Rik Mayall was perhaps best known in the U.S. for his role in the cult film 
"Drop Dead Fred," but became first noted in the UK as Rick, the obnoxious 
anarchist in "The Young Ones," the BBC sitcom that became the first 
non-music series on MTV in the mid-80s (after which MTV aired "The Comic 
Strip Presents," the sketchcom that was his first series).  Although his 
other series "Bottom" and "The New Statesman" were never aired here, some 
Americans may know him from his role as Lord Flashheart in the "Blackadder" 
series.  In the UK, he was considered a trend-setter in bringing a new kind 
of comedy into the mainstream and most British comics today considered him 
an inspiration (BBCA blogger Fraser McAlpine calls "The Young Ones" the Sex 
Pistols of sitcoms and Mr. Mayall the Johnny Rotten):

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27770266

Here's the McAlpine post, with lots of clips from Mr. Mayall:

http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2014/06/rip-rik-mayall/


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