CouchSlobs - A Monument To Human Idleness

Following post does come with a disclosure – I cannot give too many details about my previous place of employment. It is not a matter of me being snooty, hoity toity and all-important, far from it, my job was anything but. But I did work for some high-powered people so I simply do not want to put my foot in, sort to speak. In case I might (heaven forbid) consider going back to PR.

Absolute Power was an interesting series for me to watch as I saw it twice - once before I had any PR experience and then after I had some PR experience under my belt.

Absolute Power is a comedy about Prentiss McCabe PR agency in London. Our ingenious Mr. Fry plays a character named Charles Prentiss, who apart from having an ego the size of England is also a PR guru extraordinaire. To him moral fiber is something you have for breakfast to get your bowels moving.

His employees are fetched to do his bidding, which includes anything from making sure their clients do not come off as drug addicts (which proves a bit difficult as the said client sniffs constantly) to staging faux muggings that make their client hero for the day by the press.

The first time around I thought the series was at best preposterous and at worst ludicrous. Little did I know. Although I have never been forced to stoop that low, I did have my moments some of which include: calling a client a horse’s hoof (it was meant to be a compliment tsss); being send off to pacify a naffed off hack (the reason was he was less likely to shout at a fresh-faced girl namely me) and being chased around the office by my boss with a fur coat (as I have great dislike and distaste for fur things that were once attached to innocent animals). Yup I cannot believe I wrote it either but there you go.

What I find fascinating about Absolute Power (apart from the fact it is bloody good fun, witty, sharp and snarky just how I like it) is Mr. Fry himself. It never stops to amaze me what a fan-bloody-tastic actor he is. On one hand you have a man who writes a letter to a little boy about the importance of brushing his teeth regularly just because the little boy’s sister asked him to. On the other hand he plays a character that invents a disease to put a positive spin on his client’s wife beating ways. And he makes it believable! Even an old snarky cow like me immune to any possible PR load of bollocks cringed in disgust a few times. As I said bloody good actor that Mr. Fry.

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