Probably not interesting unless you've seen the show I'm talking about.
Went to my cousin's wedding on Saturday. She looked very lovely - she's tall and statuesque, so could carry off the big wedding dress look. Groom seemed nice - I don't know him well enough to comment. Their older son, Jack (age 2) is adorable and has the cutest dimple in each cheek. Their younger son, Ethan (age not yet 1), looked rather baffled by the whole thing, but perked up around my brother... who thoroughly dislikes kids. Heh. I spent a lot of time talking to my brother's girlfriend, which was really nice. I was thrilled to find out she thought I was cool, when we were kids (she and my brother went to school together). I can only think that was because I was a couple of years older - because I was SO not cool. *g*
On Sunday, I went to see the League of Gentlemen give a talk at a local cinema. First they showed a couple of films - the League of Gentlemen Christmas Special, and Theatre Of Blood, which is a gleeful 1970s Hammer Horror film starring Vincent Price, in which everyone was magnificently trying to over-act everyone else. I'd forgotten how glorious it is (even Vincent Price's truly horrible Scottish accent), and it was lovely to see it on a big screen. Wall to wall scenery-chewing.
Then the League talked about the films, and answered questions from the audience. They're an intelligent bunch, the sort of people you could sit in a pub with, and have a really interesting, in-depth, and very geeky conversation about comedy, horror, and everything in between. In order of seating: Jeremy Dyson seemed quite shy (not helped by his microphone apparently not working as well as everyone else's), but very sweet. Reece Shearsmith looked hungover, and was witty and terse. Mark Gatiss seemed the most comfortable in front of an audience, and was very friendly and funny, and a total geek (he's involved in Doctor Who, you know - writing books and episodes, and guest-starring). Steve Pemberton also seemed comfortable, very professional, and very open about the details of their work (to a degree where I kept thinking, 'Wow, should you be telling us this stuff?').
They told us that they've sold the remake rights, so there may be an American version soonish. I can't see it working, but you never know. The original was played on BBC America, and (badly re-edited so it made no sense) on the Comedy Channel. Despite that, they were listed in Time Magazine as the third best show of all time, after Malcolm in the Middle and The West Wing. They also said they do plan to work together again, but they're not sure on what - possibly a tour (but unlikely, because of family committments), more likely another film. Unlikely to be another TV series.
They were there to talk about their influences, and mostly spoke about things from their childhood / teenage years in the 70s and 80s. They explained that it's harder to cite someone contemporary as an 'influence'; it doesn't feel right because those people are still ongoing and changing, themselves. Mark said he was touched by the idea that they're influencing young comedians (and had a laugh at how pretentious that sounded), and that it made him feel venerable. They all seemed a little pissed off at people who copied their style but skipped the comedy-drama and just did the gross-out bits, though (Mark coughed something that sounded suspiciously like TittyBangBang, at that point).
They also said that UK television was at the end of a "cycle of darkness", and that shows at the moment were brighter and fluffier. And that American shows are depressingly good right now - apparently when Lost came out, Reece complained, "Oh, not another brilliant American show!" *g* (Americans - we're just jealous.) They also cited shows like Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Dexter (Mark: "I can't watch Dexter. It makes me so depressed.").
I know they said a lot more, but that's all I can remember. All this has reminded me, I still haven't finished my comedy bit that I was going to post. I do still plan to do it, I just need to get on with the 'organising my thoughts and writing it' part, when I have a free moment (uh, so... Christmas, then).
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Spiders are messing with my mind. I dreamed that there was a huge great spider crawling up my arm, over my hand... and woke up with a jolt, shaking my hand and in the process smacking my bf and waking him with a jolt, too. Couldn't see a spider, so went back to sleep.
Got up a few hours later, and found a huge great spider in the bathroom. Just like the one in my dream. Huge. Fast. With one leg missing.
Am never sleeping again.
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And, super-sekrit message to Jenn: thanks! I'm already nearly done writing this one, which hasn't been hellish at all. *shrugs*