The other day I was telling Freddie about Rod Hull and Emu and trying to describe what 'they' used to do. Today I showed him some vids on You Tube of the great man and that tinselly bird beating the crap out of Michael Parkinson et al and Freddie of course laughed like a drain.
You just wouldn't get it now would you - it was of its time. No way would someone basically jump on someone else and throttle them on TV - the security guards would come on and break it up. Funny how there are actually things you could do then which you can't do now - when we think everything is more relaxed.
Those old vids are still hilarious. Rod Hull was so gentle and apologetic about the whole thing, it just seemed unbelievable that this sweet man was responsible for the mayhem. That's how the trick worked - nothing to do with a fake arm.
Children will always love the wildness - the naughtiness of that bird. And the cruelty - the essence of comedy.
Of course Rod Hull met an ignoble end by falling off his roof, but I bet he'd be glad to hear a child still laughing at his act. What more fitting tribute than the laughter of children ringing through the ages?
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