Page 45 Review by Stephen
The height of stupidity, the very pinnacle of perception defection, this was my introduction all those years ago to the Langridges' own brand of buffoonery. Imagine FRED THE CLOWN if he was a side-kick to a man of aspiration, of sartorial sophistication, of... well, of more than two brain cells... This is Art D'Ecco, whose eyes roll to the skies in exasperation while his bungling, triangle-shaped nincompoop of a companion, the Gump, gets everything wrong. The Gump is 99% energy and misplaced zeal, and less than 1% reliability. He's also very ugly ("You've heard of making a mountain out of a molehill...? Well, he was the unsuccessful first attempt."), and ugly is funny.
"i think i've decided to write a book."
"I thought you couldn't write."
"oopsie... well, i'll type it then!"
"You'll need some assistance... how about an infinite number of monkeys?"
"chapter one!"
"What do you call it?"
"enid."
"That's a strange title."
"no, its title is "gump goes to the seaside"... i just call it enid."
"Why?!"
"because "samantha" sounds effeminate. what do you think of the cover?"
"You're not ugly enough."
"i never thought i'd hear you say that."
The book guest-stars Knuckles The Malevolent Nun, and has sporadic appearances by the Art Nouveau, for whom logic is a foreign language, a four-letter word, or the 29th February (except on a leap year). The result is a scattering of quick-fire puns, bonkers banter and manic scene-shifting:
"This "Sunny Catatonia" we're going to... where is it exactly?"
"I think it borders on Dementia."
"Urghh! What's this you're eating? It tastes like cardboard!"
"um - manilla ice cream."
I leave you with excerpts from a television interview I never want to see in which I do my best to reproduce in type two visual gags that are performed much better... visually.
"Tonight we have a special show, presenting an informative, balanced debate on the subject of censorship (a topic we should all keep abr**st of). So, representing the pro-censorship side of the argument, are Margie De Sade, chairperson of the Housewives Against Titillation and Exploitation lobby (and part of the second floor as well)... Now, Margie - what are your opinions on censorship?"
"Well, to start with, I feel 'censorship' is a misnomer. We at the lobby believe that everyone has a right to read, watch and write whatever we want them to. Even the depraved pornography of the vile Otis K. Drake and to some extent even writings critical of our fine government are acceptable, just so long as these writings are not communicated to others in any way, shape of form. There is so much violence on television available at the FLICK OF A SWITCH!!"
"The what of a switch? Lower case, puh-leez! This is a family show!"
"Sorry, Mel, the flick of a switch."
"Could I get a word in edgeways?"
"Only one."
"W
e
l
l
"
