Whats apparent is just how few news outlets have gone beyond Wikipedia in their research of the man. I have read the same exact paragraphs on at least five different sites in the 24 hours. To that end, I wanted to pay tribute to Mayall without using the same quotes from Ade Edmondson and David Walliams that EVERY news outlet is running.
To a young boy growing up in a religious household in the 1990s, the comedy stylings of Bottom were a thing of legend. I happened to catch a repeat on BBC2 late one night when everyone else was in bed and from then I was hooked. The OTT slapstick violence was an amazing thing to see. I remember prancing around to the end credits with my brother until the inevitable eye-poke and then getting roared at to get back to bed because we were making such a racket.
Later, as a young adult I remember rediscovering Mayall's work through the constant stream of BBC archive DVDs being trotted out in the 2000's and rolling with laughter again at the mayhem and mania, this time with a greater understanding of the double entendre and subtext of some of the gags. I also recall a genuine delight at the outtakes showing just how much fun these gents had making those shows.
One of the first things my future wife and I happened to watch together was Drop Dead Fred, a film that only survives in my memory because of Mayall's manic brand of comedy.
Mayall was someone who could capture attention and admiration from those he watched, because there was not a single subtle thing about him. He was a loud, brash, unapologetically funny guy.
I just want to say thanks to a giant of comedy for a lifetime of laughs.
