# Rik Mayall is NOT American!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 13, 2001, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096 "2001-11-13T09:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/1 "2001-11-13T09:49:46Z")
And there were **only** ever twelve episodes of the Young Ones! You attention-grabbing whore. You couldn’t bear it when the advance press for the new series of AbFab stated that Ade Edmondson is Mr. Jennifer Saunders, and his name in the credits further discredited the rumor/urban legend that he committed suicide after Blackadder ended. He wasn’t even **in** Blackadder! Yeah, _Mayall_ was in **one** of the specials, but that doesn’t mean fuck all! So then you have to start in with your crap about how Rik Mayall is really American, and the **one** line he has out of character in **Nasty** (episode of the Young Ones) proves it. Now, I’ve known other people who believed that also, but it’s not so. Out of character, he talks Midlantic, and the contrast between that and the Rik character’s voice is so marked, it can be miscontrued as an American accent. But it’s not, and he’s not. He was born in Essex, grew up there, and went to university in Manchester! That’s where he bloody well met Edmondson! No, you did not see him on TV, chuckling about what a kick he had on the Young Ones, but it’s so great to be back in America. He lives in England. He has property there, and a wife, and three kids. If you saw or heard him say such a thing, he must have been delirious because of his head injury. (Poor sod.) And then you have to bring back your bogus claims that there were more series of the Young Ones besides the twelve episodes that were shown on MTV. Only this time you’re actually **making shit up**. An episode with Rik’s parents? Don’t laugh at me; **I know you’re lying**. Look at the IMDB: **12 bloody episodes**! You are so bloody lucky that Friend is back together with you, so I couldn’t tell you all this while keeping you in a choke hold. All I could do was calmly say, and keep saying, “No, that’s not true. If you listen carefully to that one line, you’ll hear that it’s still a British accent, just not the Rik voice. Look, I’ve got his page on the IMDB. Come on…Well, it says 12 episodes. Are you sure you’re not thinking of the Comic Strip?” But of course, if Friend wasn’t back together with you, I wouldn’t have to hear your bullshit at all, much less host you for the premiere of AbFab because neither of you have cable. Don’t ask me again. ---
**Author:** ![Enzyme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b19c9b/32.png) [@Enzyme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enzyme)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/2 "2001-11-13T10:42:46Z")
I wholeheartedly agree with the main thrust of your rant - Rik Mayall most certainly is British. However, you suggest that Ade Edmondsen never appeared in Blackadder - untrue, he appeared in ‘Blackadder goes Forth’ alongside Rik Mayall (playing Lord Flashheart) as the Baron Von Richthoffen (or something very similar). Fantastic episode too! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/3 "2001-11-13T11:06:55Z")
Okay, one special, I grant you. But she was claiming that he was one of the central characters. And the rest of her claims are complete shite. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/4 "2001-11-13T11:16:39Z")
And Mayall was in more than one Blackadder. He played Flasheart in series 2 and 4. pan ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/5 "2001-11-13T11:17:31Z")
OOh!! Can I just add that 2 weeks ago I saw Rik Mayall and Ade Edmonson doing Bottom Live: 2001, an Arse Oddessy? yes, you can touch me. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/6 "2001-11-13T11:44:27Z")
[sub]whoa :::touches **TwistofFate** gently:::[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/7 "2001-11-13T11:56:31Z")
Any good? I’m guessing yes - live stage shows always were there forte of the brothers of destruction. pan ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/8 "2001-11-13T12:36:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kabbes \* > \*\*And Mayall was in more than one Blackadder. He played Flasheart in series 2 and 4. > > pan \*\* And he played a mad bloke in a prison cell in series one. ---
**Author:** ![Enzyme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b19c9b/32.png) [@Enzyme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enzyme)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/9 "2001-11-13T12:48:02Z")
I had the privilege of seeing Bottom in Brighton a couple of years ago - very funny. Mayall was Flashheart in series 2 and 4? I don’t remember him in series 2 at all. And Guesthouse Paradiso was probably the worst film I have ever seen. It just didn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/10 "2001-11-13T12:49:31Z")
any good? Excellent. excellent. excellent. the Idea of having the second half of the show in a pod, with the “characters” of Richie and Eddie talking about who plays them (amongst other things) is Comic Genius. Its really hard to explain. Go and see them if they are playing near you. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/11 "2001-11-13T13:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enzyme \* > **Mayall was Flashheart in series 2 and 4? I don’t remember him in series 2 at all.** Bet you do - the one where Blackadder gets engaged to “bob”, but Flashheart steals her at the altar. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/12 "2001-11-13T13:24:27Z")
Anyone else relived the Panto season is almost upon us ? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/13 "2001-11-13T13:25:09Z")
“Like the beard–gives me something to HOLD ON TO!” “I like em firm and fruity!” ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/14 "2001-11-13T14:04:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\*whoa > > :::touches **TwistofFate** gently::: \*\* **Rilch** IRL are you by any chance Keanu Reeves? No? Joey Lawrence maybe? There was a comic strip??? [Gollum] We likes the Ones, doesn’t we? Precioussssssss. [/Gollum] ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/15 "2001-11-13T15:08:01Z")
I want to see a panto with Keith Chegwin in it. And Frank Bruno. And someone I’ve never heard of from an Aussie soap opera. But not Jim Davidson under any circumstances. pan ---
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/16 "2001-11-13T15:18:05Z")
I have nothing to add here, except I think Rik Mayall hangs the moon. I even love **Drop Dead Fred** , a fact that causes every last one of my friends to cringe and discuss interventions for me. I would have Rik Mayall’s babies. Or he could have mine. Whichever he prefers. ---
**Author:** ![Enzyme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b19c9b/32.png) [@Enzyme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enzyme)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/17 "2001-11-13T15:24:43Z")
Ah yes, of course - how could I forget ‘Bob’! I’m quite ashamed ya know, thankyou. Played by the same woman who went on to star in ‘Brookside’ if I remember correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/18 "2001-11-13T17:18:29Z")
> [@](#): > > There was a comic strip??? The cast of _The Young Ones_ appeared in another show called _Comic Strip_. I used to have two or three episodes on VHS. Maybe I still do, but I can’t find them. ---
**Author:** ![moggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@moggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moggy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/19 "2001-11-13T20:11:50Z")
“Once in every lifetime…comes a love like this…” The Young Ones are SO groovy! I have several episodes of Comic Strip on tape somewhere too. MTV used to show Monty Python, then Young Ones, then Comic Strip. Apparently Comic Strip came before Young Ones, and that’s where some of them met. This is according to some website I visited once, don’t remember the name or anything. “oh I need you, you need me, oh my darling can’t you see young ones (woo-ooh), darling we’re the young ones (woo-ooh), to live, love, there’s a song to be sung, 'cause we may not be the young ones very long!” It’s frightening how many episodes I can quote along with… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096/20 "2001-11-13T21:22:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Abe Babe \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > > \*\*whoa > > > > :::touches **TwistofFate** gently::: \*\* > > **Rilch** IRL are you by any chance Keanu Reeves? > No? Joey Lawrence maybe?\*\* No. I don’t say “whoa” a la Keanu. It’s not subdued; it’s a forceful statement. And Joey Laurence said “WO!” Some people claim that Spinal Tap merely rips off Bad News. Dunno. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rik-mayall-is-not-american/93096.md?page=2)