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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

An Alan Partridge Thread. Jurassic Park!

Glenn Close But No Cigar

18:31 / 31.08.07

Barbelith doesn't seem, after much searching, to have a dedicated Alan Partridge thread. In an attempt to correct this, here's a place to discuss Steve Coogan's Norwich-born broadcaster, and star of The Day Today, KMKYWAP, and I'm Alan Partridge. Info for neophytes / the forgetful here

What I love about Partridge is that, like all the best British sitcom characters from Diary of a Nobody's Charles Pooter to Peep Show's Mark Corrigan, he is repulsive but also uncomfortably familiar. Who among us - whether we are contemplating the collective noun of 'Lexus' or wondering whether the 'best Lord' is that of the Flies, the Rings, or the Dance' - has not been horrified to discover that we, too, have an inner-Partridge, despite our outward meme-surfing, polymorphously perverse shells?

Possible topic of discussion: whether I'm Alan Partridge lost its way in its second series (I'm in the yes camp - it has its moments, but is often just a gallery of grotesques), whether Alan's in-series marginalisation by the BBC is actually a critique of that institution, and what the six names of Glenn Ponder's band actually were.

Here, for fans old and new, is a semi-rare clip of Partridge meeting the Milky Bar Kid, played by Simon Pegg.

Back of the net!

23:29 / 31.08.07

Interesting timing consider Steve Coogan is now taking the blame for the Owen Wilson suicide, to the point that one article I read claimed it would be near impossible for Coogan to salvage his career. When Courtney Love's saying that you're a bad influence, you know things are crazy.

00:08 / 01.09.07

Just a quick note to say Owen Wilson made an unsuccessful suicide bid. He isn't dead.

04:21 / 01.09.07

Ah yeah, that should have been suicide attempt. It makes a pretty big difference in the story.

Glenn Close But No Cigar

10:38 / 01.09.07

none

Glenn Close But No Cigar

10:45 / 01.09.07

PatrickMM, Barbelith wasn't, the last time I looked, a more Grant Morrison-centric version of Heat magazine... That said, here's a clip of Coogan as Partridge discussing 'Brit Pop bands like UB40 and Def Leppard, and the suicide of Kurt Cobain.

17:46 / 02.09.07

Steve Coogan is now taking the blame for the Owen Wilson suicide, to the point that one article I read claimed it would be near impossible for Coogan to salvage his career. When Courtney Love's saying that you're a bad influence, you know things are crazy.

This is actually bollocks, anyway, as Coogan has denied any involvement altogether and - well - he and Courtney are not bezzie mates, really. Very not. You can't really make people attempt suicide that much.

17:47 / 02.09.07

Barbelith wasn't, the last time I looked, a more Grant Morrison-centric version of Heat magazine

I feel it perhaps ought to be, obvs.

ONLY NICE THINGS

18:19 / 02.09.07

Welll, when somebody says something which is both completely untrue and also really quite significant about the subject of the thread, it's tricky just to ignore it. For reference, what Coogan's camp actually said about Courtney Love's suggestions is:

These accusations are unfounded, unhelpful and hurtful to all concerned. We are taking legal advice.

Anyway, it seems PatrickMM may have unwittingly identified the difference between the US and UK perspective on Steve Coogan. The Courtney Love story is presumably the biggest spike in Coogan's celebrity - their apparent night of passion, and then this - where he is otherwise primarily, presumably, seen as a supporting character in Jackie Chan's Around the World in 80 Days, and a sort of satellite to Ricky Gervaise who had a bit part in Night at the Museum. Over here, I haven't encountered anyone who feels that it is very likely that possibly being a bad influence on an American comedy actor is likely to destroy his career. Things may work out differently in the US, but it all feels a bit forced - I mean, when did anyone last take Courtney Love's editorial without a pinch of the salty?

Broadening this particular thread out from Alan Partridge specifically to Coogan's work more generally might be a good idea, though - from The Day Today to Saxondale - AND BEYOND!

Glenn Close But No Cigar

20:43 / 02.09.07

With you on the Wilson thing, Haus. I'd go further and say that if Courtney Love's accusations mean that SC won't be playing any more bit parts in Night At The Museum type guff, that can only be a good thing. Will be interesting, though, to see if it impacts on how long he remains on the Curb Your Enthusiasm cast.

Saxondale's an interesting one. Unilke the unfunny Paul Calf and Tony Ferrino and the v. funny Gareth Cheeseman, Saxondale is a Partridge-like complex beast (we might, at a pinch, say the same about Tim Fleck, the curator of the provincial museum in Coogan's Run). I'm wondering why this series hasn't found the audience Partridge did? Best guess takes me back to the notion of the comic grotesque - is Saxondale just too sympathetic a character to tickle the popular funny bone?

Here's a clip of Coogan in the early Day to Day years uttering one of his best lines ever.

MattShepherd: I WEDDED KALI!

22:33 / 02.09.07

While "404 Not Found" has often been known to reduce me to fits of teary laughter, this time it doesn't do it for some reason.

I've never even heard of Coogan/Partridge before this thread, except for "that guy with Alfred Molina in a good bit of Coffee and Cigarettes." But I'm really, really enjoying what I'm seeing, esp. Simon Pegg as the Milkybar Kid and his bit on modern music with what I take to be a desk clerk and a strangely hilarious man.

ONLY NICE THINGS

23:16 / 02.09.07

Well, Saxondale is a well-realised character, but he isn't actually very funny, except in the group therapy sections. In fact, I'd say that this illustrates something interesting about Coogan. He's known primarily as a comic actor, but he is only funny when it supports the characterisation, and then inconsistently. Funny is an emergent property, not a goal.

Coogan started out as a standard, slightly "alternative" impressionist, and his act was abject - the impressions were OK, but he just wasn't at all funny. Calf and Ferrino evolved from this kind of approach - sweary light entertainment, effectively - whereas Partridge became an increasingly developed character. In terms of actually being funny, On the Hour, The Day Today and the two series of Partridge represent a high watermark - he also had the best comic writers and the best ensemble cast around him at this point, of course. Since then - in fact, since the high point of Knowing Me, Knowing You on Radiio 4 - he has been more impressive doing character work - as Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People and as himself in A Cock and Bull Story. Compare that with his avowedly comic films, or Coogan's Run. it's not pretty.

10:25 / 03.09.07

The Parole Officer is far too good to be written off as a guilty pleasure. Coogan turns in a performance very much in the Partridge vein, all shambling half sentences and acute shame. Add to that some great comic set-pieces - especially the 'curry + rollercoaster = vomitting on schoolgirls' sequence - and the result is far superior to his worse efforts (around the world in 80 days, anyone?).

Glenn Close But No Cigar

17:11 / 03.09.07

While "404 Not Found" has often been known to reduce me to fits of teary laughter, this time it doesn't do it for some reason.

Sorry old chap, here's the correct link

Furthermore

Ladyboys

I'm a Zombie!

Glenn Close But No Cigar

17:23 / 03.09.07

*ahem* amend that first link in the post above to this

Jawsus-son Starship

13:43 / 04.09.07

he also had the best comic writers and the best ensemble cast around him at this point, of course

Haus has hit the nail on the head here. Armando Iannucci's role in the show cannot be overlooked, and while it's Coogan who gets most of the plaudits, I cannot imagine Partridge being half as whatever particular verb you want to use. You only have to look at the shows that Coogan made without Iannucci's involvement to realise how bad it coulds have been (Dr Terrible's House of Horrible, Coogan's Run).