Quote
This is from the 1987 cult black comedy film Withnail and I, written and directed by Bruce Robinson. An adaptation of Robinson's novel of the same name, loosely based on his experiences in the late 1960s. The film is a favourite of Julian's and a touchstone for this story. 

Milk and Honey Bubble Bath
A clever reader asked if Julian's milk and honey bubble bath was a reference to the milk and honey of the Promised Land in the Bible. Unfortunately, I am not as clever as my readers, and I only picked that because I'd just had a nice soak in the tub using milk and honey scented bath and shower gel and thought it smelled lovely!

Julian's evening of a bubble bath followed by lying on his bed in a bathrobe reading a book is my idea of a great night in. That's what I'd be doing in the Afterlife.

The Television Channels
As part of the in-house entertainment offered by The Wayfarers Arms, all the channels offer each person's favourite films and TV from when they were alive. This is a piece of wish fulfilment for anyone who's ever flipped through all the channels on TV and checked their streaming service, and found nothing to watch.

Miles Davis
Acclaimed American trumpeter and composer, one of the most revered figures in jazz and 20th century music. Julian is a fan of his, and rates his album In a Silent Way as one of his favourites. He was taken to see Davis perform by his father in Manchester, April 1989, and was a bit underwhelmed. He preferred his work from the 1970s. I'm not sure, but the documentary may be the 1991 television movie Miles Davis and Friends, by French director Renaud Le Van Kim.

The Goodies
British comedy series broadcast in the 1970s and early '80s, starring the comedy trio The Goodies (Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie). It featured slapstick comedy, absurd situations, and lots of parodies of contemporary pop songs. Consistently popular, it never gained the critical acclaim of Monty Python, being seen as a "kid's show". This is despite having plots involving sex, death, drugs, black magic, philosophy, and politics, and The Goodies being friends with the Pythons.

Julian says The Mighty Boosh started when he asked Noel if he would like to become "the new Goodies". Its influence upon The Mighty Boosh is obvious, although the shows are actually quite different in style and tone. The Mighty Boosh did get to use a few of The Goodies' props, as Julian's girlfriend, comedy writer Julia Davis, was friends with Bill Oddie's daughter. Bill generously shared some of his stuff with them, as a nice link between these two comedy troupes.

Withnail and I
In the story, I say that Julian first discovered his same-sex attraction watching Paul McGann with Richard E. Grant in Withnail and I (when Julian was 19). I have no way of knowing if this is true, and Julian has never even hinted at it. In contrast, the 1990 film Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze, seems to have awakened or confirmed something for him. I just put it in because it seemed plausible, and because Withnail and I is a pretty homoerotic film – somehow, it manages to be homoerotic and homophobic at the same time.

I also say in the story that it was Withnail and I that first propelled Julian into performing stand up. This is a complete fiction – it was actually riffing on the animated TV series Scooby Doo while he was still at school that Julian first got his taste of performing comedy.

Although Julian has named Withnail and I as one of his favourite films, he hasn't listed it as a direct influence on The Mighty Boosh, and neither has anyone else, that I have seen. However, I think it is pretty clear that the dynamic between Howard and Vince is similar to Withnail and Marwood (the "I" of the title), and they used several character ideas and plot points from the film, which I can't believe to be all coincidences.

It is the 2009 comedy film Bunny and the Bull, written and directed by Paul King, the director of The Mighty Boosh, which is described as "Withnail and I for the mentally ill" (rather than the alcoholics of the original). Julian and Noel both have minor roles in the film, as a tramp and a bullfighter.

Kissing Characters
While sketching out ideas for a comedy show, Julian considers having two male characters with a lot of unresolved sexual tension between them, just like Withnail and Marwood ("I"). Then he thinks about taking the idea a step further, and having the two men actually kiss, wondering if audiences are ready for such a scenario.

Julian and Noel's characters, Howard and Vince, do share a passionate kiss in the "Party" episode of the third series of The Mighty Boosh (2007). They kiss in order to save Noel/Vince's life, but end up getting into it. Julian and Noel discussed the kiss in an interview, saying that it breaks the rules of being a double act, as it crosses the line which keeps the sexual tension unresolved.

They pondered the idea of doing an episode where the kiss did break the spell between them, and they weren't funny any more. Interestingly, after "Party", there is only one other episode of the TV show, "The Chokes" in the 2007 final series, and it's generally considered pretty dismal, ending on a bittersweet down note. Perhaps the kiss did kill off the TV show, although they successfully continued stage shows (with kissing) until 2009.

They also thought of having their characters wake up in bed together, thinking they have had sex – a magic potion would have been involved to explain this unusual behaviour. Awkwardness would have followed until they presumably learned the truth. I am unsure whether Julian and Noel planned to reveal Howard and Vince did or they didn't, and perhaps they are unsure as well.

The interviewer asked them if there was any awkwardness between them because of the onscreen kiss. Julian merely hummed and laughed, but Noel gave a serious answer, looking the interviewer directly in the eyes: "No. We were both comfortable with it".

By the way, if you were wondering if kissing each other on camera was sexy or romantic for them - not really. Like most onscreen kisses! Noel had a cold, felt disgusting, and worried about giving his germs to Julian. In the behind the scenes footage, Noel seems a bit stressed about getting the scene right, and the teasing from the crew a genuine annoyance to him.  

Hamlet
Yes, again with the Hamlet. Another connection between Withnail and I and The Mighty Boosh – both Withnail and Howard/Julian dream of becoming actors, and both give a recitation from Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy. The film ends with Withnail performing his monologue to the wolves at London Zoo, proving himself to be a talented actor, although a failed one.

(The original cut of the film went on to show Withnail's suicide, which was the conclusion to the novel the film is based on, but this ending was changed).

In The Mighty Boosh, Howard/Julian also eventually proves himself to be a talented actor, in the final episode of the show's run. Like Withnail, his talent goes untapped, his only job offer to do an embarrassing television commercial. Also, the first series of The Mighty Boosh is set in a zoo, and one episode involves wolves!

I think Howard's dream of being an actor was also Julian's. He has had a successful career as an actor on film and television, and has even performed onstage in Chekhov's The Government Inspector. 

Julian Reality Check
Julian really did get terrible performance nerves before going on stage, and felt physically sick. And he really did keep it a secret at first, going off to perform in comedy clubs without telling anyone. From the way that he spoke so feelingly about the relief of having a comedy partner to perform with, you get the idea Noel was an incredible help and support with this.

Characters
Phil's Pauline
Julian's housekeeper at The Wayfarers Arms, and the soulmate of the taxi driver, Phil. In the "Bollo" episode of The Mighty Boosh, both Colin and Phil have wives named Pauline. They are alluded to in this exchange.

Colin: How's your Pauline?
Phil: Okay. She's dead. How's your Pauline?
Colin: Dead. She's alright though.

Apparently the Reapers invariably have wives named Pauline. Pauline's beauty is all in her smile, although I think she's pretty adorable anyway. When I lived in the UK for a short time, I was charmed by the way older women called everyone "love", "luvvie", or "ducks" - sometimes all three in the same brief conversation! ("What can I get you, ducks? Yes luvvie, you can have a couple of baps. There you go, love.") I gave Pauline this endearing habit, because I couldn't think of anything more reassuring.