The Guardian has published extracts from a forthcoming The Thick Of It book, based on the award-winning BBC TV comedy.
Such books often fall flat but the signs are this is a little more promising than the usual spin-off stocking fillers that hit the shelves at this time of year. Here are some highlights from Malcolm Tucker's briefing note on the presenters who lie in wait for hapless politicians. As fans of The Thick Of It might expect, Tucker's trademark turn of phrase is a little colourful:
Paxman
He is still the daddy. You can't beat him. When cocky youngsters occasionally try he slaps them down, steals their wallet, fucks their wife and buys a new fridge with their Mastercard.
Gavin Esler
...People breathe a sigh of relief when they know it's going to be Nice Smiley Gavin and not Death Mask Of Shergar Paxman. Don't be fooled. He fucked George Galloway so hard his beard fell off...
Kay Burley
Being interviewed by Kay is, as we all know, like being interviewed by a backward child. That's obviously great most of the time. But occasionally she will throw you a curveball like a child might – "Why is there war?" "What is Europe?" – and if you can't answer it's you who ends up looking like the thick-as-pigshit chancer.
Adam Boulton
I know you want to laugh, but don't. Really. It just reflects badly on you. Try to pretend he doesn't look like a male Sandi Toksvig with a glandular complaint. (Oh, and you know I sometimes say that you should imagine an interviewer naked in order not to be intimidated? For the love of Christ don't do this with Adam.)
The Thick Of It is written by Armando Iannucci, of course, whose credits also include Knowing Me, Knowing You and I'm Alan Partridge. However, the writer was less than impressed this week to see he'd been missed off an invite list for the press launch of a new online-only series of Partridge episodes:
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