3 Minute Wonder

A prelude to 2008's award-winning summer blockbuster 'The Karl Pilkington Show'

3 Minute Wonder is a documentary shorts strand that follows Channel 4 News on weekdays at 19:55. In August 2006 Karl Pilkington made four films called Some Thoughts by Karl Pilkington, which were made with Vanity Projects, a production company partly owned by Russell Brand, Karl's friend and ex-collaberator on the 6Music Shows. Each of these films had a general theme that Karl would reflect on, with Karl talking via voiceover or to camera as he did things such as visiting museums, going on holiday, lying in bed and going to the zoo. The films are all about three minutes long.

Episode 1: Life

His whole world is round.

Tx Date: 14th August 2006 - 19:55-20:00

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bHS4bXRGYE

Quotes:

• "They say it all started out with a big bang. But, what I wonder is, was it a big bang or did it just seem big because there wasn't anything else to drown it out at the time?"

• "It's like the panda, they say that's dying out. But what do they do? When you see them they're just sitting in the jungle eating"

• ""Things move on, d'you know what i mean? Don't interfere with nature and that"

Episode 2: Holidays

Karl relaxing on holiday.

Tx Date: 15th August 2006 - 19:55-20:00

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKGHDCqOIvs

Quotes:

• "I think it's clever how Rome have kept a load of old stuff. There's no overheads, yet people are going over there to see it."

• "Neil Armstrong, that spaceman, he went to the moon but he ain't been back. It can't have been that good."

Episode 3: Health

Karl's legs.

Tx Date: 16th August 2006 - 19:55-20:00

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrs-AcvFtpQ

Quotes:

• "Classes teaching you how to breath. I'm 32, I think I've got the hang of it."

• "I couldn't find any sort of hardware shop, DIY shop. Yet if I had an urge to do some sit-ups I'd spoilt for choice." Karl expresses his theory that the popularity of gyms has led to the demise of hardware stores.

Episode 4: Nature

The queue at the zoo makes Karl blue.

Tx Date: 17th August 2006 - 19:55-20:00

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciXqEi20Kng

Quotes:

• "They keep saying that sea levels are rising an all this. It's nowt to do with the icebergs melting, it's because there's too many fish in it. Get rid of some of the fish and the water will drop. Simple. Basic science."

• "People moan about drugs being tested on animals. I sort of think it depends innit. If the drug's aspirin and the monkey's got a headache, is it tight?"

• "They've found this spider, in the jungle. Three foot long, it eats chicken. Bit weird, innit. People moan saying that you shouldn't lock animals up and all the rest of it, but to be honest I wish it was locked up. The idea that it's roaming in a jungle... get it locked up."

Trivia

In Podcast Series 3 Episode 4 Steve reads out a letter that was sent into The Sunday Times about the first of these programmes:

• Who is Karl Pilkington and why have I just wasted five minutes of my life listening to some of his cretinous thoughts on Channel 4? He asked why there are so many dinosaurs on display in museums: "Couldn't they just choose the best one and just show that?" He summed it all up by deciding that "We know too much". Somebody clearly doesn't know enough to know that this is a complete waste of air time, showing no wit, intellect or creativity.

- Wendy Robinson, Berkshire.