Peter Cook: "Lord Stockton: A Life" + Twisted Sister (1986)

In this "Saturday Live" sketch Peter Cook plays an old Conservative from the House of Lords, interviewed by John Bird in the autumn of his years. ("Nearly dead, yes.")

Although not named directly, "Lord Stockton" was the former UK Prime Minister Harold MacMillan ( http://tinyurl.com/l4nyy ), which explains the "Macmillan Publishing" in-joke. And he was indeed "nearly dead", dying (at the ripe old age of 92) not long after this program was broadcast, although the two events are presumably unconnected. When MacMillan was Prime Minister, he became the first UK head of government to be impersonated in a satirical show. Indeed he turned up at a performance of the show, "Beyond the Fringe", specifically to see himself impersonated. The person doing this ground-breaking impersonation? Peter Cook. ( http://tinyurl.com/e86j3 )

This sketch links directly into a live performance of "I am, I'm Me" performed by Twisted Sister. (NB This performance is actually from later in the show. The actual performance Cook linked into was a pisspoor cover of "Leader of the Pack". This performance was much better though. :) )

80s POP CULTURE REFERENCES:
* 4 million unemployed!!
* Thatcher
* Sunday Trading laws

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• peter
• cook
• petercook
• satire
• conservatives
• lord
• stockon
• thatcher
• twisted
• sister
• twistedsister
• harold
• macmillan
• supermac

[jlkenney]

Er, Macmillan *is* named directly - he had been created Earl of Stockton in 1984, so "Lord Stockton" was just the correct way of referring to him.

[alephnaughtpix]

Good point, although I would consider "Lord Stockton" to be less of a direct name for "Harold MacMillian" than, say "Mr MacMillan". But that's the honours system for you..

[jobydean]

do you have the original beyond the fringe macmillan

sketch when he was in the audience

love to see it

thanks

[alephnaughtpix]

I don't think that particular night was ever filmed. That would be pretty early on when it was still a stage show and was just starting in the London West End. The sketch itself was filmed much later for a "Beyond..." TV special though. Should be able to get that on DVD, if it's not already on here. :)

[davidgee24]

Are you kidding? This band at the time was mean, hungry, and putting out some kick-ass metal. "Crappy" US metal bands would include Slaughter, Winger, Poison, pretty much all the other bands that sounded like them, and yes, Twisted Sister eventually, when they released the "Come Out And Play" album. But not at this point in their careers. This was true metal. And you're a faggoty crumpet-eating fucked-up tooth-having Englishman. Do us all a favor and go get killed at a soccer match.

[alephnaughtpix]

Come on Dave. Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead. With bands like that in the UK, a lot of US rock (at least until Metallica etc) *did* look a bit camp and watered down in comparision. Having said that, Twisted Sister put in a blinding performance in clip.

[cawleym1]

I to was born on a sugarcane farm in Martinique and after a short stint as an amateur porn star in Paris in the early 1930's I also settled in a carreer of writing jingles for Bolshevik dictatorships.

It's true you prat.

[MintySpunkBubble]

"ThunderMetalHead", you're a bit thick aren't you.

[watayapupuya]

These twisted shitsters,and all the rest of the heavy metal goons, ought to be put to sleep.Bring back decent rock n' roll!

[Elitist20]

I don't call her ghastly just because she's a woman.

And I don't call her a woman just because she's ghastly.

But she is a woman.

And she is ghastly.

[GetBentley]

6 people are supporters of Apartheid.

[LOCOMOTIONNUMBER1]

Peter Cook. Best bloody comedian in the World!

[mrgbennet]

Typical BBC, cutting short sheer brilliance to pander to the dumved down tone deaf masses.

[bleckrocks]

Awesome!!!

How i tried to please u live the way you said, do the things like u do like the living dead

Then the truth hit me got me off my knees

ITS MY LIFE IM LIVING I'LL LIVE AS I PLEASE

LIVE IT LOVE IT

All for Twisted Sister

xoxo Bleckrocks

[switchhitter07]

Wow that is dead on!!! Sounds just like him!

[criticalbill1983]

peter cook was a genius!

[fishhead06]

Dead-on imitation of Macmillan.