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The finest actor of a generation

Perfection

If ever there was a moment of genius that captured drama, comedy and sadness it’s this short piece of TV. I lived in London in the 1990’s where we would sit in front on the tv no phones, no social media and no distractions. Just being in the moment. What a privilege to have seen this when it was aired. It takes me back to a beautiful England and a special time in my life. Take a bow Sir.

Amazing bit of writing and acting. Rowley was always my favourite character but this caught me totally off guard and gives us a completely new perspective on him. To turn that around in less than 2 minutes is nothing short of witchcraft. Reminds me of the finale of That Mitchell and Webb look. Brought a tear to my eye and also impressed me that they actually warned you they wanted to do something like this as a finale earlier in the season when they did a skit about wanting to write something with the same punch as Blackadder Goes Forth. Still didn’t see it coming…. ruclips.net/video/Pp02ubGuTIU/видео.htmlsi=TIi8p4-ONJYuWBfU

This, the ending to Blackadder, and the Sherlock Holmes scene at the end of Mitchell and Webb are all in the same league of beautifully acted scenes written by comedy writers, that have no right to go as hard as they do.

Greatest acting ever deserves an Oscar makes you laugh then cry inside 2 minutes beautiful

That look and pause shows you Paul Whitehouse would be incredicle as a serious actor as well as a comedian!

Comedians often make the best actors & Paul Whitehouse proves it here. This is my favourite Fast Show sketch

The line “I’m afraid I was very drunk” shifts from being the punchline to another rambling anecdote that explains why he can’t remember the finer details of the story or what happens after he delivers the line, to being a deep and regretful reason as to the ending of this particular anecdote. Perhaps explains the reason why every other story from his life he was very drunk in.

A wonderful piece of art, unexpected and beautiful. Comedy that can u-turn you like this in seconds really demonstrates how clever the writing was.. you become strangely attached to the characters without even realising it. Fantastic.

This punches me ever so hard my wife died when i was 29. He got it spot on

I remember watching this when it was on tv the first time it aired i was an adict of the show and it instantly had a very different vibe. I never understood why anyone laughed...it was amazing acting and gutwrenchingly sad😢

He is the most talented character actor, possibly ever.

There is scarcely a comedic actor who can pull off pathos like Paul Whitehouse. Another memorable example is the fishing sketch in Harry and Paul, when he’s left hung to dry by one of his mates. Sheer brilliance. m.ruclips.net/video/b3wCj2sZPoM/видео.html&pp=ygUWSGFycnkgYW5kIHBhdWwgZmlzaGluZw%3D%3D

I wonder what made him do this sketch... Does anybody know the story behind why he made it serious?

For those of us who'd watched the Rowley Birkin sketches as they were broadcast over the years, for Whitehouse to gut-punch us all with the realisation of what lead to the character's isolation, alcoholism and everything else, was completely overwhelming. This is what comedy is for, sudden insights into another soul's barely concealed trauma. It's up there with sonnet 29 for what the English language can say about loss and pain for me.

Sublime. Comedians often make great dramatic actors, but rarely do dramatic actors make great comedians...

One of Britain’s greatest actors.

Paul Whitehouse displaying a consummate acting skill. The twenty seconds or so prior to his admission of being very drunk shows a technique second to none without saying a word.

I always found this sketch saddeningly touching...the feeling of loneliness, guilt, and heartbreak...living on the scenarios of what could of or should have been.... When he mentioned the war, the song the cold .... i always see them at a dance before an air strike and she didn't survive...but he did...🥺 Sadly this is no doubt what so so many people actually went through! The way he captured the emotions of such a story with so few understandable words in such a small time frame truly shows his acting skills are exceptional...

Rowley, you are supposed to make me laugh, not cry.

The way he hold the suspense draws you in, the clock ticking and fireplace crackling all add to the atmosphere. Very poignant and brilliant acting.

Whitehouse's range is very underrated

I compare this to the very last episode of Blackadder. Where comedy can turn to serious drama in an instant and move you to tears. Both are genius examples of British writing.

Up there with the last scene of Blackadder goes forth....truly moving performance

Best delivered line in history. Glad to see I’m not the only in floods of tears

I watched this. Crying. I realise i am very very drunk. Genius performance 👏

It's 1.33 am, I'm on holiday in Spain. I'm quite drunk, and have no clue as to why I'm here. But this is so beautiful and so sad. Whitehouse is a wonder 💙

I held her in my arms….a stare that lingers eternally….

when I was in the POlice in London's West End, some 23 years ago, someone arrested and brought in a chap, drunk as anything, who was a doorman at one of the High End shops in Bond Street. He sounded EXACTLY like this character - we were all convinced Paul Whitehouse must have based him on that man. lol. who knows. He took one look at me and said. Oh.. just look at her.. she's absolutely GORGEOUS.. GORGEOUS. He WAS drunk, lol. we formed the opinion he had fallen on hard times to be a shop doorman like that. No disgrace in working of course, but purely going by his accent. this clip was quite sad.. the others with Rowley Birkin talking rubbish were funnier of course.

Most beautiful moment in comedy

Does anyone else come here when they just want to see a magnificent piece of acting?

2023. 27 years old. Put onto the Fast Show at 13 years old. Will still hold this scene in high regard.

The explanation of why he drank so heavily. Pure art.

What a load of rubbish.

I know it's a comedy show but this scene kind of explained why he's spent the rest of his life drinking. Great acting!

Nuff said. 👍

This is the part where you realize that…maybe the gibberish about him getting drunk was to hide some trauma that he had in the past…

That's Brilliant!

It’s 2023. Bought this DVD in a charity shop for 20p. Thought nothing of a bit of 90’s nostalgia. Been laughing all the way through the DVD. Then this scene popped up. Gave me the absolute shivers. I had to come onto RUclips to share what I felt. Glad soo many felt the same. Thanks everyone for sharing this moment. Thanks Paul Whitehouse for creating this moment. 🙏

Reading all the comments here, it seems that most people feel that this is about lost love and someone living with regret for what could have been. My interpretation has always been that the overwhelming emotion is guilt because he raped the girl he's talking about. That's the overwhelming impression I get from this: a man who feels regret because alcohol made him do something unspeakable. The clarity of his last words drive home how clearly he remembers it.

This actually made me cry and I felt very strange until I read the comments. It’s 2023 and this acting by Paul Whitehouse is probably the finest I’ve ever seen. Wow 😢

Just watched this episode on TV tonight. Great acting.

So powerful. The humanity of this sketch still makes me shiver.

Paul a very unrated actor. He still brings happiness to the screen.

look on the time bar thing at the graph of when people search out a specific second and there is a huge surge. all those, are people who remembered this clip, came to watch it. then even though they had only just watched it, felt they had to see that pensive section another time right away.

Fantastic and this is 2023

Having him say "and that's why I get very, very drunk" is always a change I think would've heightened this scene. Don't get me wrong, great already, but having that moment of realisation that he's actually talking about the source of his alcoholism would've been an interesting touch. In my opinion.

I'm afraid I was very drunk

This is why he drinks so much to forget.