The lukewarm critical reception afforded the latest movie in the Sex And The City franchise, "Menopausal Airhead Arabian Fantasy", has irked one of its male stars, writes Nadia Heiferbreath, Tripe Correspondent.
The film - known in the trade as Sex And The City 2 or SATC2 - sees its female protagonists Carrie Bouface, Samantha Shagger, Rebecca Muffet and Mary-Ann Hermaphrodite go on a hedonistic spree to Dubai, where they get into a series of salacious scrapes and jiggly japes, flaunting their obscene wealth and whinnying idiocies. But, after being kidnapped by a bedouin chieftain and sold for 10 camels apiece to cruel yet handsome Sheik Yemonimaker, the feckless foursome are rescued by Carrie Bouface's ex-boyfriend, Yorkshire businessman Adrian Aidanshaw, who is in Dubai on business to buy property and cheap, docile domestic staff for Californian millionaires.
The queer quartette of criminally-clottish cunts manage to insult the downtrodden women of their Arabian Nights Dreamland as well as the privileged Western girly numbskulls who are their target audience.
So it is no wonder that the critics have been less than impressed with SATC2. But this is where the actor who plays Adrian Aidanshaw, the ex-beau of Carrie Bouface who saves the far-from-fair-maidenish four from the clutches of Sheik Yemonimaker, takes issue with the critics.
Ronnie Corbett, the diminutive comic actor, famous for his work with Ronnie Barker in the BBC Comedy Show Two Ronnies, enjoyed playing Aidanshaw. "It is a shame that the critics didn't appreciate the movie", he told me on the phone from his hardware shop "Fork Handles & Billhooks To You" yesterday.
"But that's the critics for you. I remember when me and Ronnie B did "The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town" on our BBC show. That got slated because the critics didn't understand the genius of writer Spike Milligan. But it's seen as a classic bit of comedy now. I reckon it'll be the same with SATC2. It's as ahead of its time and ironic as "The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town.
"My only worry is the US audience. They don't appreciate subtle humour and self-parody. Bernard Manning and Ken Dodd never took off over there.
"But, if we can overcome that problem, there's no reason why there can't be a SATC3."
Corbett had to hang up, as he had a customer in the store who wanted to buy some "Os" and "footpumps for feet", but before he disappeared, he had two bombshells with which to blitz us:
"I shan't be in SATC3", he revealed. "I've done all I can with Aidrian Aidenshaw. Besides, I'm 80, dear. It's time to leave the ageing bimbos alone and concentrate on hardware", the dwarfish drollmeister and impish impressionist chuckled.
"And yes, I can now say that me and Bo will tie the knot one of these days. "She'll be coming into the hardware and haberdashery business with me. It's all settled.
"Yes, she's somewhat taller than me", little Ronnie tittered, "but she went out with dear Dudley Moore after all, so she's used to someone standing on a crate to kiss her.
"She always says how much she appreciates that the greatest things come in small packages!", he laughed.
And then he was off. It was goodbye from him.
Sadly, I doubt if it will be goodbye from the ageing SATC slappers!
