Rik Mayall, RIP

Farewell to Rick of The Young Ones

The British comic Rik Mayall—the man who played the obnoxious politico Rick on The Young Ones—has died at age 56. In his memory, here's my favorite scene from the show. Mayall's the one who says, "Tell it like it is! Put 'fascist bully-boy'!"

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[Episiarch]

God damn it. I should have worn my Young Ones t-shirt today.

[Lady Bertrum]

“It’s far too crawly bum lick.”

[GILMORE]

OK, Hands up who likes me!

[Episiarch]

“Hey Vyvyan, can you kill yourself with laxatives?”

“I don’t know, but I’m gonna stay and find out!”

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Woof woof!

[WTF]

+1 Flashart

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

FINALLY

[Trouser-Pod]

For YOUR pleasure.

[Voros McCracken]

Mayall’s foray into mainstream America was Drop Dead Fred with Phoebe Cates. A movie that is not good, but not nearly as bad as its reputation. It actually could have been an excellent movie with a few changes (it needed to be darker for it to really work).

[Hyperion]

Rick: Vivian, you ruined the game!

Vivian: I was bored!!!

[WTF]

Rick: Honestly, I don’t know why I bother sometimes.

Vyvyan: I don’t know why you bother ever.

[Obese American]

The People’s Poet is dead….RIP 🙁

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Fuck. RIP Rik. You have given me hundreds of hours of joy between Young Ones, Comic Strip Presents… and all your other endeavors.

[SugarFree]

Oh, does this post have a video?

[Paul.]

Damn, young guy. I remember his bit parts in Black Adder. Too bad.

[Paul.]

Flashheart’s grand entrance.

[Bardas Phocas]

I loved the ‘Young Ones’ when it came out. It almost convinced me that Britian was cool.

-May the seed of your loins be fruitful in the belly of your woooman.
-love Bardas

[Paul.]

Lord Flashheart visits the trenches in WWI.

[Almanian!]

Never heard of him.

[Astra]

“She’s got a tongue like an electric eel, and she likes the taste of a man’s tonsils.”

[wingnutx]

All property is theft, Vyvyan!

[Azathoth!!]

You forgot the silent ‘P’.

[Bob J]

2 things about Rik Mayahll:

First: He was also in “An American Werewolf in London”. He was an extra at the pub in the creepy village where the guy was shooting darts. But a prominent extra–He’s right in the foreground, almost one of the main characters.

Second: This is really more about how the Left could be made fun of in the Eighties (but apparently not now). Rik’s character in “The Young Ones” was a left wing student radical. And he was a total prick, the least sympathetic character on the show. But my favorite scene was when the gang got hold of nuke (don’t ask how–the whole show was surreal). He was going to use the nuke to demand that Thatcher resign, capitalism would be abolished, a new order would come about of prosperity, peace, love, harmony, no hatred of our fellow man. After giving this speech, Neal said something (I don’t remember what), then Rik’s character said, “Shut up Neal! I hate you!”. Classic.

[jmomls]

The re-broadcast of the Young Ones here in the USA concided perfectly with my entry into high school ostracization. Myself and the other freaks loved the show. The Comic Strip presents including his work with Bad News were also great.

Later in life, I was lucky enough to have lived a couple blocks from an independent video store that rented out the New Statesman and Kevin Turvey: A Kick Up The Eighties, which were also damned funny.

Yeeeeears later I was able to watch Bottom, also with Ade Edmondson. Like TYO, but the characters were shabby 40 year-olds and the show was far more slapstick.

I don’t think he’s done much of note since the 90s, but it’s always sad when someone funny dies relatively young[ish] and the evil bastards in this world just keep on livin’.