David Bowie

**David Robert Jones** OAL, known professionally as **David Bowie**, was an English singer-songwriter and actor. In *Extras*, he appears as a fictionalised version of himself in the second season episode 'David Bowie'.

A leading figure in the music industry, Bowie is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, and his music and stagecraft had a significant impact on popular music.

During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at over 100 million records worldwide, made him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In the UK, he was awarded ten platinum, eleven gold and eight silver album certifications, and released 11 number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Rolling Stone named him among the greatest artists in history and—after his death—the "greatest rock star ever".

## Personality

David Bowie first appears when he and his entourage enter the celebrity bar that Andy Millman and his friends have fled to in response to crazed fans at a local pub they went to previously. The security guard forces Andy and his friends, who had momentarily been occupying the VIP lounge section of the bar, out of the section due to Bowie's arrival. Eventually, Andy and Maggie make their way into the zone again by bribing the guard. They get Bowie's attention, who calls them over to his side of the lounge for a chat.

At first, Bowie seems very personable and listens intently to Andy and Maggie's stories. However, after hearing enough of Andy's recent rise to fame and the backlash that his sitcom *When the Whistle Blows* is getting from the press, Bowie pauses the conversation and turns to his piano; he begins to compose a song inspired by Andy's woes that mockingly refers to him as a "chubby little loser". Eventually, Bowie develops the song enough to encourage the rest of the bar's patrons to join with him in refrain, mortifying Andy. This moment reveals that Bowie tends to focus on the emotions and stories of others only for inspiration for his songs, not to actually provide genuine advice or consolation.

## Trivia

* David Bowie's appearance on *Extras* marked his last appearance on episodic television until his death in 2016; he also lent his voice in the 2007 television film *SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis* and made appearances in the films *August* (2008) and *Bandslam* (2009).
* David Bowie and Ricky Gervais were often fooling around off-camera. At one point, after Bowie left the room, Gervais had a producer play Bowie's song "Lady Stardust" on the piano. When he returned, Bowie was astonished and delighted to hear the song. As revenge, Bowie later went to the producer's piano, saying "Watch this!", and playing the intro of his song "Oh! You Pretty Things".
* After Ricky Gervais sent David Bowie his lyrics for what would later become the "Chubby Little Loser" song, he called him and asked if he could play something retro, like 'Life on Mars?'. Bowie responded "Yeah, I'll just knock off a quick fucking 'Life on Mars?' for you."

## Gallery

David Bowie plays a song mocking Andy as he and Maggie watch on