Post #2490752

2026-05-09 18:24 UTC

@alexwild@mastodon.online and 2. at the end of filming everyone who had been involved went out for a meal and he told this story about when he had been filming in Africa and they had visited a village where the chief was very keen to show off his beautiful, elaborately carved hardwood throne. Every night to protect it from termites they would hoist it up into the grass roof of his house on ropes and store it there. But one day the weight of it proved too much and it pulled the whole house down on top of them. And then David Attenborough paused. And the whole table, who had been taking this entire anecdote completely seriously as something that he personally witnessed while filming, leaned in closer. "So it's true what they say" he apparently said gravely with an entirely straight face. "People who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones" The whole table had believed his Dad joke completely. Absolute legend.

Replies (4)

@peachfront@toot.community 2026-05-09 19:02

@afewbugs@social.coop @alexwild@mastodon.online 🤣

Open ##2490753
@CiaraNi@mastodon.green 2026-05-10 15:41

@afewbugs@social.coop I fell for it completely too, as I read your toot. Then laughed loudly aloud at the end - thanks for sharing this. Delightful. @alexwild@mastodon.online

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@mdione@en.osm.town 2026-05-10 18:05

@afewbugs@social.coop @alexwild@mastodon.online is this a reference to another joke, or is it the joke itself?

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@Cadbury_Moose@wandering.shop 2026-05-13 00:28

@afewbugs@social.coop @alexwild@mastodon.online 🤣 🏆 I can well believe it, he's one of the best (if not _the_ best) professional broadcasters, and able to deliver anything with a straight (or appropriate to the content) face. I do wish someone could animate the Larson cartoon about the drunken aardvarks and the stolen wrecking ball and get him to do the commentary though.... 3:O)>

Open ##2490761