An Idiot Abroad

[Gandalf]

I don't know if any of you managed to catch the first episode. Obviously I haven't yet, so am just downloading it now. If anybody else wants to see it it is here at the Pirate Bay...

An Idiot Abroad s01e01 .thebox.hannibal.avi (download torrent) - TPB

Apparently it is China first. I'm sure there are going to be some Korea-esque things that I relate to.

[Gandalf]

I just finished watching it for the second time and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It is so funny seeing him being put into a situation that he obviously has no experience of nor aptitude for. Most of it was very good, but I particularly liked the observations about the great wall, food and the state of the bathrooms. His response to the carrier bag filled with toads had me in stitches the most. Extremely funny and I can't wait to see the next episode.

[ono]

It was pretty funny. Do worry that he's playing on it a little bit now though. With the podcasts, you get the impression that he's genuinely stupid.

Anyway i enjoyed it all in all.

[Gandalf]

I thought it was very funny. Korea has much more in common with China than Japan (despite what the Koreans think), so a lot of that rang true.

I have been in bars where I have been served fried bugs as a side dish.

I have been in too many situations where people are hawking their throats out and I get dirty looks for blowing a nose.

I have seen grown men wrestle with a live octopus down their throat.

None of the toilets out here have tissue (always go in with tissue in your jean pockets!).

I though pilkington seemed quite genuine, but he wasn't so funny from the Kung Fu point onwards for me. But for sure, there were moments of absoute hilarity.

[ono]

I thought it was very funny. Korea has much more in common with China than Japan (despite what the Koreans think), so a lot of that rang true.

I have been in bars where I have been served fried bugs as a side dish.

I have been in too many situations where people are hawking their throats out and I get dirty looks for blowing a nose.

I have seen grown men wrestle with a live octopus down their throat.

None of the toilets out here have tissue (always go in with tissue in your jean pockets!).

I though pilkington seemed quite genuine, but he wasn't so funny from the Kung Fu point onwards for me. But for sure, there were moments of absoute hilarity.

I like the subtle stuff, like his face when that woman closes the curtain on the coach ride. Genius.

[Gandalf]

I thought it was very funny. Korea has much more in common with China than Japan (despite what the Koreans think), so a lot of that rang true.

I have been in bars where I have been served fried bugs as a side dish.

I have been in too many situations where people are hawking their throats out and I get dirty looks for blowing a nose.

I have seen grown men wrestle with a live octopus down their throat.

None of the toilets out here have tissue (always go in with tissue in your jean pockets!).

I though pilkington seemed quite genuine, but he wasn't so funny from the Kung Fu point onwards for me. But for sure, there were moments of absoute hilarity.

I like the subtle stuff, like his face when that woman closes the curtain on the coach ride. Genius.

That was great. And you know, they do that! Most Asian people I have met like to nap on the bus and hate the sunlight. Of course, Karl Pilkington there got a great comedy moment from it.

That stuff is surely natural, but if you really wanted to plan for it and knew the culture, you could. I do like to think it is all natural though. It's certainly more fun that way.

[ono]

I thought it was very funny. Korea has much more in common with China than Japan (despite what the Koreans think), so a lot of that rang true.

I have been in bars where I have been served fried bugs as a side dish.

I have been in too many situations where people are hawking their throats out and I get dirty looks for blowing a nose.

I have seen grown men wrestle with a live octopus down their throat.

None of the toilets out here have tissue (always go in with tissue in your jean pockets!).

I though pilkington seemed quite genuine, but he wasn't so funny from the Kung Fu point onwards for me. But for sure, there were moments of absoute hilarity.

I like the subtle stuff, like his face when that woman closes the curtain on the coach ride. Genius.

That was great. And you know, they do that! Most Asian people I have met like to nap on the bus and hate the sunlight. Of course, Karl Pilkington there got a great comedy moment from it.

That stuff is surely natural, but if you really wanted to plan for it and knew the culture, you could. I do like to think it is all natural though. It's certainly more fun that way.

I do think he is naturally like that. But i got the impression that the producers want him to be obviously stupid. The podcasts were almost cult like because the stupidity was pretty random and there was never any pressure for him to be stupid because the show already existed with him as a side attraction, and even before that on XFM he was just a button presser.

Now he's got his own platform, he's under pressure to be as stupid as he naturally is. I felt some of it was forced and a little obvious when i watched the China one, but it could just be me being too critical. I've invested far too much time into believing and hoping he's real in any case.

That aside, i'm looking forward to next weeks. His head makes me laugh.