The Felchspoon: The Chris Morris Thread

[on:]

With a re-run of "Jam" running on Channel Four, I thought I'd create a thread for discussion of Chris Morris and his various programmes:

On The Hour (Radio 4)
The Day Today
Brass Eye
Blue Jam (Radio 1)
Jam

Is he a comedy genius, or a sick and twisted individual?

I'm a huge CM fan and think his shows are a work of comedy genius.  Anyways, discuss:

[Reply #1 on:]

He is hilarious, I'm sure a lot of people who take offence at his shows either never watched them or had been made to look silly in them.

[Reply #2 on:]

I've only seen him in that contriversal episode of Brass Eye...
...but he is hilarious.

[Reply #3 on:]

I really don't know him

[Reply #4 on:]

Never heard of him.

[Reply #5 on:]

For the uninitiated:

This is Chris Morris.

He's just about the most controversial comedy writer and broadcaster in the UK, and unfairly labelled as a "Media Terrorist".

Through the 90's he's produced some top-quality spoof news shows:

"On The Hour" - for BBC Radio Four, "The Day Today" (it's TV counterpart - both of which introduced the world to Alan Partridge), then after a stint on BBC Radio One - as a sometime presenter and to produce the deeply disturbing "Blue Jam", he moved to Channel Four to produce the hugely successful and highly controversial "Brass Eye".  After which "Jam" (Blue Jam's TV Counterpart), and the "remixed" "Jaaaaaaaaam" came to Channel Four.

Controversies:

During the final episode of "On The Hour", he attempted to sell a bogus foul-mouthed hotel outburst by then Labour Leader, Neil Kinnock (inpersonated by Steve Coogan) to The Sun Newspaper.

During his 1994 Radio One Show, he announced "If we have any news on the death of Michael Hesletine, we'll let you know", which prompted a fellow conservative colleague to call and give a "tribute".

Brass Eye Controversies
Episode One: Animals
The sting was a moving story about Carla The Elephant, who'd got it's trunk stuck up it's own arse.  Numerous minor celebrities pledged their support.

Episode Two: Drugs
This time it was the deadly Czechoslovakian drug, "Cake", which in stimulating the part of the brain called "Shatner's Bassoon", alter the brain's time perception, thereby tricking the user into thinking a second lasted two weeks.  This caused further controversy when Tory MP David Amess actually lodged a question in the House Of Commons regarding "Cake".

Episode Six: Decline
Having fallen out with then controller of Channel Four, Michael Grade, CM got his own back by flashing the split second message "Grade Is A C*nt" during this episode.

2001 Special: Paedophiles
"If you define a child as anyone under the age of 30, then the average number of people having sex with children is 85%"

This episode has to be seen to be believed, but it has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

The Daily Mail readers of the UK got into a massive tizzy about this, small wonder that he hasn't been seen on the UK TV's since.  However, this episode has been re-run a few times, and won a National Comedy Award.*

* - There was a small complaint upheld by the ITC about the mention of real-life paedophile, Sydney Cook.  If this hadn't been in the show, there would have been no complaint at all.

[Reply #6 on:]

Did the paedophile special one include Neil Fox hammering a nail through a crab...? I can't remember...

[Reply #7 on:]

 

Originally posted by Impossible:
Did the paedophile special one include Neil Fox hammering a nail through a crab...? I can't remember...

Yes, DJ Neil "Dr" Fox coming out with one of the more memorable quotes from that episode:

 

"Paedophiles are genetically more in common with crabs, than human beings.  There's no actual real proof, but it's scientific fact."

What an idiot!

[Reply #8 on:]

I was reading today that I think some of Chris Morris' shows may be coming out on DVD...

[Reply #9 on:]

You can already buy the following:

"On The Hour" BBC Cassette
"The Day Today" 2 VHS
"Blue Jam" CD
"Brass Eye" Series & Special DVD

"Jam" is coming out on DVD soon.

[Reply #10 on:]

He sounds like the British equivalent of Howard Stern.

[Reply #11 on:]

Mmm, maybe.  I think Howard Stern is the nearest the US has got to Chris Morris, although I would say that CM is less low-brow.

I would say that there are far more shocking and disturbing moments in Blue Jam than anything else he's done, and some of the moments in Brass Eye:

In the Drugs Episode, there's a exerpt from a fake 70's BBC Documentary, "The Drumlake Experiment", about a school which supplies it's pupils with Class-A narcotics in order to get them over the drugs phase.  Which is shot on grainy footage and is so convincing it's disturbing.

In the Sex Episode (episode 4), Chris is interviewing a young teenage girl who was abused by her uncle, and starts to fancy her ("It's as easy as that" ), plus the couple who act out the sexual fantasy of the husband (played brilliantly by Kevin Eldon - trying to hide his excitement as his wife is recounting the story) coming home dressed as a police officer to inform the wife that their daughter had been killed.

[Reply #12 on:]

 

Originally posted by Melllvar:
You can already buy the following:

"On The Hour" BBC Cassette
"The Day Today" 2 VHS
"Blue Jam" CD
"Brass Eye" Series & Special DVD

"Jam" is coming out on DVD soon.

Apologies for the double-post, but the Chris Morris Forum (Cook'd & Bomb'd) has MP3's of series one of "On The Hour" which you can download from here.

[Reply #13 on:]

He's bloody brilliant, Some people take Television to Seriously.

[Reply #14 on:]

Indeed.  I'd also agree with Tweek, those who kicked up the most fuss, haven't seen the episodes for themselves - stupid Daily Mail readers who jump on the nearest moral highground bandwagon.

In other news I've found all five episodes of On The Hour for MP3 download here - these were recently repeated by BBC7.

[Reply #15 on:]

I only saw a bit of that peadophile episode and it just put me off him.
I suppose I like traditional comedy better.

[Reply #16 on:]

Chris Morris is without doubt a genius. Fact.
I've got most of his TV shows on video - but I have to admit, I've never seen Jam! When is it on?

[Reply #17 on:]

Wednesday, 11:45.

 

[Reply #18 on:]

After Sex and the City? Excellent - I'm there.

[Reply #19 on:]

The one thing I'd say is don't compare Brass Eye to Jam.  Jam makes Brass Eye look mainstream - it's THAT disturbing.  It missed out on any controversy because of the late night slot and the fact that no one knew it was Morris.

[Reply #20 on:]

I'd agree with that, listening to Blue Jam is weird enough, and Jam really pushes the boundries of what defines comedy. 

Be prepared NOT to enjoy it, although it WILL hold your attention.

Chris Morris does hardly feature in it, and is left mainly to some of the regular Morris collaborators to take the roles in each sketch (Mark Heap, Kevin Eldon, David Cann - the headteacher of "Drumlake School" in Brass Eye, Drugs Episode).

Looking at the extras on the forthcoming DVD show that it's designed to unsettle more than entertain.

• View Episode One in a box in the corner of the screen.
• Same as above (pong version).
• Episode six speeded up then slowed down.
• Episode four FFWD version.
• View all six episodes at once.

You also get the "Remixed" late night versions of Jam, ("Jaaaaaaam" ).

[Reply #21 on:]

Double-post, sorry.

It seems that Chris Morris will be back on Channel Four next year with a new show (and a new concept).

Clicky

This is reportedly the TV debut of Nathan Barley and his show "C*nt".

See "TV Go Home" Site to see what "C*nt" is.

[Reply #22 on:]

He sounds very funny, do you think any of his eps are around for dl

[Reply #23 on:]

WhoopsI shouldnt be asking that should i?

[Reply #24 on:]

Not really.  However.....

Well, if you bothered to read further up, I pointed you at the Chris Morris Forum and at a site which offers the First Season (plus the first episode of the second season) of On The Hour on MP3. 

There are sites which offer Real Media files of Blue Jam, and if you look at the Forum Thread (Cook'd & Bomb'd) which I linked, there are links on there.

However, it didn't necessitate a double-post either.   

[Reply #25 on:]

For those that missed "Jam" on Wednesday, there were two TV recreations of sketches from "Blue Jam", namely:

The dutch porn-star who ejaculated himself to death, and the fantastic Doctor/Phone sketch. 

Also, featured Mark Heap as the gunman raiding the newsagents to buy a pack of cigarettes.  Brilliant.  Anyone catch it?

[Reply #26 on:]

*two year bump*

Chris Morris' last series, the sitcom Nathan Barley is something which is has grown on me enormously since is was first shown this year, well, in 2005.

I got the DVD, and Channel 4 have just finished re-running the first series.  It definately gets better with repeated watchings, I saw it on it's first run and didn't think that it was up to Morris' previous work, but like The Day Today, Brass Eye and to a lesser extent, Jam, the comedy is layered, and some of the jokes are subtle you won't get 'em first time around.

For the uninitiated, Nathan Barley centres around Nathan (self-facilitating media node, and owner of website trashbat.co.ck - also a pathetic fashion victim), Dan Ashcroft (writer and someone who despises Nathan), and Dan's sister Clare (a documentary filmmaker, and someone who Dan desperately doesn't want Nathan to sleep with).

Standout episode is the one when Dan gets drunk and falls asleep with his hair in a load of pots of paint, tries to get it cut off, and kills the hairdressers cat (by accident, he stabs the cat in the head with hairdressing scissors), and convinces Nathan that his new hair style is called  a "Geek Pie", who goes and gets the style for himself.

The final reel of Nathan taking japan by storm with the Geek Pie is hilarious!

"One part Johnny Rotten, and one part Jackson Pollard. I'm Nathan Barley, and watch the fuck out Japan!"

Check it out.

Peace and fucking.... believe!

[Reply #27 on:]

Two and a half year bump cause Chris Morris deserves it.

Also I found the uncut Peter Tatchell interview on youtube:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pIE3e9JtI_0

[Reply #28 on:]

Chris Morris does deserve it!

I'd never seen that Peter Tatchell uncut, makes more sense without the "quacks".  I love the 911 Easter Egg from The Day Today with Peter O'Hanra'ohanrahan...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1SPWgodul_E

("I'm collapsing, Chris!")

[Reply #29 on:]

You lost the news Peter!

Class.

[Reply #30 on:]

Not surprisingly, Melll, the On The Hour links are now expired. Just wondered if you knew anywhere else to get them, cause all I can find is a few Partridge clips.

My fav bit still etched into my brain from a decade past since I last heard it:

(Chris interviewing random man in street)
Chris: What do you think of the top-rated newsarama that is Oh The Hour?

Stranger: Breakfast television news?

CM: No, On The Hour!

Stranger: I don't know it to be honest.

CM: No! You got the answer wrong! What you meant to say was you listen to it all the time.

Stranger: Certainly do.

CM: And furthermore if you were trapped, chained to a wall in a foreign jail what would be your one ray of hope?

Stranger: Just to listen to that news.

CM: What's its name!?

Stranger: On The Hour.

CM: On The Hour?

Stranger: On The Hour.

CM: On The Hour?

Stranger: On The Hour is the name of the program.

CM: The name of the program that you would listen to all the time is...

Stranger: On The Hour.

CM: You should have it nailed to your head.

Stranger: Yes.

ADDITIONAL: Not sure if anyone has seen this, but it is Chris Morris' legendary appearance on The Time, The Place (for those who don't know, it used to be a daytime discussion show in Britain, back in those wonderful days before Jeremy Kyle - now there's a man who desperately needs the Morris treatment).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8ecxW3KPUD4

[Reply #31 on:]

I have every episode of On The Hour, plus Blue Jam on my iPod, I could DVD them for you?  I think that Cook'd & Bomb'd still has links to torrents, I'm almost sure of it.

I loved that appearance on The Time, The Place, shows that Morris will do anything for a laugh.  Can't wait for his new thing, I was hoping for 2nd series of Nathan Barley, but he's doing something in answer to the global cafuffle on international terrorism.  There's something that also needs the Morris treatment.

Bumping this makes me wanna go back and watch the DVDs... again.

[Reply #32 on:]

I have every episode of On The Hour, plus Blue Jam on my iPod, I could DVD them for you?

That definitely appeals, although you can hold the Blue Jam - already got that. And I'm still not sure if it's comedy or not; like its TV version, it disturbs me and compels me to listen/watch but I rarely laugh at it.

I think Nathan Barley is a great one off and probably doesn't need a sequel. I love the final episode when Dan Ashcroft starts pretending to be an Middle East terrorist, even when the balaclava comes off - classic!

And as far as wanting to watch the DVDs goes, I don't think 3 months of my life since 1994 has gone by without me watching some of The Day Today. I miss when it was being aired and we got those random adverts.

And finally a question: I hear where you are may well be the domain of a giant squid, if one were to turn up, what weaponry could you employ to keep it out?

[Reply #33 on:]

Agreed on Blue Jam/Jam, it is disturbing, although I think there are a few sketches which do make me laugh out loud (The Gush, and the one with Mark Heap as Arthur, the security guard who watches helplessly as workers plunge to their deaths down a lift shaft.)

[Reply #34 on:]

Did they ever confirm a second series of Nathan Barley?

[Reply #35 on:]

Edit@Nurdbot: Don't think so. Best to leave Nathan Barley as the gem it is, I say. And isn't Dan dead? Wouldn't be the same without him.

@Melllvar (and any1 else for that matter): Mark Heap always makes me laugh. He is perhaps the finest comedy actor of our time.

I assume you liked Big Train?

I remember The Gush all too well. I'd say that still belongs in the disturbing category, but it's difficult not to smile at the absurdity.

[Reply #36 on:]

Agreed on Heap, he's incredible physical comedian, which obviously comes from his experience in street-theatre.  The incredible juggling he did in Big Train (the sketch where he's the boss who distracts the disgruntled employees while he makes a clean getaway).  Heap's moments are always memorable.  The sketch directly after The Gush in Jam was the one where he threw himself into the thresher as a present for his ex-girlfriend.  The robber with a gun in his stomach, the daylight robbery guy, and the aforementioned Arthur, who surely was the blueprint for Dr. Alan Statham in Green Wing (Arthur was also first to coin the line, "Oh my fucksy!", repeated by Statham in GW...)

Yeah, as you guessed, love Big Train.  Morris' contribution was fantastic, the "Jockeys", and the "BeeGees Vs Chaka Khan" sketches.

[Reply #37 on:]

Is Morris working on any new projects?

[Reply #38 on:]

According to the unimpeachable source that is wikipedia:

The Guardian reported that Morris is working on a film satirising terrorism and suicide bombers for Channel 4. Morris told The Sunday Times that, the film will seek to do for Islamic terrorism what Dad's Army, the classic BBC comedy, did for the Nazis by showing them as “scary but also ridiculous”.   A more recent story reported that he is teaming up with Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain (writers of PEEP SHOW) on an undisclosed project.

Both of those sound good to me.

[Reply #39 on:]

Sounds epic to me. I still crack up at the concept of Terrierists.