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Ant and Dec?

Posted by David FG on September 17, 2004

In Reply to: Ant and Dec? posted by Lotg on September 17, 2004

: : : Last quote from my Mark Dillinham book...

: : : "Look like any pair of Herberts up to no good", Ryan said. "Ten a f****** penny. Marcus?"
: : : Moloney shook his head.
: : : Stephen Ryan looked over at Thorne, eyes wide. "Is it Ant and Dec?" He cackled at his joke, turning to share it with Moloney.

: : : I googled Ant and Dec and found lots of photos of two guys and lots of book marketing. Are these guys comedians or what are they? I'm trying to make sense of the supposed 'joke' and what it meant in relation to the story.

: :
: : Ant and Dec are slightly off colour puppeteers who (rather bizarrely) got their start doing childrens's television - The Wide Awake Club, I thinkt) I believe they also do adult comedy too. I'm not sure whether their names refer to something else or whether they are simply short of "Anthony" and "Declan". I think there could be more to it though because the policeman's remark isn't particulary funny otherwise, unless that character is meant to be a bit of a pillock.

: I think they're all pillocks actually. Even the cops are a bit seedy in this book. Thanks.

I don't know much on this subject (in fact it is a bit embarrassing to have to admit to knowing anything). Ant and Dec are indeed 'Anthony' and 'Declan' - I have no idea what their surnames are (it is a standing joke among their detractors that neither do they). I am not sure about being puppeteers. They seem to belong to that category of so-called celebrities who are famous just for being famous. They just present a variety of down-market 'entertainers'. They started on a children's drama, I think, called 'Byker Grove'.

They are widely derided except by those whose lips move when they read, and have to ask someone to tie their shoe-laces. Being called Ant and Dec would not be usually regarded as a compliment.

DFG

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