Is this for real? Are you joking?
Griff: No. This is really true, as any member of my family can testify.
Even thinking about Fawlty Towers
can be potentially quite dangerous!
What about certain Key Words and Phrases from the show?
Griff: Yes, these have been shown to be just as dangerous as well. Certain words
such as, “Basil”, “Manuel”, “Rat” are especially nasty, as they are capable of conjuring
up key and especially poignant and dangerous moments from the show. Also, having
a pictorially vivid imagination also exacerbates this dreadful condition.
What is it about Fawlty Towers that brings on these attacks?
Griff: Yes, good question! I first saw Fawlty Towers at a very impressionable age,
and it somehow must have imprinted on my brain, possibly causing modification to
my visual cortex and possibly made spasmodic synaptic connections leading to excessive
amounts of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine to be released into my system. This
release, in combination with my chronic asthma has shown to be a potentially lethal
combination on many occasions when I have been subjected to excessive amounts of
laughter. Fortunately, extreme cases - such as mine - are quite rare, but the condition
is not uncommon to a lesser extent in well documented cases.
What can be done? Is there any cure?
Griff: Alas, no. There is presently no cure. Indeed, with the current media trend
to release digitally enhanced high-definition and sound enhanced surround-sound versions,
the situation has become even more critical. These super-enhanced versions could
prove fatal “on-the-spot”, so it is out of the question to even entertain the idea
of allowing these versions anywhere near me.
What about other shows?
Griff: Yes, this has been shown to be a problem as well... In retrospect, wisdom
has shown that it is not advisable to specifically list other painfully funny and
hence potentially lethal shows, as on one occasion an ex-friend with a grudge posted
me two DVD’s with some of the aforementioned under plain-wrapping, and upon opening
nearly bought on instantaneous shocking attacks! Very nasty!
I am now much more careful when opening correspondence of any sort, especially unsolicited
email, letters and plain-wrapped packages!
“Basil Fawlty... my nemesis”
What on earth do you mean?
Griff: I adore the genius of Fawlty Towers.. But it can be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS to
my health!
As a chronic asthmatic, watching Fawlty Towers can cause me to laugh so much, and
with such gusto that on a couple of occasions, my laughing bought on attacks that
were so bad I had to be hospitalised. As such, it is with deep sadness that my doctor
has insisted that I only be allowed “small prescribed doses” of the show, and to
watch only under supervision, just in case another attack is bought about - which
is very likely!
Indeed, some of the episodes are simply just too dangerous for me
to watch: “The Builders”, “The Germans”, “Communication Problems” and “Basil the
Rat” ... these episodes could be particularly nasty...
