Stephen Fry 'The Letter'

[Goatmon]

I don't get "The man was either mad or both"

[OmegaRFox]

What blood type are you?

A

What blood type are you?

Oh, B!

[OmegaRFox]

Stephen Fry can read any book and make it interesting...

[smikesmike05]

"ohh shit...." ROFL

[MicroWorldLover]

This vid is for Leona Golden Starr. Hope you like it!

[sammytheman123456789]

i honestly think this is the pinnacle of comedy writing, an absolutely perfect example. if i can ever write anything half as good as this i will be a happy man. well delivered too obviously!

[CardExPerT101]

Sorry but I don't get the 'made my toilet' joke, could someone explain this to me?

[slasherzedd]

@CardExPerT101 I beleiving "making ones toilet" I think was the British version of "going to the toilet". However the latter phrase is now much more common. So when he said "I made my toilet" that was all he needed to say, but then he went using the double meaning of the word "made".

[MissInformati0n]

@CardExPerT101 You expect him to say 'made my bed'.

[kroschfoenigin]

@CardExPerT101 'To make one's toilet' means 'to get ready in the morning', i.e. dressing and grooming oneself. 'To go to the toilet' is actually a euphemism: Instead of saying 'I'm going to go take a crap' people say 'I'm going to the place where I get ready in the mornings' thus avoiding referring to actual bodily functions. First you're expected to assume the 'grooming'-bit and by "sat on it" this assumption is destroyed: You're to imagine manufacturing a loo and sitting on it.

[kroschfoenigin]

@kroschfoenigin Hope this is helpful (or coherent, for that matter) at all. Sorry, but English is not my native language... Pretty sure the gist is correct, though :)

[ThisIsMrNeil]

I've come back to this and after reading some of the comments below I can only deduce that either there are a lot of slow children on Youtube, or a lot of Americans. Is this humor really THAT hard to understand?

[bucklr01]

He said "either mad or both" because he was referring to "either" as either one of two kinds of mad. So what he meant was that he was some kind of two types of mad or both. It's like if you said, "You're welcome to take either car". Very funny!

[Mrlouige]

ohhh shit.

[MicroWorldLover]

A shout out to everyone who lloves this I am Canadian.

[Mivalys]

What a great monologue! Thank you, foth, for sharing it!

Having heard it so many times, I almost know it by heart, now. I just don't understand what he means with "the sign of the very cross indeed". If anyone would care to explain I would be very grateful.

[Mystikiel]

@Mivalys very cross, as in very angry.

[Mivalys]

@Mystikiel Thank you!

[Mrlouige]

@Mivalys he looked cross as in angry at first, then the very cross as in the holy cross

[Mivalys]

@Mrlouige Oh, I thought it was the holy cross at first and then the angry look! This line is a bit ambiguous...

Only makes it more interesting! Thank you!

[TheCphforever]

@Mivalys You are right, he made the sign of the Cross at first, meaning the holly cross...

[CardExPerT101]

@TheCphforever Not really. Both times the sign of the cross meant an angry expression, but the humour is in how you think at first he refers to the Christian Cross. So what he actually meant was that he was angry first and then became very angry indeed.

[muffin8or]

This reminds me of The Woman in Black

[MicroWorldLover]

This is number one on my top ten comedy monologues, of all time.

[alejita1679]

This is inmortal...

[LvndrHppE]

He was quite handsome when he was young. Oh, if only I were 25 years old back then. . . and male. . . and gay. . .

[ThisIsMrNeil]

Somehow, "The man was either mad or both" is the funniest thing I have ever heard.

[73Turnip]

@ThisIsMrNeil

And me, pure genius!



[teknical100]

I watched this when it was first broadcast and I stopped breathing about half way through! Basil Fawlty thrashing his car with a tree, and Woody Allen in sleeper did the same thing. This is comedy at it's finest. This is very difficult to type when you are laughing like a drain.

[shelleybelley682]

I couldn't see myself spending a month in a house without mirrors....brilliant!

[InnocenceExperience]

Melchett vs the Vatican. I can't think of a more humorous title for a court case. But then gain I haven't really tried. I'm just satisfied that this is a very humorous one indeed.

[Mark86111]

Pure genius.

[Spameggssausage]

I love the way he says oh shit

[IrritatingAsp]

What I wouldn't give to sit in on these writing sessions...

[Avelle34]

Did I just hear him say, "Cunt Dracula!"? Oh snap!

[donlivingston]

I could watch Stephen Fry reading the phone directory and I'd still find it more entertaining than 99% of what gets broadcast on TV.

[isawienilmen]

This makes me love the English language :)

[RantingTrent]

I couldn't see myself spending a month in a house without mirrors.

lol, just got that

[TheMeeoww]

I have tears of laughter rolling down my face, and that doesn't happen very often. He's freaking AMAZING!

[pyahneetsa]

What year was this recorded?

[lozzag13]

@pyahneetsa 1982 or 3, i think

[Emzo99]

Hotttttttttttttttttt <3

[tuliratsu]

Stephen has a voice of God! :) Could listen to that for hours and hours...

[mcrift]

"the man was either mad or both"

[AncientMariner123]

what's so funny about travolta??

[VamLoveAndKisses]

Looking very handsome here I must say.

'Ohhhhh shit...' XD

XxX

[FredBools]

"ohhhh shit....." i could listen to that all day.

[BaronVonMeggles]

I spend hours daily lamenting my inability to create something like this. And by 'this,' I don't merely mean this video, but Stephen Fry in general.

[moviegal6000]

wonderful!! just wonderful!!! lol

[electr0lady]

Seriously gotta be the coolest 25 year old that has ever been.

[TynanAed]

Quite gorgeous.

[TheFryMate]

Undoubtedly the highlight of the 1982 Cambridge Footlights Revue ...

[szilvavirag]

BRILLIANT!!!

[happeningfish77]

"but this time he made the sign of the very cross indeed." lolz

[choddo]

Brilliant. Was this the first use of "Melchert" pre BlackAdder IV?

[CaptainChaos]

I just saw Stephen Fry live in London, and he did this very piece! Slightly expanded even, it was one the highlights of an amazing show.

[batmanofni]

If this wad from the Footlight's review, then does that mean that the mention on Meltchet is a coincidence.

[Labyrinth103106]

He is beautiful



[19841111S]

I love this sketch, but the ending kind of rips off a short story by Woody Allen...

[kgdsmile]

i think he's almost laughing at 6:45...

i don't blame him, it's a fantastic piece. and he has such a beautiful voice:)

[damios1]

Kinda funny, nothing to dislike about it. Just very droll/dry comedy, just not really my style.

[jcgalad]

"upset the ash tray" lolz

[ismenin]

I'd listen to SF read his shopping list. I adore his dulcet tones. :D

[bleemo2000]

"it seemed innocent enough"

Comedy gold

[ayoama]

Wasn't he a cutie?

[pancakeview]

The morbid atmosphere, the perfect clothes for such an 'occasion', and the subtly calming tone of his voice ... There's only one man on earth that could read 'The Letter' . . .

[glamourmansk]

Those 17 wretched creatures who disliked this video must have clicked the wrong icon by mistake.

[suniseclipsed]

A master of wordplay

[KungFuShifu]

"... then he looked at my face" Love it. He was as brilliant then as he is now. A solid gold legend <3

[pdxtran]

He looks so young in this video! But brilliant, as always.

[MicroWorldLover]

I don't have to guess who is playing the organ...it is Hugh Laurie.

[Rastofan]

Love the subtle movement of the eyebrows after saying "I couldn`t see myself spending a month in a house without mirrors" ... like challenging you to discover the joke

[LvndrHppE]

Oh, man. Young Stephen Fry!!! How can anyone say they "dislike" this video?

[cormano64]

"... oooh shit. - _- "

[dominictemple]

Brilliant! Such a funny, funny man.

[drgnfrddd]

This monologue is ingenious!!! He's so beautiful and amazing and intelligent and funny and gorgeous. Oh, I could kiss him sometimes, and there are few people I say that about. XD

[TheAverageFox]

1. This is brilliant.

2. Stephen is beautiful.... if only he was 30 yrs younger and less fruity :D

[jonno52]

"The one joke I don;t get i the "the man was either mad or both." Anyone?"

It's just funny because it's unexpected & doesn't make sense. Another example from Saturday Night Fry: Stephen is introducing Hugh and asks him to tell as a little about himself. Hugh replies: "Stephen, I've worked extensively in both television". The ear expects more, but the sentence ends there ...

[Me110c]

mantra, he's making fun of yet another cliche, like if someone were to say 'he's either a genius, insane or both" he just cuts out the other word and just says 'or both" when you were expecting him to fill in the blank. hope that clears it up.

i heart stephen fry and hugh laurie

[I4gotmyMANTRA]

The one joke I don;t get i the "the man was either mad or both." Anyone?

[lockstick]

@I4gotmyMANTRA mad as in angry or mad as in insane.

hope that helps :)

[darkemage]

@I4gotmyMANTRA

"The man was either mad or both." The reason it's funny is because the sentence was meant like "He was either this or that, or both," and he only said "mad," so there was a 'this' but not a 'that,' and so he couldn't be both by definition. That's why Stephen Fry looked down at the book with a 'WTF?' expression after he said it, to make it look like the book he was reading from had a typo :).

He's so brilliant <333.

[gerardbedecarter]

A great performance!

[Tackles48]

"ohh shit" he delivered the whole thing perfectly, but that was my favorite part :)

[I4gotmyMANTRA]

The man is a genius with monologues. The way he hold's his audiences attention... just brilliant. He must have done brillianty in auditions.

[Nonregional]

There is an extra joke in here for those who've read "Dracula"...the narrator of that book is outstandingly dim for a lawyer.

[wickedfeylady]

If it was General Melchett, ie, You, Stevie, then I think the Vatican should lose.

"I was naked"

Cool, can I see? :D

[spiderlime]

lol!

[44371213]

That was very "punny". Boom boom.

[smileyartproductions]

Great stuff. I remember this when it was first broadcast and to this day, still do the "L.I.M.P" gag every time I see someone with a limp.

[IRELANDSELITE]

omg hes like 12 yrs old LOL!!!!

[piedlourde]

Gosh, what a bummer.

[8DX]

Wonderful! Never seen this one before!

[mattyabsley]

This is one of the few things i can watch again and again without tiring.

[drtmuir]

"Melchett vs. the Vatican"!!!

[TheTia84]

"It seemed...innocent enough" It's so funny and hilarious!

[matti76ftw]

"And I tipped the delivery boy out of the window with more than ordinary genorosity" LMFAO!!!!!!!!!

[jerryhello100]

Of all the hideously disfigured spectacles I have ever beheld, those perched on the end of this mans nose, remain forever pasted in the album of my memory.

hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahah­ahahahaahahhahahahahahahhaahaa­hahahahahahahha

[cbrusharmy]

"Oh shit"

[MrJoshuaHaines]

How was Stephan Fry when this was filmed?

[jcrawley1]

Did you mean to say how old was he? I think this was in 1982, so he would've been 25.

[freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez]

oooh shit. XD

[Badankadank01]

Its funny, but I miss the meaning of Prudence, cliche and the "naked" jokes. Maybe someone could explain them to me? :)

[Boratlon]

You're hopeless, never mind. Perhaps learn english?

[drgnfrddd]

The word prudence means to be thoughtful, wise, or careful, and it is also a name.

A cliche is figurative language that has been used so often it loses its clarity and freshness. (thank you Mr. Street)

The naked jokes are just Stephen Fry being silly.

[jerryhello100]

Prudence is a woman's name, but prudence also means carefulness. You are supposed to think that carefulness demanded something... but then you realize Prudence is his girlfriend, or wife.

[frankenfisk]

Love it!

[mynameisjaana]

i love his voice! i could listen it all day :)

[FlippinBooks]

I know, right? Stephen Fry could read a Denny's menu, and I would pay rapt attention.

If you're interested, he narrates the audio version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". It's pretty much the best.

[mynameisjaana]

Thank you so much! :)

[darkemage]

@FlippinBooks

I so agree, I could even listen to Stephen Fry read a maths textbook and be dazzled :).

AND OH MY GOD, I did not know that he read an audio version of Hitchhiker's Guide. You seriously just made my day. I always wish I could remake the '05 Hitchhiker's Guide movie into like, a 6-part movie saga instead. And in my head he was already casted as the narrator, so that is like. PERFECT :DDDDD.

[qqleq2]

"The man was either man, or both."

[xxsangrealxx]

"Cape on for dinner, sir."

"Kapon, yummy!"

"No, the master insists that his guests put a cape on for dinner," - Fry is an epic win, plain and simple XD

[Nonregional]

This simply must have been written by Fry himself.

"Of all the hideously disfigured spectacles I have ever beheld...those perched on the end of this man's nose remain forever pasted into the album of my memory."

[DonnaMafia]

Oh if only I were a man! ;)

[nightwrighterBLSBBMg]

@DonnaMafia what do you mean?

[DonnaMafia]

@nightwrighterBLSBBMg Well, I mean that I'd have more chance of him falling in love with me...

[nightwrighterBLSBBMg]

@DonnaMafia Sorry, I get what you meant now, it sounds really stupid, =] but when I made that comment I didn't know he was gay...

[87ramasaurus]

BRILLIANT HAHAHA BRAVOOOO !!!!!

[ViktorValentine]

".....Oh shit"

[aModernDandy]

the eyebrows at 4:46 are just BRILLIANT!

[elvenlove]

"The man was either mad or both."

HILARIOUS!

[ViktorValentine]

Gawd he is gorgeous isn't he?

[BeastPWNedGaston]

its just British humour, which is my favourite type, even though I'm Canadian, so there is no real explanation for, "the sign of the very cross indeed"

[666psychoneurosis666]

Just the cross but MORE :P

It's all mad though..

[Rosabeth513]

I don't get the part about the cross where the servant "makes a sign of the cross" and then "makes the sign of the very cross indeed". I don't get this part.

[TimKurata]

I think it means 'sign of the cross' as in 'crucifix' and 'sign of the very cross' meaning 'the very angry'. 'Cross' in Britain meaning 'angry' or 'annoyed'. Then again maybe my English sucks more than I think it does lol.

[texasoilfields]

"made the sign of the cross" : a religious gesture symbolizing the trinity (i assume you know that one)

"very cross indeed" : annoyed, upset, angry.

therefore the sign of the very cross indeed would probably be a rude hand gesture i.e. "flipping the bird" in america or its english equivalent of two fingers.

[Div033]

CAPEON FOR DINNAH!

[JennylovesMJ]

OMG!

Stephen Fry is so HOT.

Love him.

He looked better than Hugh Laurie. Sorry ladies.

[honoriagl]

I second that. I prefer Fry to Laurie too. No offense to Mr Laurie, he is great and has lots of fans, but Fry... I just love him.

[lucke001]

none taken, i must say he really looks good in this scene but i still think hugh is cuter:p even when hes older hes the one with the looks

[MrSalamander7]

What's with all the negative marks on your comment? Is anyone here actually trying to say that Stephen is better looking than Hugh? Bollocks.

[sarovskia]

wow, atephen looks quite attractive and funny! does anyone know the year of this?

[megaliprotopsalti]

i love the specticle joke!!!!!

[medea1990]

Wonderful!

[Member87]

Forgive me, I did not get the cross joke.

[Eruadhiel]

When he says "he made the sign of the cross" we're supposed to assume that he made the religious sign of the cross, touching the head, shoulders and chest. But then he says "then he made the sign of the very cross indeed" which means a sign that a cross (angry) person makes, possible the big finger. It's just a pun, nothing too intellectual ;)

[Member87]

Ah, I see. Thank you for explaining it to me. I'm from Norway, so it's a bit harder for me to understand certain jokes.

[princessmanner1]

after what seemed a cliche....AWESOME!

[FlippinBooks]

"He was either mad... or both." I LOVE THAT.

[Musclehustle]

Wow, Stephen was good looking!

[LexU224]

it does seems innocent enough

[suniseclipsed]

This was puzzling. I couldn't see myself spending a month in a house without mirrors.

[a5135060]

why is it puzzling, the joke works on two levels. you need a mirror to see yourself and he could not forsee it.

[suniseclipsed]

"This was puzzling" was the sentence Fry said before the one about the mirror. I quoted it all because I found it humorous. I probably didn't need to add the puzzling part.

[PotluckBrigand]

Someone's probably mentioned it (I'm not reading 373 comments), but he reads the British version of the Harry Potter Audiobooks... he's great.

I actually prefer Jim Dale's version, but they're both awesome.

[Yora21]

"You plan to go on this suic, ...on this facinating journey?"

[aderussell455]

This is incredible!

There is only so much genius in the world and Stephen has an unreasonably large portion.

[ebonyflesh69]

dracula's "oh shit" got me

[KitsanaD]

I could honestly listen to Stephen Fry read the phone book and never feel disappointed.

[BillyBobsEel]

he should do the audio books for every book

[aphuve77]

wow, what voice he has

[FastMonkeyBluePants]

'I couldn't see myself spending a month in a house without mirrors'. love it!

[xerxerxex]

ha hitchiker's guide to the universe narrator!

[yukisnowkun]

I'd love to hear him read "My Immortal"

See then if he could keep a straight face.

[noorieboorie]

this is what true talent is.

[lebnene]

This is HILLARIOUS stuff! makes you enjoy the British humour quiet a lot

[keira317]

I think I need a whole essay on this sketch to understand all the puns and jokes he made ^^

Listening to Stephen Fry is a great way to appreciate the English language :)

[damnatium]

id never be able to tell this story with a streight face

[Lisanab]

KNIGHTHOOD!!!

[hadiescain]

genius

[Eruadhiel]

Oh this is brilliant, I love British humor, so subtle but...not. Sometimes what's funniest is what's left unsaid, a convention not understood much these days, more's the pity. Fry's wordplay is genius!

[elfaalafel]

"the man was either mad or both", that is pure genius

[LodemaiT]

I actually didn't get that part =s