I miss this guy. The first time I saw him in the 1980's he terrified me. Then the more I saw him the more I really liked him, his wit and style. Thank you for posting this. After seeing this post it reminds me a lot of Jim Carry's personality.
That takes me back! I vaguely (very, very vaguely!) remember this interview, back when I genuinely thought Max Headroom was a very sophisticated computer animation. We were all young once, eh? 😉 Thanks for the nostalgia hit!
does it really matter whether it was live or pre-recorded? however they did it, they made it seem totally spontaneous and authentic and its just a joy to suspend one's disbelief watching this. one of the funniest tv interviews ever, probably.
Matt Frewer doesn’t get enough credit. Not only for being the character which already is gold but the fact he can improve as the character and not break while the stuttering and effects are going on is impressive.
@DoctorRad Re the stuttering: Matt Frewer (who plays Max), in an interview a couple of years ago, said that the stuttering was partly done by him, but augmented by what he called an artificial "stutter loop" - i.e. there WAS the technology in the 80s, surprising though that may seem. We weren't as backwards then as people think! They also used to either remove intermittent frames or repeat frames to get the "jerky" effect. Not very techy, but effective! :)
Bring Back Max - far better than all these "talent" shows with (or without celebrities) that cost a fortune to vote on. This is one of my favourite bits of T.V. and should be broadcast at regularly on terrestrial TV.
Thanks for posting this. I was laughing along with the audiance in the video. Thers nothing like a good 80's t.v clip. I never knew max headroom had a show.
Geez, these two give blatant backhanded compliments to each other like they've been best friends since grade school. And Terry's subtlety plays very well off of Max's more overt sarcasm.
Actually, for a lot of live interviews, like this one, a delay device would be used to make the stutter. You'll notice there's no video stuttering (repetition), just the slight delay. So yes, this was live, although Frewer would have been in an offstage studio.
As a Englishman, born and Bred and living in England I always thought, Terry Wogan never came across as a Irishman who was born and bred in Ireland , and then settled in England! Its a funny old world we all live in ;)
Amazing I've watched "Spitting image" for the last couple of years I had no idea the Robert Maxwell scetch on ep 1 of the third season was based on this Character:D
Why can't people get this straight? Matt Frewer does NOT play Max Headroom. It's the other way around. Max escaped from the television, found a torso, and created an acting persona called "Matt Frewer". Now, stop getting it confused!
@ JayChristie. No, from what I remember, it was live. Unlike the rest of his stuff which was cut and edited to give that 'buggy' look to it. They ran MH through a gizmo to lower the frame-rate and messed with the audio on his voice live (echo and vocoder type of thing). If you watch his own stuff, it's a lot more 'jittery'.
I watch Max headroom here in the Philippines. Me and my grandmother are talking about him back in the 80's :-) Funny :-) I wonder people will be thinking about Miku compeer to Max
@DoctorRad I've just watched an interview with Matt Frewer which suggests the live-looking video was actually live. Given the standard of Max's material though, I'd expect it was scripted at least. And of course, actors and comedy acts have long been performing pre-canned material to look spontaneous.
I sort of knew it was an actor, but I didn't know how they achieved the look. When reporters were told by the producers he was just an actor, they wouldn't believe. It's so simple, it's just a mask and clever editing, nothing more. Quite amazing how naive people were back then. The irony is, today we can do a fully animated motion capture Max Headroom WAY more amazing than the real one was...
Why was he ever awarded a KBE (disambiguation) He,s Irish , Not British(NI) , Not English , Not Scottish, Not Welsh Total Rubbish, A Insult to the previous people who have been awarded that privilege!
Max is always funny but I like this interview better. I think if the Letterman interview, or at least the one I saw, had backed off the glitchy effect back to the amount here I think it would have worked a bit better though he still went over well. And I’m not saying it would be better without it, a little glitch or stutter as they said adds to the effect but if it’s too much I think it makes the conversation feel choppy and can mess up the momentum of the conversation a little. Here they did that better I think. And he does very much sound like what Jim Carrey sounds like, even the tempo and the way he ends ‘big fella’.
@12161euclid Well there a coke commercial of his where he is a game show host and at one point he says "Blinfold please!" and they just appear on his head. So it's probably something in his programming. Andyesimatotalnerdsowhatdontjudgeme
Of course not. It was live. They're using the Amiga and doing quick grabs of video and audio and passing it on through. Since you posted this 7 years ago, though, you might have learned how they've done it by now. Smiling.
I miss this guy. The first time I saw him in the 1980's he terrified me. Then the more I saw him the more I really liked him, his wit and style. Thank you for posting this. After seeing this post it reminds me a lot of Jim Carry's personality.
Is it me or does Jim Carey take a lot of influence from Max Headroom?
I can see that
Definitely
Come to think of it ...yeah !
They are influenced by Canada
Theyre so close. Same voice.
and then Max became real and changed his name to Jim Carey
No just nope
He always was real. It was just characterization
So 80's, so cool. :)
That takes me back! I vaguely (very, very vaguely!) remember this interview, back when I genuinely thought Max Headroom was a very sophisticated computer animation. We were all young once, eh? 😉 Thanks for the nostalgia hit!
me too, I was a kid and saw this and was transfixed, but didn't understand what was going on and it came across as sinister lol
When I was a kid, I really thought Max Headroom was a real, computerised character !
Then I found out about Matt Frewer !
You’re not alone my friend, not alone at all... :)
Thats what I call good acting
Then we foundout Jim Carrey became max headroom for his career
does it really matter whether it was live or pre-recorded? however they did it, they made it seem totally spontaneous and authentic and its just a joy to suspend one's disbelief watching this. one of the funniest tv interviews ever, probably.
Matt Frewer doesn’t get enough credit. Not only for being the character which already is gold but the fact he can improve as the character and not break while the stuttering and effects are going on is impressive.
I would so happily watch this show again. Loved it.
Matt Frewer was the perfect choice to play Max Headroom - he has a very distinctive voice that fits the character so well!
BRING BACK MAX BRING BACK MAX! :)
He's in the oval orifice
I came here today due to Altered Carbon and the fact Matt Frewer is playing a crazy AI again. Good times.
Max Headroom was in Altered Carbon?? I don't remember him!
*puts sunglasses on* i feel bad for him, he was a ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nice man, why he would be-be-be-be a hacker? so-so-so-so co-co-cool
Why you stuttering? Are you cold
Kung Lao™ nope, check the video "max headroom and his manly advice"
Oh
Absolutely classic, going to be gutted if Max Headroom doesn't appear as himself in Ready Player One.
i know
He doesn't.
most of the appearances in that movie are not "free" homages or nods but product placements so he doesn't
He was in the book!
I’m happy he didn’t.
this is classic. love it.!
Trippy man...Haven't seen Max in ages.
Dang I feel old!
@DoctorRad Re the stuttering: Matt Frewer (who plays Max), in an interview a couple of years ago, said that the stuttering was partly done by him, but augmented by what he called an artificial "stutter loop" - i.e. there WAS the technology in the 80s, surprising though that may seem. We weren't as backwards then as people think! They also used to either remove intermittent frames or repeat frames to get the "jerky" effect. Not very techy, but effective! :)
Bring Back Max - far better than all these "talent" shows with (or without celebrities) that cost a fortune to vote on. This is one of my favourite bits of T.V. and should be broadcast at regularly on terrestrial TV.
I used to get stoned and watch Ma Ma Ma Max Headroom! Ah ha ha! 😁
Still do!!!
Wogan and others just were not on same plane as Max. Way ahead of his time Max.
Matt Frewer is a genius
Thanks for posting this. I was laughing along with the audiance in the video. Thers nothing like a good 80's t.v clip. I never knew max headroom had a show.
Geez, these two give blatant backhanded compliments to each other like they've been best friends since grade school. And Terry's subtlety plays very well off of Max's more overt sarcasm.
Actually, for a lot of live interviews, like this one, a delay device would be used to make the stutter. You'll notice there's no video stuttering (repetition), just the slight delay. So yes, this was live, although Frewer would have been in an offstage studio.
Actually a van in the parking lot.
"...and lots of other words with zeds in them." The key reveal that Matt Frewer is Canadian.
I can’t help but notice Johnny Bravo being somewhat inspired by Max Headroom.
As a Englishman, born and Bred and living in England
I always thought, Terry Wogan never came across as a Irishman who was born and bred in Ireland , and then settled in England!
Its a funny old world we all live in ;)
Well as an Irish man born and bred, I always thought Terry very much had the Irish gift of the gab.
Funny old world.
amazing interview. max's wit is second to none.
Way ahead of his time and still very cool.
i love the star trek episode that matt frewer was in
And his part in Eureka . That episode was S5 - remember the first time seeing it
The original vtuber
This is Max Headroom's second best TV appearance ever - the best one was on November 22 1987.
oh god that one
Inspired by comments on a post of Jenn Thorson's . I loved watching Max Headroom! This made me chuckle! Loved old Tel as well ☺
Mmmmax headroom om om was great.
Th.. Th.. Th.. That'll work..
NB/ Featured on 'Art of Noise'
He was awesome
To think that people thought the 80s were backwards! Remember Herbie Hancock's "Rockit"?!
The genius of Matt Frewer...and the Max headroom creators...
I wasn't brought up with it, but I was introduced to it 4 years ago when I was 15 and I was fascinated. Shame they didn't make more.
Matt was PERFECT as the Trashcan Man in Stephen King's The Stand.
Max freaked me out when I was a kid.
He's a frickin nerd
oh...
He think he's better than Chuck Swirsky frickin libreal.
Love ya Max !
FEEL THE WAVE
frickin' liberal
Ni iiii iiiice, well done.
Pure performance-art genius, and no filthy filth, either.
Wake up Max Headroom! WAKE UP!!!
Amazing I've watched "Spitting image" for the last couple of years I had no idea the Robert Maxwell scetch on ep 1 of the third season was based on this Character:D
Max Headroom is amazing
Max has to come back.
Even though Max Headroom is relic now, his puns and jokes were humourous.
love max Headroom's voice and static voice
😸
So great.
He's the best Dr Who of all!
Legendary
The first time I saw Max it was actually in the Pixels movie.
Hello
Mr. Branch checking in.
Actor Matt Frewer played Max. It's not an animation. back in the mid 80s- they did not have the hardware to do such animations anyways.
No, this was live.
Why can't people get this straight? Matt Frewer does NOT play Max Headroom. It's the other way around. Max escaped from the television, found a torso, and created an acting persona called "Matt Frewer". Now, stop getting it confused!
BRING BACK MAX!!
@ JayChristie. No, from what I remember, it was live. Unlike the rest of his stuff which was cut and edited to give that 'buggy' look to it.
They ran MH through a gizmo to lower the frame-rate and messed with the audio on his voice live (echo and vocoder type of thing). If you watch his own stuff, it's a lot more 'jittery'.
Max is cool!
I watch Max headroom here in the Philippines. Me and my
grandmother are talking about him back in the 80's :-) Funny :-)
I wonder people will be thinking about Miku compeer to Max
I need crossover art of this.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Joseph Robinette Biden gives his first "presidential" interview!
@DoctorRad I've just watched an interview with Matt Frewer which suggests the live-looking video was actually live. Given the standard of Max's material though, I'd expect it was scripted at least. And of course, actors and comedy acts have long been performing pre-canned material to look spontaneous.
Ah brilliant!
All done in the editing room.
@trashiscool1 - I see what you did there... and it made me chuckle.
what a CHARACTER MISS HIM!!!!
we miss u terry wogan
no we dont
I sort of knew it was an actor, but I didn't know how they achieved the look. When reporters were told by the producers he was just an actor, they wouldn't believe. It's so simple, it's just a mask and clever editing, nothing more. Quite amazing how naive people were back then. The irony is, today we can do a fully animated motion capture Max Headroom WAY more amazing than the real one was...
Matt Frewer aka Maxx Hedroom has had a lucrative acting career since, recently on the TV show "Eureka".
looks really cool
Bring back Max!
really reminds me of Duke Nukem
Is it the guy out of honey I shrunk the kids?, the neighbour's dad.
Yep
Max is Matt Frewer
I think Sir Terry was very brave to do this... it worked well.. Of course he wasn't sir then.
Why was he ever awarded a KBE (disambiguation)
He,s Irish , Not British(NI) , Not English , Not Scottish, Not Welsh
Total Rubbish,
A Insult to the previous people who have been awarded that privilege!
I didn’t think he was ever knighted...
Nice quality video. Did the transfer come from a master recording?
Max is always funny but I like this interview better. I think if the Letterman interview, or at least the one I saw, had backed off the glitchy effect back to the amount here I think it would have worked a bit better though he still went over well. And I’m not saying it would be better without it, a little glitch or stutter as they said adds to the effect but if it’s too much I think it makes the conversation feel choppy and can mess up the momentum of the conversation a little. Here they did that better I think. And he does very much sound like what Jim Carrey sounds like, even the tempo and the way he ends ‘big fella’.
MAX HEADROOM IS MY HERO
I see this inspired the look of agent Smith as well
I loved how Smith went from being a straightlaced, unflinching Agent to halfway maniacal but with Max's swagger and humor.
ちゃんとしたマックスには不気味の谷がない。
ジャックに使用されたあれに同じ名前を付けられちゃうのは、いやだな。
山寺宏一さんの力量にも改めて頭が下がる。
このテイストをまんま日本語でもってきてくれたもんなあ。
貴重な動画をありがとうございます。
its Matt Frewer :o)
Very Scary Mr Headroom!
Mitico Max ... tra un pò faranno vedere anche un intervista a Bin Laden così ... anzi ... l'hanno già fatto ... Viviamo in un mondo TRUFFA
What a good ending!
@12161euclid
Well there a coke commercial of his where he is a game show host and at one point he says "Blinfold please!" and they just appear on his head. So it's probably something in his programming. Andyesimatotalnerdsowhatdontjudgeme
BIG FELLA!
Its not the same video techniques used in the tv series.
Of course not. It was live. They're using the Amiga and doing quick grabs of video and audio and passing it on through. Since you posted this 7 years ago, though, you might have learned how they've done it by now. Smiling.
Max Headroom is God!
Max Hu-Akbar!!
By the way, he'd look great on the Ka'aba wall :P
Anyone else come here after watching Orphan Black and thinking "What else have I seen him in?"
Yep, it started bugging me so much when Dr. Leekie and Paul were talking.
I wonder how he did the voice : the echoes and change in pitch etc ?
Hahahaha:) I love it..Good old Max
@TheWeirdnessIsMe That cracked my @ss up! Too funny!
Max doesn't have arms, legs, and lower part of body at all!
Just plastic shoulders, chest, and head!
Terry Wogan: Is he available?
Max Headroom is so fucking witty.
Yeah, not Jim Carrie. The guy in the video would be Matt Frewer.
@Vicero87
He's played by an actor named Matt Frewer.
I still think he’s robotic, even though I know he’s not. Max is interesting too.
cool!
0:23 I think he's ready to appear.
Exactly what year this was aired? I want to know.....
He sounds exactly like Tim Gunn from that "Project Runway" show.
Think you're right