Gareth Cheeseman
Encyclopedia
Gareth Cheeseman was a fictional salesman played by Steve Coogan
in the episode "Dearth of a Salesman" of Coogan's series "Coogan's Run
". The character is probably best remembered for his blue Ford Probe
company car, which ends up being crushed at the end of the programme, and his Hugo Boss
suit, which he cannot help but keep mentioning.
Cheeseman was a self-centred, egocentric and materialistic Computer Hardware (Fictitious Lancelot 2000 DRAM sound card
) sales executive with virtually no redeeming features, and is generally regarded as the best (and most cringeworthy) of the Coogan's Run characters. He is perhaps best remembered for looking into his bathroom mirror at a Travel Inn motel and saying "You're a tiger! Grrrrrr!!!!!" and urging a client to sign a new sales contract, even though just seconds before the client had been informed of his son's suicide.
Of the characters portrayed by Coogan in the series, Cheeseman was the most similar to Alan Partridge
. As well as looking more like Partridge than most of Coogan's characters, he had a similar self-obsession and arrogance coupled with failings in his daily work. As most of the Dearth of a Salesman episode is set in a hotel, it is similar in many ways to I'm Alan Partridge
, where Partridge was forced to live in a low-budget hotel for six months.
It has been said that the relative lack of success of the Ford Probe
in the UK was in part due to the Gareth Cheeseman character. Coogan has an interest in cars and this leads to some inspired vehicle casting, Cheeseman's Probe being one, Alan Partridge's Rover 800
and subsequent Lexus IS200 being other examples.
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
in the episode "Dearth of a Salesman" of Coogan's series "Coogan's Run
Coogan's Run
Coogan's Run was a 1995 UK TV series featuring Steve Coogan as a series of odd characters living in the fictional town of Ottle. It was written by various people including Coogan, Patrick Marber, David Tyler, Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews, Geoffrey Perkins and Henry Normal...
". The character is probably best remembered for his blue Ford Probe
Ford Probe
The Ford Probe was a coupé based on the Mazda GD platform, and powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 4 cylinder Mazda F2 engine.The first generation Probe appeared in 1988 and lasted until 1992 in the United States. In some markets the model years were from 1987 to 1991...
company car, which ends up being crushed at the end of the programme, and his Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
suit, which he cannot help but keep mentioning.
Cheeseman was a self-centred, egocentric and materialistic Computer Hardware (Fictitious Lancelot 2000 DRAM sound card
Sound card
A sound card is an internal computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. The term sound card is also applied to external audio interfaces that use software to generate sound, as opposed to using hardware...
) sales executive with virtually no redeeming features, and is generally regarded as the best (and most cringeworthy) of the Coogan's Run characters. He is perhaps best remembered for looking into his bathroom mirror at a Travel Inn motel and saying "You're a tiger! Grrrrrr!!!!!" and urging a client to sign a new sales contract, even though just seconds before the client had been informed of his son's suicide.
Of the characters portrayed by Coogan in the series, Cheeseman was the most similar to Alan Partridge
Alan Partridge
Alan Gordon Partridge is a fictional radio and television presenter portrayed by English comedian Steve Coogan and invented by Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Stewart Lee and Richard Herring for the BBC Radio 4 programme On The Hour...
. As well as looking more like Partridge than most of Coogan's characters, he had a similar self-obsession and arrogance coupled with failings in his daily work. As most of the Dearth of a Salesman episode is set in a hotel, it is similar in many ways to I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
, where Partridge was forced to live in a low-budget hotel for six months.
It has been said that the relative lack of success of the Ford Probe
Ford Probe
The Ford Probe was a coupé based on the Mazda GD platform, and powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 4 cylinder Mazda F2 engine.The first generation Probe appeared in 1988 and lasted until 1992 in the United States. In some markets the model years were from 1987 to 1991...
in the UK was in part due to the Gareth Cheeseman character. Coogan has an interest in cars and this leads to some inspired vehicle casting, Cheeseman's Probe being one, Alan Partridge's Rover 800
Rover 800
The Rover 800 series is an executive car introduced by the Austin Rover Group in 1986 and also marketed as the Sterling in the United States. Co-developed with Honda, it was a close relative to the Honda Legend and the successor to the Rover SD1....
and subsequent Lexus IS200 being other examples.