I Love Karl Pilkington

I really do. If you don't know who he is, here's a run-down.

Ricky Gervais had a radio show some years back in England. Probably London but I don't know. They started allowing for "podcasting" which basically means you DL it to your computer or iPod player and listen to it at your leisure. The show is in the Guiness Book of Records as the most listened to "podcast" ever. It didn't have a lot of competition back then, but I think it even surpassed Rush Limbaugh for audience. Ok it is a different audience, granted, but still. Credit due.

Any hoo... the premise was two guys playing music and talking between themselves on current topics as they found amusing on Sky Radio, I think. Their producer, sitting off-mic was a man named Karl Pilkington, who occasionally said something that made them laugh and they quickly added him to the round table.



End of story: They produced 26 Podcasts and turned themselves into legend. And very wealthy so good for them! And if you have never heard of them, it's called the Ricky Gervais Show and I implore you to look it up and give it a chance. I listen over and over and still laugh at what he says and how he says it and here's the thing:

He is not intentionally trying to be funny. He merely IS. This is the best part of it. Sometimes he is stupid and sometimes he hits it square on the head. But he is ALWAYS sincere and this is rare. Gervais and Merchant, the other man, are much better educated and have internal "filters" that keep them from ever sounding stupid, except when they jump on Pilkington for being stupid. Then they simply keep piling on while Karl sits there and goes, 'hmmmmm....." like he has either tuned them out altogether or is dubious as to which of them is probably right, him or them. Either way, hilarious.


OK so fast forward to "An Idiot Abroad", the new Sky TV show where Gervais has sent Karl around the world to see first hand how it is in China, India, Jordan, Peru, Mexico etc. and he has a camera crew following on these adventures.

Here is a portion that DIDN'T make the cut


You must know at the outset that KP is never happy about this sort of thing but he goes along to get along and finds himself in situations that he sums up as only he can. And he has been keeping a diary for several years. No exception here either. Read for yourself:

India Diary

Brief excerpt:

We decided to lose the crowds and catch a view of the Taj from a boat on the Humana River. It was much quieter on this side of the building. In fact, it was probably the most relaxed I'd been since arriving in India. No car horns, no begging, no shouting, no mantras. It was almost perfect. I say 'almost' as I noticed a plume of smoke coming from the edge of the river just next to the Taj. I asked Remish what it was, and he told me it was where they were burning dead bodies.

Like I've said, you're never far away from something mad when you're in India.

To wrap this up, I have to say the following. He started with Gervais, living in a flat with his girlfriend, the butt of every joke and jab. I believe he has a house now as well, and has published several books and is flogging this TV show* and I bet has a potload of money stashed somewhere while he continues to live his life HIS way.

So GOOD FOR YOU, KARL PILKINGTON!!!!!! you rock!

* I tried to join Sky TV to watch the show but you have to live to live in Ireland or England. Boo!!!!!