I also think that in spite of, and perhaps because of the austere times we should have a whip round and buy Kate and Wills a new flat screen telly. To cheers us all up, like.

Jeffrey Lewis is just very good, isn’t he?

I’m not a cult boyfriend, by the way. I’m probably more of a cheesy mainstream boyfriend best enjoyed ironically or drunk.

I just spent more time than you’d think recording these (ie longer than three minutes). I used all two-and-a-half of my accents and I also wore a different wig, moustache and brassiere for each character. They’re submissions for next year’s Rouch Cuts Podcasts from The Comedy Unit. Will they get in? Will they? Or will they?

Sometimes I have these ideas, and then I do them in photoshop or whatever, and two hours later I’ve come up with something that’s almost quite funny. Here’s one of those things. It was funnier in my head.

Aw. I miss Bill too.

A couple of months ago we made a short film for the National Film Challenge 2011. We had three days to write and make a short film. The pic above shows us working out the story. Note step 1: “does something funny”. We are good at comedy.

The film was written and performed by me and mi Heavy Petting compadres, it was shot by the amazingly talented Jay Moussa, and John Noble built us a house of cards, an electrified collar and a hospital maternity unit in the corner of our office.

Anyway, 155 teams worldwide took part, 125 got completed films in, and now the best 15 have been shortlisted, and we’re in! We’re the only UK team to make it, so we’re pretty chuffed.

You can see (and, you know, maybe vote for?) the film here:

http://filmchallenge.org/2011-Finalists/2011-finalist-distraction-jackson.html

I haven’t voted yet, so I totally understand if you can’t be arsed either, but if you do watch it, let me know what you think.

And in case you’re wondering, we got given the genre “mockumentary” (I know! But what can you do?) and the film had to include a glass of wine, a marathon runner called Francis Tucker and the line “Let’s pretend this never happened”.

Here’s an nice picture of us filming a scene.

This very short film I made a very long time ago is showing on BBC Big Screens in town centres up and down the country this December. It is Christmassy and sweet and I still have the ukulele.

The animated bit was by the immensely talented Chris Corner. Check out his Donkey the Whale for some delightful oddness.

The Heavy Petting zine. Coming soon…