When we lived in Germany the first time, I got hooked on the popular British sketch comedy show, Little Britain. I believe I started watching it because it was offered as a free episode on iTunes and I got hooked on the quirky British humor. Little Britain starred Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Matt Lucas is a rotund, openly gay British guy with alopecia. His hairlessness makes it easy for him to dress in drag. A lot of his Little Britain characters were female.
This morning, while I was thinking about what I wanted to write about today, I happened across this Australian comedy show, Kath & Kim. I stopped on it because I saw Matt Lucas’s face in the still.
He plays the role of a gossipy British woman to the tee. I think it’s especially funny when he gets irate.
In May 2013, Bill and I took a cruise from Rome to Athens. One of our stops was at Capri, a beautiful Italian seaside town. We walked up a hill to get to the town. I was coming down with a nasty cold. When we reached the top, we decided to have lunch at this restaurant that overlooked the sea and the town square. Our waiter was the spitting image of Matt Lucas. He even mentioned it to us, although he was quick to tell us he wasn’t gay. Recently, I wanted to find the name of that restaurant, since I forgot to notice it when we ate there. It was very expensive and we liked the food, although others in the know say it’s an overpriced tourist trap. I knew I’d be able to find the place if I mentioned Matt Lucas. Sure enough, more than a couple of people mentioned the waiter who was a dead ringer for him. The restaurant, by the way, is called Ristorante Isidoro. It gets 3.5 stars.
I just Googled “Capri, Italy, restaurants, Matt Lucas“. Sure enough, the very first result is this one. I’m sure the restaurant enjoys having that waiter on staff. If I recall correctly, his personality was not unlike Matt Lucas’s on Little Britain. I’m actually sitting here dreaming of a trip to Italy or somewhere else warm and interesting. I really need a few days out of here to clear my head. I do love living in Germany, but sometimes the culture can feel a little bit oppressive and heavy.
Incidentally, our new landlord came over last night to talk to Bill. It was like night and day. He was genuinely friendly and wanted to talk about cruises. It’s easy to see that his focus isn’t just about money and he’s very laid back. I think we’ll ultimately be a lot happier with him, even if I do miss having a nice area to walk my dogs. I also think he will treat us fairly. Or, at least I hope he does.
If you haven’t seen Little Britain, you should watch it. Especially if you know anything about British life. I liked it, not just for the humor, but because my earliest memories are of England and watching it reminds me of that time.