meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Food Programme

Why did the chicken cross the road? How food became more than a comedy punchline

The Food Programme

BBC

Arts, Food

4.4943 Ratings

🗓️ 11 August 2019

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Food has been larking about in comedy since Charlie Chaplin first slipped on a banana skin and made bread rolls dance: but somewhere along the way, it's evolved from the slapstick sidekick to a much more significant comic entertainer...

From the disastrous duck at Fawlty Towers, to Fleabag’s calamitous catering efforts – via wry dinner ladies, caravan fry-ups, comedic fried chicken shops and dark food-blogger satire – food has come a long way, baby. It’s no longer a simple prop, but a much-loved theme at the very heart of modern entertainment.

In between performances at the renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe, comedian and creative cook George Egg takes us on a journey down the Royal Mile and through the history of culinary comedy; discovering that, as with so much humour, the power of food lies in its normality. And that it’s this everyday appeal that allows food, and comedy, to conjure up safe settings in which to address much bigger issues.

Presented by George Egg, produced by Lucy Taylor.

Featuring clips from:

I'm Alan Partridge: 'A Room with an Alan' Created and written by Peter Baynham, Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci; performed by Steve Coogan.

Victoria Wood as Seen on TV: ‘Waitress’ Written by Victoria Wood; performed by Julie Walters.

The Return of Mr Bean: ‘Steak Tartare’ Created and written by Rowan Atkinson, Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll; performed by Rowan Atkinson and Roger Lloyd-Pack.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You don't need us to tell you there's a general election coming.

0:04.7

So what does it mean for you?

0:06.7

Every day on newscast we dissect the big talking points, the ones that you want to know more about.

0:12.4

With our book of contacts, we talk directly to the people you want to hear from.

0:16.8

And with help from some of the best BBC journalists,

0:19.5

we'll untangle the stories that matter to you.

0:23.0

Join me, Laura Kunsberg, Adam Fleming, Chris Mason and Patty O'Connell for our daily

0:28.4

podcast.

0:29.4

Newscast, listen on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.

0:38.0

Ladies and gentlemen, please be aware that the foreign performance contains nuts.

0:48.0

Eggs, gluten, dairy products, refined sugar, fish, meat, and poetry.

0:59.0

It's time to start the show.

1:00.0

I want you to put your hands together.

1:02.0

Go crazy and welcome to the stage.

1:04.7

Georgie!

1:08.7

Welcome to the food program, a place for hungry minds. As you may have noticed, I'm not Sheila Dylan.

1:14.0

I'm George Egg and I'm the comedian who cooks

1:16.0

with some rather unusual implements from hotel room trouser presses

1:20.0

to power tools tools to cars.

1:23.0

A 38 horsepower engine sandwich for a 1969

1:27.0

is that too for that it is made ever.

1:29.0

Oh yeah.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.