Karl Pilkington - An Idiot Abroad

In life people have a different perspective or viewpoint on something. A different take on what is in front of their eyes to the next person.

Someone sees truth in Palm readings, someone else thinks it's a load of nonsense.

To me Karl seems genuine, consistent and the stories he tells are always the same, as if he actually thinks and lived through the incident.

Sit me in a room with someone who believes every word of the bible and I honestly can say this but I think I'd be acting like Ricky Gervais does to the words that Karl says.

If I heard someone saying "Yeah, there was a talking Snake" I'd be like "ARE YOU MENTAL?!!?!?!"

so why is there no realm of possibility that Karl actually does believe the things he says, regardless of how far fetched they are because a talking snake is as far fetched as I can take and that's far far further than anything Karl has claimed about a Monkey.

TL:DR - If people can believe there's a talking Snake, then surely people can believe there's a monkey that pushed a button for Bananas.
 
I've been a fan of the XFM shows since the beginning, then the podcasts even though it was mainly recycled material.

I was not sure about this show to be honest and didn't really have very high expectations, but thankfully it was very funny and fresh. It's almost an opposite view of the world to what we usually get from travel programmes like the Long Way Round (which is absolutely excellent) but whereas Charlie and Ewan are constantly in awe of the world Karl is just bothered by it.

dmpoole - you do make a compelling argument about Karl but I guess we will never know the truth for sure, not that it matters all that much as it is still hugely entertaining.

Karl Pilkington said:
"Y'know I said that the Chinese were quite futuristic with their ideas? Well this is alright - a little radio with headlights... I don't know when you would need that, I mean the whole beauty of radio is that you can listen to it in the dark. I mean if that was on the Dragons Den you'd say 'I'm out', wouldn't you?"
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Love it :D
 
"No Karl, there's no way NASA built a space shuttle with a banana dispenser on it"

That line alone is worth listening to the podcasts even if they are nicely recycled material.
 
dmpoole said:
SHE IS WRONG.
nice one.

However he still knew.
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Do you know anything about TV production? They don't just shoot everything first time and go to editing. He might have filmed that scene 10 times repeating his initial reaction.

In my opinion it's a blend of real Karl and obviously some stuff has been added for entertainment or to improve the presentation of a scene.

Karl himself is just going overboard on his thoughts and exaggerating stuff like many people do normally.
 
Jambo said:
Do you know anything about TV production? They don't just shoot everything first time and go to editing. He might have filmed that scene 10 times repeating his initial reaction.
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EXACTLY and that is for the whole show too.
If people think that every scene is 'first and only take' then they are mistaken.
Karl will even have plenty of time to re-script what he says to give more impact.
Now Jambo, try convincing others in this thread that it wasn't first take.
 
Whether youre right or wrong I dont understand why you feel this need to change other peoples minds. Change the bloody record!
 
dmpoole said:
He doesn't want to do it and then he does - c'mon, think about it.

Any normal person would not allow somebody to name a programme 'An Idiot Abroad' or 'Satisfied Fool'.
If he was not the Karl character he would defend his views and say he is not a fool or idiot and stop the broadcasts.
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In reference to the why someone intelligent would allow 'deformation of charactor' programs to be made about themselves; what difference would it make if he really was the character or not?

Surely he'd get crap in the street/family/friends just as much if he was an actor or if he was really that way. How would he prove it was all a lie? He would either go along with it... so... no difference... or he would try to prove he's not dumb in public... of which a single recorded instance does not exist. So it doesn't make any difference if he was or wasn't that dumb, the 'actor' would be in just as poor of a position. Don't you think after 15 years he'd have let slip just once!! HAHA!

If you watch the two shows you mentioned (I just did), he's the exact same "character" in every single PERFECT way. How on earth would he train to be so immaculately perfect? He's not exactly a main character in Friends. In fact if you watched the first episode of Friends then watch the show filmed three years later, the characters there have changed!!

There's no way in a million years he's a character. If anyone thinks he is then watch the two shows (Satisfied Fool and An Idiot Abroad) and you tell me if it's possible for a 'nobody' to 'act' so perfectly as a character and remain absolutely identical in two shows filmed three years apart.

If he's an actor then Robert De Niro should throw in the towel right now.

EDIT: I'm trying so hard to find irrefutable proof aren't I! Hehe
 
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trentlad said:
If you watch the two shows you mentioned (I just did), he's the exact same "character" in every single PERFECT way.
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But this is where Jambo will have a go at you.
TV programmes are not recorded in a single take and he would have had plenty of time to repeat and better lines for better effect.
A fool/idiot would just give a straight dumb reply to a question - Karl does not, he gives a punchline.
An Idiot Abroad is chock full of punchlines and you can't argue with that.

Somebody above mentioned something I didn't know about Karl and Russell Brand asking the question - 'Did he start to develop the character then?'.
Interesting.
 
dmpoole said:
But this is where Jambo will have a go at you.
TV programmes are not recorded in a single take and he would have had plenty of time to repeat and better lines for better effect
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Or, alternatively, it's filmed like any other documentary.

The China episode probably had around 5 full days of footage, and this was edited down to 40 minutes worth of broadcast. They picked the best bits.
 
My longest ever thread has been absolutely ruined. I'm so desperately bored of this argument, can you do it over msn or something
 
Caught this for the first time the other night and i have to say it had me in stitches.

The bit where he watched the old lady chopping up the toads and then eating the noodles actually made me cry with laughter.

Feel like i have missed out on something special with this so am going to catch up with them all.
 
zootfloot said:
Caught this for the first time the other night and i have to say it had me in stitches.

The bit where he watched the old lady chopping up the toads and then eating the noodles actually made me cry with laughter.

Feel like i have missed out on something special with this so am going to catch up with them all.
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China was the first episode.
 
jakeke said:
My longest ever thread has been absolutely ruined. I'm so desperately bored of this argument, can you do it over msn or something
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Duh, why do you think it's so long?
You should be thanking me and Trentlad and all the others who don't think Karl is an excellent comedian.
I do think he's an excellent comedian and Idiot Abroad is set for legendary status.
 
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