Zig and Zag.........

Grandeeod

......Were they better on The Den or The Big Breakfast? I always preferred them on The Den, especially in the late 80s. Some funny and risky stuff then. Fair play they got the gig on Channel Four's Big Breakfast, but I thought they weren't as funny or spontaneous. In fact I think Zig even developed an English accent to suit the show. Whatever about Ian Dempsey, they made that Kildare eejit, Darcy's career. Does he even realise it???

Anyway, they redeemed themselves with their earthling cousins Podge and Rodge at the expense of Z listers, but it all started with the lads from planet Zog that gave a generation of kids/teenagers some laughs.

What do you reckon?

buried

Grandeeod wrote: »

......Were they better on The Den or The Big Breakfast? I always preferred them on The Den, especially in the late 80s. Some funny and risky stuff then. Fair play they got the gig on Channel Four's Big Breakfast, but I thought they weren't as funny or spontaneous. In fact I think Zig even developed an English accent to suit the show. Whatever about Ian Dempsey, they made that Kildare eejit, Darcy's career. Does he even realise it???

Anyway, they redeemed themselves with their earthling cousins Podge and Rodge at the expense of Z listers, but it all started with the lads from planet Zog that gave a generation of kids/teenagers some laughs.

What do you reckon?

Sorry to break it to ya now G, but I think they were actually pieces of fabric with some lads arm shoved up their gullets.

Grandeeod

buried wrote: »

Sorry to break it to ya now G, but I think they were actually pieces of fabric with some lads arm shoved up their gullets.

Absolutely. But what excuse does Ray Darcy have?

The lads arms up the gullets had talent.

Gregor Samsa

Much better on The Den.

Didn’t they also have a small slot on Ian Dempsey’s radio show on 2FM? I can’t find any mention of it, but I have a memory of them having a fairly funny regular thing where they misheard song lyrics and created elaborate backstories to explain them. I still can’t listen to George Michael’s “Faith” without hearing them breathlessly singing “I gotta have Fanta, Fanta, Fant-ah”.

Leg End Reject

Better on the den, I'd imagine they had to change to suit British audiences.

colm_mcm

They used to be on ‘Number One’ with Ian Dempsey too.

EmmetSpiceland

I always liked Zig better.

buried

Grandeeod wrote: »

Absolutely. But what excuse does Ray Darcy have?

The lads arms up the gullets had talent.

I don't know man, I don't engage with what Ray has to offer.

HBC08

colm_mcm wrote: »

They used to be on ‘Number One’ with Ian Dempsey too.

And 2Phat with Ray.

Grandeeod

From their album....Probably be banned now. Very funny at the time and still funny to lots of us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PMULMEX5TM

Itssoeasy

On the den easily. There are clips of thr den on YouTube and Jesus all I'll say is I'm glad I grew up during the nineties. No dumbed down stuff even if some of the jokes went over my head the first time. Ray darcy had the easiest gig in RTÉ, in that five days a week he laughed at the three lads.

Tordelback

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Much better on The Den.
I still can’t listen to George Michael’s “Faith” without hearing them breathlessly singing “I gotta have Fanta, Fanta, Fant-ah”.

"When will there be a hard vest / for the wo-o-rms" - The Christians.

colm_mcm

Always remember them when anything by Simon and Gareths uncle comes on.

Potential-Monke

We had poverty tv at the time, so when they left the Den for proddy shores, that was the last I seen of them (except for 2Phat. (D'Arcy's arse!) Velcro girl.... *drools*). So definitely the Den with D'Arcy. As mentioned above, they were pre-offended so was far better than what The Den became, and Dustin was just crap from day 1 to today (aside from Dustins Hi-Ace Van). Socky was meh, Podge and Rodge were brilliant.

People also forgetting about Zog.

sunbeam

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Much better on The Den.

Didn’t they also have a small slot on Ian Dempsey’s radio show on 2FM? I can’t find any mention of it, but I have a memory of them having a fairly funny regular thing where they misheard song lyrics and created elaborate backstories to explain them. I still can’t listen to George Michael’s “Faith” without hearing them breathlessly singing “I gotta have Fanta, Fanta, Fant-ah”.

As far as I recall it was on each day at around 7.50 am and repeated and 8.50am. I remember the entire school bus used to go silent when it came on. Also their 'Daniel O'Donnell' interviews were brilliant.

Grandeeod

They appeared regularly on Ian Dempsey's breakie show on 2FM. Even funny then.

randomname2005

Grandeeod wrote: »

They appeared regularly on Ian Dempsey's breakie show on 2FM. Even funny then.

Zig and zags aor, alien orientated rock, or something like that

SEPT 23 1989

It always seemed to be sunny and hot outside on those mornings when the Big Breakfast was on back then

Mind obviously playing tricks on me

Rodney Bathgate

Forget Zeg and Zog, Zuppy was where it’s at.

Grandeeod

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

Forget Zeg and Zog, Zuppy was where it’s at.

Zuppy never caught on. Epic fail he was.

KaneToad

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Much better on The Den.

Didn’t they also have a small slot on Ian Dempsey’s radio show on 2FM? I can’t find any mention of it, but I have a memory of them having a fairly funny regular thing where they misheard song lyrics and created elaborate backstories to explain them. I still can’t listen to George Michael’s “Faith” without hearing them breathlessly singing “I gotta have Fanta, Fanta, Fant-ah”.

I remember them doing this slot. One song was Glady Knight, the story being she was in charge of a Scottish army regiment... "Licence to Kilt"

Another was a Paul Simon track on Graceland, it had an Irish fella on it that wanted them to repeat a certain part and was shoutingg "arís", according to them. In reality it was an African backing singer singing in his native tongue.

Rodney Bathgate

Grandeeod wrote: »

Zuppy never caught on. Epic fail he was.

Sorry, but you are an epic fail. Hang your head in shame. Zuppy rocks.

Panthro

I liked it when they randomly threw Ted at Ray

Purple Mountain

They took the soup.

Booms

Bonnie Raitt's breakfast choice?
" It's a hard egg! . . . Nothing but a hard egg!"

Brilliant!

topper75

Anyone remember the Yorkshire cousin - Nigel, and the uncle (can't rem his name)?

Earthhorse

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

I still can’t listen to George Michael’s “Faith” without hearing them breathlessly singing “I gotta have Fanta, Fanta, Fant-ah”.

Tordelback wrote: »

"When will there be a hard vest / for the wo-o-rms" - The Christians.

Sooooooooooooooo stupid.

I love it!

They used to do cover versions of songs on The Den too. Sort of a lounge jazz act.

"Hill Street Blues,
They're not green, no they're not,
They are green..."

Hangdogroad

Anyone remember Pajos Junkbox?

razorblunt

Anyone surprised the Brits didn't get them?

Chris Evans speaks fondly of them though and the lads, this skit here he was supposed to be the straight man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1Adq9yCCdM

Hangdogroad

Captain U-Boat. "Ah whooo" where they'd make the submarine noises. That always cracked me up.

Mr. CooL ICE

I loved the books. Had all of them, except Strawberry Jelly. Full of absolute nonsense.

"Be alert. Your country needs lerts"

razorblunt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuFMuV_IQA8

The lads shouting "Gaybo" repeatedly at an old man. You wouldn't see that nowadays.
Eoghan McDermott would implode.

Ultrflat

I always loved this song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxOtF1NlHVY

Relikk

I used to crack up at Zag trying to tell the elephant joke from "The Nothing To Do With Toast" video.

Always preferred their Podge and Rodge and Bronx Bunny personas, though.

whisky_galore

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

Sorry, but you are an epic fail. Hang your head in shame. Zuppy rocks.

All Zuppy did was bark, probably made up from whatever fabric and ping pong balls that were left over.

The lads were of their day, a relaunch would only be of interest to their now greying followers, the chung wans wouldn't get them at all.

partyguinness

For some reason I can actually vividly remember their first appearance on Dempsey's Den. As in the fist afternoon.

sunbeam

Hangdogroad wrote: »

Captain U-Boat. "Ah whooo" where they'd make the submarine noises. That always cracked me up.

And Captain Pillowcase, doing his impression of a cloud. :-D

HBC08

Potential-Monke wrote: »

We had poverty tv at the time, so when they left the Den for proddy shores, that was the last I seen of them (except for 2Phat. (D'Arcy's arse!) Velcro girl.... *drools*). So definitely the Den with D'Arcy. As mentioned above, they were pre-offended so was far better than what The Den became, and Dustin was just crap from day 1 to today (aside from Dustins Hi-Ace Van). Socky was meh, Podge and Rodge were brilliant.

People also forgetting about Zog.

Fun fact,
Velcro girl is married to Dave from Dermot and Dave.
Her name is Tracey and she's an artist now I think.

Stationmaster

I still know most of the words from their christmas rap and I'm not afraid to say it!

screamer

Funny looking back now, it’s easy to see who carried the show and who was a lifeless puppet!

landofthetree

A song with racist sterotypes by them.:eek:

Whehey!

I'm so happy I grew up with them on the telly, I used to race home from school to see them. Always had me in stitches, they would come out with anything!

Kids TV nowadays is no way the same as it was back then, it's actually crap! And I'm ragin because there's nothin impromptu anymore, all by the book, nothin off the cuff and it's such a pity! Because the Den was comedy gold to me as a child and looking back on it, it really was!

Whehey!

Stationmaster wrote: »

I still know most of the words from their christmas rap and I'm not afraid to say it!

I still have the cassette tape!

Capt'n Midnight

They were by far and away the best bit of the recent telethon

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2020/0627/1150017-fans-call-for-a-return-of-the-den/

The Princess Bride

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

I still can’t listen to George Michael’s “Faith” without hearing them breathlessly singing “I gotta have Fanta, Fanta, Fant-ah”.

Tordelback wrote: »

"When will there be a hard vest / for the wo-o-rms" - The Christians.

Booms wrote: »

Bonnie Raitt's breakfast choice?
" It's a hard egg! . . . Nothing but a hard egg!"

Brilliant!

Zig and Zag's mondegreens: Bicycle Hut (My Simple Heart) by The Three Degrees, Doughnuts Make My Brown Eyes Blue by Crystal Gayle, and She Drives Meat Gravy by The Fine Young Cannibals.
They were so funny in the mornings.

I had a wee crush on Zag.:P

nigeldaniel

I think that the Den, is-was, better than a lot of what's on these days. Zuppy never said much but I looved the blue devil. I think someone else here mentioned pajos jukebox, just about rings a bell.

Grandeeod

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

They were by far and away the best bit of the recent telethon

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2020/0627/1150017-fans-call-for-a-return-of-the-den/

It was that piece last Friday that made me start the thread. Would've been nice to see Ian Dempsey too. Overall the whole Den thing with Zig and Zag and a big shout out to Dustin the hero, was a magical period of improv kids TV. Their Irish side was most likely their best. The Big Breakfast thing wasn't quite as funny.

Rumours - Did they curse on live TV? Were they ever jarred on live TV after a few lunchtime pints in a Donnybrook boozer?

YellowBucket

The Den had a bit of fun, craic and that mixture of just silly and sophisticated humour that could be picked up by different age groups and intellectual outlooks.

These days, from what I've seen of the stuff my 5-year old niece watches, it's mostly American (some European but not much) and it's all very rubbishy stuff or way too educational.

The days of just having a bit of fun seem to be gone.

Even looking across the water in the 80s/90s you'd loads of silly kids TV ranging from the CBBC Broom Cupboard to Grotbags and people getting drenched in green slime on various shows.

I also remember the original Children's Channel on cable and it was really good - they had you know .. entertaining people doing stuff, cheap production and it was all a bit of a laugh.

There was a lot of humour that was probably too 'rude' to get away with on kids TV now which is all very sanitised American garbage nowadays from what I can see.

Or Peppa Pig ... who seems to behave and talk like a young Theresa May.

branie2

Definitely better on The Den