What is Bo Selecta?

chabsey · 19-12-2003 9:39am #1

Ok so I've been out of the country for a few years, when I returned there's a whole load of new comedy programs.

I've watched The Office and agree that it's hilarious, I have not seen Phoenix Nights so I can't comment on that one. But the one that confuses me most is Bo Selecta.

Now, if memory serves then 'Bo selecta' was the catchphrase from Craig David's first hit 'Rewind'. Now I'm seeing lots of interviews with some guy called Avid Merrion and I can't quite figure out what's going on!

Here's some questions for people in the know...

1) In the Jonathon Ross interview I saw, Mr Merrion was talking as if he had a Swedish accent. Does he actually have a Swedish accent or is that part of the joke?

2) The small bits I've seen of him on TV were on MTV (I think) and I think he was wearing these really bad masks that I presume were supposed to look awful. He jumped around, wasn't funny at all, and made Michael Jackson sounds. Is this 'Bo Selecta' or just some stupid MTV sketch?

3) Is he trying to be funny by being crap? I mean, you know there's some comedy shows where they play up the fact that they're so awful that they're funny? I ask cause I am left baffled when this guy bounds around the screen doing dire impressions. I've so far assumed he is trying to be pathetic and that's half the joke but cause I am not sure I can't really appreciate the humour. Of course there is the dreadful possibility that he's actually trying to be funny in which case I'll just not be watching that then.

So, if anyone would mind briefly explaining the whole thing I'd appreciate it. I've asked a few people and they too seem unsure if it's a piss-take or a serious attempt at comedy. Please tell me it's a piss-take or I fear for our collective comedic tastes!

bombidol · 19-12-2003 10:30am

Its kinda hard to describe Bo selecta to be honest. Avid is supposed to Transylvanian (sp?) as far as i remember. He is a celebrity Stalker. The masks are supposed to be awful, it really must be watched to get it. Its the most insane comedy program ever , i love it but id see why people wouldnt like it.

BoB_BoT · 19-12-2003 10:35am

If you have channel four you can watch it. The masks are supposed to be crappy, it's a total piss take on celebrities it is one of those programs that you have to watch to know what's going on.

Mossy Monk · 19-12-2003 12:37pm

i've tried watching it a few times but can't see what's funny about it

embee · 19-12-2003 12:53pm

Avid Merrion is from Transylvania, hence the accent. Anything you saw of him on MTV would have been toned down a lot compared to whats shown on the Channel 4 show. The 'Michael Jackass' is much better on the Channel 4 show for example. Some of the better characters havent even been on MTV - I think his Mel B is brilliant, ya foookin bastids.

Also, the masks are meant to be crappy and grotesque... the David Beckham one with the Mickey Mouse ears make me giggle though. Its off the wall kinda humour, and you really do have to watch it to get it. Personally speaking, I think its classic.

][cEMAN** · 19-12-2003 1:20pm

Nah gotta admit I don't like it. I also don't like the office. I find the office is based too much on nervous laughter. Yeah that's good once or twice but having it all the time is just annoying. I laughed for the first 10 minutes of watching the office once, and i've only laughed once or twice since.

I don't like Bo Selecta for pretty much the same reason. Same as trigger happy TV. Yeah I get it - funny joke like once - but move on. Give us something like Harry Enfield where at least he gave us different attitudes to sketches. DEFINATELY bring back the Mary Whitehouse experience, or Newman and Badiel (sic) because they were fucking amazing TV shows!! These days they get 1 gimick and play it to death. It's just sad realy. People used to TRY to be funny. Now they just play on the fact that their comedy shows are that crap that we laugh AT them not with them.

Current stuff that's pretty good though.....SPACED. That's original and funny. Any thumb TV shows "Batthumb" "Thumb Wars" "Thumbtanic" (I'm guessing at that last title but it was a brilliant piss take of titanic). Give us originality -- Give us something new. Stop giving us the same pathetic crap that's been coming out for years now!! WE GET THE JOKE NOW MOVE ON!!!!!

Soz I get a little carried away sometimes. Humour is oh so important

angelofdeath · 19-12-2003 1:26pm

that's prolove bo!!

love bo selecta, but i have to say after father ted, black books is my favorite comedy

Lex_Diamonds · 19-12-2003 1:27pm

Didnt it all start with his Craig Daaaaaaaavid impression on some show ages back? That was classic.

I must admit im not really a big fan of the show, but his Mel B is classic. "BUY ME BEWK!"

wiped · 19-12-2003 4:12pm

I reckon Bo Selecta is one of the best comedies on TV at the mo (others include Phoenix Nights , The Office , Family Guy , Futurama, Black Books ) ,

Let's face it , anything that takes the living piss out of celebrities has to be loved ....

embee · 19-12-2003 4:26pm

Avid Merrion came into the public eye during Big Brother 3, when on E4 he would be doing sketches about his obsession with all the different housemates etc.... Those sketches were basically what put him on the map, and a year afterwards, Leigh Francis (aka Avid Merrion) had his new series, Bo' Selecta commissioned by Channel 4.

19-12-2003 4:40pm

it's fresh and it's different and it's funny...how could you not like it?

When I first saw it I thought it was shíte but seriously once you get into it it's great!

MrNuked · 19-12-2003 4:55pm

I think it's suppose dto be satire on the pornographically obtrusive interest in celebreties, who are typically pretty mediocre individuals.

it's fresh and it's different and it's funny...how could you not like it?

Translation: I don;t get it but it's supposed to be cool so I like it because I'm cool.

When I first saw it I thought it was shíte but seriously once you get into it it's great!

Translation: Well I don;t get it at all, but then I found out it was cool, and I'm cool, so I now love it!

dahamsta · 19-12-2003 4:56pm

I must be getting old, because I reckon that anyone that gets more than four or five laughs out of the entire show is... well, probably a reality tv fan. That is, slightly less intelligent than a mildly retarded houseplant.

adam

AdMMM · 19-12-2003 4:58pm

WTF is Ali G's one called then??

I thought that was Bo Selecta??

chabsey · 19-12-2003 5:11pm

Having missed the gensis of the whole Bo Selecta thing and having since produced an uninformed view of it, I'm probably not going to like it, although I'll watch a few and see.

However, it's amazing how many people seem to like Black Books. I saw it for the first time while I was away and remember thinking that it was one those few occasions that I honestly could produce something funnier. I thought it was toe-curlingly bad, and not just once but over and over again. I was trying to like it because at the time I only had 2 TV channels and I was abroad and it featured an Irish comedian I liked but christ, it was absolutley atrocious. I've since seen it again in it's second series and I still can't understand how it could have been popular enough to merit more episodes. It was quite scary in fact cause I remember seeing it and thinking:

'Well that's ****e and will be cancelled'

But then it goes on into a further series (possibly more, I'm not sure) and I start to think I've lost my grasp on what is funny. Obviously fans of it will think I've no idea what constitutes humour but to anyone else who thought it was crap, you know what I'm talking about.

Stunningly bad.....but perhaps pushed into that realm by that god-awful character played by the woman who owned the shop next door.

19-12-2003 5:39pm

Originally posted by MrNuked
I think it's suppose dto be satire on the pornographically obtrusive interest in celebreties, who are typically pretty mediocre individuals.

Translation: I don;t get it but it's supposed to be cool so I like it because I'm cool.

Translation: Well I don;t get it at all, but then I found out it was cool, and I'm cool, so I now love it!

QUITE the opposite really...

Everyone kept telling me how good it was and that I shud watch it and then one night I caught a bit of it and the next day I told everyone how shíte I thought it was. Then I continued saying how shíte it was until I actually sat down and watched it and was in tears laughing...

Dustaz · 19-12-2003 5:40pm

Originally posted by dahamsta
I must be getting old, because I reckon that anyone that gets more than four or five laughs out of the entire show is... well, probably a reality tv fan. That is, slightly less intelligent than a mildly retarded houseplant.

adam

IM with dahamsta on this. Its utter fùcking bollocks.

dahamsta · 19-12-2003 5:52pm

It's probably futile to try to turn a thread on AH into a social discussion, but here goes anyway: Am I the only one seriously concerned that the next generation finds this kind of tripe entertaining? Is it just me that worries that the people that find this cool will be deciding who runs our country in a few years? You know, when they figure out how to vote?*

Or is it just people hitting their thirties? Did our parents think that we were weird for liking hard-hitting dramas and alternative comedy? My Ma likes hard-hitting dramas and alternative comedy, but then my Ma is pretty cool.

Love the sig Dusty!

adam

*Course, some of them already have, which is why I'm not kidding here.

MrNuked · 19-12-2003 9:00pm

Maybe it's aimed at potheads. Lots of C4 shows seem to be.

19-12-2003 9:41pm

yeaaaaaah

DRakE · 19-12-2003 9:48pm

Originally posted by Dustaz
IM with dahamsta on this.

on what? the getting old part?

Falkorre · 19-12-2003 11:46pm

*sigh*.........
/me misses my lilly savage, and blackadder ............ ah well, i still have my ab-fab and roseanne on paramount!

B

What is Bo Selecta?

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