Oh dear, talk about tired and emotional…
This latest self-produced video of cultural criticism (“Pop Idol! Yay! Me! Yay! Wine! Yay!”) by Ann Althouse was again kindly brought to our attention by twinkly Uncle Tbogg and if we’re very lucky it may just have a chilling effect on Althouse’s long-dreamt-about career as a media pundit.
We can only hope.
It would be hilarious if it weren’t so very sad.
First a classic clip from Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse, “Women! Know Your Limits!”
I’d forgotten how funny that show was but it’s odd how some of the sketches, cynical as they seemed at the time, now seem almost innocent. Enfield and Whitehouse’s recent work hasn’t matched the comedic heights of Enfield and Chums or The Fast Show and they’ve been overtaken by a younger, sharper and darker generation of comedians, although Whitehouse and former fast show colleague Charlie Higson have found a new home at BBC Radio 4 in the spoof call-in programme, Down the Line.
Given that the comedian-recycling loop is around 25 years (see the resurgent Goodies) I reckon a full-on Enfield/Whitehouse revival is due sometime between 2010-15.
The second clip is of Irish puppet talk-show hosts Podge and Rodge interviewing (well, that was the original plan) Johnny Vegas. It starts out quite sedately but then things go horribly wrong very quickly indeed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wooden puppet look quite so disconcerted before, but like Vegas says, they could’ve interviewed Dana so they deserve all they get.
Vegas’ hit UK series, Ideal is just starting it’s third series on BBC3; I don’t expect it’ll be shown on USAnian TV any time soon though given that it’s about Moz, a slob of a low-level dope dealer who never leaves his flat. Martin hates it, I love it; Moz and his inadequate, oddball customers may be sleazy and sad but that’s what England and the English are actually like. So as an added extra bonus because I feel homesick for grubby Britain, here’s a clip of the highlights from episode 5 of the second series.
Todays clips are an exercise in the comparison of Irish and Australian male attitudes to women and sex. Guess which one is the one that says “If the female genitalia could sing it’d sound like Enya”….?
The first clip is another Comedy Store set, this time from Australian comic Jim Jeffries. This made me howl with laughter and scare the cats – but be warned, it’s absolutely, positively, indubitably NSFW or around anyone who’s easily offended. I’m looking at you, US feminist emo blogs.
So, if you’re at work save it for lunchtime or take the laptop into the loo. If you’re at home have a ball.
The second clip is of Dylan Moran (of Black Books)’ giving his own peculiar spin on women and sex in his Dublin stage show.
In terms of SFW-ness there’s not that much swearing in this one but it’s hardly coy. I’d say your desk-mates might appreciate it but the boss probably wouldn’t.
I’m a bit late posting these this morning but I’ve been having way too much fun looking at comedy clips to find which ones to feature and the time got away.
Today’s first clip is from comedienne Jocelyn Jee Esien’s BBC3 show “Little Miss Jocelyn’ and is about the problematic British attitude to race, class and sex.
And that’s putting it mildly.
The second is a classic clip from those unsung heroes of British comedy, Punt & Dennis, in which they explain “Spot The Stiff”:
While we’re on the subject don’t forget the latest edition of Punt & Dennis’ topical radio comedy show, The Now Show, is on BBC Radio 4 this evening at 6.30 UK time (or on listen again at the same address a day afterwards) and features professional middle-class liberal grouch Marcus Brigstocke, the very tiny Jon Holmes and the very hairy and musical Mitch Benn. If you like British comedy you’ll love it.
RIP John Inman, who died last night aged 71: Inman played Mr. Humphries in Are You Being Served and is one of the gay actors who, like Frankie Howerd and Kenneth Williams, brought camp comedy into the UK entertainment mainstream.
However you feel about the use of stereotypical ‘nancy boy’ behaviour as entertainment, entertain it does and thee’s no denying that the public presence of camp comics like Inman made it much more acceptable to be an out gay man.
Here’s some video of Inman in full flight:
When I was a kid I used to laugh just at the pure silliness of Mr Humphries, but it’s only as an adult watching him that you get the sly subversiveness behind the slapstick.