Eranu!

August 12, 2011 2:59 PM

Shooting Stars was a celebrity panel game that ran on the BBC from 1993-1997, and was revived again last year. It features two comedians asking guest panellists questions, and the leader has to do a final challenge. And it's probably nothing like you're imagining it is...

"In the "Dove From Above" round, and subsequent versions of the same round, if a contestant answers incorrectly, Vic shouts "UVAVU" (/uːˈvɑːvuː/) and pulls a silly face. If the contestant chooses a certain, prize-winning option, Vic will pull another silly face and yell "ERANU" (/ɪəˈrɑːnuː/) The prize is invariably a bizarre and practically useless device, an example of which would be eye-spoons, consisting of spectacle frames with teaspoons attached where lenses would be. These are to be used should one's eyes pop out of their skull when visiting a nudist beach. Another example of bizarre and practically useless prize was a fartridge, which was part fart, part partridge."

The proceedings are brought to you by Teeside comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, both TV comedians for over 20 years and part of the alternative comedy revival of the early 90s. (Fact: Bob is a qualified lawyer.)

Rounds include the very taxing "true or false", the filmclip round (NB this is a parody of this ad) which likes to riff on adverts, the impressions round and "The Dove from Above", in which panellists have to choose a category from a large stuffed animal. In one memorable game, panellists have to guess a song sung in the style of an amateur performer (feat House).

Original scorer, George Dawes - a grown man dressed as a baby - was recently replaced by misfit shop owner Angelos. The show also riffs on the images of guests - Ulrika Johnsson's attractiveness, Jack Dee's grumpiness and, previously, Mark Lamarr's retro image.

And of course, the final challenges.

posted by mippy (47 comments total)

This is like watching Japanese game shows, only weirder because I understand what they're saying. What a...well. I can't...um. did he just?

Yeah, he did didn't he. That happened. On television.
posted by Fraxas at 3:16 PM on August 12, 2011

I went to see one of the shows being filmed at the BBC recently. Peter Serafinowicz was a guest - in his Brian Butterfield guise. And Angelos stayed in character the whole time, even when talking to the stage manager about re-shoots. And did a very cool trick with a kiwifruit.
posted by memebake at 3:18 PM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]

Peanuts!
posted by rog at 3:22 PM on August 12, 2011 [4 favorites]

Best quiz show EVER.

I can no longer hear Shaggy without thinking about Mark Lamarr flying around a diner.

Also great: Arrest that jazz pancake!
posted by elsietheeel at 3:30 PM on August 12, 2011 [7 favorites]

"The basic format of the show is that of a conventional panel game. The hosts (Reeves and Mortimer) and the two teams of three sit behind desks. The hosts ask questions of the two teams, and points are awarded for "correct" answers. The scoring is largely arbitrary and simply a device to give a structure to the proceedings. Reeves will almost always perform a gesture of rubbing both his thighs in front of a beautiful female guest seated directly to his right, to indicate his attraction to her."

I love that the three elementary points of the show structure are team divisions, questions asked for points, and thigh rubbing.
posted by FatherDagon at 3:35 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Frying Pan (Mind Spaniels)
posted by memebake at 3:50 PM on August 12, 2011 [4 favorites]

This week's return was surprisingly fresh, after what I saw of last year's series. Not sure if I laughed more at Brigitte Nielsen being introduced as "Dennis", or Bob accidentally (?) mocking Ross Noble's house burning down.

Peanuts!
posted by rog at 11:22 PM on August 12 [+] [!]

Lesbians!
posted by rollick at 3:55 PM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]

Corn and Cucumber

ok I'll stop now
posted by memebake at 3:55 PM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]

Dammit someone got a 'peanuts' link in before me ... Just like how Seinfeld is a perfect example of a show that could never, ever have come from the UK, Vic & Bob are a perfect example of the opposite.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 3:56 PM on August 12, 2011

meat festival!
posted by GallonOfAlan at 3:57 PM on August 12, 2011

ok one more From 'The Smell Of Reeves And Mortimer'

Frying Pans (with owls)
Big Frying Pan
posted by memebake at 4:03 PM on August 12, 2011 [4 favorites]

Uvavu!
posted by vbfg at 4:27 PM on August 12, 2011

Love Reeves & Mortimer so, so much.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:50 PM on August 12, 2011

memebake: Oh! The frying pan (and other weapon) fights are my favourite R&M sketches EVER. If I had a foam frying pan that made that BONNGG sound effect when you hit something I would never stop using it ever.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:51 PM on August 12, 2011

This. This is why British TV is the best in the fucking world. This.
posted by jontyjago at 5:02 PM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]

No mention of Donald Cox the Sweaty Fox?! For Shame!
posted by urschrei at 5:28 PM on August 12, 2011

> a foam frying pan that made that BONNGG sound effect

The correct term is SPANG!
posted by scruss at 5:38 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

True or false: Jeremy Irons.
posted by Ridge at 6:16 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

Ridge - false, he has his servants do it for him.
posted by cerulgalactus at 6:19 PM on August 12, 2011

When I lived in the UK, Shooting Stars was the first show (other than the news or the Proms) I watched.

And with that, I was totally confused by British TV. For all the weird, crazy stuff the Beeb exports to the US, they keep the weirder, crazier stuff for themselves.
posted by dw at 6:24 PM on August 12, 2011

o.0;

o.o

O.O
posted by egypturnash at 9:24 PM on August 12, 2011

Eranu.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 11:47 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Jack Dee feels the force of opera
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:23 AM on August 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Song and Dance
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:26 AM on August 13, 2011

Three favourite bits:

A very drunk Lynne Perrie in 1996 in 'Ladies Night' (with Charlie Higson as a male stripper at about 4 minutes in).

Mutya Buena

John Peel's final challenge

I once heard a couple of stories about how they film it. Vic & Bob do a full rehearsal without the contestants, so the contestants are totally baffled when they're on it, but also, no one apart from Matt Lucas knew what he was going to do, which is why Vic & Bob were usually in hysterics at his bits.
posted by DanCall at 2:25 AM on August 13, 2011

You know every time you hear or see one of those weird Japanese cultural artifacts like tentacle porn, or soup vending machines and you think to yourself, "that's not right. Those people are not like you and I. That culture has been isolated out on that island for too long". yeah.
posted by Catfry at 3:15 AM on August 13, 2011 [3 favorites]

My favourite final challenge was when Ulrika washed the car window with her soaped ass.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 3:51 AM on August 13, 2011

The intro the the Christmas special takes some beating. I remember watching this at the time, while drunk and with friends. We were holding it together until Mark Lamarr's Shaggy/flying Ted bit.
posted by Decani at 6:10 AM on August 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ulrika...ka..ka...ka..kah!
posted by arcticseal at 6:15 AM on August 13, 2011

And with that, I was totally confused by British TV. For all the weird, crazy stuff the Beeb exports to the US, they keep the weirder, crazier stuff for themselves.
posted by dw at 2:24 AM on August 13

We do. We don't want to hurt you nice people.
posted by Decani at 6:23 AM on August 13, 2011

Oh, and Geordie Jumpers.

"Look, ya shit! There's a pocket in the arm fer tabs! And another wun for broon!

Still can't get through that without crying with laughter.
posted by Decani at 6:39 AM on August 13, 2011

(Fact: Bob is a qualified lawyer.)

(Fact: when Jarvis Cocker was arrested for waggling his arse at Michael Jackson as a protest, Bob Mortimer acted as his lawyer at the police station.)
posted by Len at 11:25 AM on August 13, 2011 [2 favorites]

The tribute bands.

Sparks
Queen
Roxy Music (Johnny Vegas an, err, inspired choice for Eno, there. Possibly.
George Michael.


George Dawes compilation.

I'm crying here.
posted by Decani at 11:27 AM on August 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

MEMEBAKE WHEN IS B>BUTTERFIELD ON HE IS MY FAVOURITE THING I AM SO EXCITED I AM TYPING WITH THE SHIFT KEY DEPRESSED
posted by mippy at 3:12 PM on August 13, 2011

mippy: I don't know when its on, but it must be part of the series that they've just started showing on BBC. John Humphries was in the same episode, if thats any help.
posted by memebake at 4:44 PM on August 13, 2011

Trying to cheer up grumpy Jack Dee with musical drainpipes.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:01 PM on August 13, 2011 [2 favorites]

More frying pans, and some burping.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:14 PM on August 13, 2011

From The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer:
Mulligan and O'Hare - Pancake Day (presented by a bike-obsessed Melvyn Bragg)
The first time I saw this - especially the interpretation of 'When A Child Is Born' (starts at 2:37), I was incapacitated for days.
posted by memebake at 5:18 PM on August 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Also from Smell of, a song I still sing to myself in the supermarket
posted by rollick at 5:22 PM on August 13, 2011

oh, and an early example of 'falling flat' on Shooting Stars
posted by memebake at 5:22 PM on August 13, 2011 [2 favorites]

Vic Reeves also appeared in a few episodes of Brainiac: Science Abuse, which is like Mythbusters on acid.
"In episode one, Vic Reeves finds out what happens when you strap a large rocket to a garden shed in Stuff Nasa Never Tried, and also attempts to discover which smell is best for improving a person's performance - breakfast smells, or dead fish? We test antiques expert Eric Knowles to see if he can still do his job while being electrocuted and in the lab the Brainiacs risk losing all their hair as they attempt to find the best DIY hair gel. Russian scientist Uri Abusikov (Reeves) dunks whatever takes his warped fancy into liquid nitrogen, ably assisted by his hairy assistant Ursula, and Super Brainiac - science's most hopeless superhero - begins his mission to destroy toxic caravans."
posted by arzakh at 10:35 PM on August 13, 2011

Washing Machine
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 11:30 PM on August 13, 2011 [2 favorites]

Occasionally, Vic and Bob do adverts, and they tend to be quite detailed:

Pleasure and Pain

Chased by Indians

There was also a really crazy Boost ad with Vic as a fictional Gladiator called The Whelk, but it doesn't seem to be online.

I reckon I could write about 3000 words on the genius of the strapline:
"Boost - slightly rippled with a flat underside"
posted by memebake at 4:47 AM on August 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

oh holy crap I had forgotten about this:

The BBC dont do adverts, of course, but they do occasionally run meta-adverts that extol the virtues of having programs funded via the license fee rather than via .. er .. adverts. So, we have:

"The BBC: never afraid to try something new"
(featuring Detective In A Wheelbarrow, International Anvil Throwing, etc)
posted by memebake at 4:52 AM on August 14, 2011

I am a Brit living in the US. I once went to a conference here in the US where the speaker used Shooting Stars as an example in a talk about irreconcilable cultural differences. The audience appeared to be 99% American. He played a clip, and everyone sat there watching in shock and confusion, while I sat there crying with laughter. It was a fantastic example. I bet you could use clips of Vic and Bob as a Brit-detector.
posted by Joh at 1:32 PM on August 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

There's an hour long, not terribly serious, documentary on the show on youtube, from just before the current revival:

Parts one | two | three | four | five | six

I especially liked Will Self's comments on the dynamic between him and Johnny Vegas, who was far more well-read and intelligent off-camera than on the show. Plus some sketches I hadn't seen, like this A-Team one.
posted by rollick at 5:57 PM on August 14, 2011 [3 favorites]

"Ooh 'eck! They've modified the van!"

I just burst my spleen.
posted by Decani at 1:06 PM on August 19, 2011