What a thoroughly selfish act Rik Mayall has just performed, how dare he rob us of his comic genius in such a way, who on earth allowed this to happen? Surely there must be leave to appeal?
"I feel sorry for you, you zeros, you nobodies. What's going to live on after you die? Nothing, that's what!
This
house will become a shrine! And punks and skins and Rastas will all
gather round and all hold their hands in sorrow for their fallen leader!
And all the grown-ups will say, 'But why are the kids crying?' And the
kids will say, 'Haven't you heard? Rick is dead! The People's Poet is
dead!'
And then one particularly sensitive and articulate
teenager will say, 'Why kids, do you understand nothing? How can Rick be
dead when we still have his poems?"
Sadly, it's not the case, an icon of many of our growing years has been taken from us and in a manner that only Rik himself would be able to pull off, there one minute and gone the next. The fact is, Rik was everybody's favourite crazy uncle, or at least the one we all wanted, he was cool, funny, quick witted and was a pioneer of the "new wave" comedy that hit our screens in the 80's. It seems so unrealistic that such a giant is no longer amongst us, like we have lost a part of our family, a part of our own very make up, it brings us yet another mortality check at a time when such stalwarts are becoming the fondest of our distant memories.
Rik Mayall WAS comedy during the eighties, he wrote it starred in it and made the viewing compelling and a must watch, he was the cool crazy comedian that spanned the generations yet his wit was always edged toward his own generation, with cliches and innuendo's that only the youngsters would enjoy, but such was the man's genius that he still held court with parents and grandparents alike, testament to his infectious humour.
His like are rare, talented writer and meaningful actor along with a sharp wit and mesmerizing stage presence.
The list of dignitaries offering their thoughts will be long and endless over the next few weeks, rightly so, but Rik was above all ours, he was the hero of the council estate, the working man's hero at all times. he pretended to be up market but failed miserably much to our relief in the characters he played, somehow he always turned the tables on the toffs and made them look like they were the ones out of place, that is what made him so cool.
I will not be all sad and tearful at Riks passing because I really dont think he would want us to be, I think he would just like to be remembered for what he stood for and for his sharp witted hilarious come-backs and sarcasm delivered as only he could do, I dont think tears are needed, we need to just celebrate the life of a comic genius and someone who we could all relate to and love. What better epitaph could there be for someone who spent his life endearing the nation to his wonderful style of comedic genius.
Rest in peace Rik, the people's comedian and legend of the working man, we truly will miss that inimitable style of yours.
