And now, it's goodnight from me...
March 31, 2016 4:47 AM Subscribe
Entertainer Ronnie Corbett, best known as one half of the Two Ronnies, has died 31st March 2016 aged 85.
Born in 1930 in Edinburgh, Corbett knew he wanted to get into show business at an early age, performing in amateur theatricals at a local church youth club. He worked briefly at the Ministry of Agriculture and completed his national service in the Royal Air Force. His notable short height made him the shortest commissioned office in the British Forces.
Moving to London, Corbett began his career in show business in earnest, making use of his stature playing schoolboy roles in films. He would constantly refer to his height throughout his long often comedic vocation.
He performed on stage with Danny La Rue in a large number of well received variety and cabaret shows, where he attracted the attention of top TV producers and executives impressed with his abilities as a stand-up comedian, compère and all-round entertainer.
His big break came during the 1960s when he was asked to join the cast of the hugely popular Frost Report, appearing alongside the titular David Frost and notably John Cleese in The Class Sketch. He also performed alongside Ronnie Barker for the very first time. Some of the most enjoyable and best remembered sketches involved Barker and Corbett who shared a rare comic chemistry between them.
Corbett had numerous projects in the late 60s including The Corbett Follies and No – that's me Over Here!.
In 1971 Barker asked him to star in the comedy sketch series "The Ronnie Barker Yearbook", and the rest is history. Comic geniuses, Barker and Corbett were a match made in heaven, often considered a pairing that was just destined to be. Later that year The Two Ronnies show was born on BBC1 and remained incredibly popular well into the late eighties when Barker sadly announced his retirement from television.
While there's no doubt that Ronnie Barker is one of the best comedy actors of his generation, many critics unfairly overlooked the versatility of Corbett, a brilliant comedy actor in his own right. His best-known role away from The Two Ronnies is as the 40-something Timothy Lumsden, dominated by his mother, in the sitcom Sorry!, running from 1981 to 88.
Ronnie Corbett enjoyed continued success in both film and television, and appeared in numerous productions throughout the 2000s.
Corbett passed away peacefully surrounded by family, and is survived by his wife Anne Hart and children Sophie and Emma. A son, Andrew, tragically died aged six weeks from a heart defect.
Born in 1930 in Edinburgh, Corbett knew he wanted to get into show business at an early age, performing in amateur theatricals at a local church youth club. He worked briefly at the Ministry of Agriculture and completed his national service in the Royal Air Force. His notable short height made him the shortest commissioned office in the British Forces.
Moving to London, Corbett began his career in show business in earnest, making use of his stature playing schoolboy roles in films. He would constantly refer to his height throughout his long often comedic vocation.
He performed on stage with Danny La Rue in a large number of well received variety and cabaret shows, where he attracted the attention of top TV producers and executives impressed with his abilities as a stand-up comedian, compère and all-round entertainer.
His big break came during the 1960s when he was asked to join the cast of the hugely popular Frost Report, appearing alongside the titular David Frost and notably John Cleese in The Class Sketch. He also performed alongside Ronnie Barker for the very first time. Some of the most enjoyable and best remembered sketches involved Barker and Corbett who shared a rare comic chemistry between them.
Corbett had numerous projects in the late 60s including The Corbett Follies and No – that's me Over Here!.
In 1971 Barker asked him to star in the comedy sketch series "The Ronnie Barker Yearbook", and the rest is history. Comic geniuses, Barker and Corbett were a match made in heaven, often considered a pairing that was just destined to be. Later that year The Two Ronnies show was born on BBC1 and remained incredibly popular well into the late eighties when Barker sadly announced his retirement from television.
While there's no doubt that Ronnie Barker is one of the best comedy actors of his generation, many critics unfairly overlooked the versatility of Corbett, a brilliant comedy actor in his own right. His best-known role away from The Two Ronnies is as the 40-something Timothy Lumsden, dominated by his mother, in the sitcom Sorry!, running from 1981 to 88.
Ronnie Corbett enjoyed continued success in both film and television, and appeared in numerous productions throughout the 2000s.
Corbett passed away peacefully surrounded by family, and is survived by his wife Anne Hart and children Sophie and Emma. A son, Andrew, tragically died aged six weeks from a heart defect.
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A ship carrying red paint collided with another one carrying purple paint. Both crews are thought to be marooned.
posted by fairmettle at 4:48 AM on March 31, 2016 [15 favorites]
A ship carrying red paint collided with another one carrying purple paint. Both crews are thought to be marooned.
posted by fairmettle at 4:48 AM on March 31, 2016 [15 favorites]
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I do hope there will be a wake at The Four Candles pub in Oxford.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:50 AM on March 31, 2016 [7 favorites]
I do hope there will be a wake at The Four Candles pub in Oxford.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:50 AM on March 31, 2016 [7 favorites]
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posted by pemberkins at 4:53 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by pemberkins at 4:53 AM on March 31, 2016
Goodnight, Ronnie.
posted by h00py at 4:57 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by h00py at 4:57 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
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posted by crocomancer at 4:57 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by crocomancer at 4:57 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by ogooglebar at 5:03 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by ogooglebar at 5:03 AM on March 31, 2016
Some context from Wikipedia for those too young / too non-BBC-territory:
[The Two Ronnies] became one of the most successful and long running light entertainment shows on British television, broadcast in the prime-time slot of 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, and at its peak, was watched by 22 million viewers a show. Following the departure of Morecambe and Wise from the BBC in 1978, The Two Ronnies became the BBC's flagship light entertainment programme, regularly gaining the top viewing figures in the critical Christmas Day audience battle.
It was very popular as well on the ABC in Australia, where I grew up watching it.
Goodnight to him.
posted by rory at 5:07 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
[The Two Ronnies] became one of the most successful and long running light entertainment shows on British television, broadcast in the prime-time slot of 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, and at its peak, was watched by 22 million viewers a show. Following the departure of Morecambe and Wise from the BBC in 1978, The Two Ronnies became the BBC's flagship light entertainment programme, regularly gaining the top viewing figures in the critical Christmas Day audience battle.
It was very popular as well on the ABC in Australia, where I grew up watching it.
Goodnight to him.
posted by rory at 5:07 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
🕯🕯🕯🕯
posted by Pinback at 5:07 AM on March 31, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Pinback at 5:07 AM on March 31, 2016 [6 favorites]
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I've had the quirky theme from Sorry playing in my head today.
(And thanks for the decent post too. All too often we have obits on here that are really weak and don't attempt to do justice to someone's life just to be the first on the blue, and I hate that.)
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 5:19 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
I've had the quirky theme from Sorry playing in my head today.
(And thanks for the decent post too. All too often we have obits on here that are really weak and don't attempt to do justice to someone's life just to be the first on the blue, and I hate that.)
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 5:19 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
I was going to post about it but I thought nobody in the U.S. would know who he was! I watched The Two Ronnies a lot as a kid with my folks. I think it's the only time my parents were ever united on something.
2016 is on a mission to wipe out culture.
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 5:20 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
2016 is on a mission to wipe out culture.
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 5:20 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've realized that Blackberry sketch above was so epic, it was on here previously.
posted by Kiwi at 5:21 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by Kiwi at 5:21 AM on March 31, 2016
I remember watching The Two Ronnies on PBS with my grandmother in the seventies so some Americans know about him.
posted by octothorpe at 5:23 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 5:23 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
o-o O-O
posted by faceplantingcheetah at 5:24 AM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by faceplantingcheetah at 5:24 AM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
"I've been using Tampax for months now. I still can't swim or ride a bike."
My favourite line of his, just because it seemed so risqué - he's a man! he said Tampax! - when I heard him do it as part of his monologue in the 80s. I loved the two Ronnies. Hope they're having fun catching up.
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posted by billiebee at 5:28 AM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
My favourite line of his, just because it seemed so risqué - he's a man! he said Tampax! - when I heard him do it as part of his monologue in the 80s. I loved the two Ronnies. Hope they're having fun catching up.
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posted by billiebee at 5:28 AM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
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posted by bonobothegreat at 5:34 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:34 AM on March 31, 2016
I remember watching The Two Ronnies on PBS with my grandmother in the seventies so some Americans know about him.
Yes, indeed. The PBS station in my hometown in Maine was always quick to pick up whatever British comedy shows were on offer in the 1970s, so I grew up with Monty Python, No Honestly, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Morecambe and Wise, Dave Allen, and The Two Ronnies, among others. Barker and Corbett are without a doubt one of the greatest comedy teams anywhere ever. So good night to him.
posted by briank at 5:35 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes, indeed. The PBS station in my hometown in Maine was always quick to pick up whatever British comedy shows were on offer in the 1970s, so I grew up with Monty Python, No Honestly, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Morecambe and Wise, Dave Allen, and The Two Ronnies, among others. Barker and Corbett are without a doubt one of the greatest comedy teams anywhere ever. So good night to him.
posted by briank at 5:35 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Two Ronnies is my earliest memory of comedy. Goodnight Ronnie. Goodnight Ronnie.
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posted by bigZLiLk at 5:36 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by bigZLiLk at 5:36 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 5:46 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 5:46 AM on March 31, 2016
I was going to post about it but I thought nobody in the U.S. would know who he was!
Good thing there's so many of us not in the US!
Thus is a good post, thanks.
posted by shelleycat at 5:49 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
Good thing there's so many of us not in the US!
Thus is a good post, thanks.
posted by shelleycat at 5:49 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
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posted by threetwentytwo at 5:55 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by threetwentytwo at 5:55 AM on March 31, 2016
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This USian knows who he was. The Two Ronnies was one of those Brits shows my town had on for a minute, and I also know him via the "Class" sketch from the David Frost show. I actually saw that in college. The update they did with Stephen Fry in 1999 was also funny.
posted by droplet at 5:57 AM on March 31, 2016
This USian knows who he was. The Two Ronnies was one of those Brits shows my town had on for a minute, and I also know him via the "Class" sketch from the David Frost show. I actually saw that in college. The update they did with Stephen Fry in 1999 was also funny.
posted by droplet at 5:57 AM on March 31, 2016
A real master of the art.
A loss for us down here, but a great reunion show up there.
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:37 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
A loss for us down here, but a great reunion show up there.
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:37 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
I was going to post about it but I thought nobody in the U.S. would know who he was! I watched The Two Ronnies a lot as a kid with my folks. I think it's the only time my parents were ever united on something.
Who gives a monkey's how famous he was in the US? His life and talent was deserving of an obitury post here, and NordyneDefenceDynamics created an excellent one, well done!
"Alternative comedy" of the early 80s was supposed to sweep away the safe, middle-class, middle-of-the-road comedy that Corbett represented. And yet, Ben Elton himself was explicit in how influential Corbett was, and brought him back on The Ben Elton Show to do his monologues. I don't think anybody has ever been able to tell a weak joke as well as Corbett did.
posted by salmacis at 6:39 AM on March 31, 2016 [8 favorites]
Who gives a monkey's how famous he was in the US? His life and talent was deserving of an obitury post here, and NordyneDefenceDynamics created an excellent one, well done!
"Alternative comedy" of the early 80s was supposed to sweep away the safe, middle-class, middle-of-the-road comedy that Corbett represented. And yet, Ben Elton himself was explicit in how influential Corbett was, and brought him back on The Ben Elton Show to do his monologues. I don't think anybody has ever been able to tell a weak joke as well as Corbett did.
posted by salmacis at 6:39 AM on March 31, 2016 [8 favorites]
So, for my fellow USians who might not know this guy, I will leave a link to the classic Mastermind sketch.
(For those not familiar with the Mastermind format, each contestant has two rounds of two-minute inquisitions based around specific subjects. Whoever answers the most questions wins. Really straightforward. USians might be more familiar with Two Minute Drill (parts one and two, part three missing) which was loosely based on the format.)
posted by parliboy at 6:49 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
(For those not familiar with the Mastermind format, each contestant has two rounds of two-minute inquisitions based around specific subjects. Whoever answers the most questions wins. Really straightforward. USians might be more familiar with Two Minute Drill (parts one and two, part three missing) which was loosely based on the format.)
posted by parliboy at 6:49 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
This is an excruciating loss. Our 1970s hay-chawing family had only ABC to watch out on our little farm in SW Australia, one station and it was always enough on Saturday nights, which were sacredly devoted to watching The Two Ronnies. Corbett's armchair monologues at the end of the show were the best. I know he died peacefully as an old man, the way we ultimately would all wish to go when the time comes, but still, I have some tears.
posted by honey-barbara at 6:49 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by honey-barbara at 6:49 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
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Four Candles is one of the best sketches of all time if you haven't seen it.
posted by Damienmce at 7:11 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Four Candles is one of the best sketches of all time if you haven't seen it.
posted by Damienmce at 7:11 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Via BBC - Ronnie Corbett's best jokes: A cement mixer collided with a prison van on the Kingston by-pass. Motorists are asked to be on the look-out for 16 hardened criminals.
BBC: Reaction to Corbett's death.
Goodbye to one of the most influencial comedians we have had. The Two Ronnies were just amazing together.
Superb obit FPP, thank you for that, Nordyne.
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posted by marienbad at 7:27 AM on March 31, 2016
BBC: Reaction to Corbett's death.
Goodbye to one of the most influencial comedians we have had. The Two Ronnies were just amazing together.
Superb obit FPP, thank you for that, Nordyne.
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posted by marienbad at 7:27 AM on March 31, 2016
Now he'll never win a Welsh BAFTA.
RIP.
posted by maxsparber at 8:16 AM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]
RIP.
posted by maxsparber at 8:16 AM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]
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posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:24 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:24 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by popcassady at 8:25 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by popcassady at 8:25 AM on March 31, 2016
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I only recently found him and his work on Would I Lie to You, and he was wonderful even then.
posted by Carillon at 8:44 AM on March 31, 2016
I only recently found him and his work on Would I Lie to You, and he was wonderful even then.
posted by Carillon at 8:44 AM on March 31, 2016
If you already know and love the Four Candles sketch, you may enjoy this segment from Would I Lie To You: "Last week, I actually had to go into a shop and buy four candles."
posted by pemberkins at 8:50 AM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by pemberkins at 8:50 AM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'm another American who somehow got The Two Ronnies on my PBS station in the 70s.
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(And continuing with Four Candles, here's Mitchell and Webb's tribute.)
posted by benito.strauss at 9:10 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
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(And continuing with Four Candles, here's Mitchell and Webb's tribute.)
posted by benito.strauss at 9:10 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
My dad wrote for The Two Ronnies and he adored Corbett, who was a really lovely person.
posted by w0mbat at 9:14 AM on March 31, 2016 [24 favorites]
posted by w0mbat at 9:14 AM on March 31, 2016 [24 favorites]
Goodnight.
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:39 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:39 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by j_curiouser at 9:45 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by j_curiouser at 9:45 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by Smart Dalek at 10:30 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by Smart Dalek at 10:30 AM on March 31, 2016
Oh, fuck! I was hoping Death scanning the heads in the crowd would just overlook him. I loved him.
posted by pracowity at 10:54 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by pracowity at 10:54 AM on March 31, 2016
Rob Brydon must be crushed.
That's what I've been saying for years.
Oh, you meant... Never mind.
Although, he should be elated that he can now combine his Ronnie Corbett impression with his "little man in a box."
(Sorry.)
posted by Sys Rq at 11:01 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
That's what I've been saying for years.
Oh, you meant... Never mind.
Although, he should be elated that he can now combine his Ronnie Corbett impression with his "little man in a box."
(Sorry.)
posted by Sys Rq at 11:01 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
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posted by El Brendano at 11:06 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by El Brendano at 11:06 AM on March 31, 2016
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posted by gergtreble at 11:23 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by gergtreble at 11:23 AM on March 31, 2016
Wow, w0mbat, that's great. Lovely to hear he was a good man. So many to choose from, but one of my faves: Name droppers.
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posted by penguin pie at 12:00 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by penguin pie at 12:00 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Two Ronnies were absolute masters of wordplay. One of my personal favorites is "Crossed Lines." While their sketches certainly had an old-fashioned (indeed, a pre-Python) feel to them, they were so well written and performed that they transcended contemporary structural tastes. I would compare them to Tony Bennett. He doesn't sing songs that sound contemporary but he sings them so well that he has near universal respect from the music world. So it was with Mr. Corbett (and, of course, Mr. Barker). Watch him in that "Would I Lie To You Sketch" that pemberkins shared. Its not just nostalgia that elicits the laughter in that - its his unswerving commitment to the premise of the joke and his perfect delivery. That is a master at work.
It is my opinion that any serious student of sketch comedy should dedicate themselves to studying The Two Ronnies in particular and Mr. Corbett' solo work in specific as if they're taking a master's class in performance. No hyperbole here - they were that good.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Corbett, and thank you for the rich legacy of comedy you left us.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:09 PM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
It is my opinion that any serious student of sketch comedy should dedicate themselves to studying The Two Ronnies in particular and Mr. Corbett' solo work in specific as if they're taking a master's class in performance. No hyperbole here - they were that good.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Corbett, and thank you for the rich legacy of comedy you left us.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:09 PM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]
So many fond memories of watching the Two Ronnies on a Saturday evening on the ABC in Australia as a kid.
The wordplay and writing was always brilliant, but the performances made the writing hum.
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posted by chris88 at 2:46 PM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
The wordplay and writing was always brilliant, but the performances made the writing hum.
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posted by chris88 at 2:46 PM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
He'll be missed. I'll try and throw a couple of double 3's for him this weekend, because they were his favourite.
posted by unliteral at 5:41 PM on March 31, 2016
posted by unliteral at 5:41 PM on March 31, 2016
I just read on the BBC website that he had motor neurone disease. :-(
The only part of The Two Ronnies I liked was the monologue. He could make the telling of a terrible joke into a riveting, hilarious story.
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posted by essexjan at 5:43 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
The only part of The Two Ronnies I liked was the monologue. He could make the telling of a terrible joke into a riveting, hilarious story.
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posted by essexjan at 5:43 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Now he'll never win a Welsh BAFTA
Would he attend the Welsh BAFTAs if he was asked?
posted by hwyengr at 8:15 PM on March 31, 2016
Would he attend the Welsh BAFTAs if he was asked?
posted by hwyengr at 8:15 PM on March 31, 2016
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posted by On the Corner at 12:12 AM on April 1, 2016
posted by On the Corner at 12:12 AM on April 1, 2016
Sorry isn't something I remember, but you must at least see the credits (there are episodes on YouTube).
posted by Mezentian at 4:17 AM on April 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Mezentian at 4:17 AM on April 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I grew up with The Two Ronnies as well. Hadn't thought of them in many years. Now I will be revisiting the show for the next who-knows-how-long.
RIP.
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:36 PM on April 1, 2016
RIP.
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:36 PM on April 1, 2016
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