Mark A. Rayner's Blog: Mark A. Rayner's Goodreads Blog, page 91

I hate it when I get an attack of the Arrr-Jim-Lads

Surreal enough for you? Spike Milligan was a genius.

I'll be featuring Milligan clips all week here at The Skwib. Many fans of Monty Python will know that Milligan was hugely influential on their comedy, but you can read more about it at Wikipedia if you don't.

Alltop has NO idea what is going on.

The problem with Superman

Bob Newhart's call from Walter Raleigh

This is great on a couple of levels. First of all, it makes you think about all the strange little things we take for granted around us. I'm sure a similar conversation happened when Thag cracked open his first oyster and slurped it down (no doubt in a fit of starvation) and then relayed how good it was to his buddy Tharg.

Secondly, it shows value of thinking obliquely. And then lighting it on fire.

Alltop misses snuff.

Toulouse Le Grandfig's Summer Vacation: Onions

Shattolott City, 1932

The man who loved onions.

He loved onions

Loved em. Really.

He loooved them. If you catch my drift.

The authorities frowned on his vegetable affections, but he would not stop. I sing joy monkey monkey at his happy artifice.

But in this country, I did not eat.

Next Time: On the Fields of Eton

About the Photographer: Toulouse Le Grandfig was a surrealist painter, photographer and writer who never gave up dadaism. Also, he never wore that frilly gown. Never!

Seriously, you have to go buy Amazon.com. Or just one of the books there, we suggest this one. Do it or the blog gets it. We're fading already! Originally published in 2008.

No, no . . . we don't go there

I'll play some classic Bob Newhart later, but this is just such a great (recent-ish) sketch he did on Mad TV.

Alltop is compelled to be funny.

Toulouse Le Grandfig's Summer Vacation: Amazonia

Hermitage Villas, 3000 BC

I'm in the land of the Amazons. The women are giant. And cruel. They play a game called "Truncheons and Skulls" with the men.

The winners levitate the unfortunate survivors; these poor devils are forced to laugh at their ignominious floating before they are consumed by carnivorous haberdashery.

I weep. My cigar is flaccid. All-told, I am sorry to have left the boat.

Next Time: Onionania

About the Photographer: Toulouse Le Grandfig was a surrealist painter, photographer and writer who never gave up dadaism. Also, he was fond of mulit-layered conundrums that could be fried with garlic.

Marvellous Hairy is sorry to have left the boat. You know, you're never supposed to leave the boat. Watch for tigers if you do. And cows. Originally published July 2008.

Tonto say "no information" for Kemosabe

Another great Cosby bit — the Lone Ranger and Tonto's dysfunctional relationship. And does anyone else think it's ironic that a hero called the "Lone" Ranger has a sidekick?

Alltop would beat the snot out of the Onion for a sidekick.

Toulouse Le Grandfig's Summer Vacation: Birdman

January 22, 1978

It appears that in the future, the world is inhabited by a strange race of bird people. I am a happy fellow indeed!

Lok-laach-do is my boon companion, though he is molting.

His teeth are the razors in my soup! His hat is silly! Most egregious is his mustache.

And now, I sing.

Next Time: Land of Large Women

About the Photographer: Toulouse Le Grandfig was a surrealist painter, photographer and writer who never gave up dadaism. Also, his pate was paddled.

You know who could use a good paddling? All the characters in Marvellous Hairy. Them too. Originally published July 2008.

Bill Cosby: Right, Noah's Ark

Each afternoon I'm going to post a video of some classic comedy bits. This one always made me laugh, though there is so much more to do with Noah. (You know, him being a drunk and all.)

Alltop is several cubits to the wind.

Toulouse Le Grandfig's Summer Vacation: Cochlea

January 12, 1932

Our first port of call was Buster Keaton's inner ear. I think we have discovered why he is always falling down. He has a lovely — if transgendered — higher primate living in his cochlea. Perhaps if she . . . he. . . it. Lovely it! Did not spit so much like a camel while Buster danced the tango.

Pity Buster and his aural inhibitor — his perilymphatic fluid sullied by transpittle, not transducing at all like mine, or your's, or even like all the monkeys'.

Also, it seems that I am travelling backwards in time.

Next Time: Come Fly With Me

About the Photographer: Toulouse Le Grandfig was a surrealist painter, photographer, and writer who never gave up dadaism. He was a prodigious eater of soup.

Marvellous Hairy is tomato. (And you should read it too.) Alltop is Cream of Asparagus. Originally published in July 2008.