Quote: Marc P @ November 6 2009, 11:38 PM GMTCome on Roodeye has moved on a lot now, he's not pulling on our heartstrings so much anymore.
I just liked the sketch.
I'm not sure what you mean about the heartstrings to be honest.
I'm never sure whether you're trying to make a joke or not Marc.
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ November 6 2009, 11:52 PM GMTI just liked the sketch.
I'm not sure what you mean about the heartstrings to be honest.
I'm never sure whether you're trying to make a joke or not Marc.
Have a guess.
Quote: Marc P @ November 6 2009, 11:57 PM GMTHave a guess.
Ok, I guess that you are trying.
Quote: Marc P @ November 6 2009, 11:30 PM GMTIronhide it's a verbatim speech from the film Gladiator, the joke is the pull back reveal that he is an X factor contendor.
I figured as much.
I thought of another one, but it's probably too similar. After a pause he continues, "But tonight Mathhew, I'll be Tina Turner!" and we pull out to show him in a spangly evening dress with hooped earrings.
Too similar? Yeah, I thought so too.
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ November 6 2009, 11:59 PM GMTOk, I guess that you are trying.
Ok.
Quote: Ironhide @ November 7 2009, 12:00 AM GMTI figured as much.
I thought of another one, but it's probably too similar. After a pause he continues, "But tonight Mathhew, I'll be Tina Turner!" and we pull out to show him in a spangly evening dress with hooped earrings.
Too similar? Yeah, I thought so too.
No you're ok but like Lee's earlier excelent suggestion it's too old a film for a running gag. Roodeye's original is great but given budget etc is a probably too out of date to be done for TV now, but who knows?
The original sketch sketch had a number of layers.
It was a verbatim speech from Gladiator - "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son and husband to a murdered wife" followed by a pull back and reveal that the character was standing on the X Factor audition spot before a panel of judges.
We then had Cheryl Cole wiping away a tear as she asks "And what are you going to sing for us today, Maximus?"
Marc P's interpretation that it was simply a case of displacing Maximus several thousand years and miles through time and space is valid while Ironhide delves deeper to uncover, quite correctly, a satire aimed at X-Factor's love of sob stories and dear Cheryl's tendency to be visibly moved by same.
To use the 'opening speech' at the beginning of a series of running gags would work very well.
Lee's tattooist sketch is well up to broadcast-quality funniness as might be:
SOLDIER:
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son and husband to a murdered wife"
PULL BACK AND REVEAL HE'S ON A 21ST CENTURY ROAD, STANDING IN A CHARIOT PULLED BY SEVERAL HORSES
A POLICEMAN IS ADDRESSING HIM, NOTEBOOK IN HAND
POLICEMAN:
And is this your vehicle, Sir?
or
SOLDIER:
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son and husband to a murdered wife"
PULL BACK AND REVEAL HE'S REACHED THE HEAD OF A QUEUE TO GET INTO A 21ST CENTURY NIGHTCLUB
A BURLY BOUNCER, GUEST LIST IN HAND, BARS HIS WAY
BURLY BOUNCER:
Sorry, mate. If you're not on the list, you're not coming in.
All these ideas (and many more) work on the basic comedic principle of displacing Maximus through time and space but there is, I feel, a deeper more poignant interpretation that involves Maximus's really having been transported through time and space and finding nobody who's remotely interested in his terrible plight. He tries constantly to explain his predicament but everyone he meets treats him as no more than a part of their own daily routine. A satire based upon our frequent failure to see tragedy right under our noses?
Complex stuff, comedy. 
P.S. I'm not convinced the Gladiator reference is too old. In last week's 'The Thick Of It', there was a fairly lengthy comedic exchange based upon Russell Crowe's character in 'A Beautiful Mind' - a film made only a year later than Gladiator and not nearly so well-known.
Wouldn't Cheryl say 'pet' instead of maximus when asking what he's going to sing?
Quote: The Giggle-o @ November 7 2009, 1:13 PM GMTWouldn't Cheryl say 'pet' instead of maximus when asking what he's going to sing?
If someone else had written the sketch and they'd had Cheryl calling him 'Pet', I wouldn't have felt it needed changing - so it's a perfectly good suggestion.
Digging deeper into the situation and into both Cheryl's psyche and that of Maximus, I can see good reasons for using either appellation.
The choice, however, is not arbitrary: it depends what you're trying to portray.
So, the short answer to your question is . . . 'possibly'. 
Quote: Roodeye @ November 7 2009, 8:44 AM GMTIn last week's 'The Thick Of It', there was a fairly lengthy comedic exchange based upon Russell Crowe's character in 'A Brilliant Mind' - a film made only a year later than Gladiator and not nearly so well-known.
'A Brilliant Mind'? The film is called 'A Beautiful Mind'.
>_<
Quote: Roodeye @ November 7 2009, 1:31 PM GMTIf someone else had written the sketch and they'd had Cheryl calling him 'Pet', I wouldn't have felt it needed changing - so it's a perfectly good suggestion.
Digging deeper into the situation and into both Cheryl's psyche and that of Maximus, I can see good reasons for using either appellation.
The choice, however, is not arbitrary: it depends what you're trying to portray.
So, the short answer to your question is . . . 'possibly'.
Is Roodeye deliberately trying to sound like Mr Cotter? I'm confused. 
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son and husband to a murdered wife"
"Hi, I'm Tracey."
Quote: Tim Walker @ November 7 2009, 4:51 PM GMTIs Roodeye deliberately trying to sound like Mr Cotter? I'm confused.
Roodeye's an enigma....you'll never get it 
Quote: bushbaby @ November 7 2009, 7:29 PM GMTRoodeye's an enigma....you'll never get it
Three other enigmas (all totally different people of course)...
Chimes of Freedom, FoxyBox ---
--- and the legendary (trumpet fanfare) - Prentis y Dewin!!
After numerous warnings and continued flouting of site rules, as well as inflammatory posts such as above, Morrace has now been banned from the British Comedy Guide.