158. French & Saunders

Have we had this conversation already? Hang on, I'd better check...

Right.



Knock knock.

Who is it?

It's me, Dawn French, your comedy partner.

Oh. You. Well I can't let you in.

Why not?

I haven't got any bones in my legs.


I didn't like the Comic Strip first time round. I don't know if I was too young, or too square, or what, but it passed me by. Because I didn't watch the Comic Strip I probably wouldn't have thought to watch their first shows on the tellybox - so I think that I first met F&S on Comic Relief. In 1985 Dawn was just cuddly, and Jennifer was a brunette. Dawn was silly and naughty and Jennifer was strict and cross. They did one early live benefit during which Jennifer got the giggles so badly at something Dawn did that they had to stop for a minute. (Tha-thoing, tha-thoing, tha-thoing)

Fast forward to 1991 or so. A dark time in the life of this blogger, but F&S were there to lighten the load a bit. By that time, Dawn was actually spherical and Jennifer was a blonde. They'd started doing their film parodies - Thelma & Louise practically made me swallow my own tongue laughing. Dawn wore a tutu and danced. Jennifer did uncanny impressions. It was all good.

But none of this gets to the heart of the matter, does it? Why do I love French and Saunders as much as I do? And the answer, I'm afraid, is: I'm not sure. I think it's chemical. They make me laugh, I suppose. They made me laugh when otherwise I was mainly crying, and I'm grateful. They told me it was OK to be a girl and be funny (or try to be funny). Sometimes, you can't explain why you love something. But love them I do. And always will.