Interview by: Konrad Obiora
September 2007
Paul Garner, writer and associate producer of MTV's Strutter, has had a string of writing/producing credits on some of British TV's most irreverent, controversial and downright hilarious comedy programmes including Chris Morris's Brass Eye, Bo Selecta and Channel Four's 11 O'clock Show.
Paul took some time out to talk to Inside Comedy about the new second series of Strutter starring Paul Kaye as the foul-mouthed wiseguy Mike Strutter.
Inside Comedy: What made you decide to produce a show for the character of Mike Strutter, familiar to many fans who watched the Dennis Pennis shows?
Paul Garner: I’d always been a big fan of that character and felt it was a waste that he hadn’t been used since the end of the Dennis Pennis era. I came up with a show format that I felt Strutter would be at home in and, as Paul Kaye was already a good friend of mine, asked him if he would like to dust down the Strutter wig and get involved.
Why did you choose the homevideo blooper format for Strutter?
These ‘handycam howlers’ style shows have traditionally been quite comfy, cosy viewing for all the family so to hear a totally unsympathetic, nuclear strength voiceover to the same type of clips was a contrast I found hugely appealing. I would often sit at home making up my own rude commentaries to TV shows as I watched them-not just clips shows, but holiday programmes, cookery shows, etc - and once the prospect of hearing Strutter’s voice speaking the unspeakable came to mind, it kind of snowballed from there.
What do you look for in the homevideo howlers?
As I am essentially looking at these clips through Strutter’s eyes, I tend to see them in a completely different way to how other clip shows would. So rather than impartially reporting what he sees, Strutter forms his own savage opinions and makes his own brutal condemnations of the people within the clips.
The first series of Strutter was a mixture of gruesome homevideo outakes, comedy sketches and strange human life stories. Can fans of Strutter expect more of the same from in the second series?
Yes, more of the same but with a greater number of sketches and characters in the new series. We make more of the studio environment in series 2 with guests coming onto the show and being subjected to Strutter’s own unique brand of hospitality.
The partnership of Paul Kaye and Lucy Montgomery in the comedy sketches is very funny. How did you come to choose Lucy for the show?
Lucy is kind of a ‘female Paul Kaye’ in that not only is she an incredibly versatile actress, but she has a lot of nerve, a unique energy and really understands the cartoon nature of the show. And we like her.
Are there any plans to release the first series on DVD?
We really hope so. The show has done very well in the UK but also amazingly well in Europe in countries such as Poland, Norway and Spain so we know there is a huge demand for a DVD.
However, because the clips themselves were only ever cleared for broadcast, not DVD, we may have a huge expense clearing them all again which might ultimately prove financially prohibitive. However, should that be the case, we are considering making a ‘best of’ DVD from Series 1 and 2 featuring all the sketches and studio stuff and cherry-picking the best clips packages. Keep an eye on www.struttergear.com for any DVD release news.
Are you working on any new comedy projects and if so what?
Yes, I have a new comedy show in development but I can’t say too much about it at the moment as it involves a bit of secret filming and it might blow my cover! I have also filmed a sitcom this year called Angelos on Channel 5 which I believe will go out in November this year. It’s written by Sharon Horgan who I met when she appeared in a show that I devised for Channel 4 called The Pilot Show.
In Angelos, I play Sharon’s husband and we are both police officers. And, curiously enough, Paul Kaye plays my brother in it…but without the Strutter wig this time.
Links
Struttergear
Objective Production
September 2007
Paul Garner, writer and associate producer of MTV's Strutter, has had a string of writing/producing credits on some of British TV's most irreverent, controversial and downright hilarious comedy programmes including Chris Morris's Brass Eye, Bo Selecta and Channel Four's 11 O'clock Show.
Paul took some time out to talk to Inside Comedy about the new second series of Strutter starring Paul Kaye as the foul-mouthed wiseguy Mike Strutter.
Inside Comedy: What made you decide to produce a show for the character of Mike Strutter, familiar to many fans who watched the Dennis Pennis shows?
Paul Garner: I’d always been a big fan of that character and felt it was a waste that he hadn’t been used since the end of the Dennis Pennis era. I came up with a show format that I felt Strutter would be at home in and, as Paul Kaye was already a good friend of mine, asked him if he would like to dust down the Strutter wig and get involved.
Why did you choose the homevideo blooper format for Strutter?
These ‘handycam howlers’ style shows have traditionally been quite comfy, cosy viewing for all the family so to hear a totally unsympathetic, nuclear strength voiceover to the same type of clips was a contrast I found hugely appealing. I would often sit at home making up my own rude commentaries to TV shows as I watched them-not just clips shows, but holiday programmes, cookery shows, etc - and once the prospect of hearing Strutter’s voice speaking the unspeakable came to mind, it kind of snowballed from there.
What do you look for in the homevideo howlers?
As I am essentially looking at these clips through Strutter’s eyes, I tend to see them in a completely different way to how other clip shows would. So rather than impartially reporting what he sees, Strutter forms his own savage opinions and makes his own brutal condemnations of the people within the clips.
The first series of Strutter was a mixture of gruesome homevideo outakes, comedy sketches and strange human life stories. Can fans of Strutter expect more of the same from in the second series?
Yes, more of the same but with a greater number of sketches and characters in the new series. We make more of the studio environment in series 2 with guests coming onto the show and being subjected to Strutter’s own unique brand of hospitality.
The partnership of Paul Kaye and Lucy Montgomery in the comedy sketches is very funny. How did you come to choose Lucy for the show?
Lucy is kind of a ‘female Paul Kaye’ in that not only is she an incredibly versatile actress, but she has a lot of nerve, a unique energy and really understands the cartoon nature of the show. And we like her.
Are there any plans to release the first series on DVD?
We really hope so. The show has done very well in the UK but also amazingly well in Europe in countries such as Poland, Norway and Spain so we know there is a huge demand for a DVD.
However, because the clips themselves were only ever cleared for broadcast, not DVD, we may have a huge expense clearing them all again which might ultimately prove financially prohibitive. However, should that be the case, we are considering making a ‘best of’ DVD from Series 1 and 2 featuring all the sketches and studio stuff and cherry-picking the best clips packages. Keep an eye on www.struttergear.com for any DVD release news.
Are you working on any new comedy projects and if so what?
Yes, I have a new comedy show in development but I can’t say too much about it at the moment as it involves a bit of secret filming and it might blow my cover! I have also filmed a sitcom this year called Angelos on Channel 5 which I believe will go out in November this year. It’s written by Sharon Horgan who I met when she appeared in a show that I devised for Channel 4 called The Pilot Show.
In Angelos, I play Sharon’s husband and we are both police officers. And, curiously enough, Paul Kaye plays my brother in it…but without the Strutter wig this time.
Links
Struttergear
Objective Production
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User: alexa987
20/10/2009
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