I found this gem of a show during a rare bout with insomnia, on the oddest of channels, The Science Channel. The brilliant Ricky Gervais pitched (and actually sold!) an idea to the network to play what he calls "the most expensive prank in history" on one of his mates. Karl Pilkington is the everyman bloke who serves as the butt of this elaborate joke.
Because he is so naive and ignorant about the world around him, I found myself laughing hysterically at his honest reactions, as he is thrust into situations that even a seasoned world-weary traveller would find challenging. Ricky deliberately places him in these environments to film his inevitable freak outs with hilarious results. It had been awhile since I laughed that hard watching a t.v. show!
As we explore this concept of first world privilege, there are moments of true poignancy. The people Karl meets during his travels do not judge him in an overtly harsh manner. Many of them can relate to his childish meltdowns, when he is exposed to foreign ideas and customs, because his responses are also quite familiar. After all, don't we also have family and friends who behave in a similar fashion while travelling? Karl's new friends accept him for who he is, and he in turn does the same. Throughout his trials and tribulations, Karl sometimes has an actual epiphany, like in this clip when he visits with The Living Saint in India.
As Karl would say, "That's what it's all about, innit?"
It sure is. Well done, Karl :)
It sure is. Well done, Karl :)
