What a personal disaster…
The Cure’s Robert Smith once made a hilarious guest appearance on The Mary Whitehouse Experience—a British topical sketch comedy show produced by the BBC in association with Spitting Image Productions.
This BBC comedy show starred David Baddiel, Robert Newman, Hugh Dennis, and Steve Punt, and was named after Mary Whitehouse, a campaigner against what she saw as a decline in television standards and public morality, who became the target of mockery in the UK for her attitudes.
Robert Smith made his cameo on the series’ final episode, which was filmed on the 28th of March, 1992 in London, England. The episode was first Broadcasted the following week on the 6th of April 1992, on BBC 2.
In the first part of the episode, Robert Newman impersonates Robert Smith singing “Rule Britannia”.
In another part of the episode, Robert Newman plays a character who is suffering uncontrollable sarcasm named Ray.
Ray has his trials and tribulations narrated by Dr. Roland Fiske, who explains how Ray’s situation progresses, all the while “ironically” becoming a fan of The Cure.
Following Ray learning Flemish and expressing his sarcasm in this new language, the poor fellow ends up meeting his hero Robert Smith.
Smith approaches Ray, singing “The Sun Has Got His Hat On“, and, upon being mocked about being “lost in a forest”, exclaims: “What a personal disaster”, and in disgust then proceeds to punch Ray in the face.
Again, in another video Rob Newman as Robert Smith sings “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and “I’m a Little Teapot”.
And in yet another episode, there was also a parody of the Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands, called Edward Colanderhands.
Edward, played by Rob Newman. has colanders for hands instead of scissors. In one episode he is seen in a sketch helping a housewife to drain vegetables.
He was also present in another Robert Smith sketch where “The Laughing Policeman” is sung. In the audience, he is seen clapping to the beat of the songs—but instead of clapping his hands, he claps his colanders together.
Watch a full episode, featuring an Edward Colanderhands sketch below:
Robert Smith himself appeared once again the following year in a hilarious sketch for Newman and Baddiel in Pieces that is indeed a literal “Funeral Party”—where Smith even puts on a party hat, blows a kazoo, and dances a conga line.
(There is also A parody of Mark Gardener of Ride, and Tim Burgess of The Charlatans from The Mary Whitehouse Experience.)
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