Ape Gone Insane
Member
I'm currently making my way through the first season of the Ricky Gervais Show and can't figure it out: is he really like this or is he just ingeniously playing a character?
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Is Karl Pilkington 'Real'?
- Thread starter Ape Gone Insane
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OminoMichelin
Member
Yeah I wonder about it myself.
Nirvana
Member
I think he's for real, but it's possible he is partly 'in on the joke' so to speak, in the sense that he understands that some of the things he says are viewed as stupid but just rolls with it.
Sometimes you can hear that he is really passionate about some of his dumb ideas though, so I get the sense that the dude is for real. Some of the funniest stuff I have ever listened to regardless, although I do think I'd be disappointed if he was just an actor.
He also says some things that are kind of intelligent and existential, but because he's Karl he words it all in some ridiculous way and gets relentlessly made fun of for it.
That's Paddington Bear m8
Dr. Benton Quest
Banned
I've always felt that at least a portion of it was an act.
Doesn't really make a difference though because it's hilarious.
Doesn't really make a difference though because it's hilarious.
Ban Puncher
Member
Karl Pilkington is the realest, yo.
Gareth Bale
Member
I think he's 'real' but he plays it up quite a bit
APZonerunner
Member
He's about as real as the Top Gear guys are - IE a lot of it is staged/scripted, but it's an exaggeration of his real personality, and if he wasn't really at least in part that way the show wouldn't exist.
He obviously plays up his own persona in later shows, TV vehicles, etc. Part of the reason why I don't really follow his stuff anymore, though I'm sure some of it could be fun.
But as someone who listened to the xfm gervais series there is no way that introduction was planned to work out as it did. Dude was the real deal.
But as someone who listened to the xfm gervais series there is no way that introduction was planned to work out as it did. Dude was the real deal.
runningjoke
Member
As with anything on tv it's carefully directed and edited, but in this case I don't think it's (fully) scripted.
he clearly knows what he's doing
you don't get to be a producer on a radio show in the first place with the attitude of "karl"
i just cant see a world where someone that mental gets put in charge of a show with rickey Gervais post the office.
not saying its all an act but he's smart enough to lean in to it
you don't get to be a producer on a radio show in the first place with the attitude of "karl"
i just cant see a world where someone that mental gets put in charge of a show with rickey Gervais post the office.
not saying its all an act but he's smart enough to lean in to it
Yes I felt like this quite a few times. Most memorable was when they were talking about Doppelgangers and he said: "[If I meet my doppelganger] that has the same knowledge and memories, how do I know which one is me?" most certainly meaning "if we're completly identical, how can I be sure I'm the real me and not the doppelganger". But because he didn't phrase it optimally, they ridiculed him even though it's a legitimate question.
and of course it was sometimes played. In the podcasts they sometimes had the same conversation they already had in the xfm shows.
QuicheFontaine
Member
Yeah, the XFM shows that he's a real person. Of course, as time's gone on he plays up to it a bit.
As Ricky and Steve said, they wish could've created such an amazing character.
Edit:
We should use this thread to talk about our favourite Karl moments. I loved his genuine attempt to solve the Heaven / Hell logic puzzle.
"I've got some post for God here..."
Memento Mori
Member
The XFM shows leave no doubt that he's real and they're funnier than the podcasts, I still listen to the XFM shows on my Ipod now.
Classic XFM clip.
Classic XFM clip.
The Chris Camplin segment is hilarious.
Like others have said, it's mostly based on his persona, but as the years go on he definitely keeps playing up his stupidity for laughs. A lot of repeated conversations/mistakes across the different radio shows/podcasts/tv shows/public appearances. He's definitely smarter than he appears in a lot of those things, and they (including Karl) have become very good at acting out those qualities that people like the most - him not being able to understand/explain certain things, him getting annoyed at the world, him being fascinated by very childish things. I mean, after those trips Gervais send him on he started doing his own solo travel shows, he published a book, the whole deal. Modern Karl Pilkington is mostly an act.
I'm fine with them trying to lightly maintain the illusion that it's all real - it's just a bit more fun that way. The comparison with Top Gear is pretty accurate. A lot of it is scripted, but it's fine as long as you go along with it.
I'm fine with them trying to lightly maintain the illusion that it's all real - it's just a bit more fun that way. The comparison with Top Gear is pretty accurate. A lot of it is scripted, but it's fine as long as you go along with it.
OverBlood 3
Banned
Yep he's real. He used to seem like a nice positive person in the early XFM days, Ricky soon sorted that though.
He used to do shows with Russell Brand too and he was the same person so it's not like Ricky or Steve made him act a certain way.
He used to do shows with Russell Brand too and he was the same person so it's not like Ricky or Steve made him act a certain way.
Well, the problem with the XFM shows is that if you listen to enough of them they start repeating Karl's stories but act like they've never heard them before, so they're clearly scripted to some extent.
Edit: Same thing happened with the podcast, they have Karl telling a story and then react as if they've never heard it despite it being on the XFM shows.
Edit: Same thing happened with the podcast, they have Karl telling a story and then react as if they've never heard it despite it being on the XFM shows.
MarkMclovin
Member
The TV show seems too scripted, but he seems to be genuine in the podcast. I find that far more funnier.
QuicheFontaine
Member
His second film pitch might be my all time favourite bit (it's so hard to choose though). I think what I like about it is it came after all the podcasts, when I thought they'd finally been through all of Karl's stories and exhausted the well of oddness. It made me realise that he's quite capable of coming up with new oddness.
Yep. "I'm starting have doubts. Is Chris Campling real? I think I've made him up too."
Yep. "I'm starting have doubts. Is Chris Campling real? I think I've made him up too."
Broder Salsa
Banned
He certainly started acting it all up a bit, as he got more known and the tv show started. But go back and listen to those very first radio shows and it's pretty amazing how Gervais and Stephen Merchant are slowly starting to realize what a hilarious person he is, and how weird his thought process is at times. Doesn't help that he can't express himself at all haha
Some of my favourites:
Karl goes on a blind date
Karl on wheelchair tennis
Now judge whether or not he's real.
Karl goes on a blind date
Karl on wheelchair tennis
Now judge whether or not he's real.
OverBlood 3
Banned
In the XFM days it felt more like they were making him repeat the stories to either get him into trouble or because they were genuinely funny to hear them again (Aunty Nora split tennis ball applies to both) but when they started to do a legit podcast and made him tell the stories again it felt like they were getting him to repeat 'content' or 'material' in a comedy bit type situation. Basically the XFM shows were pure fun and the podcasts were good but felt forced.
A Serious Man
Member
Everyone just go listen to the XFM shows, most of it is pretty raw and thus a lot funnier than the more scripted podcasts.
This! They also did talk about whether Karl was a character created by Steve and Ricky and they laughed and wished that it was true.
I think most of the time now Karl is in on the joke but in the early days they just took the piss when they asked his opinion on something.
Broder Salsa
Banned
That blind date one is brilliant. My favorite Karl bits during the xfm shows, were just all his insults to Merchant. I remember at one point where you can hear Merchant get upset and says something along the lines of "cant fucking do this anymore" and drops his headset before Ricky quickly turns to some music.
Edit: Oh God and when he talked about Merchants looks..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoXhQ5YiVRg
fluffydelusions
Member
the realest
Yes these bits are brilliants. XFM show has so many great moments.
catapult37
Member
No, he's Dan Ryckert doing a British accent
RoadHazard
Gold Member
This. He really is that quirky, funny guy, but he's obviously also in on the joke. It's not like he's oblivious to why people find him hilarious. I think.
Soodanim
Member
Exactly that. I skip the podcasts, because a lot of it is re-treading ground that was more organic in the XFM days. Plus, Karl explaining to the listeners that they haven't planned the show because instead of planning it when they came in an hour early, Ricky decided to put a bin on Karl's head or squeeze a juicy pair on his head. I almost constantly go through a cycle of listening to the XFM shows (including those early tapes before they got sacked that have Ricky's recorded phone calls to his mum), because there are so many that by the time I'm done I have forgotten them. But I've started listening to them while walking in public, and holding back a big grin while walking by yourself is a nightmare, I might look like a right idiot half the time.
Really? I've been through them all at least 3 times now and I don't remember ever hearing that. I don't suppose you have a link or remember which show it was, do you? I remember Karl getting the hump of course, and you can clearly hear "I hate him/it!" as it starts to fade out, and that's when they made the rules about Ricky only being allowed to squeeze his head between 1 and 3.
It's bullshit. Lots of his stories from the podcast are featured in the XFM show with elements changed as if to improve the comedy, and there are multiple takes on the podcast despite them claiming there wasn't. I'm not even sure they met how they claim because in an early XFM broadcast Gervais said "in the years I've known you", after it had only been months.
I'm not saying he isn't kind of stupid, but it's certainly an act.
I'm not saying he isn't kind of stupid, but it's certainly an act.
100% genuine on XFM, about 80% everywhere else.
I remember a certain point on XFM where he got tired of Ricky's shit and ended up reversing roles, and Ricky got pissed to the point of walking out. That was awkward to listen to but very genuine.
He doesn't even act on Derek really. He just reads from the script as himself.
I remember a certain point on XFM where he got tired of Ricky's shit and ended up reversing roles, and Ricky got pissed to the point of walking out. That was awkward to listen to but very genuine.
He doesn't even act on Derek really. He just reads from the script as himself.
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