Michael Pennington AKA Johnny Vegas
From time to time I like to write my thoughts about comedians and British comedy.
I believe my last review was about the British comedy awards 2015 and I felt that British comedy had lost it's way and that British comedy and it's comedians had fallen into a ground hog day of lame pannel shows of limited interest. It's not that they aren't any good, it's more that we have too many of them and I personally feel this to be lazy or prehaps that production companies aren't willing to invest in new acts and we end up with masses of fresh comedains with nowhere to showcase thier funny bones apart from these carbon copied pannel shows.
I've decided to write about Johnny because to me he is the last great comedy character actor that we had. He broke all the rules pushed the boundaries danced with taboos and told you all to "Fuck off." He was as Johnny Vegas the under dog the sad clown a loser showing key elements of any great comedian of worth.
He was over weight drank too much smoked too much shouted alot and told the truth, there was a little bit a Johnny in us all. Well maybe not all of us but most of us!
I first came across Johnny in 1995 on a TV show called Win lost or draw and I think this was Johnny's first appears on Britsh television. Although Michael wasn't Johnny at this point, it give him that all important first break that all comedians are looking for including myself as a would-be character comedy actor.
Naturally I could write about his past life experiences of being a potter etc... but honestly I feel most people know this about him, hell I've been a roofer labourer greens keeper and so on, we all come from somewhere in our past lifes.
Which is why it's been a great delight to watch Micheal over the years steal the stage and lime light at award ceremonies, going over time and being dragged off stage only to see him a few minutes later stagger back on and continue ranting. A joy to watch his character develop and mature with shows as 18 stone of idiot, Ideal, Benidorm and Dead Man Weds which sadly only got one series written by Dave Spikey.
Johnny Vegas gave us real pure comedy as brash and grim as he was as a character he was gentle kind and thoughtful and would take us all on a wild invisible rollercoaster ride.
I know at this point that this may read as a eulogy, but in some respects Michael has pushed his character of Johnny Vegas to one side and matured into his ownself.
In a way Johnny was singing and shouting from the roof tops and getting a few pressing matters of his chest whilst getting paid and having a blast.
If I could ask Michael one question? When are you and Kathy burke going to work together?
I wish him well in his further career and look forward to seeing him in any new projects.
Written by Kathleen Dawson
