In her BBC/Netflix documentary special investigating the most profound questions about existence, Philomena Cunk explains the moment that human life is created.
“The disappointingly flavored soup that vomits from the penis contains millions of plucky young tadpoles which swim their way up through the female pipework towards an egg and then kamikaze into it, like a tiny 9/11 happening up a lady,” she deadpans. “This is where, incredibly, the miracle of life begins — and the precise moment that a woman’s right to choose ends.”
The fictional Cunk, played adeptly by comedian Diane Morgan, is offbeat, ill-informed and almost always wrong. But for over a decade, Cunk has hosted satirical series and specials about lofty topics such as Shakespeare, Britain and all of humanity. Now, in “Cunk on Life,” which earned an Emmy writing nomination, the dim-witted presenter wrestles with questions of philosophy and spirituality.
Cunk originated on “Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker’s satirical BBC news series “Weekly Wipe,” which premiered in 2013. She was initially conceived as a posh, upper-middle-class “yummy mummy who is also a cupcake blogger,” says Brooker, but the character took on a life of her own after Morgan insisted on doing part of her audition in her own Northern English accent. “The flatness of my accent really complemented Charlie’s writing,” Morgan says.
Despite Morgan’s misgivings about being subject to online vitriol, Cunk was well-received by audiences. As the writers further workshopped the character during “Weekly Wipe,” they discovered that sexual jokes didn’t suit Cunk. Instead, Morgan was given a recurring segment called “Moments of Wonder,” in which Cunk would interview academic experts and then “trample all over their favorite topic.”
Morgan, as it turns out, loves an awkward silence. “So that meant we knew we could get [Morgan] to ask experts questions that are impenetrable, but make some sort of sense, like, ‘Where is the money in a coin?’” says Brooker. “That actually weirdly ends up in a profound place, but is also a stupid question. Those are my favorites.”
At this point, the talking heads are in on the joke but don’t know what deeply silly questions Morgan will ask. “You’ve really got to be on your feet and ready, because those interviews go on for about two hours,” the actor says. Early on, she realized that experts would often ask her, “What do you mean?” and she would have to come up with potential counter-answers. “They’re really lulled into a false sense of security. The first few questions are quite easy. And then once they’re comfy, then you come at them. And they’d often fall into the trap, which was lovely.”
Cunk has gone from “just not understanding” what experts were saying to pushing back on their theories with dubious anecdotal evidence. (She frequently cites “my mate Paul,” “my aunt Carol,” and “my ex Sean” as her main sources.)
Clocking in at more than twice the length of a regular Cunk episode, “Cunk on Life” features a number of new, darkly comedic gags that fit in with Brooker’s satirical oeuvre. But, much to the delight of Cunk fans, Brooker chose to include a couple of references to “Pump Up the Jam.”
At the end of the episode, Cunk disappears (allegedly) to uncover another planet. Has she been abducted by aliens? Brooker won’t say. “There’s whole aspects of her life that are a real mystery. So, if she goes off to explore another planet, it slightly makes sense on some level. [She’d] come back completely unchanged by the experience.”
Since finishing work on this special last year, Morgan and Brooker have had discussions about the next installment of the Cunkverse. “There was talk at one point — and I liked the idea — of doing a Cunk action thriller where, basically, she’s interviewing an expert, and they get their head blown off from across the street by a sniper. And then, it turns into something like ‘24,’” Brooker says with a laugh. “I’d love to do a whole thing that’s a cross between that and ‘Borat.’”
variety.com
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