Norman Gunston interviews Ray Charles

[mitreswell]

'Norman Gunston' is sheer comic genius. If anyone can't see that that's their misfortune. No swearing, or cheap shots, beneath the surface a brilliant intelligence is moving at the speed of thought! Gary McDonald took up where Tommy Cooper left off, and blazed a trail for a whole bunch of imitators. like Ali G and Borat, Pee Wee Herman, Flight of the Conchords to name a few.

[MrDbodom]

LOL

[NotStevieWonder]

What a douchebag, I hate Gunston

[dippywatcher]

Ray Charles is (was) such an amazing guy, he took the slapstick sideswipe (implied crass behaviour of the "interviewer" in "showbiz") as it was meant.

This shows how keen Ray Charles mind is.

Just because Australians laughed does not imply they were that slow they didn't get what Gary Mc Donald was up to (we were used to it).

Perhaps the rest of the world takes itself too seriously. ?

Thank heavens we were not as crass or slow as the Americans...

[dippywatcher]

@slimthy12: Gary Mc Donald plays a character "Norman Gunston" (based on a rude austere air hostess he met in-flight named Norma Gunston). The character "interviews" famous people and plays a very atypical personality , which throws the

less intelligent among his interviewees for a complete loop.

You don't understand the humour or the premise at all whatsoever.

There's probably a bit of Zen in what Gary Mc D was doing.

It was basically a SEND UP of the whole TV celebrity "thing", you dig?

[slimithy12]

idiot interviewer: i can dig it

idiot crowd: hahahaha.......fucking australians

[Pigroota]

@slimithy12 Yes indeed "fucking Australians". It's a shame we are so open and there is much envy directed at our way of life. A freer country than anywhere else in the world. A sharp if not black humour that isn't for everyone but is easily embraced once understood. Yes "fucking Australians" with our charm, wit, innovation, personality, culture, style and (lmao) level of education. Hmmmm, yes.

[slimithy12]

@Pigroota i agree, you have a beautiful humour. you poked fun at a highly talented individual, at his expense and in a very in a condescending manner. you assumed a blind black man would be stupid and have no self awareness, so you thought he was fair game. now thats what i call a witty, innovative, stylish, intelligent and highly "cultured" (lmao) sense of humour! btw, your education system is no better then any other 1st world countries but all things considered, it's not that bad....lol.

[Pigroota]

@slimithy12 Meh, like I said, it's not for everyone. Its unfortunate that the rest of the world take themselves so seriously

[slimithy12]

@Pigroota you mean it's not for ANYONE who's not a white australian. i understand the australian sense of humour (or the type your talking about) quite well. it's very much the same as our british humour, codecending, sarcastic, steriotypical, arrogant, zenophobic and done so in a cowardly off the cuff manner. honestly dude there is no charm in that kind of humour at all and it's no more intelligent then laughing at disable kids.

[Pigroota]

@slimithy12 diddums, go cry some more

[slimithy12]

@Pigroota auight mate, i'll go throw another shimp on the barbie while im at it.

[TimW59]

@slimithy12 Discussing the intelligence of the subject matter might carry more weight if your grammar and spelling weren't so atrocious. (Codescending? What's that - two people going down a staircase arm in arm?) Further, equating Australian humour with British humour simply indicates that you have no knowledge of the cultural differences at all. The Gunston character was a satirical figure who used an ambush technique (much copied since) to send up the entire concept of celebrity interviews.

[Oztralianmade]

@slimithy12 You need to go to the local Hardware store & have someone take that Chip of your Shoulder. The character of Norman Gunston is to "take the Piss" out of all his interviewee's. It would be discrimination if he didn't wind up Ray Charles. Look at the Sally Struther, Chevy Chase, Guns N Roses, Frank Zappa etc footage. Garry McDonald is a true professional . . Your not Harry Connick JNR by any chance . .

[slimithy12]

@Oztralianmade australian humor sucks, thats all im saying.

[JohnMalcolm]

@12section So what do you think of Ali G who copied his act?

[12section]

@JohnMalcolm what ali g copied that norman gunston??

[JohnMalcolm]

@12section (if I understand the question) Yes, Ali G is a character played by Sacha Cohen ( who starred in Borat ) . The character is based on Norman Gunstan ( invented by, and played by Garry McDonald).

The idea is that someone pretends to be an idiot and interviews famous people who usually don't know it is an act. Garry McDonald invented it. Sacha Cohen copied it .

[angie4josh]

Go the Norm!!!

[nick1591gunn]

heyy i think the interviewer is a bit of a nob to be honest well only in this particular interview anyway. he seems to show no respect or sence. particularly the glasses bit i mean its not a joking matter even if the loss of sight may have been a key factor in his talent and abilities. just an opinion though.

[ManfredDeJesus]

lol, please, it's Norman Gunston, it's not meant to be taken seriously, and part of the fun was just how bewildered American stars would get when confronted by him

[danmcb]

"create your own style" ... to RC .... lol.

[SonnyJug11]

I think Norman's "glasses" question was bad. But Ray "kicked his ass". And that stupid crowd laugh... hate it... seem to me like bunch of idiots.

[anzeta]

when is this? :)

[1hr4play]

this, anzeta, is a show of late 70's aussie tv humour. it is what we call a "pisstake"

[iamjohn89]

ray charles took it on the chin and can take a joke

[9jem]

it a fantastic truh full interview with a funny interviewer

[metubeony0utube]

love the question:what do you prefer music or lyrics?It was meant to be a funny question but Charles said it was a good question.Strange the way that worked out.

[millsbucks]

@metubeony0utube

I think the music is sheet music (no words) and the lyrics meant words...lol

[dogsbollox5]

@metubeony0utube Think Ray got the joke immediately and rolled with it.

[TheJourneyAgent]

@metubeony0utube and then when he said what about the words he said that he doesn't care so much about the words haha

[doughnazi]

yeah nmartyn. But some people just don't get him. I don't know how N G does it? Didn't Ray handle him well though! (for a blind fella) Look at the interview with Boy George, it's a beauty too.(and Kiss) As parker00pen says "he showed the way for Ali G"

[1hr4play]

are you from aus?

[nmartyn]

it's a "character" you fucking dick! don't be so damn ass!

[parker00pen]

Gunston showed the way for Ali G - bet Norman doesnt get royalties though

[Brakawolf]

...or the Paul and Linda McCartney interview ("Funny... you don't look Japanese"), or his live version of 'Delilah', or 'Kiss Army', I hurt my tonsils and my tummy / When I swallowed the metho') or any of 'Norman's Dreamtime's', or the sublime version of Othello for the Sydney Leagues clubs, featuring Edward Woodward, tomato sauce and suffocation... I can't go on.

[Brakawolf]

I love the bit where Ray cracks up at being asked if has a K-Tel record selector for his gold records (you had to live through the 70's). Pity the interview wasn't complete. Someone needs to put on the Sally Struthers interview!

[Brakawolf]

If you want to know the true progenitor of Ali G and Borat....

[Izldr]

im an idiot and everyone laugh at me <@:)

[Izldr]

"why u always were sunglasses...u trying to be roy orbison?" lololll

[alexa0922]

He was the m most amazing person in the history of music.

[2percentLLC]

ryan --riley. ;)**

[sftblchik94]

haha

[jackotheman]

that was hilarious, hes so clevr "i can dig it" ahaha