Roy 'Chubby' Brown
Encyclopedia
Roy "Chubby" Brown is an English
stand-up comedian
, notorious for his decidedly blue humour. The controversial nature of his act means that he rarely appears on major television channels, and Brown has attracted accusations that his comedy style is outdated whilst also being described as "The most important comedian of the past 25 years". It is claimed that he performs to over 350,000 people each year.
, in Redcar
, North Riding of Yorkshire
, and left home at the age of fourteen. He has a brother, Ray. He lived rough and held many jobs, at one time joining the merchant navy, and served time in borstal
and prison. He later moved into working men's club
s in the 1960s, first as a drummer and later as a comedy act, under the name 'Alcock & Brown'. He appeared on the television show New Faces
in the 1970s and came second in the show, losing to a country and western band. Brown failed the audition for Opportunity Knocks after saying the word 'arse
' during his interview.
and goggles
, a multicoloured patchwork jacket and trousers, white shirt, red bow tie and moccasin
s.
During his long career, he has caused offence by mocking various concepts, including race, women, the Queen Mother
(whose death occurred hours before Standing Room Only began recording) and himself. His ribald act causes offence to many, yet he maintains a strong fan base. Brown's shows are rarely seen on television, as nearly all of his material is highly sexist and contains a lot of strong language, especially the word "cunt
". However, a show about Brown's comedy was broadcast on Channel 4
on 8 May 2007.
One of the rituals of his shows is that they always start with the crowd shouting "You fat bastard!" repeatedly, to which he dances. He then approaches the microphone and says "fuck off!" This heckling occasionally continues during his act.
His real name, Royston Vasey
, was used as the namesake for the fictional town in the comedy television show The League of Gentlemen
. He also made several cameo appearances as the foulmouthed mayor of the town.
In the 1980's VHS and cassette versions of his live performances were available to buy at the live shows, With the advent of low cost CD & DVD duplicating the formats available have changed. Old originals of Brown's VHS and Cassette audio tapes have been found to be sought after and by some deemed quite collectable.
. starring himself and Roger Lloyd Pack
; in it he is abducted by aliens while staying in a hotel in Blackpool
during his live shows.
In 2012, Brown is set to appear as a talking lamppost in Robin Sheppard's film adaptation
of Richard Milward
's book, Apples.
.
The record spent 19 weeks in the UK chart, peaking at number 3.
He released a solo single in the winter of 1996 called "A Rocking Good Christmas", written by Ray Hedges
; this reached number 51.
Brown has also released two albums, Take Fat and Party (1995) and Fat Out of Hell (1996); they achieved positions 29 and 67 in the UK album charts respectively.
and Lincolnshire
. In 2003 he was fined £200 in Blackpool
for assaulting a fan who had sworn at him; of the incident, Brown said "I have traditional values and I wanted the man to stop swearing in front of women and children who were on the pier."
Brown was diagnosed with throat cancer
in 2002, and had a vocal cord removed. In 2006 he released an autobiography, Common as Muck: The Autobiography of Roy 'Chubby' Brown. He is also co-owner of the racehorse "Rasaman".
On 8 April 2009 Brown's son, Martin Reilly, 36, of Stillington, County Durham
, was jailed for four years for conspiracy to supply cocaine
and possession of heroin and cannabis
, having admitted offences dating from a November 2008 arrest. Brown was understood to have little contact with his son.
On 12 December 2009, it was announced that Brown was facing a charge of common assault on a woman, after an incident in a car park in Middlesbrough
on 2 September 2009. At Teesside Magistrates' Court on 5 January 2010, Brown denied the charges via his solicitor. He was acquitted on 16 March 2010.
He is a supporter of Middlesbrough F.C.
.http://www.the-football-club.com/famous-football-fans.html
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, notorious for his decidedly blue humour. The controversial nature of his act means that he rarely appears on major television channels, and Brown has attracted accusations that his comedy style is outdated whilst also being described as "The most important comedian of the past 25 years". It is claimed that he performs to over 350,000 people each year.
Early life and career
Brown was born in GrangetownGrangetown, North Yorkshire
Grangetown is a township in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the outskirts of Middlesbrough between the town and ICI Wilton. It is approximately 3.3 miles east of Middlesbrough centre and 4.4 miles from Redcar. Although...
, in Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
, North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, and left home at the age of fourteen. He has a brother, Ray. He lived rough and held many jobs, at one time joining the merchant navy, and served time in borstal
Borstal
A borstal was a type of youth prison in the United Kingdom, run by the Prison Service and intended to reform seriously delinquent young people. The word is sometimes used loosely to apply to other kinds of youth institution or reformatory, such as Approved Schools and Detention Centres. The court...
and prison. He later moved into working men's club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
s in the 1960s, first as a drummer and later as a comedy act, under the name 'Alcock & Brown'. He appeared on the television show New Faces
New Faces
New Faces was a British television talent show popular in the 1970s and 1980s, presented originally by Derek Hobson. It was produced by ATV Network Limited for the ITV Network. The first run of the show was from 29 September 1973 to 2 April 1978 and was recorded at the ATV Centre, Birmingham...
in the 1970s and came second in the show, losing to a country and western band. Brown failed the audition for Opportunity Knocks after saying the word 'arse
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
' during his interview.
Success as a blue comedian
Part of Brown's image is his stage costume; he typically wears a flying helmetLeather helmet
A leather helmet is a form of protective headgear fashioned primarily out of leather .People have manufactured leather clothing, including headgear, for millennia....
and goggles
Goggles
Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and in woodworking. They are often used in snow sports as well,...
, a multicoloured patchwork jacket and trousers, white shirt, red bow tie and moccasin
Moccasin
A Moccasin is a form of shoe worn by Native Americans, as well as by hunters, traders, and settlers in the frontier regions of North America.Moccasin may also refer to:* Moccasin , an American Thoroughbred racehorse-Places:...
s.
During his long career, he has caused offence by mocking various concepts, including race, women, the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
(whose death occurred hours before Standing Room Only began recording) and himself. His ribald act causes offence to many, yet he maintains a strong fan base. Brown's shows are rarely seen on television, as nearly all of his material is highly sexist and contains a lot of strong language, especially the word "cunt
Cunt
Cunt is a vulgarism, primarily referring to the female genitalia, specifically the vulva, and including the cleft of Venus. The earliest citation of this usage in the 1972 Oxford English Dictionary, c 1230, refers to the London street known as Gropecunt Lane...
". However, a show about Brown's comedy was broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
on 8 May 2007.
One of the rituals of his shows is that they always start with the crowd shouting "You fat bastard!" repeatedly, to which he dances. He then approaches the microphone and says "fuck off!" This heckling occasionally continues during his act.
His real name, Royston Vasey
Royston Vasey
Royston Vasey is a small fictional town in the north of England, and the setting of the BBC television comedy series The League of Gentlemen. It has made famous the comedic phrase "a Local Shop for Local People". Royston Vasey is the real name of british stand-up comedian Roy 'Chubby' Brown, who...
, was used as the namesake for the fictional town in the comedy television show The League of Gentlemen
The League of Gentlemen (comedy)
The League of Gentlemen are a quartet of British dark comedy writers/performers, formed in 1995 by Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith...
. He also made several cameo appearances as the foulmouthed mayor of the town.
In the 1980's VHS and cassette versions of his live performances were available to buy at the live shows, With the advent of low cost CD & DVD duplicating the formats available have changed. Old originals of Brown's VHS and Cassette audio tapes have been found to be sought after and by some deemed quite collectable.
Film
In 1993 Brown released a film called U.F.OU.F.O. (film)
U.F.O. is a 1993 British sci-fi spoof that stars Roy 'Chubby' Brown in the role of a blue comedian whose act offends a pair of female aliens, who proceed to kidnap him and put him on trial....
. starring himself and Roger Lloyd Pack
Roger Lloyd Pack
Roger Lloyd-Pack is an English actor known for his roles in the TV shows The Vicar of Dibley, Only Fools and Horses and The Old Guys.-Career:...
; in it he is abducted by aliens while staying in a hotel in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
during his live shows.
In 2012, Brown is set to appear as a talking lamppost in Robin Sheppard's film adaptation
Apples (film)
Apples is an upcoming 2012 British teen drama film directed by Robin Shepperd based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Richard Milward.-Plot:...
of Richard Milward
Richard Milward
Richard Milward is an English writer born in Middlesbrough, in 1984. His debut novel Apples was published by Faber and Faber in 2007. He has also recently published his 2nd novel Ten Storey Love Song....
's book, Apples.
Music
One of his best known songs is "Living Next Door to Alice (Who the Fuck is Alice?)" — a cover version of "Living Next Door to Alice" recorded with SmokieSmokie (band)
Smokie is an English rock band from Bradford, Yorkshire who found success in Europe in the 1970s.-Early years:Originally called The Yen, then The Sphynx and later Essence, the band was formed in 1964 at St. Bede's Grammar School in Heaton, Bradford as The Yen. The Yen's first gig was at Birkenshaw...
.
The record spent 19 weeks in the UK chart, peaking at number 3.
He released a solo single in the winter of 1996 called "A Rocking Good Christmas", written by Ray Hedges
Ray Hedges
Ray Hedges from Surrey, England is a songwriter and record producer.Ray Hedges has had over 60 top 20 singles and albums including 6 UK No 1’sas producer and or writer with many on his own record labels....
; this reached number 51.
Brown has also released two albums, Take Fat and Party (1995) and Fat Out of Hell (1996); they achieved positions 29 and 67 in the UK album charts respectively.
Personal life
Brown is married to Helen, his third wife, with children and has homes in MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. In 2003 he was fined £200 in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
for assaulting a fan who had sworn at him; of the incident, Brown said "I have traditional values and I wanted the man to stop swearing in front of women and children who were on the pier."
Brown was diagnosed with throat cancer
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
in 2002, and had a vocal cord removed. In 2006 he released an autobiography, Common as Muck: The Autobiography of Roy 'Chubby' Brown. He is also co-owner of the racehorse "Rasaman".
On 8 April 2009 Brown's son, Martin Reilly, 36, of Stillington, County Durham
Stillington, County Durham
Stillington is a village within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north west of Stockton-on-Tees....
, was jailed for four years for conspiracy to supply cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and possession of heroin and cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, having admitted offences dating from a November 2008 arrest. Brown was understood to have little contact with his son.
On 12 December 2009, it was announced that Brown was facing a charge of common assault on a woman, after an incident in a car park in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
on 2 September 2009. At Teesside Magistrates' Court on 5 January 2010, Brown denied the charges via his solicitor. He was acquitted on 16 March 2010.
He is a supporter of Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
.http://www.the-football-club.com/famous-football-fans.html
Stand up releases
Whilst Brown has been performing for over 30 years, his live shows have been released around Christmas time since 1990. They have been released by Channel 5 (1990), PolyGram (1991–1998) and Universal (1999–present) Between 1990 and 1999 they were released only on VHS, between 2000 and 2004 they were released on VHS and DVD, between 2005 and 2009 they were released only on DVD and from 2010 they were released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The release due for November 2011 will be delayed in 2012 due to venue, technical and timing issues.Releases
- From Inside The Helmet (1990)
- The Helmet Rides Again (1991)
- The Helmet's Last Stand (1992)
- Exposed (1993)
- U.F.O. (1993) (film)
- Jingle Bollocks (1994)
- Clitoris Allsorts (1995)
- Saturday Night Beaver (1996)
- Obscene and Not Heard (1997)
- Chubby Goes Down Under and Other Sticky Places (1998)
- You Fat Bastard! (1999)
- Thunder Bollocks (2000)
- Stocking Filler! (2001)
- Standing Room Only! (2002)
- Bad Taste (2003)
- Giggling Lips (2004)
- King Thong (2005)
- Kick-Arse Chubbs (2006)
- The Good, the Bad & the Fat Bastard (2007)
- Dirty Weekend In Blackpool (2008)
- Too Fat to Be Gay (2009)
- Pussy and Meatballs (2010)