'Allo 'Allo Books

The Complete War Diaries of Rene Artois and Jeremy Lloyd's autobiography have been ordered and reviews and pics will be added when they arrive & I've had a chance to peruse them.

Rene & Me

Rene & Me: A Sort of Autobiography
Gorden Kaye (with Hilary Bonner)
London: Sidgwick & Jackson Limited, 1989
IBSN 0 283 99965 9

I could not find this book for sale anywhere I tried, although my local library for some reason has three copies. It was written when 'Allo 'Allo was on its last legs, seemingly in response to tabloid sound and frenzy over a rent-boy who attempted to sell the story of his dealings with Kaye.

Simply written, Rene & Me is a moving, sometimes to the point of distressing, account of being overweight, gay and painfully shy, and of how Kaye found his self-confidence and a vital means of self-expression as an actor. Playing Rene was clearly important to Kaye. He describes Rene as a kind of alternate character he can put on when he feels inadequate to handle situations, a way to let his wit and charm escape from his painful self-consciousness.

The account of the tabloid fury over revelations that he was (horror) gay and (horror of horrors) had used the services of hired male companions is a case lesson in both how homophobic the media world still is, and also on how surprisingly enlightened people can be. The autobiography is actually co-written by the sympathetic journalist Kaye used to pre-empt the stories, and deals simply and plainly with them. The hypocrisy of an MP who called for Kaye to resign the role of Rene on the grounds that a gay man should not star in a "family" show is particularly appalling, given that the show relies on double-entendre for most situations and much of the humour derives from homophobic reactions to a queer character.

While this is no great work of literature, Kaye emerges from the book as a strongly admirable man, courageous, kind and devoted to his family. As someone who also has to find ways to "act" around paralyzing shyness and self-consciousness in public situations, and who also tends to brood on humilations and to feel she is often destined to forever do the wrong thing, Rene & Me affected me deeply.