eclecticism

05/18/2004 |

One of the best discoveries I made when visiting England during the mid-80’s (sometime around 1985 or ‘86, I think) was Spitting Image, a BBC political satire show using latex puppet caricatures of political figures. Hilarious stuff, and something that never really caught on in the states — for most people in the US, their only exposure to the Spitting Image puppets was in the video for Genesis’ “Land of Confusion”.

The BBC Comedy Guide has a good summary of the show:

In Spitting Image, famous characters in British and international life were re-created in the form of latex puppets, which - in the manner of newspaper political cartoons - grossly exaggerated that person’s most obvious facial or personality characteristic. Given voices by top-line impressionists and vocal caricaturists, the puppets were manipulated by a team of skilled handlers to act out the quantity of wickedly witty sketches that comprised each edition of the show. Essentially, then, viewing Spitting Image was not only like watching your favourite or most despised public figures taking part in topical comedy skits but also seeing and hearing them in a dialogue free of the omnipresent facade of PR gloss and occasional deceit - revealing, perhaps, the true personality underneath, or at the very least, a wicked, exaggerated guess at same. In this fashion, many hundreds - perhaps even a thousand - of people in the news, or faces just plain familiar to TV viewers, spanning the years 1984-96, were lampooned by Spitting Image. (To have been a Spitting Image target was deemed an honour by many.)

Now it looks like Spitting Image may be coming back!

Spitting Image producer John Lloyd is in talks with ITV in a bid to bring the satirical series back to the channel.
Mr Lloyd was an original producer of the show, which lampooned politicians and celebrities using latex puppets. ITV confirmed having “early stage talks” with Mr Lloyd over the show, which originally ran from 1984 to 1996.

p>The article doesn’t mention whether the original puppetmakers Fluck and Law will be overseeing the puppet construction process or not, though as many of the original puppets were auctioned off in 2000 when Roger Law moved to Australia, that may be doubtful.

Another interesting tidbit I learned while reading about this: one of the voice actors for Spitting Image was Chris Barrie, known primarily to me as Rimmer in Red Dwarf.

iTunes: “Maestro, The” by Beastie Boys, The from the album Check Your Head (1992, 2:52).

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9 Responses to “Spitting Image returning?”

Alex Says:
May 18th, 2004 at 10:55 am

Bloody hell! Splitting Image and Red Dwarf were the funniest series in the 90’s! Krypton from Red Dwarf was hilierous!

John Hanscom Says:
May 18th, 2004 at 11:17 am

I am looking forward to it - unless the American network people put restrictions on it, as they did when it was introduced some time ago.

Todd Says:
May 18th, 2004 at 11:40 am

That’s awesome! One of my prized possessions is the Ronald Reagan Spitting Image hand puppet that I got at Spencer’s Gifts in the mid-Eighties.

pops Says:
May 18th, 2004 at 12:03 pm

You mean Arnold Judas Rimmer, my hero?

There was a pilot for an American Spitting Image but that’s as far as it got. The best part was Nancy reading in bed next to a fitful Ronnie. She says, “Ronnie, you have to get some sleep. You can’t stay up wondering of the Coyote is ever going to catch the Roadrunner.”

Then Ronnie says, “He had a boomerang all covered with glue. I was sure that’d do the trick!”

As far as puppet shows go Spitting Image is head and shoulders above Crank Yankers.

BTW - I like your old school page. The pink pages were giving me sun stroke.

Johan Svensson Says:
May 18th, 2004 at 12:23 pm

Ooh, I remember Spitting Image. Swedish television did something similar (“Helt Apropå,” in case any Swedes are reading) about, oh, 15 years ago. I remember another more recent attempt with Göran Persson (our prime minister) as the target, but can’t remember the name of that show.

bethlet Says:
May 19th, 2004 at 12:39 am

Never seen Spitting Image (too young for that I think) but if you’re into British political satire, which I’ll give you is often really good, check out Private Eye. I can’t remember if it’s weekly or fortnightly, but the print version at least is fabulous. Though if you’re not a Brit it’s quite possible some of it will be incomprehensible.

Rhys Says:
May 19th, 2004 at 2:32 am

Spitting image was one of the greatest political satires. Certainly the best comedy show that ITV produced. The best moment for me was the when Thatcher was forced out of office and Spitting Image did a very touching tribute. I din’t know whether to laugh or cry. The cast of writers from that series is simply incredible, just about every British TV comedian has some link back to the show. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitting_Image has more information.

Private Eye is fortnightly.

john doe Says:
August 6th, 2005 at 11:53 am

where can i rent the series? netflix?

Eighties Dude Says:
February 2nd, 2006 at 9:38 pm

No, Spitting Image was not just in the UK. I mean I know it started over there, but the poster said the only apperance they made was in a GENESIS video. They had quite a few specials here during the 80s. I remember every year they would have one. Well it only lasted for about 3 years. Then a spin off show called DC FOLLIES started airing weekely. The puppets were not as creepy or accurate. I remember one Spitting Image special when the COSBY show was really popular . .the show show spoofed Cosby. And these chickens or birds were chasing him around or vice versa.