The Gobbler

by Adrian Edmondson

Julian Mann, the hard drinking, preening, and sexually provocative star of the TV sitcome Richard the Nerd, feels caught on the horns of a dilemma: should he be concentrating on his career, which is on the slide after an unseemly bout of fisticuffs at the BAFTA awards; or following his baser instincts and bedding every young girl in sight?

His twin dreams of comic immortality and a penthouse flat full of booze and young models seem to be frustrated by his wife and children; by Tom, his wife's best friend from university days, a pretentious 'National Theatre Player' who appears to be competing with Julian on the small sreen and in the bedroom; by the tax man, who's chasing him for sixty thousand pounds; and by Lillith, a psychotic fan, and member of a strange Herculean cult whose eight-year cycle of death and regeneration might augur Julian's imminent nemesis...

Genres: Fiction, Humor, British Literature, Novels, Comedy

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Adrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian, writer, director, actor, and musician. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones (1982–1984) and Bottom (1991–2003), which he also wrote together with his long-time comedy partner Rik Mayall.

Edmondson attended Pocklington School in Yorkshire from 1968 to 1975 and later went to the University of Manchester to study drama, receiving a 2:1 degree, where he met his future comedy partner Rik Mayall. Edmondson and Mayall soon became best friends and before long found work on the burgeoning alternative comedy scene.

Under the name 20th Century Coyote, Edmondson and Mayall became one of the star attractions at The Comedy Store. As their popularity grew, Edmondson and Mayall and other upcoming comedians (including Alexei Sayle, Peter Richardson, Nigel Planer, French and Saunders) split away from the Comedy Store to set up their own venue: The Comic Strip club. The Comic Strip soon gained a reputation as one of the most popular comedy clubs in London and soon came to the attention of Channel 4. Edmondson and the others were commissioned to act in six self-contained half-hour films, using the group as comedy actors rather than stand-up performers. The series, entitled The Comic Strip Presents... debuted on 2 November 1982 (the opening night of Channel 4).

On 11 May 1985, Edmondson married his Comic Strip fellow Jennifer Saunders. Edmondson's university nickname of "Eddie Monsoon," a play on his surname, inspired the name of Saunders' character, Edina Monsoon on Absolutely Fabulous

In 1986 he co-wrote the book How to be a Complete Bastard together with Mark Leigh and Mike Lepine. In 1987, he reunited with Planer and Mayall to star in Filthy Rich and Catflap. The series was penned by The Young Ones' co-writer Ben Elton and saw Edmondson display the same slapstick characteristics as Vyvyan, but was closer in personality to his later character "Eddie Hitler" in Bottom. The show received critical acclaim but poor viewing figures and was cancelled after one series. In 1988, he released a follow up to How To Be A Complete Bastard called The Bastard's Book of the Worst. In 1989 Edmondson made an appearance in an episode of Blackadder Goes Forth as The Red Baron, arch-nemesis to Mayall's character, Lord Flashheart.

In 1991, Edmondson was teamed up with his comedy partner Rik Mayall once more, this time co-writing and co-starring in their own sitcom, Bottom. Edmondson starred as "Edward Elizabeth Hitler" opposite Mayall's "Richard Richard." The series featured the slapstick and crude humour for which the pair had become famous, but also more in-depth character analysis. Mayall and Edmonson have said Bottom was aimed to be more than just a series of toilet gags, but a cruder cousin to plays like Waiting for Godot about the pointlessness of life. Edmondson played Estragon to Mayall's Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's play in the West End, in a production that opened at the Queen's Theatre on 30 September 1991. Bottom became very popular, but it was criticised for its often vulgar humour. Edmondson was also censured for essentially reprising the same character he had been playing for his entire career. It was also incarnated into five UK stage tours (1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003). The violent natures of these shows saw both Edmondson and Mayall ending up in hospital.

Reviews

[Stan Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book definitely not about Rik Mayall.
Erm.

[Desperados · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like many other people I was surprised too when I found out Adrian Edmondson, as it felt like it was a bit out of character for him. I found the book online on sheer luck and bought it immediately, although my expectations were low at first - it does not really seem Ade's comfort zone to right a novel - after reading the reviews I was expecting the book to be at least a decent novel.
And I can tell you that even after all the reviews the book still positively surprised me. The book was very sophisticated, and both the main character(Julian mann)and the story itself were described with a very good mix of laugh-out-loud comedy and emotional darkness, giving an impression of Julian that makes you both love him for his wit and almost despise him for all the stupid decisions and mistakes he makes at the same time. I can certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes a 'light' read with the right level of drama.

[Sarena Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe anyone would be shocked at this. It's totally Ade! :) I saw it and brought it off Amazon when I was 15, with my own wages and have read it 5 times. I plan on doing so again after my phase if true stories. I knew Adrian was an intelligent man but think his concept of 'The Gobbler' was outstanding. I see Julian, in my imagination, based on Adrian Dangerous from the Dangerous Brothers. The purple suit, the boots, hair, everything.

The way Adrian wrote it was beautiful the words stick on your tounge, in your mind and make the images come to reality in your head. The sadness at the end, the erotic bits everything is written perfectly. He should have wrote more.

Again as I said LOVED IT <3

[notgettingenough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really quite good.

[Emma Geoghegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply fantastic. Forgot that the author was actually the genius of Adrian Edmondson half the time, considering it was THAT good! I really did have low expectations for this book before I started...

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The humor holds up well 20 years on. If you like Ade you will love this!

[Ian Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

That Adrian Edmondson wrote a novel in the mid nineties was a bit of a surprise considering that his writing until that point had been in collaboration with Rik Mayall for The Comic Strip, slap stick, cartoon violent characters The Dangerous Brothers, Eddie Monsoon whom they morphed through ‘Mr Jolly Lives Next Door’ into Eddie Hitler in Bottom their hit, quite literally, sit com. His other writing efforts without Mayall had been the sketch book ‘How to be a Complete Bastard’ which was as subtle as its title suggests. And so a novel with characters with real emotion and a story was not what I had anticipated.

Julian Mann is a successful comedian whom considered the only down side to his fame was that it was this kind of notoriety that made it so difficult for him to buy pornographic magazines. He enjoyed the celebrity and enjoyed the bad boy reputation he had carefully fashioned with the drinking and womanising seen as the reward for his genius. That his psycho fan ‘The Gobbler’ of the title is now stalking him and threatening to blow his world and his marriage apart is something that requires a solution Julian may not find in the bottom of a bottle, but he still spends a great deal of time looking for it there.

And so despite being a surprise I was actually gripped by this novel and wanted to find up how it ended. Definitely more sophisticated that being hit repeatedly other the head with a rubber shovel but not necessarily more amusing. I did enjoy the new Adrian Edmondson but on reflection prefer the old Adrian Edmondson. Well no-one likes change.

[JoAnn Betschart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julian Mann, the protagonist, bears a strong resemblance to Rik Mayall, Edmondson’s close friend and acting/writing partner since college. He is a gifted comedian and very irresponsible, drinks far too much and screws around at will. He has been stalked by a woman who calls herself alternately Lilith, Carly, Kali and Tracy for eight years. He refers to her as the psycho fan and Charlie Chaplin. Eventually she moves in next door to Julian, his wife Wendy and their twin sons; she latches on to Wendy as a friend and on to Wendy’s best friend Tom (who has become an actor, has wormed his way into projects Julian was originally cast for and is trying to pry Wendy out of her marriage) as a lover, all in an attempt to pry Julian out of his marriage and into her bed. She gets herself and Tom invited to Scotland where the Manns are staying after Julian burns their London house down trying to rebuild a ship one of his sons made (really), tells the twins a gruesome legend about how the women in a village kill a man once every eight years unless he pleases them, in which case they kill his lieutenant. So she kills Tom and attacks Wendy. Somehow Julian gets in control of his life as a result of all this, moves to a farm and saves his marriage.

I just have to say this: Edmondson is a good writer but the way he characterizes the children is lazy and disappointing, especially given that he has three kids of his own.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of Adrians work on tele and his music too, but I was quite shocked when I found out he had written a book too. I bought it but was quite skeptical I have to admit! I was well prepared to be disappointed but I wasnt. The novel was laugh out loud funny at some parts and horrifically shocking at others.

The characters are brilliantly written. The main character is Julian Mann - a self-absorbed alcoholic womanising commedian. He skips his way from one disaster to another (nearly all of his own creation!!) dragging his wife, sons and work colleges along with him. I wanted to hate him, but I just couldn't! I found myself willing him along at every turn to do the right thing! There is also one seriously scary physco fan - who's name I couldn't tell you because by the end of the novel I hadn't a clue what it was!!

And what an ending to the novel, despite usually being able to predict endings just did not see what happened coming! I was literally left sitting with my mouth hanging open!!

The only complaint I have is that the ending seemed quite rushed - I wondered that if after writing about all Julians favourite brands of scotch, whiskey and borbon Ade got a little hankering for a drink himself and rushed to get the end finished she he could indulge himself! lmao!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was curious to read this as I'm a slobbering Young Ones fan and Edmondson is part of the British comedy gang that includes the likes of Jennifer Saunders, Rik Mayall and Stephen Fry. Most of the characters are quietly reprehensible, in a British sort of way, and the story is peppered with sight gags one expects to see on BBC comedies. Maybe I was expecting more Vyvyan than Edmondson bit I kept waiting for the outrageous bits, which didn't rear their head until the end. Most script writers have trouble transitioning from that format into novel form but Edmondson appears well at home here without clunky "talking heads" writing. A nice romp from Brit comedy fans.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Ade's comedy and I came across this novel of his a few years ago in a charity shop, I knew it existed prior to that but had never made any real effort to find it. It's sat on my shelf for a good few years now and so I thought it was about time that I actually read it. While I enjoyed the writing and the story, it was a tad slow in places and Julian was beginning to grate on me. Hence, only four stars out of five.

[Guy Granlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could spot the plot a mile off, however I did enjoy this read from the comic hero of my youth.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly dark tale of a fading alcoholic comedy actor in the mid-1990s

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A farewell to comedy — and to a certain kind of man

I’m genuinely surprised how many readers consider The Gobbler a comedy. To me, it’s anything but. It’s not a funny book — it’s a rejection of the kind of comedy that excuses monstrous behaviour as long as it’s wrapped in charm or slapstick.

The protagonist is thoroughly despicable: stupid, selfish, violent, delusional — and crucially, never redeemed. And that, I believe, is intentional. You’re not supposed to like him or even understand him. He is hollow, inflated by fame and gossip, and left to spin out of control in a world that rewards the worst in people.

That’s what makes the novel so compelling:
It feels like a personal reckoning, maybe with people Edmondson has known in showbiz, maybe with a version of himself. The satire is bitter, raw and unflinching — there’s no moral resolution, no justice, no learning curve. And that’s the point.

Stylistically, it’s tight and well-written. The prose flows, the pacing is crisp, and nothing is gratuitous. Knowing where Edmondson was in his career at the time, The Gobbler reads like a line in the sand — a clear move away from the manic chaos of his earlier work with Rik Mayall, and a turn toward something darker and far more honest.

In short: not for everyone. But if you’re interested in the collision between art, identity and disillusionment — or in what happens when someone tries to burn down the stage they helped build — The Gobbler is very much worth your time.

[Jordan Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny book.

[Charles James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an entertaining read . Somewhat let down by the strange/farcical ending , which seems a out of step with the rest of the book . Well written with clearly defined characters .

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edmondson writes slapstick well.

[Lysergius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely funny book, had me in stitches!