‘With my helmet, my horn, and my folding bicycle…’

Last night I was watching an episode of That Mitchell and Webb Look, a British television sketch show starring comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb. (They’re brilliant.)

One sketch featured an historian who made history fun for television viewers.

All of his trademark gimmicks were there in full view–the bike helmet, the horn, the Superman costume. All the details but one. Mitchell and Webb weren’t confident that the viewers would recognize this character as eccentric, so they had him mention his folding bicycle.

You’re never going to make me regret the day I learned how to make facts fun. I’m never going back. This is it now, Anne. With my helmet, my horn, and my folding bicycle, I’ve made millions of people [care] about the seed drill.

This video is probably not safe for some workplaces, so I’ll just put up a screen shot and let you Google it yourself.

"Fun Historian" from That Mitchell and Webb Look

I’m working on a couple of posts about my recent experience with a Brompton bike, to be published soon. Sorry, no Superman costume.