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FIGWIT fever

The Chicago Tribune’s Maureen Ryan wrote this Conchords related blog entry about the guys’ familiarity with “enthusiastic” fans. Specifically regarding the FIGWIT era and not the current generation of (cough cough).. “loyal” fans..

Originally posted: July 14, 2007
‘Flight of the Conchords’: Now with added ‘Lord of the Rings’ goodness
An interview with the guys behind HBO’s terrific comedy series “Flight of the Conchords” was as amusing and digressive as you might expect.

It turns out that the guys do have experience with fans who are as obsessive, if not more obsessive, than Mel, the Conchord’s one and only (slightly unhinged) fan.

Bret McKenzie, half of the comedy-folk duo, had a small role in the “Lord of the Rings” movies (as did most of the male population of Wellington, New Zealand, the hometown of McKenzie and his fellow Conchord Jemaine Clement).

McKenzie’s character actually got a nickname from “LOTR” fans after he appeared for a few seconds in the Council of Elrond scene in the first movie. The fans called him called Figwit, after the phrase “Frodo is great – who is that?”

“This is in reference to the distraction viewers may experience due to Figwit’s physical appearance and demeanor,” a wonderfully deadpan line from the Figwit entry on Wikipedia. There’s also a site devoted to the elf here.

The “Lord of the Rings” filmmakers were amused by Figwit’s cult popularity — “They were fascinated by the way that developed,” McKenzie said — so they gave the character a line in the third film.

“I am an elf, talking to Liv Tyler, telling her we have to go,” McKenzie said. His line: “My lady, we cannot delay.”

“Some of those fans we used as the basis for the character Mel, becase ‘LOTR’ fans are just so extreme,” McKenzie said.

I asked if Flight of the Conchords was currently New Zealand’s number one export.

Modest to a fault, which is the New Zealand way, they demurred. “I would say lamb, dairy products, Peter Jackson films” come ahead of the Conchords, Jemaine Clement said.

“If Peter Jackson gets into the lamb business, you’re in big trouble,” added “Conchords” executive producer James Bobin.

“Conchords” obsessives should note that the band will have an album out on Sub Pop toward the end of the year, that they’re not touring any time soon, and that the following things take place in upcoming episodes: Sally returns, Bret has a dream about David Bowie, the band gets new fans whom Mel doesn’t like, Jemaine gets an aggressive girlfriend and Darryl Hall and Kate Pierson of the B-52s guest star.

But don’t get too excited. As McKenzie deadpanned, “There are so few surprises.”

From: The Watcher - A Chicago Tribute blog