Spitting Image creator Roger Law speaks out on US Election, Trump and YouTube

Posted on 6 November 2020
By Andy Johnson
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Satirical masterpiece Spitting Image has burst forth on to our screens again at a perfect moment in time, when we need the masters of the universe to be taken down a peg or two.

The show has picked up exactly where it left off in the late 80s and 90s and one of the secret ingredients is that the show’s original creator Roger Law is back. Although, he’s quick to pass praise to the rest of the team.

As the final result of this most divisive of US elections draws near, Spitting Image is prepared. Two special editions are being readied and ‘topicals’ as Law calls them – have been penned for every eventuality.

The myriad of amazing puppets are all built and ready to rock. No matter what people think about Spitting Image in today’s post PC world – the puppets are what make everything work.

Purple Revolver hope that younger audiences, who don’t have the original series as a reference point, can understand the need for the vitriol that these public figures deserve.

Nobody is safe from scorn at the hands of the highly capable team behind one of the most iconic topical humour shows of all time.

Least of all Donald Trump, who during this busy time in his life, has delegated the finer points of his Tweeting habit to his asshole.

Roger said: “Donald Trump is an absolute gift for a satirical show.

“But on the other hand, I would like to see him go, I really would.”

Time will tell. The show’s lead writer Jeff Westbrook is an American and as Law points out, under his guidance Spitting Image has become more reactive than ever.

He said: “With the previous Spitting Image in the 80s if you got some excitement, a bit of energy and some belly laughs, that was a good show.

“There’s much more to laugh at it in the stuff he’s pumping out. Westbrook is getting a lot of topicals into one show – we didn’t do that before.”

Looking forward, would a new administration entering the Whitehouse require a complete artistic overhaul? New puppets take around 14 days to make and cost £10,000 each – a Biden victory could be costly.

But Law says he’s seen it all before. He added: “There are all sorts of things you can do. Years ago the Italians wanted to do a show and they asked us to make the puppets.

“To my horror, the morning after the first show went out, the government collapsed. I rang the producer and said ‘What do we do now?’ He said, ‘Please don’t worry, all the same people will come back.’

“A lot of the people we’ve made will be around in one form or another. Mitch McConnel, Nancy Pelosi – it’s a club. That’s one thing Trump got right.”

Spitting Image airs on Britbox, with new episodes each week; visit www.britbox.co.uk to sign up for a free trial.