Twitter handle: @jazzyjaney
What you do? Or what you love to do? I’m a carer for my mum and a comedy blogger and artist. I’m also a bit of a saxophone player on the side and I run A Dose of David Mitchell!
The moment that you realised you were a David Mitchell fan?
I remember this quite clearly. Extras series two had just debuted on BBC2 and I stuck around to watch what was coming on next, back then BBC2 had this rather lovely ‘Thursdays are funny’ branding with idents and everything. Anyway, the show that came on next was the first ever episode of That Mitchell & Webb Look. I saw the ‘Are We the Baddies?’ sketch and realised that I was watching something quite special! It was very different to everything else at the time, it felt fresh and exciting. That must have been 2006, and I think that WILTY? started that same year. So, it all began there.
Your favourite David Mitchell show? This is stupid because I’m setting the questions and yet now I can’t answer my own question! I can’t pick one because I love them all in different ways, that’s what I love about David’s comedy, he spans all the comedy genres, probably more than any other comedian.
Favourite Mitchell & Webb sketch: It would be hard not to pick ‘Are We the Baddies?’ or ‘Rocket Science’ because they’re so classic. They’re the ‘Four Candles’ of That Mitchell & Webb Look. But I really love ‘The Green Clarinet Man’ or ‘The Garden Centre Tribe’ – I adore the craziness of those sketches.
Favourite Mitchell & Webb scene/moment? I love a serious moment in a comedy show, so I would have to choose the final Holmes and Watson sketch, superbly acted and I almost find it too heart-breaking to watch. It’s brilliant.
Favourite Mitchell & Webb deep cut? Ambassadors. I’m still devastated that we didn’t get to see a second series and find out what Neil was really up to! Everything about that show was amazing, it looked like a Hollywood movie and all the characters were so memorable, especially Matthew Macfadyen’s POD and Keeley Hawes is always fantastic in anything she’s in. I remember watching the final episode on the edge of my seat, that scene in the van where Keith says ‘This could be one of those moments’ I loved that. It was a true comedy/drama. I wish we’d seen more.
I’d also like to give a special mention to Greed. I love David’s role as the charming Nick and it’s a film with such an important message. It left a lasting impression and I thought it was fantastic.
Favourite Peep Show episode? This is tricky, in terms of iconic moments I’d pick Jeremy Makes It but my favourite series is Series 9 and It would be difficult to choose between The William Morris Years and Threeism. Ultimately, David’s eye-shadow surely has to win the day.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/peep-show/on-demand/51399-003
Favourite Peep Show character? Well, you can probably guess, it’s Mark.
Favourite Peep Show line? ‘So, I ate both his pickled onions’ That’s from Series 9 when April is talking to Mark about her worries over Angus, and he reveals that they went for a ploughman’s lunch together but ‘The mood was pretty sombre’. I have no clue why this makes me laugh so much.
Another one is Mark looking at his phone and thinking ‘No messages, everyone I know doesn’t want to talk to me’ we’ve all been there.
Favourite Upstart Crow episode? Go On and I Will Follow – An amazing episode from start to finish, that ending was so beautifully acted, but just like its Blackadder counterpart there was still plenty of humour throughout the episode leading up to that moment. I also love A Christmas Crow Carol and in particular the coach scene with Kenneth Branagh.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bmgftc/upstart-crow-series-3-6-go-on-and-i-will-follow
Favourite Upstart Crow character? You guessed it! It’s William Shakespeare, but I love Kate, Botsky, Kit, Greene, John Shakespeare, Anne and the entire Upstart Crow gang.
Favourite: Upstart Crow line? There’s a bit in The Apparel Proclaims the Man where Will hides behind a chair from Greene and then says ‘God’s conkers here’s a minty fix’ to the side camera, I think that expression should enter common usage. Also, any of the Upstart Crowisms ‘puffling pants’ and ‘Futtock’ are particularly great.
I’ll also add a special mention for the King Lear storm scene in The Upstart Crow Play. An amazing piece of theatre.
Favourite Wilty? moment? ‘Mike Read?! Rapping?’ is a classic moment that I remember very fondly from early WILTY? Then there’s the cuddle jumper and Bob’s story about Chris Rea telling him to put an egg in his bath – so good it was nominated for an award!
Favourite Wilty? guest? Bob Mortimer!
Favourite David Mitchell rant? There have been so many amazing ones. The one that sticks in my mind is David’s rant about Jeremy Hunt’s idea for a rolling local news channel on the first ever episode of 10 0’clock Live, it still makes me laugh – ‘tell you what I’m going to do tonight I’m going to get the pizzas in and settle down to a Northwest tonight marathon’.
More recently Nutgate on The Unbelievable Truth, I was lucky enough to be in the audience for that one.
Favourite David Mitchell quote? I don’t think I could pick one. David has a knack of summing things up so well. ‘I’m not happy to say how I feel about anything, and that’s because I’m British’ sums things up rather well, for me anyway.
Your Numberwang number? Shinty six.
Favourite That Mitchell and Webb Sound sketch? I loved the Superman ones, and also the Pinocchio saga. The Cash Register/Doorbell Shop sketches are probably my favourites though. There’s one where a therapist likens crisps to heroin that I love, and also one where David is a train announcer, and recalls a relationship that he had through various inflections within the delivery of the station platform names he’s reading out, that one was very clever.
Do you think Andrew is really evil in Back? What do you think will happen in the end?
I don’t think Andrew is evil, I think there’s going to be a big twist. I wonder if Stephen and Andrew swapped places in some way when they were kids, so maybe Andrew is Ellen or Laurie’s son? Could Geoff be Stephen’s dad? That would be interesting. I’ve certainly no idea where it’s all going to go, but I’m very keen to find out! I hope Stephen has a happy ending whatever happens!
Are you more like Mark, Jez or Super Hans? Definitely Mark.
Your favourite character in the entire Mitchell & Webb extended universe? Mitchell & Webb taken as read, I’d go for Uncle Geoff! I love him.
What are your Other favourite comedies and/or comedians?
I’m a huge comedy fan, so here’s a short list of some of my other favourite sitcoms (excluding all my David Mitchell favourites, because I’m sure you can guess what those are!) – Blackadder, Father Ted, Red Dwarf, The Harry Hill Show (the parade is in but…half an hour), Paul Merton- The Series (probably the most underrated sketch show of all time), Count Arthur Strong, The Mighty Boosh, The Thin Blue Line, The Young Ones, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I should probably stop listing sitcoms now.
The twitter pages you’d love to recommend: @Britishcomedy , and of course, @RealDMitchell and @aRobertWebb . I’ll add a cheeky plug for my comedy blog as well @TheComedyBlog1
Your Favourite TV Shows: My favourite TV show that isn’t a comedy is undoubtedly Endeavour. It’s an incredible series that doesn’t get enough recognition. Roger Allam and Shaun Evans are sublime actors, and the show isn’t afraid to tackle challenging stories that other Sunday Night ITV dramas would probably shy away from. It’s got loads of heart, but also has you on the edge of your seat. The last two series have been incredible! I couldn’t recommend it highly enough!
Your favourite movie: It will always be The Back to Future Trilogy for me. A special mention for Terminator II as well, my Dad’s favourite film.
Your Favourite Book: Keeping with the David Mitchell theme, Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh. I read this after David chose it on his Desert Island Discs.It’s an incredible book, amusing and poignant, but it’s really subtle in its delivery. There was a fantastic radio adaptation a few years ago, where Tom Hollander played Otto – he delivered the ‘big wheel’ speech at the end so beautifully. I don’t know if that’s available on the iplayer BBC Sounds thingy but I’d recommend seeking it out.
Thanks for reading!
A Dose Of David Mitchell 