A wild guess would be that since its the Goodies in the background it is probably the widely-hated-on-these-pages (and probably in many other places too) Jane Root, who pulled a Goodies night on BBC2 a while back. Along with several other quality shows. To be replaced with crap. Again.

>A wild guess would be that since its the Goodies in the background

... holding black puddings a la 'eckythump' too.

Didn't some poor soul die from laughter watching that episode back in the 70s?

what cartoon?

I thought it was the Goodies and Janet Street Porter, but thats just because she is a real life charicature.

its the 'Cakeshoppers'

Yes, someone did indeed die watching the 'Ecky Thump' episode. Apparently he laughed so much that some kind of heart defect gave way and he keeled over as the credits rolled. This was discussed at some length in a book on comedy entitled "Slapstick!" from about 1993, but unfortunately I can't remember who wrote it.

There's also a longish entry about it in a book called "What A Way To Go!" about unusual deaths. Can't recall the writer, annoyingly, and I rented the book out to someone and never got it back... There's another entry in it about someone dying of laughter, some guy in the 18th Century who keeled over at the hilarious sight of a monkey trying to put on some boots.

"This was discussed at some length in a book on comedy entitled "Slapstick!" from about 1993, but unfortunately I can't remember who wrote it."

Harry Thompson maybe? He's churned out loads of books about comedy.

No, t'wasn't Harry Tungsten, it was someone I'd never heard of before... had a picture of Marty Feldman on the front, if that's any help...

It was a really class effort, tracing slapstick humour from the middle ages (literally) all the way to The Young Ones, and coming up with some interesting theories along the way. Unfortunately, I only ever saw it in out local library. Hang on, they may still have it - I'll have a look at the weekend...

"There's another entry in it about someone dying of laughter, some guy in the 18th Century who keeled over at the hilarious sight of a monkey trying to put on some boots. "

Audiences were so much more sophisticated in those days...

Well, it's certainly an idea for the new series of the 11 O'Clock Show.

After all, someone has to replace Ali G.

The man who died was very large, apparently. Heart failure, the poor dear.

I'm sure he would have kicked Jane Root up the cunt as well.

Such language. People should choose their words more carefully.

Merely quoting the SOTCAA site! And agreeing whole heartedly, of course.

go to the 'bam online' topic. slw is the person in the cakeshoppers cartoon.

Oh, it's nothing like her.