Fame Souvenir Program Podcast

Special Episodes

Episodes: Radio Shows Xfm - 31 May 1998 Xfm - 07 June 1998 BBC Radio 2 Show - 24 December 2005 BBC Radio 2 Show - 31 December 2005 NME Radio Show Podcasts Podcast - Bonus Disc Fame Souvenir Program Podcast A Day In The Life

In late 2007, Ricky, Steve and Karl recorded a podcast that was given out free to people who attended Ricky's stand up show, Fame. It was recorded on a CD, which was placed on every seat in the theatre where Ricky was playing. It was originally given as a gift to those who attended the show. After a few days of investigating and searching, the CD's contents were made available by a user who attended Ricky's London show. The show was the first podcast the trio had worked on in almost 8 months. It was released publicly via Ricky's official podcast on iTunes on 10th October 2007. It is available for free download here.

Track Listing

For a full transcript of this episode see Fame Souvenir Program Podcast/transcript

Cover of a Souvenir CD Programme

1. Intro (0:00:00)

Ricky welcomes the listeners to this free give-away podcast, given to fans who attended his stand up show, FAME, unless you didn't and have obtained it through other means... "it was free anyway!"

2. Karl's 2007 (0:00:54)

Once again, the old team is back together after a long absence, but has much changed? No. Ricky wants to know what Karl has made of the year 2007 so far. Karl has somehow managed to trump the amazing highlight of '06, a grub eating a biscuit, by complaining once again about his problematic boiler. He hasn't been paying attention to the news or what's going on in the world because of these personal woes. Karl has paid 80 quid twice to get someone out to look at the boiler, but it was the same bloke both times, and both times he did nothing. The boiler man suggested Karl buy a new one but he questioned whether or not this man is to be trusted or is he a shyster. Ricky and Steve are perplexed that Karl continues to complain about the boiler and yet is unwilling to take the advice of a professional... twice. Karl elaborates, stating how the boiler repair man believes Karl has a dangerous set up and is unwilling to repair it or install a new one. Perhaps Karl should listen to Ricky and call in an expert? Why waste money when his ever resourceful father is on hand. He informs his son that he has a cousin who is a "boiler man" who can come around and do the job for him. As frequently discussed in the past, Karl is not a family man and doesn't go out of his way to keep in touch with relatives, but since this cousin (whom he has never met) is coming over, the whole family have used it as an excuse to come and visit Karl in London. Karl is probably going to leave when they show up.

3. Karl's Movie Idea (0:05:02)

Ricky's highlights of 2007 stretch far past boiler issues. Over the years, seeing as he himself is now a household name, Ricky has tried to escalate Karl to super-stardom. Purely to annoy him and get him hassled as he walks the streets. Ricky has had to confirm to his many celebrity cohorts that Karl really is as stupid as he sounds. Despite Ricky's abuse, Karl has had a call from a British film company who have asked Karl to contribute some ideas. Karl went to a casual meeting with people from the company in a café and brainstormed some ideas. He played it cool like the level-headed thinker he is, and asked what it was the company was interested in. He started by thinking of actors who would be appropriate. He deduced that Clive Warren (Clive Owen) and Rebecca De Mornay (who you may remember from the 1980s) should play the film's leads. Clive and Rebecca are married. They are totally in love. The film opens with them going about their day to day lives. However, tragically, Clive is hit by a bus, dies and the title is shown... the viewer is hooked. The doctor (portrayed by Morgan Freeman) tells Rebecca that it isn't the end. Despite Clive's being dead, there is something they can do. Freeman tells Rebecca that he can implant half of Clive's brain into her head. At this point the conversation changes topic onto brain transplants. Karl has seen some weird stuff including a monkey brain on a stick, all of these weird things have lead Karl to the conclusion that brain transplants could happen. Karl proceeds with his movie idea. Karl clarifies his brain transplant theory. Rebecca has half her brain removed and half of Clive's inserted, and now she has his brain talking to her within her head. Ricky thinks the idea is ludicrous. Karl reminds them that it's all improved. The audience is laughing, but then Karl throws a curve ball. Clive's brain calls out to another woman called "Leslie", with whom he was apparently having an affair. Rebecca finds Leslie but Clive's brain overpowers her and Rebecca decides she is a lesbian and fancies Leslie. It's trendy.

4. Happy Slapped by a Jellyfish (0:24:43)

Karl has a book deal and a new book out soon, Happyslapped By A Jellyfish. It's all about holidays and Karl's travels all around the world. Steve has got his hands on a few pages about Australia, a place Karl has never been. Ricky thinks it's a pointless book. Steve reads an extract from the book, the chapter called "Australia". The conversation shifts to camping and Karl's experience with it. Karl went camping near the beach. He and his mate decided to camp up somewhere where there was a lot of rubbish as he felt it proved there were many campers there previously. Some campers set up near Karl and offered him some sausages which his mate warned him about as he believed it was code for swingers. Steve proceeds with the book reading, moving on to the next chapter "Madeira", which is an extract from Karl's diary. Once again the worth of Karl's book as a guide is brought up, as he seems to just be whinging about the price of cabs and going on about the antics of Suzanne's parents. Karl dislikes earplugs. Steve continues with more about Madeira. Even on holiday Karl does his bit for insects. Weirdness and darkness from the diary.

5. Finish (0:39:31)

Ricky, Steve and Karl wrap up the show by reminding listeners to check out the podcasts already available on iTunes, as well as Ricky's Fame DVD that features a documentary made by Karl about a man who is going to live forever. Ricky wonders if Karl will do another series of podcasts next year; he says probably... both unaware of the trouble and strife that 2008 would bring.

Quotes

Karl: It's not a big flat Steve, you've seen it. Everything's en suite.

Ricky: Who the fuck's Clive Warren?!

Karl: If you just talk, I find that your mouth comes out with stuff.

Steve: Hold on, hold on, this is your fantasy film idea, you can have anyone you want in it and you choose a bloke that doesn't exist and a woman who hasn't been in a film or on TV for 10 years!

Karl: Why is that so weird when, that's what they do now. That's what they do now!
Ricky: What is?
Karl: That's what they do!
Ricky: What?!!
Karl: They do that!
Ricky & Steve: What??!

Ricky: There's no such thing as a brain donor. We've explained this to you before.

Karl: I saw a programme on Channel 5, where a monkey brain was still alive and it was stuck on a stick.

Ricky: That is the worst idea I have ever heard for any piece of art.

Steve: (Regarding Karl's new book) Have you just got this factually inaccurate - 'cause it's a load of old toss!

Steve: (Reading from Happyslapped by a Jellyfish) Box jellyfish; crocodiles; snakes; blue-ringed octopus; redback spiders; funnel-web spiders; great white sharks. Just some of the reasons that put me off going to Australia. Every creature is bigger and angrier than anywhere else on the world. I put it down to two things: 1. Because spiders and snakes and the like normally hide under rocks. The earth is one big rock. Australia is at the bottom of the rock and they're trying to hide under it.

Steve: (reading Karl's diary) There's a tribe somewhere that let you know when they're annoyed by shaking their knob at you. I don't know what the women do when they get annoyed

Trivia

• The film company who approached Karl for ideas was never named and no more information has come forth about Karl's writing/directing/other Hollywood exploits.
• Roughly six months later, Karl would star in the Extras Christmas Special alongside none other than Clive "Warren". Some fans have speculated that this casting decision was made by Ricky and Steve as a nod to fans of the podcast.
• Karl's boiler problems would continue well into 2008. In NME Radio Show, Karl mentioned that it was still an ongoing issue and gave more details as to why he can't get it fixed.
• Ricky once again, in this show, mentions his desire for Karl's head to be everywhere and for fans to put up posters and spread the word. Although they didn't heed the word instantly, when Karl refused to do more podcasts in mid-2008, fans (led by Ricky and his blog) began a campaign to convince (or force) Karl to do some work. This involved promotion via the internet and posters of Karl's head being put up worldwide.