In 2004 Radiohead released The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time, Twenty-four short films with music by Radiohead. The DVD, almost two-hours long, contains music videos directed by the likes of Sophie Muller, stunning video-shorts contributed by fans, an instructional but fascinating video on how to create a chickenbomb, mock interviews, odd interludes, et cetera, et cetera. Early in the DVD, a fake, comic interview titled “My showbiz life: THOM YORKE OUT OF RADIOHEAD,” Yorke gets asked all the uncomfortable questions he’s regularly asked. As it begins, Yorke quickly clarifies for the off-screen interviewer that, “This is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.”
Though the questions delve into Yorke’s celebrity status, they get more at how that status affects money: the free, expensive gifts and shopping sprees celebrity entails. Yorke admits to accepting “a Russian egg” (likely a nested matryoshka doll rather than a Fabergé egg) from “some big fish at Microsoft” and admits to using his celebrity to get free petrol. When asked: “What’s the most money you’ve blown in a single day?” Yorke immediately emits an interjectional and embarrassed, baritone “ew” followed by a quick edit to a revealing “uh.” Yorke then stares for a long four-seconds into the camera with a pasted-on, uncomfortable grin then answers: “Six fluffy wee rabbits.” Watching Yorke become uncomfortable is discomforting. Ew, uh, and paused fake grin add up to: next question, please.
Watch. Plus an early, live studio performance of “There There.”
One reply on “Message 301: Six Fluffy Wee Rabbits”
It looks to me like ‘free petrol’ is made up, though the ‘Russian egg’ may be true. The problem is, I fancy Yorke has developed of late a cunning impression of his earlier self; as if he’s beginning to enjoy pretending to be uncomfortable (thereby making stand against fake celebrity charm).