Happy Birthday Matt Lucas

It's a tribute to Matt Lucas that so many of the loathsome characters he's created could also be simultaneously lovable; in fact, he's done more to popularize cruel and gruesome people than the PR firm that works for the Tories...

Born on this day in 1974, Lucas developed alopecia at the age of six, and as such has had no hair on his body since then. Rather than letting such a turn of events get him down, he turned it to his advantage, often appearing on television with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer dressed as an enormous baby for their comedy quiz show Shooting Stars.

Lucas, of course, is best known as co-creator of Little Britain, that parade of ghastlies which seeks to undo all the good works that VisitBritain can muster; prior to Little Britain, Lucas and his costar David Walliams also created Rock Profile, from whence derives my annoying impersonation of Shirley Bassey which can appear at any time, but most often does when Mr. Barr is around.

Many are the hours spent at the Pop Culture Institute breathless with hysterics at the onscreen antics of Walliams and Lucas; I do a pretty sharp impression of Andy Pipkin if I do say so myself, but I think my favourite of his characters is Marjorie Dawes, whose contrasting chipper demeanour and cruel spirit haunts me in my quest to lose weight.  And at the top of our acquisition list is the new Lucas/Walliams sitcom, Come Fly with Me.

Named by The Independent newspaper as the 8th most influential gay in the UK, in December 2006 Lucas entered into civil partnership with Kevin McGee in London, where they were far from being the only gays in the village.  Sadly, their relationship dissolved in October 2008 and McGee committed suicide a year later...
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