The Ape That Got Lucky
Encyclopedia
The Ape That Got Lucky was a four-part radio series broadcast on BBC Radio 4
in August 2005. Written by Chris Addison
and Carl Cooper, it was based around Chris Addison giving a lecture on the evolution of man from "ugly ape" into the all time "Top Species".
Addison was supported in this spoof lecture by Professor Austin Herring, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at St Dunstan's College Cambridge, who was played by Geoffrey McGivern. The Professor was frequently ridiculed, and was usually introduced as the author of a particular book. The books were always amusingly titled, and were different in every introduction. Other cast members of the show were Jo Enright
and Dan Tetsell
who performed sketches to illustrate the lecture. The series was produced by Simon Nicholls
.
Professor Herring gave the impression of being a prolific author, although his book titles were invariably absurd. In the preamble to each show, Chris Addison would introduce the Professor as, for example: "...our resident expert...polymath...and author of many important scholarly works such as 'What are YOU looking at? – a sideways look at the origins of the squint' ...and... 'Here's looking at Euclid – geometry in the films of Humphrey Bogart' , as well as being editor of 'Pop Goes The Weasel
– a treasury of vivisection
anecdotes' ." For each of his contributions within the main show, The Professor himself would also mention an 'appropriate' paper he had written relating to the topic being discussed, also humorously titled.
In May 2006 The Ape That Got Lucky was awarded the Gold Sony Award
for comedy. All four episodes were then released on a 2CD set.
The April 2006 series Chris Addison's Civilisation is a follow-up to The Ape That Got Lucky; it has the same format and the same cast but the lectures focus on the building and making of a civilization rather than the evolution theme of this series.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
in August 2005. Written by Chris Addison
Chris Addison
Chris Addison is an English stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4...
and Carl Cooper, it was based around Chris Addison giving a lecture on the evolution of man from "ugly ape" into the all time "Top Species".
Addison was supported in this spoof lecture by Professor Austin Herring, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at St Dunstan's College Cambridge, who was played by Geoffrey McGivern. The Professor was frequently ridiculed, and was usually introduced as the author of a particular book. The books were always amusingly titled, and were different in every introduction. Other cast members of the show were Jo Enright
Jo Enright
Jo Enright is an English stand-up comedian and actress who has appeared in a number of television and radio comedy programmes.-Biography:...
and Dan Tetsell
Dan Tetsell
Dan Tetsell is a comedian and writer for radio, television and stage. He has worked on a number of projects, including The Museum of Everything, That Was Then, This Is Now and Parsons and Naylor's Pull-Out Sections....
who performed sketches to illustrate the lecture. The series was produced by Simon Nicholls
Simon Nicholls
Simon Nicholls is a radio and TV comedy producer at the BBC.When Ed Reardon approached Nicholls about an idea for a new radio show, "he was delighted...
.
Professor Herring gave the impression of being a prolific author, although his book titles were invariably absurd. In the preamble to each show, Chris Addison would introduce the Professor as, for example: "...our resident expert...polymath...and author of many important scholarly works such as 'What are YOU looking at? – a sideways look at the origins of the squint' ...and... 'Here's looking at Euclid – geometry in the films of Humphrey Bogart' , as well as being editor of 'Pop Goes The Weasel
Pop Goes the Weasel
"Pop! Goes the Weasel" is an English language nursery rhyme and singing game. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 5249.-Lyrics:There are many different versions of the lyrics to the song...
– a treasury of vivisection
Vivisection
Vivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
anecdotes' ." For each of his contributions within the main show, The Professor himself would also mention an 'appropriate' paper he had written relating to the topic being discussed, also humorously titled.
In May 2006 The Ape That Got Lucky was awarded the Gold Sony Award
24th Sony Radio Academy Awards
The 24th Sony Radio Academy Awards were held on 8 May 2006 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane in London.There were 29 categories of award and two special awards.-Programme awards and winners:...
for comedy. All four episodes were then released on a 2CD set.
The April 2006 series Chris Addison's Civilisation is a follow-up to The Ape That Got Lucky; it has the same format and the same cast but the lectures focus on the building and making of a civilization rather than the evolution theme of this series.
Lead author
| Episode | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Please No, Not The Face: Murder And Vanity In Melanesia |
| 1 | Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't Mayan Baby: South American Roots And How To Recognise Them |
| 1 | Nuns On The Run: A Light-hearted Look At The Viking Invasions |
| 1 | It's Not Just What You Say, It's How You Say It: A Study Into The Fact That It's Not Just What You Say, It's How You Say It |
| 1 | And The Llama You Rode In On! Vulgarity And Insult in South America |
| 2 | Holy Cow, Batman: Superheroes And Cultural Insensitivity |
| 2 | Windmills Of Your Mind: The Influence Of Dutch Agricultural Architecture On Hallucinations |
| 2 | Good Golly, Miss Molly: 10 Years With A Naturist Landlady |
| 2 | 120's Company: 121's A Crowd |
| 2 | The Sugar Wasn't Brown When We Started: A History Of Chimp's Tea-Parties |
| 2 | Nasty, Short And Brutish: Pygmies And Their Etiquette Issues |
| 3 | Ventriloquism For Dummies |
| 3 | Get Up, Stand Up: Bipedialism And Its Influence On The Songs Of Bob Marley |
| 3 | Shiny, Shiny, Look Look! The Art Of Impressing Half-Wits |
| 3 | Come Back With That G-Clamp! Monkeys That Run Off With G-Clamps |
| 3 | Merry Eczema: Learning To Love Your Rash |
| 3 | Things Ain't What They Used To Be: The Moaning Cockney History Of Europe |
| 4 | What Are You Looking At? A Sideways Glance At The Origins Of The Squint |
| 4 | Fruits Of The Forest: The Truth About Robin Hood And His Merry Men |
| 4 | Here's Looking At Euclid: Geometry In The Films Of Humphrey Bogart |
| 4 | In Praise Of The Rubenesque: An Exploration Of The Female Form (Pop-Up Edition) |
| 4 | Quick, Quick Look At Them: Couples Who Have The Same Hair |
| 4 | Oh, I'm Sorry, I Thought It Was A Birthmark: The Argument Against Brown Tattoos |
| 4 | Ceremonial Penis Sheaths: Status Symbol Or Inconvenience? |
| 4 | Significant post-1995 Developments in Microbiological Pathology For Dummies |
| 4 | Less Sweater, More Polo-Neck: Teaching Knitting to Giraffes |
| 4 | Don’t Look At Me, I’m Not Cleaning It Up: The Backlash Against Animal Husbandry |
Editor
| Episode | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ox Dict Of Abbrevos |
| 3 | Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em: The Oxford Book Of Forgivable Incest |
| 3 | You Do Know How To Whistle, Don't You? You Just Put Your Lips Together And Blow: A Very Short Guide To Whistling |
| 4 | Pop Goes The Weasel: A Treasury Of Vivisectionary Anecdotes |