Apparently, the Gervais laugh is a big hit with people (as far as I know). I do feel it's emphasized in the edit somewhat - but if it annoys you in An Idiot Abroad, I think you're going to struggle with the podcasts and (earlier) radio shows.
Ricky does come off as extremely annoying in this series. I've always enjoyed him up to this & the Ricky Gervais Show. He's like a co-worker of mine that I want to strangle everytime she laughs.
So I'm new to this whole Karl Pilkington thing. I'm assuming that this is a persona of his. a lot of what he says seems to be pretty tounge-in-cheek & I enjoy a lot of his observations but the dense side of himself that he portrays at times is an act, right? Nevermind, I just read the Wikipedia article.
I won't bother with those, then. And if he continues that exaggerated laugh (which really only shows how taken he is with himself), I'll keep the mute button under my thumb when watching Idiot. Honestly, the more I see of Gervais, the more convinced I am that David Brent and RG are interchangeable. Karl, on the other hand, is perfectly understated, and a joy to watch. I think he'd be as good, or better, playing off a straighter, less obnoxious personality than Gervais. Just had this thought: Michael Palin would be great in a guest spot, crossing paths with Karl on their respective routes.
Way back at the beginning of the radio shows, the 'Karl is a persona' thing started. They've always rigorously denied it, and I believe them. That said, Karl has (surely) become more knowing over the years, and his fame (and money) can't help but have made him self-aware. But the early XFM shows are the best way to truly hear him in his natural habitat.
I think one season is enough. The joke is wearing a bit thin. And, one of Ricky and Steve's stated goals (to broaden Karl's mind) is working. After watching about 4 episodes, I can see him becoming more accepting of other cultures and their customs. Doug
woah, didnt know there was a thread like there here, i listen to the old xfm radio shows and the podcasts everyday at work, ive been doing this for about 3 years now
"An Idiot Abroad 2 - The Bucket List" I'm looking forward to this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t_WYqgv6P4
Just a note: the 'Pilkipedia' site has been instructed to remove all files of the old XFM shows (which they have hosted for, literally, years). This is a terrible slap in the face of the very fan base that have built the Pilkington cult. Obviously, Gervais and Co. are looking to repackage segments from these shows on the animated series, or sell them on iTunes (drastically edited). Utter bollocks.
New Series starts tonight in the US on Science Channel SC is calling it AIA 2 , though IMDB says 3 have these episodes aired in the US ? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1702042/episodes?year=2011
