Top 3 Clips From Classic British Prank Show Beadle's About A comedy article
by Daniel R Deakin 307 3 11/09/2009 01:37 AM 1420 views
For some reason, British hoaxster Jeremy Beadle was disliked by many people in the UK. He came to fame in the 1980s and was known for elaborate pranks and causing many near cardiac arrests on his classic pranks show Beadle's About. He was a target of cruel comments and snidey remarks about his disabled hand, but this was a man who brought entertainment to millions and raised over $160 million for charity. He died in 2008, but the laughter caused by his pranks still resound, as shown by these 3 great moments. RIP Jeremy. RIP Lindsay Lohan's acting career.
1. Man With White Van Ends Up Sounding Like His Gran. White vans proliferate the streets of the UK. They are the utility tool of the working-class and the vehicle of choice for random kidnappers. This first clip is brilliant simply because of what it does to the victim. You can almost hear his testicles retracting into his body as the stunt is carried out. Seriously, his voice sounds like Celine Dion being choked (which she must get a lot, especially after the third encore of "My Heart Will Go On").
Here at ZUG UK, we remember this clip from our youths, because we really thought we were going to see a grown man's head explode. Which is what all 15 year-old juvenile delinquents at the time hoped for. Well that, and seeing Princess Leia in a bikini.
2. Sweet Old Lady Offers Tea And A Tune For An Illegal Alien. Little old ladies proliferate the streets of the UK. No really. Especially when there is a sale of knitting supplies on the High Street, or when Barry Manilow is in town. This classic Beadle's About moment is one for the American fans of ZUG, who may have heard that British people think Americans are gullible. To end this awful stereotype, here is proof that Brits can be fooled easily ... and much more cheaply, too.
This clip came out AFTER E.T. Everyone knew what ET looked like. The producers didn't even bother hiring a midget in a suit (George Lucas has loads of them kept in his Ewok lair apparently). And yet this sweet old lady is horrified by what looks like a really cool novelty candle. Still, even when invaded, the Brits will offer you a cup of tea.
3. Sweet Old Little Lady Cruelly Scares Big Brave Coffin Salesman. This is the Anna Karenina of pranks for us. It is a classic. It is well-executed and builds up and up. You think the guy won't fall for it, that he is remaining way too calm considering the ghostly things going on around him. But just when you think the prank's failing, you find out nothing puts the willies up a fully grown man than a little old lady running around in her nightdress.
If that clip didn't make you laugh or at least raise a smile then you should be looking for a coffin too, as you are obviously dead. A classic Beadle's About moment, with of course, Jeremy turning up in the end to greet the victim with a microphone shoved up their nose.
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