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Margaret Thatcher and Spitting Image: we had no idea we would be joined at the hip Margaret Thatcher and Spitting Image: we had no idea we would be joined at the hip
(5 months later)
When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from the leadership of the Tory party, I had a conversation with my partner Peter Fluck about our relationship with her. I pointed out that, because of the success of our satirical puppet show Spitting Image, we would probably be joined at the hip forever with Thatcher. "Well," said Fluck, "I'm having the operation."When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from the leadership of the Tory party, I had a conversation with my partner Peter Fluck about our relationship with her. I pointed out that, because of the success of our satirical puppet show Spitting Image, we would probably be joined at the hip forever with Thatcher. "Well," said Fluck, "I'm having the operation."
For caricaturists, at least, Thatcher was always a good little earner. The first caricature Peter and I made of her was commissioned by the late Hugo Young, who was then a political columnist for the Sunday Times. Hugo insisted I read the Tory party manifesto that had ushered Thatcher into 10 Downing Street. "C'mon," I said, "it's the usual load of old bollocks." "No," he replied. "She is going to do it." And indeed she did.For caricaturists, at least, Thatcher was always a good little earner. The first caricature Peter and I made of her was commissioned by the late Hugo Young, who was then a political columnist for the Sunday Times. Hugo insisted I read the Tory party manifesto that had ushered Thatcher into 10 Downing Street. "C'mon," I said, "it's the usual load of old bollocks." "No," he replied. "She is going to do it." And indeed she did.
In the runup to her election, Peter and I had caricatured her as a question mark for the cover of the New Statesman (Who Is This Woman?), and as a dominatrix for a skin magazine because we quickly recognised that certain members of the Tory party liked a strong woman. We made caricatures of her partnered with Johnny Rotten for a satire on nightmare couples, which also included Princess Margaret and Tony Armstrong Jones. But we had no idea at that time just how many caricatures we were going to have to make of her, or how long the woman was going to be PM, or how uncomfortably close we were going to have to follow her star. The harder we tried to undermine her policies, the more successful Spitting Image became. Peter and I had been successful at publishing three-dimensional caricatures, modelled in plasticine then photographed, for magazines worldwide, but it was with the arrival of Thatcher and Spitting Image that our work really took off.In the runup to her election, Peter and I had caricatured her as a question mark for the cover of the New Statesman (Who Is This Woman?), and as a dominatrix for a skin magazine because we quickly recognised that certain members of the Tory party liked a strong woman. We made caricatures of her partnered with Johnny Rotten for a satire on nightmare couples, which also included Princess Margaret and Tony Armstrong Jones. But we had no idea at that time just how many caricatures we were going to have to make of her, or how long the woman was going to be PM, or how uncomfortably close we were going to have to follow her star. The harder we tried to undermine her policies, the more successful Spitting Image became. Peter and I had been successful at publishing three-dimensional caricatures, modelled in plasticine then photographed, for magazines worldwide, but it was with the arrival of Thatcher and Spitting Image that our work really took off.
Over the years, Spitting Image's portrayal of Thatcher developed. As she became more strident, the puppet became more manic and manly. In desperation we tried satirical irony by portraying her as a pleasant person. It did not work and was instantly dropped. I had my own views on Thatcher the person. She was a lower-middle-class petit bourgeois. I come from a similar background and understood the enemy. She was, therefore, much easier to caricature than the bog-standard upper-class, self-deprecating, slippery politician.Over the years, Spitting Image's portrayal of Thatcher developed. As she became more strident, the puppet became more manic and manly. In desperation we tried satirical irony by portraying her as a pleasant person. It did not work and was instantly dropped. I had my own views on Thatcher the person. She was a lower-middle-class petit bourgeois. I come from a similar background and understood the enemy. She was, therefore, much easier to caricature than the bog-standard upper-class, self-deprecating, slippery politician.
Of all the caricatures we made, my personal favourite remains an image entitled Maggalyn: Thatcher as Marilyn Monroe in that famous pose astride an up-draft trying to hold down her billowing dress giving us a glimpse of her knickers. Our version was almost a facsimile of the original photograph, except if you look closely La Thatch is wearing Y-fronts with a bulging package.Of all the caricatures we made, my personal favourite remains an image entitled Maggalyn: Thatcher as Marilyn Monroe in that famous pose astride an up-draft trying to hold down her billowing dress giving us a glimpse of her knickers. Our version was almost a facsimile of the original photograph, except if you look closely La Thatch is wearing Y-fronts with a bulging package.
Moving from print to television was an eye-opener. We were astonished how much outrageous stuff went to air with no problems. Spitting Image was never really leaned on; instead, it became a weekly lancing of Thatcher's excesses. Every year, Spitting Image published a comedy book for Christmas and we often tried to recycle ideas from the show to the printed page, only to be advised by our lawyers to drop the offending pages. One publisher, convinced that Thatcher would sue, wrote a note to 10 Downing Street to ask for the PM's blessing. To her credit, a letter came back wishing his entrepreneurial venture well. The most successful merchandising wheeze we came up with were the dog chews – throw a politician to your dog. They loved the colourful little squeaky rubber busts of Thatcher and Reagan.Moving from print to television was an eye-opener. We were astonished how much outrageous stuff went to air with no problems. Spitting Image was never really leaned on; instead, it became a weekly lancing of Thatcher's excesses. Every year, Spitting Image published a comedy book for Christmas and we often tried to recycle ideas from the show to the printed page, only to be advised by our lawyers to drop the offending pages. One publisher, convinced that Thatcher would sue, wrote a note to 10 Downing Street to ask for the PM's blessing. To her credit, a letter came back wishing his entrepreneurial venture well. The most successful merchandising wheeze we came up with were the dog chews – throw a politician to your dog. They loved the colourful little squeaky rubber busts of Thatcher and Reagan.
Not all our enterprises had such happy endings. The National Portrait Gallery commissioned a Spitting Image exhibition for the summer holidays. We put forward the idea of the children entering the exhibition through Thatcher's mouth and travelling along her innards, with all her wondrous achievements and friends and enemies on display, to a small television studio where the kids who had been lucky enough to get the Willy Wonka golden tickets got to make a quick puppet show while the others watched, finally all exiting through the Iron Lady's bottom.Not all our enterprises had such happy endings. The National Portrait Gallery commissioned a Spitting Image exhibition for the summer holidays. We put forward the idea of the children entering the exhibition through Thatcher's mouth and travelling along her innards, with all her wondrous achievements and friends and enemies on display, to a small television studio where the kids who had been lucky enough to get the Willy Wonka golden tickets got to make a quick puppet show while the others watched, finally all exiting through the Iron Lady's bottom.
The workshop and I were toiling hard on going over budget when I received a call from the gallery. Some new trustees (Thatcher-appointed) objected to the exhibition. This had never happened before; trustees usually rubber-stamped exhibitions. The harassed director was profoundly sorry and upset but made it clear the show must not go on. Hugo Young explained to me that Thatcher's modus operandi was to place her people at the top of institutions and very quickly everything else would fall into line – and, of course, it worked.The workshop and I were toiling hard on going over budget when I received a call from the gallery. Some new trustees (Thatcher-appointed) objected to the exhibition. This had never happened before; trustees usually rubber-stamped exhibitions. The harassed director was profoundly sorry and upset but made it clear the show must not go on. Hugo Young explained to me that Thatcher's modus operandi was to place her people at the top of institutions and very quickly everything else would fall into line – and, of course, it worked.
Spitting Image was most certainly joined at the hip with Thatcher. We strung it out for far too long after she went, but the steam had gone out of the show. We had a great deal of fun with the Leaderene. Clearly my idea of fun would not have been Thatcher's. Seeing in the New Year with Jimmy Savile, as she did on a number of occasions, would have been my idea of hell. And that was before we discovered that you had to hide the grandchildren. Thatcher's lack of humour and abrasive and confrontational approach to carrying out her policies made the downright rudeness of Spitting Image possible. The current blitzkrieg of eulogies to the Thatcher years is driven by a nostalgia without memory.Spitting Image was most certainly joined at the hip with Thatcher. We strung it out for far too long after she went, but the steam had gone out of the show. We had a great deal of fun with the Leaderene. Clearly my idea of fun would not have been Thatcher's. Seeing in the New Year with Jimmy Savile, as she did on a number of occasions, would have been my idea of hell. And that was before we discovered that you had to hide the grandchildren. Thatcher's lack of humour and abrasive and confrontational approach to carrying out her policies made the downright rudeness of Spitting Image possible. The current blitzkrieg of eulogies to the Thatcher years is driven by a nostalgia without memory.
Suzanne Moore is away.Suzanne Moore is away.
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