Sunday
"I always felt this country was going down the tubes when the television folk replaced Basil Brush with Roland Rat."
My dad, with his finger on the pulse as usual. Here is a tribute page to television's most superior fox.
Yes, but didn't Roland Rat dress like that anyway? Any symbol of Jonathan Aitken's reign at TV-AM is always going to be suspicious in my opinion anyway.
Posted by Julian Taylor at February 11, 2007 12:14 PM
You know when the country REALLY hits rock bottom when they replace Roland Rat with Achmed the Islamist Gerbil on CBeebies. All in the name of Multiculturalism of course.
Posted by Samsung at February 11, 2007 01:34 PM
Does "Achmed the Islamist Gerbil" have anything to do with a certain Hollywood actor reputed for his perverted acts with Middle Eastern rodents?
Roland Rat was famously described as "the only rat ever to join a sinking ship" on TV-AM.
Posted by Julian Taylor at February 11, 2007 02:32 PM
I never really warmed to Basil Brush with all that BOOM BOOM! nonsense. I thought him only marginally better than the utterly inane Sooty and Sweep.
I did like Roland Rat - a rat of the 80s, Thatcher's rat.
UK TV really jumped the shark with Mr Blobby.
Interestingly, Edmonds also presents the equally moronic Deal or no Deal which replaced the rather more sophisticated 15-1 on C4.
So... It's all the fault of Noel Edmonds.
PS. I know little of Achmed the Islamist Gerbil but does it follow the pattern of RR in giving him little rodent chums like Ehud the Zionist mouse and Wolfie the Neo-Con hamster?
PPS. Whenever Harry Corbett went on holiday he always took Sooty with him in a little wooden box with air-holes drilled in the side.
Posted by Nick M at February 11, 2007 04:05 PM
Does anybody remember Ramsbottom the snake in Sooty? I fear I may have dreamed him. But, if not, he was your man.
Posted by Bryan Appleyard at February 11, 2007 04:35 PM
No, it will not be Achmed the Islamist Gerbil, but Abu Hamster.
Posted by TimC at February 11, 2007 04:49 PM
Tales of the Islamerbank
But voice over by George Galloway
Instead of Johnny Morris.
Could be a winner.
Ah, most things, I'll think you find, are the fault of Noel Edmunds, Nick
Posted by RAB at February 11, 2007 05:18 PM
Bryan,
In what way was Ramsbottom the snake (yes he was "real") "your man"?
Posted by Nick M at February 11, 2007 06:38 PM
I should add that my favourite animal on TV is the funky drummer on the Muppets.
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at February 11, 2007 10:32 PM
Animal, Jonathan, Animal!
How can he be your fav if you don't even know his name!
Personally, I'm a Bagpuss man. And the mice on the mouse organ and all the rest...
Posted by Nick M at February 11, 2007 10:44 PM
Nick M -- it is said that the original name for Mr Blobbly was in fact Joe Blobby. Unfortunately, someone made a Spoonerism of it and thereafter no announcer could be trusted to say it.
Posted by Freeman at February 12, 2007 12:16 AM
With foes such as Abu Hamster and Achmed the Islamist Gerbil, where should we be without Dangermouse?
Personally I miss the civilizing influences of Great-Uncle Bulgaria and Dougal.
Posted by Ysabel Howard at February 12, 2007 01:00 AM
Ysabel,
I'd forgotten DM!
Curse the very Nike's I walk upon!
That was so remiss of me.
Especially as I own a black eye-patch!
Penfold wouldl not be pleased.
Posted by Nick M at February 12, 2007 02:37 AM
Will you leave your apostrophies alone!
People are staring!!
Heaven's to Mergatroid
Exit stage left....
Posted by RAB at February 12, 2007 03:10 AM
Heaven's to Mergatroid
Thus spoke the Spirit of 1776 (even).
Posted by TimC at February 12, 2007 10:55 AM
Wolfie the Neo-Con hamster?
I am no hamster!
Anyway, I have a certain fond reagard for Basil Brush. For him, Boom-Boom was a catchphrase.
For Abu Hamster and Achmed the Islamist Gerbil I suspect it is a way of life death
Posted by Wolfie at February 12, 2007 05:29 PM
