As English football's favourite figures of fun, Titus Bramble and Jean-Alain Boumsong have become Newcastle United's equivalent of the Chuckle Brothers.
The only difference is, while the wacky children's television presenters had to make do with a weekday afternoon slot for their comical escapades, Newcastle's slapstick defending on Match of the Day has had prime time Saturday night audiences in stitches.
But, while the rest of the country has reached for the tissues to wipe away tears of laughter, there have been only tears of sorrow for an embarrassed Toon Army.
Given the torrent of criticism which has come their way in recent months, it is easy to forget that the Bramble-Boumsong partnership was one of the few plus-points from Graeme Souness' first season in charge at United.
Indeed, such was the dominance of their displays in the centre of the Newcastle back four that manager and pundits alike were suggesting the partnership could become one of the best in the Premiership. A little over six months later and the pair are the butt of jokes.
It is an unwanted comedy act Glenn Roeder intends to end. "I've had time to work with the back four as a unit this week to target them," Newcastle's caretaker manager said yesterday having seen his two centre-backs keep a clean sheet against Portsmouth last weekend. "Hopefully that will help the boys at Villa, particularly the two centre-backs.
"Nothing is going to suddenly change overnight after just two training sessions, but you've got to start somewhere.
"Who knows, it might be the only two times I get to work with them, but I've got to take the view that, until I'm told otherwise, I'll carry on working with them.
"We stop and start, we talk about positional play and how they should be working as a unit.
"What happens when the ball goes wide, how the unit slides across, so we haven't got great big holes in the back four."
While Souness stubbornly refused to criticise his defenders in public while whispers circulated about the failure of his coaching staff to effectively tackle the issue on the training pitch, Roeder, a distinguished centre back as a player, has quickly identified a problem. "Whatever level you are playing at, you cannot afford to concede two goals a game because you will never score three every game," he said as he prepares for a far tougher examination of the side at Aston Villa than the one they got against a poor Portsmouth side last week.
"It's obvious, just look at the best teams - Chelsea win so many games 1-0.
"I asked our IT man to put together a collection of all the goals we've conceded this season and I've watched it a number of times - say no more. Lots of goals, we've given to the opposition. We've got to be men and admit that.
"I was brought up to believe that if you can admit there is a problem, you are half way to solving it. If you get people who say there isn't a problem, you will never improve." Such a statement could be perceived as a less than thinly-veiled criticism of the former management team.
But Roeder also appears to share in Souness' belief that confidence and fitness, rather than talent, has been the major problem this season - certainly as far as Bramble is concerned.
Roeder added: "I saw Titus Bramble against Chelsea last season while I was working for the FA. I had been sent up here by Sven to report back on players and if you re-visit that game, Titus was excellent. In my report I recommended him for England.
"When I saw the squad that was in America, Titus could have been in that squad. Given some of the players who were and who played on that tour, Titus could have been one of them. Breaking his elbow in the manner he did hasn't helped him. Titus himself would say that isn't a full excuse, but it hasn't helped.
"He missed pre-season, which is very important and it was a very nasty break in three places. It's taken him a lot of time to get to full match fitness.
"Titus played very well against Portsmouth, kept a clean sheet and that will help him, as will the practice in training."
Most United fans would agree with Roeder's evaluation, even if their patience with the former Ipswich man is increasingly stretched. Few, though, are as supportive of Boumsong.
"I've told Jean-Alain Boumsong that I can remember when he was playing for Auxerre with (Philippe) Mexes and they were considered the best pair in French football," said Roeder. "Mexes went to Roma for big money and Boumsong went to Glasgow Rangers, but they were both highly rated.
"We have two talented individuals who we would like to gel as a partnership. I'm looking forward to working with them to do that."
