original.

[@indiefruit]

Jumper for goalposts? Tommy Cockles, holding it aloft?

[@mikeysaint4368]

There's clip of Max Miller on KZbin, doing his awful routine. This parody is far funnier because Whitehouse knew exactly how banal and lazy that music hall "comedy" was. We're in on the joke.

[@vashna3799]

That’s a bit deep

[@thatoneguychad420]

@@indiefruit enduring image, hmm yes really. Isn't it?

[@walker11288]

I've seen ya wrappin presents when it's nobody's birthday!

[@cooky6379]

I said I've seen ya wrappin presents when it's nobody's birthday!!

[@IronHead42]

Oh all right then, here's another one. I've seen ya wrappin presents when it's nobody's birthday!

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

Why is he just repeating the same line? It's not even funny, but everyone is laughing. It's weird.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

@DnB and Psy Production I've seen you in the butchers buying liver instead of lamb!

[@simon40sp]

Hi I'm edd whinchester

[@hoodatdondar2664]

Standards used to be stricter, because the public wanted it. This is burlesqued later in this series, when Atkinson uses a four- letter word, by mistake. His career is ruined, temporarily anyway. Responding to this, entertainment was regulated by the Lord chamberlains office to control ‘unseemly’ or ‘immoral’ content. Film had the same, by a body actually called ‘The British Board of Film Censors’. This meant some things could only be alluded to, or hinted at. So allusion and double meaning flourished. Based, then as now, on popular references and catch phrases ( sometimes from the comedians own act) which the audience understood, but gave deniability if anyone investigated. If you do not have the cultural background of decades ago, this can all seem a little mysterious. I think when the Fast Show gang were kids, they saw prewar music hall acts on tv and thought, ‘what’s this about??’. This, I think, is their impression of what they saw. The allusions I think, are all made up but vary in how real they are. Just the fact that Atkinson is not speaking directly is enough to tell you his act is ‘coded’, and the Fast Show has made up some code. A generation before, the jive talkers in ‘Airplane!’ did something like that, made up slang that could be real, but wasn’t. A couple of things are based on reality. One example; The hand on the hip gesture meant effeminacy back then (see it in the Three Stooges short ‘Slippery Silks’). Atkinson walks around like that,seeming all innocent, then supposedly gives an explanation for it that is not what the audience is thinking at all: ‘Have you seen it? Where’s me washboard?” ( supposedly, to tuck under his arm) Of course, he knows he is mincing around, but the ‘washboard’ business gives him deniability with the Lord chamberlains office. And makes the audience laugh.

[@ZZombyWooff]

I've seen yo wrapping presents.. one of the best characters in the show. Wish they make a movie out of it

[@scaparapadoobedoooo3170]

....you're american, aren't you?

[@HooDatDonDar]

No, just a keen sense of humour. An easy mistake to make.

[@worldcomicsreview354]

There was that TV movie of Morecambe and Wise a while back (NB: May have been 15 years back, I'm old). They could have done a parody of it

[@bennyblanco936]

I love how Tommy cockles always seems bitter about other performers success, + his lack of success compared to those likes of atkinson (prob cos he's a shit actor - when he shows clips of old films he's in🤣🤣.. he's crap!) 👏👏 To The great Tommy cockles..an overlooked, underappreciated talented actor and performer also tv host - among many sadly hidden & now tragically lost talents

[@RhysapGrug]

This is Paul Whitehouse on the fast show.

[@bennyblanco936]

@@RhysapGrug this isn't actually real life then?!? ...are you from the matrix captain obvious?

[@DavidTaylor-yl3yw]

Loosely based on Benny Green I've always thought

[@thegarbeen]

@carmonandy Thats ok, you just dont understand the cultural reference of this sketch. It is a particular sort old school british comedy that is being parodied here.

[@jsmith498]

Ah, my childhood. This is based on a lunchtime regional ITV programme that went out in the late 70s, about Music Hall and theatre of the 1930s and 40s. It was on after Rainbow.

[@Lazy_Sundae]

Do you also remember a music hall revival show from around the same time, called 'The Good Old Days'?

[@Cathain78]

Search Max Miller and you'll understand immediately

[@theeddielang]

Have you seen it? Ey? Have you seen it? Ey? Have you seen it? Ey? Where's me washboard then? GENIUS STUFF....

[@ianmangham4570]

🤣

[@Supermercado]

Here's my wife, here's my life. Great catchphrase.

[@chrisjames6327]

Open the window, shut the door

[@isayoldboywhodofthought1756]

Used to love it when this came on, fast show was superb.

[@uberglocken]

@logixish simon day and paul whitehouse are legends pal and it is a great shame that there is not any comedy shows on t.v. nowadays what are as good as the fast show was. infact there has not been a comedy show on t.v. in england in the last 16 years what comes any where near as class as that. TIMELESS. . .

[@johndiamond593]

uberglocken seven years later and I want to ask you if you like "Still Game" or "Chewing the fat" ?

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

@@johndiamond593 still game was really good. I haven't been able to find a torrent for chewin the fat though :(

[@kevanbrown7620]

Absolutely hilarious,I think Paul Whitehouse, with Vic reeves and Bob Mortimer are brilliant, and not forgetting the sadly missed Rik Mayall.😊

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

And Harry Enfield! I think Paul is the best though, he is incredible.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

@@offensiveplaythroughs7159 Paul is the most talented in terms of his range of voices and acting. Harry is pretty good too, but some of his characters sound like each other. I never really rated Reeves and Mortimer. They were OK, but not on the same level as Whitehouse or Enfield or the Pythons for that matter.

[@craigrfoley]

2 people are wrapping presents when it's nobody's birthday

[@tanterliser]

This is a parody of a uk singer named George Formby, Who also played the ukulele, George himself had songs banned by the BBC.

[@fx02zbn]

A great parody of how shit Arthur Askey was.

[@paulscoffield7085]

Oi, Ive just been watching Arthur Askeys busy bee.....you wanna watch your loose tongue you do....Arthur Askey was my uncle.....no hang on a minute , me grandad, no hang on a minute..not related.!!

[@MrDavey2010]

I agree. It’s a fantastic parody. Well observed and executed.

[@TeethSink]

I love the black and white stuff from the fast show, harry enfield, etc. But when ever i see arthur I want to smack the shit out of him lol

[@shirleymental4189]

Sigh! I wish we had good comedians like this and Bernard Manning these days.

[@hyena131]

Surly Dental The funniest thing bernard manning ever did was die. It cracked me up.

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

When he says the ones from Czechoslovakia were a bit near the mark. Think he means the German currency? Since it's war time.

[@dtr4eva]

That scared the hell of me...it actually did,.....

[@ReeTM]

Thank you for these, here is a complete playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLfSmhy_-SjTrepsW8kxoY0g5Vipggeh6g

[@philipbrougham6360]

Seen that audiance quite a few times !! Lol.

[@Beans360]

When i was a kid i really didn't get that the jokes supposed to make no sense because comedy has evolved and i didn't find it funny but now i get the joke its hilarious.

[@whatonearth9809]

Is this supposed to be Arthur Askey?

[@paulallison2412]

It's a parody of all the wartime comics, a kind of mix of Max Miller and Arthur Askey.

[@davevincent5453]

Marvelous times I can assure you

[@rambodeish]

Hey, here's a good'un! *silence* Av seen you wrrrappin presents, when its nobodys birthday! *roars* Paul Whitehouse the undisputed comic genius!

[@briansmith1055]

Genius

[@chrisjames8045]

This is just so stupid it's hilarious.

[@Dario927]

here's one Arthur, what's a Greek urn? a euro and an onion? heheheheh

[@scottmanhood4506]

You aint seen me ryyyte

[@crazyfulla]

Fast show is win!

[@fckmanutd]

fucking LMAO

[@timwalker2458]

Funny I always remembered that as "where's me carpet"

[@elliotbullman4765]

clean yer fackin ears

[@Bellocks1]

Ooh! How bent! I’ve seen you wrapping presents when it’s nobody’s Christmas!

[@mikemorgan7893]

“ please mother forgive me, I didn’t know the gun was loaded “

[@Volatile-Tortoise]

So brilliant

[@Niala8419]

Ow-queer.

[@lettylunasical4766]

This is how incomprehensible future generations will view our memes.

[@ManinManchester]

Do you mean uncomprehending?

[@jimmuscle2891]

I think I've found his washboard, it was under the bed all this time...

[@stevecox7075]

Brilliant!

[@jacktodd3439]

the only one more unfunny funny is Colin Hunt 😆

[@hoodatdondar2664]

Yeah, he’s a real Colin.

[@cessnaace]

@yethboth What's funny is not funny trying to be funny whilst people laugh at you for trying to be funny knowing that you aren't, so they laugh eventhough it's not funny, because if it was funny then it would be funny. LOL! STAY AWESOME mate! :)

[@HooDatDonDar]

This is how Askey looked to the Fast Show crowd. Incomprehensible in-jokes and catchphrases from another time and culture. They do a three stooges impression too - guys with strange haircuts being dim and violent. Again, that how it looks if you don’t get it. Which they do, of coutures, they just filmed first impressions, for laughs. They do a West Indian slang bit - in the middle of it, one of them stops and walks off, saying in a West Country accent - ‘I really have no idea what you’re on about, mate.’

[@HooDatDonDar]

Courtres=course

[@bletheringfool]

I've seen his washboard. Not much to look at

[@BossySwan]

Shoulders I say *shoulders*

[@michaelgeorge5767]

The 90s: Comedy's last golden age.

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

Ou eyeve goaun def.

[@anonymousperson8075]

Thanks for uploading

[@danielwilliamson6180]

Hello There!

[@aporue5893]

''where's my washboard?hehehe''

[@hoodatdondar2664]

A mantlepiece.

[@JohnSmythe-od4gk]

Aaaaah queeeeeah!

[@Darkasthenight06]

Just been watching Arthur Askey.performing who this is meant to be a parody of and it's slightly depressing how similar the audience in this is to his audiences. Laughing at nearly everything he says even if what he's saying isn't meant to be a joke.

[@HooDatDonDar]

The audience here *is* his audience. They spliced in old clips of music hall audiences. Some times they put them on a loop for a long laugh.

[@HooDatDonDar]

Some are also modern day recreations. Can you tell which?

[@michaeligoe3935]

Thanks smokedup .... the next hour of my life will be a very happy one :)

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Where WAS his bleeding washboard?!

[@dacrlit]

In the Wash house.

[@musicmadantidevil3688]

Billliant:)lol.

[@kingspunkbubble]

Loads a money!

[@stevecox7075]

Where's your apostrophe?

[@Beaglecorn]

[@kerbal666]

All jokes aside what is he actually taking the piss out of here. Because I think I'm missing a lot of context :)

[@hyena131]

@Wasteland Customs How absurdly unfunny, ridiculous and archaic English music hall comedians were. But Whitehouse clearly appreciates them for just how terrible they were without being overly ironic. As do many. Does that make sense?

[@kerbal666]

@@hyena131 That does thank you. But I thought there were some great comedians that came out of that era like George Formby

[@hyena131]

@@kerbal666 Well said. And don't forget the late great charlie williams who was Formby's well loved sidekick and known (and loved) for his dark humour. Oh how I cried when he died. You should see the video!

[@AICabal]

I always hated this character.

[@serenety1]

+AICabal You're wrong!

[@mattdavies7398]

You are Chester Drawers and I claim my five Pounds.

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

I think Paul wrote him that way

[@Doctor_Kissworthy]

@@A-small-amount-of-peas He's a very clever man, like Steve Coogan. My wife feels sick when she hears or sees Alan Partridge, because Steve has made him repugnant on purpose. Brilliant.

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

@@Doctor_Kissworthy lol I fucking hate Alan Partridge but I understand that's the point.

[@andymobile100]

its Philip May!

[@AdamRussell00]

billy onions!!

[@TomthatiscalledTom]

Here's my wife, here's my life Billy Onions

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

Never got that bit

[@theHOLTEender]

Paul Whitehouse, the uncrowned king of comedy...

[@fogvarious2478]

the rest worked / wrote on it also and esp. higson.. and others like ted / ralph sketch was written by father ted writer.

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

@@fogvarious2478 yeah I didn't realise the amazing amount of talent that had writing for The Fast Show. The only thing I don't get is why Harry Enfield wasn't involved at all.

[@ianmangham4570]

World's greatest ACTOR "Johnny Depp"

[@kriddz]

Here's my wife, here's my life too good!

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

The Tommy Cockles bit is daft. Is it meant to be funny when he says, Ron Smike, he wasn't a good looking lad, he had a wonderful instep. Also what does, here's my wife, here's my life mean. Or is it nonsense that is supposed to be funny? Also, no laugh track when he was about Czech being near the mark, which I'm sure was actually a pun.

[@hyena131]

inoffensivefollowthroughs Of course "here's my wife, here's my life" isn't funny. It's not supposed to be. Are you American?

[@williamrisbridger60]

Yes, it is supposed to be funny, and it is, fortunately :)

[@carmonandy]

I don't get it

[@cranebeg]

Cochineal

[@John27346]

"I'll send your rabbit presents when it's nobody's birthday"...good one.

[@JonJon-dk3nh]

Cringe. They're overrated.

[@offensiveplaythroughs7159]

What is?

[@Jehannum2000]

@@offensiveplaythroughs7159 Coherent sentences, apparently.