Rik Mayall

Insanity is a very high art form. If everyone was insane, I wouldn't be here!

— Rik Mayall

On stage you can group 200 people together and scare them or embarrass them or whatever. You can't do that on TV. You have to use the conventions, that's why Kevin [Turvey] works so well.

— Rik Mayall

I was brought up to be a good boy and proud of myself so I suppress all the things about me that are bad.

— Rik Mayall

I once walked to school in my underpants and a soggy shoe because my shoe flew off into the river when I tried kicking a ball. My brother retrieved it, but then demanded my trousers, because his were soaked.

— Rik Mayall

Luckily, I was spared bullying, although one kid at school, Dobson, always used to tease me about my surname. He’d say: “Look, it’s Fe-Mayall!” One time he wouldn’t stop and I thought “I’m going to have to hit him”. So I belted him and he lost his two front teeth, broke his nose and ended up in hospital. I was never picked on again after that!

— Rik Mayall

[Ade Edmondson]’s a good and loyal friend. I adore him. It’s like a marriage. We chose each other in ’75 and we’ve been together ever since.

— Rik Mayall

I can be gloriously stupid, but if it helps to divert peoples attentions from the grimness of life, I’m happy.

— Rik Mayall

I feel proud to have turned that down. I wish I could remember what it was. Let’s say Hamlet. Yeah, I turned down Hamlet. Well who fucking wouldn’t? I mean how many gags are there in that?

— Rik Mayall

Insanity is a very high art form. If everyone was insane, I wouldn’t be here!

— Rik Mayall