However, I cannot agree with other commenters that Karl would be an actor or “in on the joke”. In the early XFM shows he seeps into the show ever so slightly and awkwardly. Ricky tries to pull him in, but his contributions to those first 5 to 10 episodes seem hesitant, timid and minimal. It just does not feel scripted or even discussed beforehand.
As a huge fan at the time, I agree with OP.
However, I cannot agree with other commenters that Karl would be an actor or “in on the joke”. In the early XFM shows he seeps into the show ever so slightly and awkwardly. Ricky tries to pull him in, but his contributions to those first 5 to 10 episodes seem hesitant, timid and minimal. It just does not feel scripted or even discussed beforehand.