Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon
speaking of shows on BBC America, are there any fans of the Graham Norton Show here?
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Many, many, years ago I was at a comedy club over a bar, with a couple of friends. I remember watching one unknown comedian and saying to my friends "That guy is good, one day he will be famous". I got it right for once, that comedian was Graham Norton, and he is one of the biggest names over here.
But the shame of it is that you Americans (or at least the small percentage of you who have BBC America) know him for his BBC show. Years ago he used to be on a different channel, one that specialised in "edgy" material, he was even better then. But he then moved to another channel for a few years and got a 5 shows a week deal, and burned out. Since then, he has never been as good.
Probably the highlight was when he found a guy who was obsessed with Elton John and the song Rocket Man, to the point that he had a device like a bondage swing that he strapped himself into, imagined himself to be in outer space, then masturbated while listening to "Rocket Man". While interviewing Elton John he phoned up this guy and got him to strap himself into his swing. Then he made Elton John to sing Rocket Man over the phone while the guy masturbated to this live performance.
Norton's is also credited with being the show that got the BSA (UK equivalent of FCC) to allow the word "cunt" to be used on British TV. He was interviewing Dustin Hoffman and Hoffman was aware that the word "Fuck" was OK, so used it occasionally, but did not realise that the word "Cunt" was still forbidden, so used that too. The producers did not edit or bleep it out and the BSA sent a letter of censure (basically a "first warning") to the producers. The channel refused to accept the letter and Norton's comment was "He is Dustin Hoffman for God's sake, and if Dustin Hoffman wants to say 'cunt' then Dustin Hoffman can say 'cunt'".
As a result or the wrangling that followed, TV shows can now use that word sparingly after nine PM (although most channels don't, and those that do only allow it rarely).
But nowadays Norton is sadly a shadow of his former anarchic, trail blazing, self. Don't get me wrong, he is still very good and well worth watching, but he used to be even better.