Karl Pilkington’s outlook on life is truly unique. He once said, “Neil Armstrong, that spaceman, he went to the moon but he ain't been back. It can't have been that good.” Packing his monster munch, Jaffa cakes and a healthy dose of ordinary bloke wit, Karl Pilkington is set for an adventure in Sky One’s version of a travel show with a difference.
From Producer to Podcaster to Travelling Idiot
Equipped with his one GCSE grade “E” in history, Karl Pilkington managed to work his way up to head of production, where he produced in particular Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s Xfm radio show where his unusual opinions began to draw in attention. Since then, Karl has become the major star of The Ricky Gervais Show, a series of podcasts selling up to as much as 8 million copies to date raising Karl Pilkington to cult hero. Ricky simply opines of the adorable doofus, “the funniest man alive in Britain today!”
Whether he is a lovable dimwit or a comic genius, the thing with Karl is that you cannot script the things he says. His conclusions are offbeat musings that if you happened to think them, you would never say. His comparisons and how he looks at life is naïve but honest and usually different. He has a particular fascination with animals, evidenced through his radio appearances in the slot entitled ‘Do We Need ‘Em?’ saying things such as “[Jellyfish] are 97% water or something, so how much are they doing? Just give them another 3% and make them water.”
In this new edition of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant picking on poor old Karl, An Idiot Abroad is the latest installment in what Ricky hoped would be “one of the funniest, most expensive practical joke he's ever done!”
Karl Pilkington’s Testing Travel Experiences
Having singularly built Karl Pilkington up to his current cult status through their previous work together, Karl now founds himself at the mercy of his tormentors coupled with challenging travel experiences that would test any normal person, let alone Mr Pilkington.
The show sees Karl visiting seven man-made wonders of the world including the Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, Petra, Chichen Itza, the Great Pyramid of Giza, Christ the Redeemer and Machu Picchu. The intent, as Gervais describes it, that Karl hates every minute of it. He says “there's nothing funnier than Karl in a corner, being poked by a stick”.
While playing a bit part in the show, you can see that Gervais and Merchant are pulling the strings as they manufacture different events, locations and people for Karl to experience, all with the intention of making Karl feel as uncomfortable as possible. From learning how to smash a piece of wood with your head, to being covered in coloured powder, to sleeping in a cave, to standing in a road full of exploding fireworks to eating cow’s penis and testicles and much more; the experiences are at the same time unpleasant yet fascinating.
He is unequivocal about his lack of desire to travel. He once said, “What's so good about The Amazon? Can't be that good; there are things in it that would rather live in me knob.” He commented on Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janiero that it looks like a pylon. When he discovered that the Taj Mahal was a mausoleum built for the Raj's dead wife, Karl said "Guilty. He obviously did something bad when she were alive". And whilst in Mexico he said, "It's an odd one, the Chichen Itza. It was built by the Mayan people for sacrifices and ripping people's hearts out. Not exactly Alton Towers, is it?"
Whether it’s a comfort to him or not, for the viewer, his observations, comments and general musings are hilarious. He takes everything as it comes to him, and while mostly he moans and on occasion simply runs away, he shows a surprising enthusiasm, especially for the weird and wonderful. After his journey in Mexico, whilst not impressed by the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, he liked the free spirited people and the Mexican attitude to life. He stated “I'm always sort of happy, going home, but I've enjoyed it here....quite a lot. I'd probably say that it's my favourite place I've ever been to, which is a pretty big statement, innit.... I like it, I think I could live here…for a bit!”
Gervais and Merchant Brilliantly Insightful Again
With their first successful collaboration The Office, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant found a winning formula by creating exaggerated characters in typical everyday situations. As well as a combination of exploring general human behaviour with such neurotic people, the show was excruciating as it challenged British sensibilities and at the same time produced exceptionally good comedy.
Extras, another cringe worthy and highly humorous luck at the rise and fall of Andrew Millman, a TV and Film extra again demonstrated Gervais and Merchant’s comic genius and consequently added to their fame. Both shows contained a unique feature in comedic television and while not entirely believable, the characters and situations they found themselves in where very close to home.
The difference with The Ricky Gervais Show and An Idiot Abroad is that in Karl Pilkington, they have found a character as unbelievable as David Brent and Andy Millman. Yet this time, Karl is entirely real.
As wholly dumb as he might be, Karl Pilkington’s travels show a side of humanity that we can all relate to. Whether this was Gervais and Merchant’s intention is another matter. As Merchant says in the shows opening “travel broadens the mind.” Perhaps this may be a bridge too far for simpleton Pilkington. The further away you get from your native culture, the harder it is to accept the new, unknown and strange things you inevitably see while abroad. Karl’s experience is no different.
The purist travel critic scoffs and belittles the attempts of Gervais and Merchant to create an amusing travel experience for Karl, but it’s very interesting, highly entertaining and in Gervais, Merchant and Karl’s unique style, completely brilliant.
Anthony Rimmer - Anthony has a lot of life experience, working in a variety of jobs, in many countries around the world. He has lived in South Korea, South ...
Join the Conversation