Excellent performance by Paul Whitehouse. Example of emotional and intelligent acting. I don't know how I missed this before, it is simply breathtaking. I used to stay awake till 2 AM, even though I knew that tomorrow is a workday, only to watch 5th or 6th re-run of TFS.
British shows and British humor in general is very popular and appreciated here in Serbia. Shows like TFS, Only Fools And Horses, Black Adder, Monty Python, Coupling... have a huge fan base here.
just beautiful. elevating comedy above the tripe it usually wallows around with. if you enjoyed this, there's a series called "Help" which Paul Whitehouse and another fella did. I've only watched a couple of episodes but has the same level of pathos, well worth a look.
Actually I think the laughter was an audience and it works perfectly as it leads you in not expecting the end to come and the audience actually goes silent. I don't like the use/misuse of canned laughter but I don't think this is.
Amazing how a character can be portrayed in such a profoundly different way........I remembered this when it was aired and I sat in front of the TV shocked and quite humbled by this sketch. Paul Whitehouse is a truly talented man!
It's thanks to his superlative acting ability, so eloquently displayed in this sketch, that led to Hollywood to come knocking at his door. If he ever gets around to pursuing that option, be prepared. He is far too good at his art.
That actually really moved me... and I can't believe I haven't seen it before. I'm normally in stitches at Rowley, but that was just so moving. You're actually a fucking brilliant actor really, aren't you, Mr Whitehouse?
@haribo687 Mitchell and Webb's Holmes scene manages to pull this off, it's one of the only recent sketches I've seen that manages to actually convey poignancy.
@BGH122 Yeah, true that... Suppose the big problem here is that we don't get many quality skit shows these days anyway... Mitchell and Webb - Armstrong and Miller... That's about it... Maybe its because I'm very drunk that the only other relatively recent skit show I can remember is Horne and Corden... They couldn't even do comedy, let alone poignancy...
@Labruskie That's for damn sure. They were awful. The skit shows that do exist nowadays are abysmal, Mitchell and Webb can be pretty good, but they're about the only comedians of the modern day that can actually pull this kind of format off.
@BGH122 Look, don't get me wrong... I've got a lot of time for Mitchell and Webb and Armstrong and Miller... Yeah okay, the second series of M&W was obviously a rush job that doesn't stand up to the rest of their stuff and A&M can't be blamed too much for their output because they didn't write it... Just feeling guilty about not remembering Monkey Dust previously... An animated skit show so poignant it could hurt your internal organs...
@Labruskie A&M's first series was great; okay it wasn't insightful in any way, but it was hilarious. It went rapidly downhill from there. I'll need to check out Monkey Dust, I was a bit young for it when it was first broadcast.
@BGH122 Unfortunately, the BBC only released series one of Monkey Dust on DVD, for some reason they chickened out of putting series two and three somewhere where it might offend... Basically you're gonna have to employ some naughty searching tricks to get the eps... Not sure if you know this and pardon me if you do, but the first series of A&M on BBC wasn't the first series, they had about four series on Channel Four before jumping ship... I remember it being a little bit cleverer back then...
I must stop watching this, it makes me so wistful. I'd like to hear it without the laughter. He communicates so well with his eyes I think - to think this is the same man in the sketch in the butchers (I think it is) who can't sing in english but can sing in italian. He should be a national treasure, but not, but belongs to us instead.
I remember this sketch took me completely by surprise when Paul Whitehouse pauses and mesmerises you with that steady gaze. I found it very touching, not least because it reminds me of times I've known. Johnny Depp, who I rate as an actor, called paul whitehouse one of, if not the, world's best actors. I thought he was good even before he did this, but I understand Depps sentiments now.
The part where he stops, deeply lost in his own thoughts is very moving - you almost feel guilty for laughing at him at the the start. You get to this point you realise that he's just as human, as complex as the rest of us. A very profound 1 minute and 39 seconds. And yes, Paul Whitehouse is a genius.
well i am sadly the last of that generation that can remember or grandparents telling us about the war & the sacrifices they made..maybe that is something that is missing now in the younger generation
I remember sitting there expecting something hysterical and being stunned by the simplicity of it. I was equally shocked to find myself crying. Paul is a bloody genius. (So, on the perfect dinner guest list we have the usual suspects and Paul Whitehouse. (And Hitler, just to see at what point he loses it when we talk about Art and how good the meat course was.)
@matchbox555 Go and comment on your Yank humour and leave us to enjoy Fast Show, Monty Python, Red Dwarf, Blackadder, League of Gents, Young Ones, Spaced etc................
@RanpatMcMurphy Oh come on, an American could easily say 'Haha Sorry, Are you being Served, As time goes by, Two punts of lager etc are terrible, leave us to enjoy Seinfeld, Futurama, Family Guy (depending on taste), South Park, The Phil Silvers Show, Scrubs (Early seasons at least)' etc.
We've had just as many hit and misses. Also Monty Python was more miss than hit.
Anyway as already said, very moving scene and completed unexpected.
@Dekks123 Seinfeld, Larry Sanders, Curb Enthusiasm, Simpsons, Arrested Development. America do produce some good stuff. They also create many poor rip offs. The American 'Cracker' has to be the pick of the bunch. The Robbie Coltrane original was a work of brilliance. Not quite as poor as the decades of terrible Led Zepplin rip offs we've had from across the pond. America do best when they create their own music, film, tv from concept to finished product.
@Dekks123 To call Monty Python more miss than hit is simply foolish. Life of Brian is recognised as one of the finest comedy films ever made. If however you are simply referring to their sketches being inconsistent then I would agree with you. Life of Brian has never been bettered, maybe only equalled by Kubrick's Dr Strangelove and the outstanding performances of Peter Sellers and George C Scott.
@RanpatMcMurphy I was meaning the sketch show rather than the films, which admittedly definitely stand up well even today.
Agreed again on USA best when doing original content, although I would also point out our own terrible remakes, I pity those who saw the british version of 'That 70s show', as well as our attempt at SNL.
I highly recommend the American Office though, skip season one, its a basically re-shoot of the UK one but season two onwards is possibly, superior to the British one.
I'd echo everything said so far, but the moment that really choked me was when the bells of the old grandfather clock started to chime, just as Paul Whitehouse fell silent at the end... boy oh boy... what a genius.
when i fist saw this, i only saw the last part, i thought he was talking about how he'd killed his wife in a drink driving accident and they where hinting at that was the reason that he'd started drinking heavily.
The Fast Show is one of the best shows I ever saw. Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson were/are masters of their art. Rowley Birkin was a favourite character. I always anticipated the "I was very drunk..."punchline, and so this one stopped me dead in my tracks and took me completely by surprise; I was spellbound during those few seconds of silence, and, I admit, quite moved.
Johnny Depp was right about Whitehouse's acting ability, and really, the privelage was his, though I respect his acting.
I remember seeing this when it was first broadcast and i have to agree with you all i cried then and i just did again now. It's the pause at the end, it's very brave to sit there that long and do nothing. For me i think it allows the audience to fill in their own experiences and it puts a totally different slant on the punch line suddenly, "I was very drunk," Isn't funny any more.
I was reading one of Jeremy Clarkson's columns in the Times - he mentioned this final Rowley Birkin sketch and said it was the finest bit of acting he'd ever seen. I have to say I'm inclined to agree.
@jgriggle This is also what prompted Johnny Depp to proclaim Paul Whitehouse the greatest living actor anywhere in the world. The Fast Show was amazing at extracting great emotion from characters whose aggregate screentime is probably less than the length of one episode (Ted & Ralph and Colin Hunt too).
absolutely genious this show. amazing :) i cant seem to find the one where he talks bout the woman who is half woman, half fish haha. i like that one lots :)
the audience didn't seem prepared for this powerful piece of acting but I bet it's one sketch none of them will ever forget.
on a personal level whitehouse is a pleasant guy and known as such by the london cab trade (which is more than can be said for many of today's 'needy' celeb pricks).
Johnny Depp did a guest slot once on the show because he said in an interview somewhere that Paul Whitehouse was such an excellent actor who he wanted to work with
This scene is a perfect example of how good British comedy can be. I remember the first time I saw this when it aired and holding back the tears. It was a complete punch in the gut as I, like most of the population watching the show at the time were waiting for a happy old drunks tale. The only other show to do that to me was the final scene of Blackadder goes forth.
It's the best Rowley Birkin QC segment. And the most moving thing ever, being as the acting is so subtle, there's no music or anything effecting your emotions, it's all in the acting.
@jhtbailey1. well, birkin is known to be a rather random character - an old guy who has lot to say yet we get or hear so very little of it. this is the first time there is not even slightest of doubt of what his story is all about. after this scetch, everything from him sounds like he's living his life loud - only to forget what happened in this story. thats huge when you consider it took whitehouse only few words and a long stare to accomplish. thats who folks like this one, i think
this is the best of em TBH. its amazing how Paul Whitehouse makes us really understand his characters. his comedy has a really powerful control over our emotions
Wow when i saw this as a kid I was amazed! I nearly cried and I made the fast show my favorite programme for a while. You get exactly what the character is about after all this time GENIOUS. Never realized there was a guy in the chair opposite. Thanks for pointing it out youtube.
Very touching, this scene catches a moment of genuine sadness and remorse in this mans caddish past. It made such an impression on him that he manages to convey it to us years later. Superbly acted.
I used to be an extra on the fast show. Paul Whitehouse & Simon Day were naturally fast & witty and extremely intelligent as was Arabella Weir who was exceptionally attractive and sensual.
It is. I love The Fast Show and when I saw this, this really was quite a moment of representing seriousness and reality. It was very well done and I think he made a great job of acting it.
It's something that many human beings can instantly relate to or atleast 'feel' the final message.
Rowley coming back on leave but getting distracted by gin and tonics at his Club. Then weaving merrily to his lover's house in Mayfair to find it bombed and her dying in the rubble.
Had he gone straight to her house he might have saved her, or died together in each other's arms but it was the allure of alcohol that prevented that and afterwards, helped him forget.
couldnt of said it better myself so sad so tradgic so much depth, the fast show has these little jewls, these dimonds that just bring the show into its own
I can't agree more. This show is often underestimated for the level of professionalism of its actors. Look at Mark Williams and Colin Macfarlane - from this show to Harry Potter and the new Batman films!!!
this actually makes me feel guilty for laughing at all his drunken rambles before (even though it's just a charector, probably shows how good an actor Paul Whitehouse is)
this clip defines why the fast show was such an amazing programme. pure comedy genius, without even needing to be funny. probably one of the most moving things i have ever seen on TV.
I can remember watching for the first time with a mate after we go home from a night out, he'd recorded it. The usual Fast Show fare with us laughing like beer fuelled morons. Until that moment. We were speechless. A stunning, beautiful and heart rending moment, a classic piece of British television.
I remember this from an episode where all the catch phrases and characters we reversed, Brilliant thought everything was Rubbish, Which was nice became which was a shame, it was a great episode.
I think one of the things I love so much about this sketch is that I laugh at the incoherent babble as the sketch starts, "oh it's just old Rowley again, drunken buffoon", and then as he unravels his tail I begin feeling uncomfortable at having laughed at what became a very sad event. Like when you laugh inappropriately just before being told someone's best friend has died.
challenging preconceptions in this manner is the hallmark of an insightful comedian. this sketch does it better than any. you can hear the crowd, one by one, figure out that rowley has forgot to put his clown paint on and theres nothing comedic about his words.
a masterclass in acting and as potent a demonstration of the power of the entertainer as youre ever likely to see
in one and a half minutes this sketch dilivers more than ten crappy hollywood films. the man deserves a knighthood.
I agree. The real magic of this clip is when the crowd realises what's going on.
I believe Depp once said Paul Whitehouse was the best actor he'd seen. I always considered it high praise but after re-watching this, it's completely just.
The best sketch on the Fast Show. Ted and Ralph was a warning shot, always, but this was the 'gotcha' moment when a 2d character became someone you'd take home and make dinner for. Or something.
This is what distinguished The Fast Show from its chief successor Little Britain, the introduction of genuine pathos. Colin Hunt also had a well-handled character development.
Truly Heartbreakingly good! It makes me want to get back into acting, I really feel like I could run with a character like this; sometimes it's less about what's being said, and more about what isn't...acting with the eyes is one of the most difficult skills to pull off., and Whitehouse does it here, absolutely wonderfully!
How many lines does he have in this Rawley Birkin QC, really? Six? And there it is, packed into those little lines--a whole lifetime of regret. Paul Whitehouse is my hero. There's not enough money in the world to buy his many talents. Thank you for posting this.
Id love to meet this guy if he was a real person, im sure there is a real guy like this
colemartinst123 1 week ago
beautiful
2BCBattlefield 2 months ago
Still gets me after all this time. Pure Brilliance!
Theitisme400 2 months ago
Absolutely stunning. Genius.
2100yearofthegreat 2 months ago
So much depth to the character from this one scene. We see a reason to drink.
gallstonethefirst 3 months ago
The older I get this seems more and more poignant and less funny.
Bluebuthappy182 3 months ago in playlist General
1:16 - I got awl teary :L
ToxicKetchup22 3 months ago
that silence... that stare...
heartrending.
Pratalax 3 months ago
Very moving , whitehouse is a legend
wesmander 3 months ago
Excellent performance by Paul Whitehouse. Example of emotional and intelligent acting. I don't know how I missed this before, it is simply breathtaking. I used to stay awake till 2 AM, even though I knew that tomorrow is a workday, only to watch 5th or 6th re-run of TFS.
British shows and British humor in general is very popular and appreciated here in Serbia. Shows like TFS, Only Fools And Horses, Black Adder, Monty Python, Coupling... have a huge fan base here.
Greetings from Serbia.
CrazyCrazyRaven 3 months ago
Note: This guys only sketch were people applauded at the end.
WobbleSkanker 4 months ago
Paul Whitehouse is a master of this sort of comedy. There does not seem to be a character or accent he cant do.
Contago 4 months ago
lyke if yhuuu CrriEED x
alex2k8cfc 4 months ago
@alex2k8cfc luUUurnNNN thuuuUU SppeLLLL x no, seriously -.-
Bifi323 2 months ago
just beautiful. elevating comedy above the tripe it usually wallows around with. if you enjoyed this, there's a series called "Help" which Paul Whitehouse and another fella did. I've only watched a couple of episodes but has the same level of pathos, well worth a look.
noofalata 4 months ago
This character is absolutely hilarious in his other sketches, then they come out with this. So beautifully tragic :(
KJRD82 5 months ago
So beautiful and tragic. Perfect acting timing. Presenting something so simple and profound in an understated operatic way.
LeonardLeoneFilms 5 months ago
Actually I think the laughter was an audience and it works perfectly as it leads you in not expecting the end to come and the audience actually goes silent. I don't like the use/misuse of canned laughter but I don't think this is.
Baryonyxwalker 5 months ago
Amazing how a character can be portrayed in such a profoundly different way........I remembered this when it was aired and I sat in front of the TV shocked and quite humbled by this sketch. Paul Whitehouse is a truly talented man!
fnky143 5 months ago
The laugher should have never been in this sketch.
SaitanMar 6 months ago
@SaitanMar Agreed.
tallgriff82 5 months ago
great piece of acting..shame on the false luughes...love to hear him on his own.
euroman32589 6 months ago
Simply.....extraordinary.
IanSinty 7 months ago
6 cunts ,i see.
bumblescum64 7 months ago
true genius - timeless and clever
millerbiz 7 months ago
this breaks my heart every time I watch it :'(
ministeroftuba 7 months ago
@ministeroftuba The ticking of the clock is almost hypnotic and I have ot agree with your sentiment
thanksbewell1 7 months ago
incredible
napkincr 8 months ago
It's thanks to his superlative acting ability, so eloquently displayed in this sketch, that led to Hollywood to come knocking at his door. If he ever gets around to pursuing that option, be prepared. He is far too good at his art.
sirsamuelvimes 8 months ago
@sirsamuelvimes johnny depp said that paul whitehouse is the best actor he's ever worked with
rakoc001 7 months ago
OMG! He's so funnny! I only heard about him because we're doing comedy in my English class, and we watched a clip of him.
MizzBubblePop 8 months ago
jeremy clarkson described this as the best acting he has ever seen!
bstbstbst2010 9 months ago
i cried
misspresident95 10 months ago
why disable embedding?
ooohyeahnachoman 10 months ago
That actually really moved me... and I can't believe I haven't seen it before. I'm normally in stitches at Rowley, but that was just so moving. You're actually a fucking brilliant actor really, aren't you, Mr Whitehouse?
GhibliFan1 10 months ago
5 people are dead inside
SeyMe2 11 months ago
Just awesome.
FreeFlowLeusden 1 year ago
Gawd I welled up a bit there! Dont get comedy that can do stuff like this anymore!
haribo687 1 year ago
@haribo687 Mitchell and Webb's Holmes scene manages to pull this off, it's one of the only recent sketches I've seen that manages to actually convey poignancy.
BGH122 1 year ago
@BGH122 Yeah, true that... Suppose the big problem here is that we don't get many quality skit shows these days anyway... Mitchell and Webb - Armstrong and Miller... That's about it... Maybe its because I'm very drunk that the only other relatively recent skit show I can remember is Horne and Corden... They couldn't even do comedy, let alone poignancy...
Labruskie 10 months ago
@Labruskie That's for damn sure. They were awful. The skit shows that do exist nowadays are abysmal, Mitchell and Webb can be pretty good, but they're about the only comedians of the modern day that can actually pull this kind of format off.
BGH122 10 months ago
@BGH122 Look, don't get me wrong... I've got a lot of time for Mitchell and Webb and Armstrong and Miller... Yeah okay, the second series of M&W was obviously a rush job that doesn't stand up to the rest of their stuff and A&M can't be blamed too much for their output because they didn't write it... Just feeling guilty about not remembering Monkey Dust previously... An animated skit show so poignant it could hurt your internal organs...
Labruskie 10 months ago
@Labruskie A&M's first series was great; okay it wasn't insightful in any way, but it was hilarious. It went rapidly downhill from there. I'll need to check out Monkey Dust, I was a bit young for it when it was first broadcast.
BGH122 10 months ago
@BGH122 Unfortunately, the BBC only released series one of Monkey Dust on DVD, for some reason they chickened out of putting series two and three somewhere where it might offend... Basically you're gonna have to employ some naughty searching tricks to get the eps... Not sure if you know this and pardon me if you do, but the first series of A&M on BBC wasn't the first series, they had about four series on Channel Four before jumping ship... I remember it being a little bit cleverer back then...
Labruskie 10 months ago
@Labruskie No way? Thanks for the information! I'll go and search their works.
BGH122 10 months ago
@haribo687 check out one of the mitchell and webb sketch about sherlock holmes in an old folks home, made me tear up a bit.
biffington 9 months ago
4 dislikes? Losers!
This sketch above all others demonstrates what a good actor Paul Whitehouse is.
Muzzer38 1 year ago
@Muzzer38 Not just a 'Good Actor' but a 'Great Actor!' This ranks with Ben Kingsley, an his roles in Ghadi, and Sexy Beast!
bobsatwa 1 year ago
the three people who disliked this video can't have a heart. and if they do, it's as cold as stone
JackyRowe 1 year ago
@JackyRowe I could simply LIKE your comment but I think I'd rather express it literally.
whatlooksrightisrigh 1 year ago
@whatlooksrightisrigh thanks!! (and besides, the ability to like this particular video has been disabled!))
JackyRowe 1 year ago
Comment removed
JackyRowe 1 year ago
Drawn from real experience? Very talented chap!
elbeasto71 1 year ago
Comment removed
elbeasto71 1 year ago
Genius, saying so little says so much
willsea78 1 year ago
I must stop watching this, it makes me so wistful. I'd like to hear it without the laughter. He communicates so well with his eyes I think - to think this is the same man in the sketch in the butchers (I think it is) who can't sing in english but can sing in italian. He should be a national treasure, but not, but belongs to us instead.
targetrich 1 year ago
I remember this sketch took me completely by surprise when Paul Whitehouse pauses and mesmerises you with that steady gaze. I found it very touching, not least because it reminds me of times I've known. Johnny Depp, who I rate as an actor, called paul whitehouse one of, if not the, world's best actors. I thought he was good even before he did this, but I understand Depps sentiments now.
stormsurfer5650 1 year ago
I held her in my arms.......
Robertgregormcgregor 1 year ago
This scene tears me up every time I see it, and I've seen it many times...Johnny Depp says he thinks Paul Whitehouse is one of the best actors ever.
mykarmaisdogma 1 year ago
Aw jeez! Why does the fast show always DO this to me? Funny sketch, funny sketch, funny sketch, BAM! Moving, poignant, brillintly acted tear jerker.
CrownedWithLaurels 1 year ago
The part where he stops, deeply lost in his own thoughts is very moving - you almost feel guilty for laughing at him at the the start. You get to this point you realise that he's just as human, as complex as the rest of us. A very profound 1 minute and 39 seconds. And yes, Paul Whitehouse is a genius.
romanaveratrelundar 1 year ago
well i am sadly the last of that generation that can remember or grandparents telling us about the war & the sacrifices they made..maybe that is something that is missing now in the younger generation
jaldorian 1 year ago
@jaldorian
That's because there hasn't been a world war for so long. I see the point but it's clearly more a good thing than bad.
Lesartiste 1 year ago
@jaldorian war? Plenty of that come i'm sure. FYI, thats not a good thing to miss.
silentdave41 1 year ago
Comment removed
RanpatMcMurphy 1 year ago
I remember sitting there expecting something hysterical and being stunned by the simplicity of it. I was equally shocked to find myself crying. Paul is a bloody genius. (So, on the perfect dinner guest list we have the usual suspects and Paul Whitehouse. (And Hitler, just to see at what point he loses it when we talk about Art and how good the meat course was.)
RickDaBodyguard 1 year ago
fast show sucks
same joke over and over and over
matchbox555 1 year ago
@matchbox555 Go and comment on your Yank humour and leave us to enjoy Fast Show, Monty Python, Red Dwarf, Blackadder, League of Gents, Young Ones, Spaced etc................
RanpatMcMurphy 1 year ago
@RanpatMcMurphy Oh come on, an American could easily say 'Haha Sorry, Are you being Served, As time goes by, Two punts of lager etc are terrible, leave us to enjoy Seinfeld, Futurama, Family Guy (depending on taste), South Park, The Phil Silvers Show, Scrubs (Early seasons at least)' etc.
We've had just as many hit and misses. Also Monty Python was more miss than hit.
Anyway as already said, very moving scene and completed unexpected.
Dekks123 1 year ago
Comment removed
RanpatMcMurphy 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@Dekks123 Seinfeld, Larry Sanders, Curb Enthusiasm, Simpsons, Arrested Development. America do produce some good stuff. They also create many poor rip offs. The American 'Cracker' has to be the pick of the bunch. The Robbie Coltrane original was a work of brilliance. Not quite as poor as the decades of terrible Led Zepplin rip offs we've had from across the pond. America do best when they create their own music, film, tv from concept to finished product.
RanpatMcMurphy 1 year ago
@Dekks123 To call Monty Python more miss than hit is simply foolish. Life of Brian is recognised as one of the finest comedy films ever made. If however you are simply referring to their sketches being inconsistent then I would agree with you. Life of Brian has never been bettered, maybe only equalled by Kubrick's Dr Strangelove and the outstanding performances of Peter Sellers and George C Scott.
RanpatMcMurphy 1 year ago
@RanpatMcMurphy I was meaning the sketch show rather than the films, which admittedly definitely stand up well even today.
Agreed again on USA best when doing original content, although I would also point out our own terrible remakes, I pity those who saw the british version of 'That 70s show', as well as our attempt at SNL.
I highly recommend the American Office though, skip season one, its a basically re-shoot of the UK one but season two onwards is possibly, superior to the British one.
Dekks123 1 year ago
I'm surprised we havn't seen Paul Whitehouse in more movies as he's such a good actor.
Neverborn86 1 year ago
I'd echo everything said so far, but the moment that really choked me was when the bells of the old grandfather clock started to chime, just as Paul Whitehouse fell silent at the end... boy oh boy... what a genius.
Great character, even better acting...
kiwinavega 1 year ago
Very, very good actor.
oldskoolmacboy 1 year ago
paul whitehouse .....genius at everything
he acts. his eyes in this sketch go straight
to your soul - left me in tears.
gremlingrump 1 year ago
This and Mrs Ted's funeral (the way PW just sort of folds up as they walk away from the grave) can both make me cry. Brilliant acting.
FeminaReal 1 year ago
She had a very long.... neck
zlovemachine 1 year ago
when i fist saw this, i only saw the last part, i thought he was talking about how he'd killed his wife in a drink driving accident and they where hinting at that was the reason that he'd started drinking heavily.
ghw14 1 year ago
'Tis genius acting and camera work. Awesome in it's sadness.
BramPoker 1 year ago
The Fast Show is one of the best shows I ever saw. Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson were/are masters of their art. Rowley Birkin was a favourite character. I always anticipated the "I was very drunk..."punchline, and so this one stopped me dead in my tracks and took me completely by surprise; I was spellbound during those few seconds of silence, and, I admit, quite moved.
Johnny Depp was right about Whitehouse's acting ability, and really, the privelage was his, though I respect his acting.
stormsurfer5650 1 year ago
on a par with the last episode of Blackadder Goes Forth, truly touching comedy genius.
a5h76 1 year ago
this one always touches me. i remember the first time i saw it i got very emotional, and it stll hits me hard now
danileethegreat 1 year ago
Very touching.......painfully sad. Amazing acting.
DethByHysteria 1 year ago
I remember seeing this when it was first broadcast and i have to agree with you all i cried then and i just did again now. It's the pause at the end, it's very brave to sit there that long and do nothing. For me i think it allows the audience to fill in their own experiences and it puts a totally different slant on the punch line suddenly, "I was very drunk," Isn't funny any more.
Bluebuthappy182 1 year ago
One of the few things in the world that brings me close to tears.
THAT is acting
crazymurdav 1 year ago
the finest acting ive ever seen, hands down
benjoindevon 1 year ago
I cried like a kid when I first saw this, when I was a.... kid.
Feel like I'm gonna have to again.
CaptainOkay 1 year ago
I was reading one of Jeremy Clarkson's columns in the Times - he mentioned this final Rowley Birkin sketch and said it was the finest bit of acting he'd ever seen. I have to say I'm inclined to agree.
jgriggle 1 year ago
@jgriggle This is also what prompted Johnny Depp to proclaim Paul Whitehouse the greatest living actor anywhere in the world. The Fast Show was amazing at extracting great emotion from characters whose aggregate screentime is probably less than the length of one episode (Ted & Ralph and Colin Hunt too).
kisbie 1 year ago
Paul Whitehouse is one of the finest ever actors and comedians i ever seen on TV. Quality, utter Quality with a capital Q.
ROCKSOLID19 2 years ago
thats actually... quite moving!
broadspeedbullit 2 years ago
absolutely genious this show. amazing :) i cant seem to find the one where he talks bout the woman who is half woman, half fish haha. i like that one lots :)
jbavit 2 years ago
I was in absolute floods of tears... ...it was very, very cold, and... ...and I held her in my arms... ...I'm afraid I was very drunk.
No 3D,no cgi, no $bn budget, just genius.
5Willoughby 2 years ago
@5Willoughby -3D and CGI are the same thing
willpreston 2 years ago
the audience didn't seem prepared for this powerful piece of acting but I bet it's one sketch none of them will ever forget.
on a personal level whitehouse is a pleasant guy and known as such by the london cab trade (which is more than can be said for many of today's 'needy' celeb pricks).
torontoboy45 2 years ago
Johnny Depp did a guest slot once on the show because he said in an interview somewhere that Paul Whitehouse was such an excellent actor who he wanted to work with
blinkboy2008 2 years ago
This scene is a perfect example of how good British comedy can be. I remember the first time I saw this when it aired and holding back the tears. It was a complete punch in the gut as I, like most of the population watching the show at the time were waiting for a happy old drunks tale. The only other show to do that to me was the final scene of Blackadder goes forth.
TheRz0 2 years ago
I take it she died. Yay, I'm comment 100!!!
brightlights456X 2 years ago
''She...had a very long...neck''
Classic Burkin, Classic Fast Show
Stokie09123 2 years ago
amazing 1:22
MorganM402 2 years ago
epic ;')
ElfenShinobi 2 years ago
This is a testament to how amazingly good Paul Whitehouse is.
hix247 2 years ago
after all the laughs and the comedy this really is a sudden bend in the road, very moving.
biffington 2 years ago
can someone explain this to me? i can see how it's meant to be sad but how is it "the best of them" or "the most moving thing ever"? what?
jhtbailey1 2 years ago
It's the best Rowley Birkin QC segment. And the most moving thing ever, being as the acting is so subtle, there's no music or anything effecting your emotions, it's all in the acting.
Legotruck82 2 years ago
Watch the others! You'll get it then!
SilverSiana 2 years ago
@jhtbailey1. well, birkin is known to be a rather random character - an old guy who has lot to say yet we get or hear so very little of it. this is the first time there is not even slightest of doubt of what his story is all about. after this scetch, everything from him sounds like he's living his life loud - only to forget what happened in this story. thats huge when you consider it took whitehouse only few words and a long stare to accomplish. thats who folks like this one, i think
somberlight 2 years ago
replace who with why xD
somberlight 2 years ago
Its strange how a really funny comedy show can make you feel sad.
sabakyuugaara 2 years ago
One of the finest pieces of acting you'll ever see anywhere.
DPScott20 2 years ago
this is so sad :(
vSiUaCcKoSm 2 years ago
one of the most moving things ever...
CDGrayling 2 years ago
this is the best of em TBH. its amazing how Paul Whitehouse makes us really understand his characters. his comedy has a really powerful control over our emotions
physicmad 2 years ago
just listen as the laughter dies down then that period of absolute silence!! Pure genius!!
jotaman65 2 years ago
Simply the best thing I ever saw on a comedy show ever.
RockingOnPluto 2 years ago
Thank you, Mr. Scott.
Terryodo2 2 years ago
this is performing!
dujduj00 2 years ago
1 minute 39 seconds long and its those 15 seconds of absolute silence that says the most if you know what I mean.
p0wery 2 years ago
Its the next best thing.
nakatasnoodles 2 years ago
Wow when i saw this as a kid I was amazed! I nearly cried and I made the fast show my favorite programme for a while. You get exactly what the character is about after all this time GENIOUS. Never realized there was a guy in the chair opposite. Thanks for pointing it out youtube.
mykyskater 2 years ago
More talent than he is often given credit for !.
rgadave 2 years ago
Woah. I can't believe after all these years I've only just noticed that he is talking to someone in the chair opposite him! Someone is sitting there.
pauljan1988 2 years ago
I wouldn't have noticed at all if you hadn't pointed that out. Think I'll go have my sight checked out now...
MsMello7 2 years ago
I didn't realise he had this depth of talent. I wonder why he hasn't been picked up for more serious roles.
angelafisher 2 years ago
If ever proof was needed of Whitehouse's theatrical talent, here it is.
MNc99 2 years ago
Very touching, this scene catches a moment of genuine sadness and remorse in this mans caddish past. It made such an impression on him that he manages to convey it to us years later. Superbly acted.
Soapyfrogbucket 2 years ago
I used to be an extra on the fast show. Paul Whitehouse & Simon Day were naturally fast & witty and extremely intelligent as was Arabella Weir who was exceptionally attractive and sensual.
ringdigger 2 years ago
As the author put:
'Quiet touching, really'.
It is. I love The Fast Show and when I saw this, this really was quite a moment of representing seriousness and reality. It was very well done and I think he made a great job of acting it.
It's something that many human beings can instantly relate to or atleast 'feel' the final message.
Very well done!
BlackTongueLoki 2 years ago
Amazing acting - you wouldn't think this typre of sincerity would come from this type of character but really shows testament to Paul Whitehouse.
I hate to dissect the scene but was she killed in the war in an air raid?
Samnutter3212 2 years ago
"was she killed in the war in an air raid? "
Yep..that's the way I see it as well.
Rowley coming back on leave but getting distracted by gin and tonics at his Club. Then weaving merrily to his lover's house in Mayfair to find it bombed and her dying in the rubble.
Had he gone straight to her house he might have saved her, or died together in each other's arms but it was the allure of alcohol that prevented that and afterwards, helped him forget.
mrxt500 2 years ago
couldnt of said it better myself so sad so tradgic so much depth, the fast show has these little jewls, these dimonds that just bring the show into its own
RC1990 2 years ago
I can't agree more. This show is often underestimated for the level of professionalism of its actors. Look at Mark Williams and Colin Macfarlane - from this show to Harry Potter and the new Batman films!!!
Peace.
james50000 2 years ago
Superbly put
thedarknesshasrisen 2 years ago
Nobody knows. My impression is certainly that she died, but this is all there is of the story.
Parrotguy1999 2 years ago
nothing is ,but its the best the current times has to offer.
somberlight 2 years ago
LOOOOOOL, the bit when he says " and we sang this song it went, laaaaaaaaaaa".
hahahahahhahhahahahahahahahahah!
chavlad100 2 years ago
this actually makes me feel guilty for laughing at all his drunken rambles before (even though it's just a charector, probably shows how good an actor Paul Whitehouse is)
Davey2503 2 years ago
this clip defines why the fast show was such an amazing programme. pure comedy genius, without even needing to be funny. probably one of the most moving things i have ever seen on TV.
pinkpopple 2 years ago
This actually makes me cry every time i see it. Really gives you a background to the character portrayed by Whitehouse. Fantastic.
friendlypete 2 years ago
I can remember watching for the first time with a mate after we go home from a night out, he'd recorded it. The usual Fast Show fare with us laughing like beer fuelled morons. Until that moment. We were speechless. A stunning, beautiful and heart rending moment, a classic piece of British television.
TarnishUK 2 years ago
Comment removed
acidskiffle69 2 years ago
thank you paul, i have just quietly shed a tear, possibly the greatest actor of a generation, SERIOUSLY! i love you x
spiritlevel41 2 years ago
I remember this sketch as being in the last episode of the last series, a bit like the end of Blackadder.
Poor Rowley, perhaps all his adventures in far off foreign lands were undertaken to help him forget his loss ?
mrxt500 2 years ago
I was just thinking about how similar a moment to the end of Blackadder goes Forth it was myself!
A very somber moment, also explains the gulf in class between true British comedy and everything else.
nakatasnoodles 2 years ago
for anyone who is watching this clip who hasn't seen rb before, you really need to watch the rest of his scenes to appreciate the quality of this.
i remember this was on a later fast show series. by that stage everyone was used to rowley as this rambling drunk.
when this clip came on me and my brothers just went silent. i'm sure that almost never happens with a comedy
gg0u1239 2 years ago
Comment removed
chriiisssss 2 years ago
I would rather jump in front of a firing squad than feel that pain again.
ednuttah 2 years ago
Is that a quote? I can't make it out?
milkypea 2 years ago
I remember this from an episode where all the catch phrases and characters we reversed, Brilliant thought everything was Rubbish, Which was nice became which was a shame, it was a great episode.
DoogieTalons 2 years ago
The greatest piece of pathos ever on TV.
chazsmateII 2 years ago
I think one of the things I love so much about this sketch is that I laugh at the incoherent babble as the sketch starts, "oh it's just old Rowley again, drunken buffoon", and then as he unravels his tail I begin feeling uncomfortable at having laughed at what became a very sad event. Like when you laugh inappropriately just before being told someone's best friend has died.
Utter utter brilliance.
bikkies 2 years ago
utterlly utterly agree.....
mistral55 2 years ago
challenging preconceptions in this manner is the hallmark of an insightful comedian. this sketch does it better than any. you can hear the crowd, one by one, figure out that rowley has forgot to put his clown paint on and theres nothing comedic about his words.
a masterclass in acting and as potent a demonstration of the power of the entertainer as youre ever likely to see
in one and a half minutes this sketch dilivers more than ten crappy hollywood films. the man deserves a knighthood.
synchc 2 years ago
I agree. The real magic of this clip is when the crowd realises what's going on.
I believe Depp once said Paul Whitehouse was the best actor he'd seen. I always considered it high praise but after re-watching this, it's completely just.
scaffairl 2 years ago
yeah, that silence when they stop laughing is really haunting
tommyhall12 2 years ago
Fantastic.
faulknmd 2 years ago
there's an actual tear in my eye
edaines 2 years ago
I'd only seen one of these sketches before, and that was hilarious, but seeing several of them in a row and then this one ... this guy is a genius.
KeladryL 2 years ago
The best sketch on the Fast Show. Ted and Ralph was a warning shot, always, but this was the 'gotcha' moment when a 2d character became someone you'd take home and make dinner for. Or something.
WISEBL00D 2 years ago
This is what distinguished The Fast Show from its chief successor Little Britain, the introduction of genuine pathos. Colin Hunt also had a well-handled character development.
kisbie 2 years ago
I love this. Paul is so great actor in many ways. So touching.
TheOperaGhost90 2 years ago
Incredibly moving and wonderful acting
tigresswolfe 2 years ago
thanks so much 4postin this! been looking for this for ages, and this is the best one!
catsickinatescobag 2 years ago
johny depp said about this that it was the best piece of actink that he have ever seen
swepgijsdo 2 years ago
This is so moving. Highlighting the talents of Paul Whitehouse.
Other members of the show apparently shed tears when they viewed it before going to air.
There are also moments in the "Ted & Ralph" sketches that are equally moving.
Comic genius, and pathos combined.
Up there with the "final" scene from, Blackadder goes forth.
jfflwn7 2 years ago
Truly Heartbreakingly good! It makes me want to get back into acting, I really feel like I could run with a character like this; sometimes it's less about what's being said, and more about what isn't...acting with the eyes is one of the most difficult skills to pull off., and Whitehouse does it here, absolutely wonderfully!
mangahead21 2 years ago
How many lines does he have in this Rawley Birkin QC, really? Six? And there it is, packed into those little lines--a whole lifetime of regret. Paul Whitehouse is my hero. There's not enough money in the world to buy his many talents. Thank you for posting this.
marginallymental 3 years ago
Yeah the guy often gets written off as a purely comedic actor but hes much more than that.
themunster 3 years ago
THIS is what good acting, good characters and good comedy is all about! Kind of like the Extras Christmas special with Ricky Gervais.
samsamba08 3 years ago
a truly moving piece of acting by a great character actor, brilliant...
andre101a 3 years ago
Absolutely superb, very touching. Without wanting to sound too wanky, it reminded me a bit of Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett.
Sensational, really brings a human touch to Rowley Birkin here.
cgt123 3 years ago