this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2024
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I'm reading Erdogan Pizza by John Dolan. It's a collection of real travelogues from an utterly unadventurous, shy nerd who keeps managing to get kicked out of third world countries while being dead broke. I couldn't imagine a greater mismatch between the personality of someone and how they've chosen to live their life. Very amusing.
I have a TV program for you
Yeah, I've seen An Idiot Abroad and quiet enjoyed it. Different vibes though, Karl is incurious and is being pushed into it (which is entertaining in it's own right). John is absolutely doing it of his own volition, though I don't fully understand why, and is deeply curious. There's also a palpable sense of desperation and danger that comes from being someone's life, instead of a well funded work holiday.
They also made a nonfiction book out of this, but I liked the show better.
Honestly I don't really like Ricky Gervais's gleeful cruelty or his style of comedy, but I think the show was really good for Karl Pilkington. You could see how mousy he was in the first few episodes, miserably eating the Chinese lady's toad just because she told him to, and then partway through the first series he kind of finds his balls and he's yelling at the guy in Jordan "I'm not getting on the fucking camel!" when stuff is unreasonable beyond a certain point.
Travel is good for you.
The series with Warwick Davies is great. Brilliant clash of attitudes / personalities between Karl and Warwick resulting in some both hilarious and uplifting stuff. inkeeping with the trajectory Ricky’s stuff has generally taken.