MovieChat Forums > Blackadder II (1986) Discussion > Edmund's pronounciation of Bob

Edmund's pronounciation of Bob

posted 16 years ago by worldleaderpretend
7 replies | jump to latest

Was just watching a blackadder documentary which revealed that Rowan Atkinson has a slight stutter particularly around the letter b. This is why he pronounces Bob in that unusual way. I love the way he says it. Just shows what a genuis the guy really is. Doesn't seem to effect his saying Baldrick though.

"Well let me put it this way you are a girl and your a girl with as much talent for disguise as a giraffe in dark glasses trying to get into a polar bears only golf club"

[–] wizzo31 16 years ago

do you mean the great doc on GOLD? I watched that too and think it's amazing he turns a speech impediment into something funny!

Everybody be cool. You - be cool.

[–] worldleaderpretend 16 years ago

Yeah that's the one . It was a superb doc but somewhat strange that Rowan Atkinson wasn't in it. I thought the cast interviews were great . I could listen to messrs Fry, Lawrie, McInnerney & Robinson all day.

[–] mothernaturesson1 15 years ago

absolutely agree with everythin you just said - which is always nice isnt it?? Theres only a couple of times (that i can remember!) where i can hear the effect with 'Baldrick':

Series four's opening line 'Baldrick, what are you doing out there?' (though i may have exaggerated this in my memory) and in series threes opening episode 'You made...Baldrick a lord?' (sounds abit like first series Blackadder for that line!)

peace and love, peace and love, peace and love

[–] worldleaderpretend 15 years ago

Another example of the B pronounciation is the bit in Corporal Punishment when blackadder is listing the orders they have received . Listen to the way he says "Ring Top Bell"

I think the "You made.... Baldrick a lord" line has the pause to highlight Blackadder's disbelief at George's stupidity.

[–] Mercader79 15 years ago

It's great how he says "Bob". I had no idea it was caused by a speech problem.

[–] davidcook47 10 years ago

In the series 4 episode with Flashheart, he was meant to have said "It sounds like Battersea Dogs Home" in reference to Flashhearts trademark "WOOF!". But after struggling, he changed it to Crufts.

[–] Sweet-Anxiety 7 years ago

There's another excellent docu called 'Blackadder - The Whole Rotten Saga'. It also mentions the 'B' and I think a 'p' problem. Tony Robinson tells how he gets around it by visualising the word in his head first and taking a breath before he says it.

When I was pregnant with our son but not knowing the babies sex. We were watching series 2. We ended up nick naming the unborn baby Bob, as it sort of represented being both a boy & girl.