MovieChat Forums > Horne & Corden (2009) Discussion > The 'electric chair'

The 'electric chair'

posted 15 years ago by raymilesprime
2 replies | jump to latest

Now we all know how bad the show is, but the parts I find the worst are generally the ridiculous intro bits with the live audience. I can't put my finger on why, but their already unremarkable acting abilities seem to revert back to below amateur level as they go right into some silly overacted tripe in which Corden starts crying or Horne acts like he's "fed up of the show" which gets you cringing right from the start, but one of the episodes actually shocked me with how insensitive it was.

There was a girl in a wheelchair in the crowd who the dynamic duo brought attention to who had allegedly been to all their warm-up shows (???) and whose family was saving to buy her an "electric chair", and the pair had decided to do something charitable. After the second use of the words "electric chair" with the prefix of "wheel", I'd already worked the joke out, but was still taken aback to by fact that actually had the nads (and were insensitive enough) to wheel out a mock execution chair. Then there was the whole false "oh what have you done" crap where they offer to get the girl "some Gavin & Stacey stuff" to make up for it, then have the gall to throw in a jab at another far superior sketch show!

Horne: "I'll get you a Katherine Tate DVD"
Corden: "Don't patronise her!" sth like that anyway

The girl herself looked utterly appalled, indicating a) the idiots hadn't even informed her of this horrible 'gag' or b) the lunkheads were upstaged by the acting ability of an extra with no lines.

What exactly made them think they could get away with such inappropriate gags?

[–] the_red_tubby 15 years ago

Actually, I have to disagree with you, that particular sketch was the only single bit I found close to funny in the entire series (yet I watched every episode - I think it's because I love misery or something). The girl in the wheelchair was an actor I think, too, I'm pretty sure she was in another sketch later on in the episode. I didn't find it inappropriate at all - there's way more offensive stuff out there - although maybe it just seems worse because it wasn't nearly as funny as that other stuff.

[–] KikiLaBouche 15 years ago

I actually love this show, but even if I didn't I wouldn't find it inappropriate, especially when you think of other comedy. If you want inappropriate look up Frankie Boyle.

And I highly doubt that she wasn't informed. Surely there would be legal reasons or something.

Aaaah don't get me started on Catherine Tate...I hate it, but obviously people like it so it's your opinion etc. Anyway, I'm sure no one at Katherine Tate cared, it's not like the jab totally slated it.

EDIT: Woah, I just looked up "The Catherine Tate Show", and apparently Matthew Horne was in 18 episodes of it...I never noticed him in any (not surprising really, seeing as though I didn't watch much)

"My nemesis has left another calling card, a single monogrammed panty liner, pick it up ginger"