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March 6, 2014 9:09 PM   Subscribe

Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville and musical guest Paloma Faith were recently on The Graham Norton Show. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. This may possibly be the best episode of this or any talk show that will ever exist.
posted by hippybear (51 comments total) 109 users marked this as a favorite
 
God knows I love Graham Norton too, but...

I'd say you've set up a real slippery slope here, except for the fact that you've already said it the best that could ever be.
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:27 PM on March 6, 2014


I guess if you're Matt Damon you can get away with that shirt and jacket but I really want Hugh's maroon three piece.
posted by The Whelk at 9:57 PM on March 6, 2014


Hugh. Looks. Brilliant. (Though I'd have gone with a more colourful tie and matching pocket square).
I kept trying to will Bill Murray's hat from his head. You're in doors man, be civil!

Thanks hippybear, this is great television!
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 10:18 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]


when funny/smart gathers . . .
hippybear, thank you from the bottom of Mark Wahlberg
posted by pt68 at 10:25 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]


I've never been quite able to decide how I feel about Bill Murray as an actor; in my opinion he has lots of "downs" in between his "ups". But I'll say this for him: he never fails to look like he's having the absolute time of his life, and doesn't give a rat's ass about anything. Which makes me wonder if he really has had a revelatory chat with the Dalai Lama about his future....
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:30 PM on March 6, 2014 [2 favorites]


Bill Murray is basically being the world's best +1 dinner guest through the whole thing.
posted by The Whelk at 10:35 PM on March 6, 2014 [3 favorites]


I've never been quite able to decide how I feel about Bill Murray as an actor; in my opinion he has lots of "downs" in between his "ups". But I'll say this for him: he never fails to look like he's having the absolute time of his life, and doesn't give a rat's ass about anything. Which makes me wonder if he really has had a revelatory chat with the Dalai Lama about his future....

According to a flight attendant I've spoken with, he's really polite.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 10:57 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]


Most excellent, thanks hippybear! When this episode was recently mentioned in another thread, I made a note to look it up when I got a chance. Metafilter comes through again.
posted by calamari kid at 11:11 PM on March 6, 2014 [2 favorites]


Cool, thanks! I love Paloma Faith and up until now my favorite Graham Norton show also featured her, along with Russell Brand and Emily Blunt as guests (from 2012). It's also on YouTube - Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3. (Paloma performs "Picking up the Pieces" in Part 3 and it's fantastic.)
posted by Auden at 11:19 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]


I've only seen a few Graham Norton shows, and they're always fun but this -- my god we laughed so hard. Who knew Hugh Bonneville has such a great sense of humor? And some lippy...
posted by wallabear at 11:50 PM on March 6, 2014


That was great. Thanks!
posted by From Bklyn at 11:50 PM on March 6, 2014


This is the episode that prompted me to yell "Matt Damon is a monster!"
posted by goshling at 12:01 AM on March 7, 2014


Oh holy cats hilarious
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:55 AM on March 7, 2014


I love when Americans go on Graham Norton for the first time - there's always a period of nervous astonishment at how unlike US talk shows it is, then normally a happy enthusiasm because of it. Bill Murray and Matt Damon clearly had a great time.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 1:44 AM on March 7, 2014 [13 favorites]


I've been missing out on the show ever since YouTube's GrahamNortonFan had her account borked by copyright claims, so thanks for posting this amazing episode!
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:18 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


So many truncated anecdotes!!
posted by Quilford at 2:44 AM on March 7, 2014


Thanks so much hippybear - can't wait to watch. There was also a fairly recent Graham Norton with Harrison Ford and Benedict Cumberbatch that set a new high in daft-yet-divine celeb interviews.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 3:53 AM on March 7, 2014 [3 favorites]


"Lord Grantham's a freak!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:25 AM on March 7, 2014


Bill has apparently entered a new phase of his life-cycle, which happily includes public appearances and talking. Or, maybe it's just contractual obligations re: Monuments Men. Either way, it's been great seeing him pop-up like this...Rose, Norton, the Oscars.

I don't think he played Pebble this year, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:25 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


Yeah I caught this one on record. Its a pretty funny session, although I sort of felt it was more funny for them than it was for the audience. In particular I found Hugh Boneville a bit exhausting as someone trying a little too hard...
posted by Cannon Fodder at 4:33 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


The lipstick looked lovely on him, though.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:35 AM on March 7, 2014


"Can you say 'gone to shit' here?"

I always love the delighted shock many American guests have when they realise we really are quite a sweary bunch, even on chat shows.
posted by Decani at 5:14 AM on March 7, 2014 [5 favorites]


I love when Americans go on Graham Norton for the first time

On the Jonathon Ross show they would just start swearing because they were so excited that they could.
posted by srboisvert at 5:22 AM on March 7, 2014 [3 favorites]


That was a charming anecdote about HEY MARC WHALBERG
posted by angrycat at 5:46 AM on March 7, 2014 [2 favorites]


Pretty much any episode of the Graham Norton Show is the best ever. I'd link great episodes but I don't have a week to spare.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 7:09 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


my favorite Graham Norton show also featured her, along with Russell Brand and Emily Blunt as guests (from 2012)

Is it just me or was Brand completely out of it? As in, more than usual, staring-off-into-the-distance out of it? Good either way :)
posted by slater at 7:23 AM on March 7, 2014


Bill Murray's hat reminds me of someone else.
posted by orme at 7:26 AM on March 7, 2014


Ooooo, didn't know Paloma had a new single. Loved "Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful".
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 7:28 AM on March 7, 2014


This may possibly be the best episode of this or any talk show that will ever exist.

I dunno. I haven't seen this one yet, but The Graham Norton ep last November that had Matt Smith, David Tennant, and Emma Thompson ranks as the best chat show episode I've yet seen. Because Emma Thompson.
posted by dnash at 9:16 AM on March 7, 2014 [3 favorites]


Pretty much any episode of the Graham Norton Show is the best ever. I'd link great episodes but I don't have a week to spare.

Yeah I don't think I've ever watched an episode and thought, oh, that was rubbish, I definitely could have spent that 50 minutes doing something more hilarious. Because I can't. Also, the suits on that show are the best suits, it's this weird delightful sartorial wonderland of hilarity.
posted by jetlagaddict at 9:17 AM on March 7, 2014


I only looked in to check for negative comments, because what possible objection to Graham Norton could there be? But there's nothing.
posted by Flexagon at 9:57 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


Oh I beg your pardon. There is absolutely no way that the best Norton episode doesn't involve Miriam Margolyes (a 70-something lesbian with a gift for telling the sauciest stories in a singsong proper accent). Here, for example, is a link to one of her best (NSFW) bits, in case you've got three minutes to spare.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:08 AM on March 7, 2014 [12 favorites]


I had no idea that a talk show could be so funny.
posted by Foam Pants at 10:53 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


The Graham Norton ep last November that had Matt Smith, David Tennant, and Emma Thompson ranks as the best chat show episode I've yet seen. Because Emma Thompson.

I actually think the one with David Tennant and Catherine Tate surpassed it because David Tennant with Catherine Tate. I remember David geeking out over socks at one point and jumping on the couch.

I had no idea that a talk show could be so funny.

This is actually a personal best for the show, but it usually is really damn good.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:09 AM on March 7, 2014




Can anyone explain why the 'woolly jumper & lippy' expression went down so well?
posted by glasseyes at 11:52 AM on March 7, 2014


The most magical thing about this in that, if you made a cut of just the times where Matt Damon was talking directly to Graham Norton, Damon would come off as entirely uncharismatic and uninteresting. But Murray and Bonneville are so charming that Damon comes off like a charmer by association.

And Paloma Faith brought not a little charm herself.
posted by 256 at 12:30 PM on March 7, 2014


Can anyone explain why the 'woolly jumper & lippy' expression went down so well?

"Favorite woolly jumper" just sounds so stereotypically quintessentially English to American ears that it struck Matt and Bill funny. And as for "lippy"...that's a somewhat silly cutesy term for "lipstick".

Plus, they were all smashed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:15 PM on March 7, 2014 [6 favorites]


This was a great episode, but I rate the one with Steve Carell, Chris O'Dowd, Kristen Wiig, and Josh Groban pretty highly, too. There's a fly as well.
posted by Fnarf at 3:35 PM on March 7, 2014


Graham Norton is an absolute master of the craft of getting a great combination of great guests with amazing chemistry, getting them tidd-- at their ease, and asking the right questions. He's spent so long honing the art of hosting that it's lovely to watch him. Of course you're not really meant to watch him, that's kind of the point, but he's so good.

It's not the best show he ever did, but his New Year's Eve episode had the cast of Anchorman 2 and the Monty Python team, plus Joan and Jackie Collins, Michael Bublé and (cough) Frank Skinner. Sadly not all at the same time. He gets the heavyweight guests. Jonathan Ross's roster is looking pretty anaemic these days by comparison.
posted by Hogshead at 3:46 PM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


Good telly, thanks for the links.
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:07 PM on March 7, 2014


I also loved the bit at the end when a grinning and slightly pissed (in the British sense) Damon said "This is the most fun I've ever had on a chat show." Delightful.
posted by Decani at 5:10 PM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]


Yes, one reason why Norton's shows work is that all or most of the guests are dumped on the couch at the same time. Instead of being the sole recipient of the host's attention and efforts, they have to learn how to let someone else speak and how to join in as needed without being over-powering. They don't always manage it gracefully, but at its best, everyone gets along famously and it's like eavesdropping on your parents' grownup parties.

Meanwhile, most modern North American talk shows keep it to one carefully prepared guest at a time. Even the best multiple guest moments on the old, 90 minute Tonight Show generally happened in the last half hour after each guest got brought on separately, got to say their bit, then moved meekly down the couch so the next guest could talk.
posted by maudlin at 6:07 PM on March 7, 2014


The Miriam Margolyes episode is the best episode of anything ever. Her story about sucking off an American soldier in her youth made me laugh so hard I literally passed out. And yes, I am using the word 'literally' literally.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 9:00 PM on March 7, 2014 [2 favorites]


I watch Graham Norton religiously. It's a good ep, but not the best ever.

And, I'd like to point out that American guests on this show usually suck. That is, they pale in comparison to their British counterparts. Why? I don't know. (Disclosure: I'm an American.) I've come to believe it has to do with the ability gap when it comes to using language. Your average Brit guest can talk rings around the average American guest on this show. This is worthy of research, IMO. We need to know!
posted by e40 at 10:29 AM on March 8, 2014 [1 favorite]



I always love the delighted shock many American guests have when they realise we really are quite a sweary bunch, even on chat shows.


I think it's more shock that you can be sweary on television. We cuss just as much, but you're not allowed to broadcast it here is the thing - it gets bleeped over and the FCC fines shows who transgress and there's a huge stink (Bono once caught the Grammy Award show by surprise and said "fuck" in one of his acceptance speeches and it was still being discussed a year later). So American guests are probably very ingrained about "it's tv, can't say these words" and may be more surprised about "wait, you can say that on television here?"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:19 AM on March 9, 2014


I finally set aside some time to sit down and watch all 40 minutes of this and I honestly can't remember when I laughed harder at a late night chat show. That was truly hilarious and great fun.
posted by mathowie at 2:41 PM on March 9, 2014


I've come to believe it has to do with the ability gap when it comes to using language.

Oh, c'mon. It's about expectations. If you're an American doing the publicity rounds in Europe, you're likely to be even more buttoned-down and drilled by your publicists about the latest film or whatever, as well as being jetlagged and disorientated by being in a different capital city every two days, and while you might have a vague sense of what Norton's about, you won't truly get it until you're sitting down. You can either clam up and think 'oh god this will be on YouTube tomorrow' or enjoy the ride. What's surprising is the way that some of the American guests who you'd expect to be stiffer because they are careful about their public personas are willing to play along, so you get Will Smith doing the Carlton dance because Fresh Prince was a mainstay of BBC2's schedule and he's savvy enough to embrace that.

There's a long strand of British chat shows where Americans let their hair down, going back to 70s-vintage Parkinson with a chain-smoking Lauren Bacall.

Bill has apparently entered a new phase of his life-cycle, which happily includes public appearances and talking.

Now that Peter O'Toole has left us, somebody has to fill those boots, and he seems to be willing to give it a shot.
posted by holgate at 2:43 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]


Now that Peter O'Toole has left us, somebody has to fill those boots, and he seems to be willing to give it a shot.

If only Bill Murray could carry the double-phallic name torch for him too...
posted by carsonb at 12:40 PM on March 12, 2014


Make sure to watch the very last bit. It was a nice "footnote" to end on!
posted by sarah_pdx at 3:06 PM on April 5, 2014


Both this and the Margolyes were delightful!
posted by ocherdraco at 7:02 PM on April 5, 2014


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