The Word (TV series)
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The Word was a 1990s Channel 4 television programme in the United Kingdom.
Its presenters included Mancunian radio presenter Terry Christian, comedian Mark Lamarr, Dani Behr, Katie Puckrik, Alan Connor, Amanda de Cadenet and "Hufty". Originally broadcast in the old Tube timeslot of 6pm Friday evenings, The Word's main live show was shifted to a "post-pub" timeslot, with a compilation sister show fronted by Mark Lamarr in the week. The magazine format allowed for interviews, live music, features and even game shows. The flexible late night format meant that guests could do just about anything to be controversial.
There was also an 'I'll do anything to be on television' section called 'The Hopefuls' in which people ate worms, bathed in maggots, and did generally repulsive things in order to get featured on the programme.
The programme ran from 1990 to 1995. Towards the end there was considerable tabloid backlash against the show and it was not recommissioned.
- The first British Network airing of Madonna's Justify My Love Music Video.
- Rod Hull and Emu appearing alongside Snoop Doggy Dogg, neither knowing who the other was. There was much tension for those viewers who knew that Hull's act consisted primarily of attacking his co-guests and presenters with his puppet, and Snoop placed considerable store in his cool, somewhat threatening image[1].
- Riot grrrls Huggy Bear causing chaos when Terry Christian was chatting to the Barbi Twins. The band shouted at the presenter before being violently ejected from the studio.
- Nirvana's international television debut performance of Smells Like Teen Spirit, with Kurt Cobain declaring Courtney Love to be "The best fuck in the world".
- Mark Lamarr telling Shabba Ranks that he was "talking crap" after an interview where Ranks expressed homophobic views, and being applauded by co-guest Danni Minogue.
- A member of L7 removing her jeans and underwear during a performance, the full-frontal nudity being briefly broadcast.
- Presenter Alan Connor being held at gunpoint in a German sex club.
- The Posies smashing their instruments like The Who and then throwing them into the audience at the end of their performance of Definite Door.
- A performance by Sepultura for which the show placed the band's fans in an animal cage.
- A spoof of Blind Date for bisexual contestants called Bi Date.
- The sister show would feature video demos of new bands, with one hopeless song called Luke I Love You becoming a running joke in its torment of Mark Lamarr.
- Dinosaur Jr refusing to stop playing until the plugs were pulled.
- The TV debut of Oasis playing Supersonic.
- "I'll do anything to get on TV" moments such as a woman who got into a bath full of watery cow manure, a young guy french kissing an old grandmother, a man who put a huge sheep's testicle in his mouth and another one who ate a bar of lard.
- Chris Eubank admonishing an audience member who taunted Eubank with a remark about Michael Watson. A clearly irritated Eubank described the person responsible as "weak".
- Oliver Reed appearing extremely drunk and joining the band Ned's Atomic Dustbin to sing a version of The Troggs's Wild Thing.
- Rolf Harris performing a cover version of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven in his own unique style.
- Madonna's Like a Prayer (song) and Justify My Love singles were played backwards and revealed the phrases I Love Satan & Satan Save Me.
- Backstage, a drunken Oliver Reed asking Mark Lamarr, "Who are you? The fucking warm up man."
- A drunken Lynne Perrie performing I Will Survive in her stocking soles.
- John Lydon suggesting his foul-mouthed, aggressively-toned interview with Terry Christian would bring about the end of Christian's career, at which point the camera cut to Richard Carpenter being given a lifetime achievement award.
- Barry White refusing to leave his dressing room and appear on set because he overheard someone call him 'The Walrus of Love'.
- The Word at the Internet Movie Database