Old Gregg
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Old Gregg is a character in the hit BBC television series The Mighty Boosh, played by Noel Fielding.
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[edit] History
Old Gregg first appears in Series 2, Episode 5 ('The Legend of Old Gregg')
[edit] Appearance and Character
Old Gregg is a creature who inhabits a cave down in the depths of Black Lake. As such, he displays many fishy attributes - he has seaweed hair and a webbed hand. He also bears some resemblance to American singer Rick James, and his seaweed hair is similar to James' long hair from the eighties. His silver jacket also could be one of James'. His catch phrase, "I'm Old Gregg!" is very similar to the catch phrase "I'm Rick James, bitch!" made famous by Chappelle's Show in the United States. Unlike James, Old Gregg wears a pink tutu and tights.
While having a masculine name, Gregg's gender is a matter of dispute, as early on he declares himself the possessor of a vagina - or, as he calls it, a 'mangina'. However, when he lifts his dress, be it his tutu or a wedding gown, his sexual organs emit a blinding white light, obscuring them from view.
Old Gregg is a strange mix of a serial-killing deviant, as illustrated by previous victim Curley Jefferson mounted on his cave wall and his suggestions to Howard that he's going to hurt him, and a lovelorn and lonely outcast whose only wish is for someone to reciprocate his love and take care of him. It is to this end that he brings Howard Moon, whom he has found fishing on the surface of Black Lake, down to his cave and tries to ply him with drinks of creamy Bailey's, watercolour paintings and a home-cooked meal (a whole raw fish). His efforts partly pay off, as a reluctant but resigned Howard eventually agrees to an engagement, thinking it will secure his release, before being helped to make a quick getaway with friends while Old Gregg is picking out his wedding dress. Old Gregg is last seen atop Howard's car, unbeknownst to Howard, both of them making their way back to London, Old Gregg wearing his wedding dress.
Old Gregg does appear again in the live DVD when Howard is left on his own whilst everyone else is at the after party. Dixon Bainbridge has a parcel for him and inside is Old Gregg. So, Howard and Old Gregg once again sing "love games". They end up loving each other and Howard carts Old Gregg off in a wheel barrow. With Howards "shenis" and Old Greggs "mangina" they can make "sweet love".
Old Gregg, while undeniably strange and possibly dangerous, is quite sweet in his interesting mix of masculine and feminine characteristics, and perhaps appeals to the lovelorn in us all.
[edit] Old Gregg's Interests
Old Gregg is quite funky, thanks in part to having found 'The Funk' when it fell to earth and into Black Lake some years earlier. He offers to give it to Howard, whose musical career is flagging, in an effort to bribe Howard to marry him. Old Gregg's funkiness can be seen in his musical number with Howard, 'Love Games'
Old Gregg also does watercolours. His watercolours initially consist of two main focus areas - himself and Baileys - none of them having particularly imaginative titles ('I call this one...Baileys'), but later he broadens his range to include pictures of Howard.
Old Gregg is quick to offer Howard a drink and even cooks him a romantic dinner, showing himself to be fairly domesticated. He claims to have gotten an A+ in Home Economics. He did a crumble and his teacher thought his was the best. However where Gregg went to school is a mystery.
He longs for a man with strong arms to pull him up out of the water or hold him at night when it's raining outside.
[edit] Quotes
- You ever drunk Bailey's from a shoe?
- Do you want to go to a club where people wee on each other?
- I got all things that are good.
- It's attached to your rod, mother licker!
- It's Old Gregg's vagina! I got a mangina!
- You seen my downstairs mix-up.
- I'm Old Gregg!
- Bailey's. Mmm... creamy. Soft creamy beige.
- Make an assessment.
- Yes sir, thank ya sir!
- Easy now my fuzzy little man peach
- Some say he's half-man, half-fish, but some say he is more of a 70-30 split; whatever the percentage he's one fishy bastard.
- Some say Old Gregg is like a.. a big fish finger. But big like as in a garage. Imagine a fish finger as big as a garage!
- And this one's as close as you can get to Baileys without your eyes gettin' wet.
- Do you love me?
- If your eyes don't love my eyes I'm going to suck them up with a powerful Hoover and put them up my downstairs mix-up (live show)
- I'm gonna hurt you...
[edit] Trivia
- Gregg's past is never described although it is implied that he received an education as he claims to have received an A+ in Home Economics. He also seems to have some communication with the outside world despite his mythical status and the isolated location of his home as he is aware of Howard's failing music career, having read his reviews.
- Old Gregg owns The Funk - a medicine ball sized creature covered in teats also referred to as a "Funky ball of tits" that produces "funky milkshake", which, it is claimed, aided Bootsy Collins in his career.
- Old Gregg appears in the live show and sings his "Love Games" song to Howard which turns into a rave at the end of the song. ("I got a mangina")
- The character was conceived by the shows creators from a mixture of Rick James, and a story a member of TopShop (a common reference point for The Mighty Boosh) staff told them.
- After the show aired, a voice was overheard at the Reading Festival, shouting "I'm Old Gregg!".
- Old Gregg, posing with his requisite Baileys, appears briefly at the start of the music video for 'Pulling the Plug on the Party' by Electric Six. He appears sitting with Abraham Lincoln when the line "Politicians and Celebrities" is sung (around 0:20).[1]
- In an outtake from the series, it was suggested by one of the fishermen (played by Julian Barratt) that Old Gregg was the original drummer in Kaiser Chiefs.
