One spring day in 2010, a young man stormed into his parents’ home on Bøler in Oslo. He had big news with him. On the living room floor, he proudly proclaimed that he had received a contract with news itself. – I got a job. As a comedian! Yousef Hadaoui said. He was to work with humor legends Bård Tufte Johansen and Harald Eia. In 2010, they were to start the comedy program “Storbynatt”. Yousef grinned, but his father was not as thrilled. – Have I traveled across two oceans, worked for 30 years, had children and a wife, and established a life here for you, my son, to become a clown? – No, no, it’s not a clown, it’s a comedian, Yousef corrected. The father raised his index finger. – There is only one comedian, and that is Marve Fleksnes! Yousef Hadaoui has made us laugh with “Svart Humour” and “Nytt på Nytt”. But no matter what he does, the father always answers: “Yes, that’s good, but it’s not Fleksnes”. Photo: Ole Kaland / news These days it is 50 years since warehouse consultant Marve Almar Fleksnes stepped onto the TV screen. The series was originally only supposed to have six episodes, but became so popular that it ended up with six seasons. Since then, the comedy success has been loved, and not only by Yousef and his family. On news TV, on Facebook and YouTube, Fleksnes pleases more and more people. People have tattooed his face on their bodies, or added the surname Fleksnes to their own. Some have done both. Photo: Faksimilie Telemarksavisa What is it about this self-congratulatory, chattering, lonely and know-it-all loser with little self-awareness that has made him so popular? A completely ordinary Norwegian “Marve Fleksnes, a completely ordinary little Norwegian, warehouse manager by profession, quiet, naive and unexciting, in general like most Norwegians.” it was said in the program overview when the series started on 22 November 1972. Ordinary Norwegian in spite of it – Fleksnes is not an all-Norwegian invention. In 1971, Bo Hermansson was looking for a new script for a new sitcom for news. This was long before anyone had heard of “Side om side”, and in Norway there was no one who could write that type of series. That’s why he went to the BBC in London. They had been doing sitcoms for many years. One day he came across a script from the series “Hancock’s half hour”. The main character was a somewhat boastful fellow with high self-esteem, and with a peculiar ability to mess things up for himself. THE GOLD DIGGER: Bo Hermansson unearthed British comedy gold in the basement of the BBC. One year later it had become Fleksnes. Photo: Torstein Vegheim This is perfect for Rolv, Hermansson thought when he read the script. The comedian Rolv Wesenlund was known from sketches on TV and in revues. But the former jazz clarinetist was fond of improvising extensively, and therefore needed a larger format. Together they set about transforming Hancock into Fleksnes. Rolv Wesenlund had a background as a jazz clarinetist, and was used to improvising, which he found useful in Fleksnes. Photo: Per Ervik / NTB The script was translated, but Wesenlund refused to see clips from the original series. He wanted to make the character his own. By sheer coincidence, Fleksnes and Hancock ended up being quite similar in appearance. However, one can add that hats and coats were quite common at the time. Photo: news/BBC If you were to translate “Hancock’s half hour” directly, perhaps the series would be named “Flexnes half hour”. But here comes an important difference. They chose to call it “Flexnes’ fatalities”. As if Marve didn’t decide his own destiny. It also gave a clue that they had bigger ambitions than just making people laugh. The loser Fleksnes is associated with humor, but seen from today’s eyes, the world’s very first Fleksnes episode borders on sad. One feels sorry for Marve Fleksnes. – He is a loser, but he doesn’t see himself as a loser, says director Bo Hermansson (85). In episode one, Fleksnes stands in front of the mirror in a clothes shop, obviously dissatisfied with what he sees, and ends up with something reminiscent of a frock coat. In the next scene, he is on a date, but the lady starts laughing. Not from the fracture, but from his nose. A ridiculed and insecure Fleksnes ends up having plastic surgery (!). However, the happiness is short-lived when the next date laughs his ears off. Marve Fleksnes got a new nose in the first episode. It didn’t help. – It was funny, human, but also a bit sad, says Hermansson. Fleksnes shows sides that everyone can identify with. He is a human being of flesh and blood. Yousef Hadaoui tells how his father and many other Moroccans admire Fleksnes. The series made Norwegians harmless to many migrant workers in the 70s and 80s, and gave an insight into how Norwegians could be. There wasn’t that much of a difference between us and them. Another big difference from the British original was that the role of the protagonist’s good friend was changed to the mother. The love/hate relationship between Marve and Moder’n (Aud Schønemann) became a mainstay of the series. Photo: news Many of the Fleksnes episodes are about Marve solving a problem, such as getting a lady. But he always messes it up for himself. Can some of Marve’s limited behavior be explained by him playing with the cards life has dealt him? Psychologist Simen Fjellstad Holm has thought a lot about all this and more. It ended with a long analysis of the complex Fleksnes. – He is socially ill-equipped, and deals with all his problems in a very primitive way, says Holm. The series creators did not necessarily do the deep analyzes along the way. However, there is no doubt that Wesenlund helped flesh out the character. – It is clear that he picked up much of it, consciously or unconsciously, from himself. He became one with the character, says Hermansson. “YAY!” Wesenlund usually followed the script. However, if there was something in an episode that was a little dead, he was allowed to improvise. “Shall I drive a bit?”, he used to say. “Yes,” replied Hermansson. When Wesenlund improvised, he was really at his best. The fact that he was at one with the character meant that he could play within a safe framework. Of course, it affected those he was supposed to play with. – I was about to pee, says actor Kari Simonsen (85). Simonsen played a nurse in the episode “Blodgiveren”, and got to experience what Wesenlund meant by “driving a bit”. He could look very pensive, before lines like “Klystér er no’ dritt” suddenly spilled out of him. – I had never heard that before, and then it hit me right in the face. I don’t understand how I could survive that. The reactions were not long in coming. “It’s quite an achievement not to fall out of the role when Wesenlund starts…”, summed up Aftenposten. Wesenlund’s improvisation also created what eventually became the trademark of the series. On an exotic holiday in Antigua, Rolv Wesenlund and his wife Ruth had been served the song “Banana boat” every night they had dinner. And every morning Rolv woke up his Ruth by shouting the chorus from the song: “DAY-O”. To which she responded: “Would you please stop that screaming?!” But Wesenlund did not stop. At the next opportunity for improvisation, Marve Fleksnes suddenly shouted “DÆJÅ!”. Rolv Wesenlund explains. “Dæjå” became synonymous with Fleksnes, and thus also Wesenlund, who had to deal with having the expression shouted after him on the street. Even when he and his wife were on a trip to the Great Wall of China, they suddenly heard someone shout “Dæjå!” behind. There may not be that many people shouting “Dæjå” anymore, but the Fleksnes references appear at regular intervals. So-called “Flexnes situations” are one of them. Photo: HA/VG/news/Altaposten/Adressa The situation stems from the episode “Traffic and panic”, where Marve Fleksnes is out driving on a narrow Norwegian country road. He is, of course, the king behind the wheel, while everyone else is in the way. Suddenly he meets a car coming the opposite way. Both refuse to back down to let the other forward. In short, it’s very hot. Ruth and Yousef become friends Yousef Hadaoui was once interviewed about the importance Fleksnes had had for his family. Shortly afterwards, he received a letter in the post from the widow Ruth Wesenlund (Rolv Wesenlund died in 2013). She had greatly appreciated what Yousef had said in the interview. He sent a letter back. Then there was silence. Until now. Yousef stands in front of an apartment building on Frogner in Oslo. He is not the type to get nervous easily. He has, after all, met “Krompen and a bunch of other people”. But as he rings a doorbell, he almost looks a little sweaty. The sign says Wesenlund. The door opens and there stands Ruth Wesenlund. They have never met, but hug each other like old friends. SWEIP -> Photo: Javier Auris / news SWEIP -> Photo: Javier Auris / news Photo: Javier Auris / news – Oh, shit! Now I’m at home with the big boss! Be flexible, ass! After a warm welcome, Yousef catches sight of Marve Fleksnes’ hat itself. And yes, Christmas Eve came early this year. You are allowed to try it. YEAH! Yousef Hadaoui and Ruth Wesenlund immortalize each other in front of Håkon Gullvåg’s portrait of Rolv Wesenlund. Photo: Javier Auris / news As soon as they sit down on the sofa, they talk in breath and out. About Rolv and Marve, and that news hasn’t really broadcast anything funnier than Fleksnes. And at least not something that became so popular in Sweden and Denmark too! It’s a party for two in the living room, and if this were a podcast, the title would be “Ruth and Yousef become friends”. FESTROYK: – No, now we have to celebrate with a sign! Photo: Javier Auris / news – It’s good that we can document this, because fatter’n will never believe me. Yousef takes a selfie that his father will see as soon as he returns from Morocco. It makes him think about his family. And on a close family member who died during the period when he received the letter from Ruth. – She was a big fan of Fleksnes, so you hit a nerve with me. Then I both cried and was happy. So it is very much appreciated. – It was very nice to hear, says Ruth. They take another cigarette. It will be quiet for a little while. Photo: Javier Auris / news – Fleksnes didn’t always have to say so much either. With Rolv’s facial expressions and reactions, even those who had limited knowledge of Norwegian understood, says Yousef. There will be one more hug before the visit is over. Yousef commands the photographer to take one last picture of them, because this will be on Instagram. FLEXBOOK: – This should be shared on Insta, says Yousef. And Facebook, we suggest. – Flexbook! says Ruth. Photo: Javier Auris / news On the way out, the Fleksnes hat is returned to the place of honor, and Yousef must write in the guest book. He leaves his phone number (“If there should be anything, I’m very close. Just let me know!”). They give each other a long goodbye hug. – It was so nice to have you visit! It won’t be the last time, says Ruth. We head out the door, and Yousef hands out hugs as he thanks us for arranging the meeting. We promise to send pictures that he can show his father. – Do you think he will be impressed now? – Now? This here?! Now I have done it! There you go! Feel free to send me an email if you have any input or tips. Thanks for reading this far. That was it! Recommended further reading and viewing:
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The loser who won the hearts of the people – Culture
