h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ok, so he didn't want some people you might call colleagues to attend his funeral, and some of them may or may not have been human.

I'm really struggling here. I feel we're groping for the exact wording of a punchline, and that so much as a millimetre off in either direction scores as a miss.

B

Well, it looks like this is leading nowhere, so I will end it now and provide the answer.

The person in question was the quiz show host and comedian Rudi Carrell; he hailed from Alkmaar in the Netherlands, but most of his career took place in Germany. That's where he was buried, too.

The year before he died, Rudolph Moshammer, a rather weird fashion designer from Munich, had been murdered. There was huge media coverage of the event, with many celebrities attending who hadn't even known him in life. Among them were the four Jacob Sisters, about the worst act German TV entertainment ever had to offer, each one accompanied by her white poodle (they've been carrying those poodles, and their descendants, around since 1960). Here's a link to one of their TV appearances. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=abL2cJqJY74

It's certainly not for the faint of heart, but it explains why, a few weeks before his death, Carrell said in his last televised interview:
"I am not afraid of death. What I'm really afraid of is the Jacob Sisters. I'm scared they might show up at my funeral with those stupid poodles and totally ruin the atmosphere, like they did for Moshammer. That's why I want a private funeral."

You are right, it is funny.

Also quite interesting.

I think we got reasonably close even if we didn't manage to get it absolutely on the nail.

There was probably no way to come up with the correct answer, but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway...

The smiley is a frighteningly good likeness, isn't it?

Does whoever came up with warewolves get a point or two? You certainly deserve an point imho for setting the question and being incredibly patient with the answers

B

"Not Barnum, the "circus" isn't to be taken literally... "

Graham Chapman? (so far the only deceased Python - "Flying Circus")

Damn, in after the kill again...