Bowie's next surprise destination was a British sitcom, under the writer/directorship of Ricky Gervais. Extras prided itself on attracting a wealth of talent, but even Gervais must have wondered what the hell he did right when the Thin White Comedy Duke agreed to make an appearance. Not only that but he collaborated on a song: Little Fat Man! The scene in question found the star's antihero Andy Millman in a bar with Bowie, who proceeded to improvise a track on the piano which tore Gervais's character to shreds in front of an appreciative crowd. Millman became accustomed to humiliation over the series, but this was something else. Not so much out of left field as a kick in the nuts from another galaxy. His comedic contributions were less illustrious than other sections of his life (credits include Yellowbeard and The Linguini Incident), so it's great he chose to rock up at the BBC to record this understated gem in 2006.
I am a journalist and comedian who enjoys American movies of the 70s, Amicus horror compendiums, Doctor Who, Twin Peaks, Naomi Watts and sitting down. My short fiction has been published as part of the Iris Wildthyme range from Obverse Books.
