Human League hitmaker
“The Waterman” has never appeared in a comic but is mentioned in Steeple issue 4 (“Witchfest”, seen below). PLUS: Bonus points to anyone who can identify the origin of Phil Oakey’s outfit on this page.
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“That gentleman has laid a deposit upon it”
“HE’S DONE WHAAAT?!”
It is a fascinating color scheme on this page. I almost feel like I’m in that mall performance space.
I can also just hear Phil dismissing some act he feels is too derivative: “Oh, here comes the mirror man!”
think it’s a dream sequence, sadly.
But is it reality… or illusion?
No, but it will be on Monday!
This was indeed amazingly immersive. HELLO HELLO HELLO SHEFFIELDDDDDD… *weirdly echoey sound*
Phil Waterman the warlock?
How the mighty have fallen! From Hitmaker to Nitpicker!
Pop impresarios should honestly wear more capes.
The Living Joke is not only profoundly unfunny, but disturbingly suggests that as the human embodiment of humor, most jokes are in fact not funny.
Most jokes are really about delivery rather than the ‘bull’, i.e. the inherent humor of the text. It’s possible to have delivery so poor you can make a really great joke go flat…
Then there is the species of humor whose text is intentionally unfunny and whose delivery is menacing. And those who laugh do so not because the joke is funny, but because it is funny to joke about these things.
My interpretation is that he is not good at telling jokes, rather he himself is the joke. As in that it’s a joke that he’s on stage and performing. I’m sure he’s a lovely bloke though.
He is definitely a lovely bloke
If he told ‘good’ jokes he wouldn’t be funny.
The capering helps.
Reminds me of “The Unknown Comic” on the American Gong Show. Performed with a paper bag over his head.
Comedy is also about timing. The Rule of Three predominates, because it gives everyone a chance to see the setup, and everyone in the audience can count to three.
I always thought the three most important elements of comedy were “the callback”, “timing” … and “the callback”.
Brick jokes, my friends!
“We got more gongs than the breakdancing robot that caught on fire.”
-Homer Simpson
He’s a right good laugh once you get to know him.
So he’s a pop impresario AND a warlock?!
And he drives trains as a hobby.
It’s a crazy life at the top of the pop tree.
You’d be surprised at just how common this is.
So the impresario/warlock will become or a powerful supporter or a very dangerous enemy for the D-Slide?
The joke almost landed,
So near, but yet, sofa.
Oh, it landed, all right… RIGHT ON ITS FACE!!!
Couching comic, hidden punchline.
His name my be Waterman, but that’s not actually his job. He’s just another stock acheman
This guy is almost making me expect another visit from the Bat-like Man.
The Living Joke does seem like the sort of fellow who that bat-garbed vigilante would find himself up against.
Found a photo of his in the bolero, but I lack context. I’m guessing it’s c. 1978.
https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9bt7f64Ow1r953wdo1_500.png
By George, it’s the outfit Phil wore as the lamb wax salesman at the Outdoor Meat Fair in the little-seen and less remembered ‘The Weekenders’ pilot show on Channel 4. Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer wanted to do a lot with that show, but it seems it came with too many strings attached
Oh! Pipped to the post!
I genuinely thought this was a bit of ScaryGoRound Comments Section “Bants” but egad, it is in fact true. What a world!
No, it’s straight up –
There was supposed to be a Youtube link there. Let’s switch to manual, just type ‘The Weekenders Reeves and Mortimer’ into Youtube. It’s all still there.
I got told they got paid to write a series, spent ages fannying around – possibly on a yacht, despite the Commandment – then decided they just couldn’t be arsed and had to give the money back.
Oakley and the Waterman, one fresh from the speciality meats stall, one just off the back of a steam locomotive.
*OAKEY!
(Could have sworn that’s what I wrote. I blame the phone. Grumble grumble technology grumble).
Ironically, the one on the steam locomotive is the one who is not Being Boiled
I had already read this page on Patreon, but the knowledge that The Waterman is a warlock of sorts greatly informs my view of these and subsequent story events.
Uh oh. If the Living Joke doesn’t win, will he get upset and become the Killing Joke?
Also, Vic’s van-based “Thanks, luv” + thumbs up in The Weekenders has been known to have been deployed by me on many occasions, much to my wife’s dismay.
Shame we missed out on the in-universe version of Magic Magid…
Yes, I felt I had to stay true to the current holder but what a guy he was!
This … performance … is a joke like a steak is a cow.
Too butchered to be milkable. Even when served with an unhealthy dosage of fluxus on top.
Consider me appalled.
My hope is that Phil Oakley will become a regular character, seeking the help of the Solver crew to lift his curse of only being able to speak in Human League lyrics.
The big emotional moment comes after they’re about to dump him as a client, and he pleads with them using the one phrase he’s sworn never to say again.
Argh – OAKEY. Solidarity, Jack. (Apparently my typing fingers are in the pocket of Big Sunglasses.)
Origin of Phil Oakey’s outfit:
https://lyeekha.tumblr.com/post/30326671091/the-weekenders-8
Ever seen an actual gorilla fur cape? Looks something like the fizzy wine witch in the last panel of the Steeple comic above. In real life it is creepy horror.
Don’t underestimate the Living Joke. That joke he’s telling may be a complete failure, but that’s some first class capering.
Where’s Magic Russell though?