Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee

Robbie "Hagrid from Harry Potter" Coltrane's spoof of a Scottish "orange walk" character entitled 'Mason Boyne' still brings a smile nearly 20 years after first seeing this series. Robbie's later fine work as a straight actor was mirrored by his talent as a first rate alternative comedian during the early 1980's, particularly during this series. Brilliant stuff - I'd recommend seeing it if you can.

Of the BBC Scotland Comedy units productions, this has to be my favourite, It was creative and inventive. with some very risky subjects. Like "Mason Boyne" Robbie Coltrane's anti catholic bigot (so accurate in the west of Scotland. The acting and comic timing were perfect. but the sets seemed to be built on a very strict budget. Try to see this if you ever get a chance, and it would be great to see the BBC release it on DVD. The stars like Robbie Coltrane, Loise Gold and John Sessions never looked back. Most of the dialogue is easy to remember even after 22 years. I met Robbie Coltrane and asked him if he could get me a copy, he said he would try his agent. I wrote to the BBC, Colin Gilbert the producer. Phill Differ the script editor, and tried a lot of private advertising to get a copy.

Of all the possessions I took with me upon leaving my first wife, I truly not taking the video tapes I'd made of "Laugh??? I nearly paid my license fee".

I still find myself quoting the show that clearly left and impression on me, for example the blue movie scene where Robbie Coltrane and John Sessions turn up to 'fix the plumbing', where Robbie announces is "an incredibly well hung young stud", and John Sessions is a "sex maniac", at which point John Sessions says "that's right!!". Louise Gold states not only does she not get any men company, but is also an "insatiable divorcée", the classics 70s porno music. This was just priceless. Of course Ted Todgers, where Fred has the heart attack following his "lucky guess" of "Neitzche", and ends up getting buried under six feet of glorious sand. The Nimmons was also right up there with a plethora of classics quotes, the best of which was when John Sessions who is clearly taking the greeting "NIM NIM NIM", with matching arm movements very seriously, and Robbie just turns, and makes the most unconvincing response with both hands and speech, "nim nim nim", you know "like whatever", to use a more recent phrase! When oh when will they release this on DVD, it is just priceless!!! Cheers Colin