The Burkiss Way

The Burkiss Way is a radio sketch comedy series, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1976 to 1980. The title referred to the initial concept, that the show was a radio correspondence course, but that aspect was soon dropped. While topical elements were sometimes included, the show often became surreal. By the last season, one sketch would often be interrupted and later collide with another. Episodes also had increasingly convoluted titles listing odd things which one could accomplish "the Burkiss Way." 
==Muppet Mentions==
The Nov 1, 1980 episodeTitled "Write extremely long titles with lots and lots of words in, like this, so that the Radio Times will have to allot more space than the measly half a centimetre of billing space we usually get and at least it'll look a bit more prominent on the page, although still nowhere near the 50 column inches they give to The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy The Burkiss Way" in Radio Times. opens with Richard Nixon delivering a speech, saying he plans to stand again for office. He's suddenly interrupted, as the door opens, and Scooter says "Two minutes to curtain, Mr. Nixon!"
As the theme commences (sampled from The Muppet Show Music Album), Kermit the Frog announces, "It's The Muppet Show with our very special guest star Richard Nixon!" Applause soon gives way to horn honks, buzzes, and bells.
Statler and Waldorf then exchange an odd joke about an Irish ventriloquist. They then gripe that "One of these days, we'll be given a funny line to say." Statler replies, "Yeah, and pigs will fly." Airplane sounds are heard, and Waldorf asks, "I say, who gave Nixon a pilot's license?"
The theme finishes and the cacophonous bells, buzzers, and horns continue. Miss Piggy enters and says," "Kermie, frog of my heart, I think something's wrong." "How do you mean?" "I think the people who dub the laughter and applause on are pressing THE WRONG BUTTON!"
Nixon returns and complains that he refuses to share his dressing room with a snake. Kermit replies, "Oh, that's a mirror, Mr. Nixon!" Nixon then says he hopes there will be no tasteless reference to my previous, well, uh, you know." Kermit tells "Mr. President" to relax, since nobody here would be *that* dumb.
Cut to Fozzie Bear (sampling his comedy act intro music and a small portion of actual Frank Oz dialogue from the first album): "Hiya, hiya, hiya! I wouldn't say Nixon was tricky, but he shaves seventeen times a day! One for each face! Ahhhhhhhhh!" The Nixon jabs continue (and then the album exit music is heard again). Kermit responds, "Thank you, Fozzie, and good luck in Siberia. Well now, it's over to our resident weird person..." But instead of Gonzo, a female voice says "This is Radio 4" instead. 
The next sketch is The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, done as a parody of The Odd Couple (complete with theme). The sketch then collapses into a spoof of daytime radio. 
Near the end of the show, the Odd Couple parody resumes. Charles Grimm (an impression of Walter Matthau, played by the same actor as Kermit) answers the door (which is signaled by applause) and says "Sorry about the doorbell. We're on a party line with the Muppets."
At the very end of the show, the malfunctioning applause track is heard again, and Kermit concludes, "Well, that's about all we've got time for today. We'll see you all next week here on The Muppet Show! Yaaaaaaay!" Statler and Waldorf return, with Waldorf saying he's sorted out the technical issues, having found a person who's a fully qualified button pusher. Statler asks, "Really? What was his..." before an explosion is heard (and the theme ends with Zoot's bum note).
The cast included Jo Kendall (as Miss Piggy and all female parts), Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, and Fred Harris. 
==Notes==
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Category:Audio Mentions