Week 48: Flight Announcement, Saturday Night Live
If you’re a nervous flyer perhaps best not watch this sketch. Aircraft have definitely been a setting for many comical scenes over the years
Last week I posted a recurring sketch by Harry Enfield and Chums about a gormless upper class English character called Tim Nice-But-Dim. Yet parodying the upper class in Britain has always been part of British comedy and this next clip is a classic example taken from the comedy group Monty Python. Monty Python is a bit of an acquired taste and I can imagine that some will not enjoy this sketch although I think it gets better as the skit progresses.
I grew up in Australia and when I first moved to the UK just shy of 30 years ago I used to think that the Australian view of the British being in the grips of a class system was over-stated. Sadly however, I have come to realise the sad truth that the British class system, while being completely anachronistic for the 21st century, is still very much alive and well. The most disturbing modern incarnation of it at present is the current Tory party under Alexander Boris Pfeffel Johnson who single-handedly has brought into sharp focus all that is wrong with a system that allows some of the most intellectually and, more importantly, morally challenged individuals into the heart of government where their actions make the majority of folk poorer and where horrendous policies are enacted to appeal to the darker demons of our nature including xenophobia and racism.
One Youtube comment under this clip which brought a wry smile to my face was the following It's interesting how as time passed, this marvellous sport has developed into something that the entire world gets pure entertainment value from and has been renamed to 'British Government'.
Click here to see post in its original context.
A common joke that does the round at medical school is: "What's the difference between God and a medical student?" Answer: "God doesn't think he is a medical student!". In many ways, this sketch reminds me of this joke although here Harry and Paul are capturing godlike properties of consultants along with their strange educated upper middle class foibles which is only really found inside the English class system.
Click here to see post in its original context.
Once again this sketch is a classic from the Armstrong and Miller series. Quick tip for those who are considering how to conduct a job interview. When your prospective employer asks you what do you see are your faults make sure you answer something like you find it hard to take breaks because you are so passionate about your work. 😉
Click here to see post in its original context.
Ok so we are now entering yet another period of complete chaos in the UK government as Truss was forced to sack her chancellor after Kwarteng released a non-costed mini budget that crashed the pound and the UK economy. Thankfully, the comedians have been at work trying to soften the pain for the long-suffering average Brit who have witnessed the health service collapse and their standard of livings fall as the government continues to pursue policies that only help the very wealthiest in society.
Yet it has also been a very busy week in UK politics. On the 19th of October Suella Braverman resigned as home secretary because she broke the ministerial code. Two days after that, on the 21st, Liz Truss was also forced to resign after her whole premiership was in tatters, there was bullying in the Commons as MPs were forced through the "yes" corridor in the voting chamber of the House of Commons on a crucial fracking vote, and Labour gained a 30 point lead over the Conservative party. In short, the whole country is in a right state because of a group of far right greedy, narcissistic, unintelligent, misanthropic, Dunning-Kruger-type individuals who care about as much for the common folk of the UK as I do for a garden slug. Sad and very difficult times indeed for the UK.
Click here to see post in its original context.
So as the continuing insanity of this Tory Party continues, the comedians are hard at work satirising the crazy world we seem to now inhabit in Britain as the government continues to appoint ministers who, at best, are clearly out of depth in terms of the skills required for their role and, at worst, express opinions which just 10 years ago were only heard within the ranks of the British National Party (here's looking at you Suella Braverman).
Click here to see post in its original context.
Ryan George has a real gift of taking the cultural furniture that has been with us for our whole lives and exposing just how strange it really is when observed from a different perspective. I guess our Christmas paraphernalia is ripe for such parody given the thousands of Christmas songs that have accumulated over the centuries this season has been celebrated in the Western world.
Frosty the Snowman has always been one of my favourites since our next door neigbour once bought my daughter Grace a dancing singing snowman with this tune programmed into it. Strangely enough the version in our snowman is a little different to the classic one. Perhaps I am doing a Peter Kay by mishearing the lyrics of my dancing snowman but it truly likes he is singing:
"🎼 Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul, with a pink carnation and a button nose and a lively 'I don't know'🎵". My youngest autistic daughter Rebekah and I now regularly sing these words as we both find them rather amusing in their silliness.
Click here to see post in its original context.
When I started this comedy list I decided I would work on the project for exactly one year. As such this is the final posting for my comedy section. I thought this sketch was worth leaving to the end as it is a very funny take on one of the greatest bands of all time: The Beatles. Obviously the Beatles feature heavily in my Covid Island Discs collection so this sketch seems an appropriate one to bridge the my two collections of comedy and music. Hope these collections bring as much joy to you as they do to me.
Click here to see post in its original context.
Week 1: Several Sketches by Dave Allen
Week 2: Mr Bean Compilation, Rowen Atkinson
Week 3: What's My Job, Armstrong and Miller
Week 4: Boris Johnson is a liar, Jonathan Pie
Week 5: Tim Nice-but-Dim, Harry Enfield
Week 6: The Upper Class Twit of the Year, Monty Python
Week 7: Doctors Scene 4, Harry Enfield
Week 8: 40 - 45 Years, Harry Enfield
Week 9: The Beatles, Morecambe and Wise
Week 10: The Judean's People's Front Life Of Brian, Monty Python
Week 11: Advanced War Tactics, Blackadder
Week 12: Is the Government right about everything?, Harry Enfield
Week 13: Career Skills, Armstrong and Miller
Week 14: Mastermind, Morecambe and Wise
Week 15: Boris Johnson's Resignation Speech, Matt Green
Week 16: Nadine Dorries Conservative Party leadership campaign video, Sooz Kemper
Week 17: Who does one think one is, Harry Enfield
Week 18: Constitutional Peasants Scene, Monty Python
Week 19: Hacker Lies In PMQs, Yes Prime Minister
Week 20: The Scammer Broke his phone after losing $2,000, Kitboger
Week 21: Liv Struss Campaign Video, Nerine Skinner Comedy
Week 22: Honest Government ad PG Version
Week 23: Work outing part I, The IT Crowd
Week 24: Small Talk, The Two Ronnies
Week 25: Dr Death, The Two Ronnies
Week 26 Butler of the Year, Morecambe & Wise
Week 27: Mr Bean goes to the Dentist
Week 28: Why everyone on Strictly sleeps together, The Mash Report
Week 29: The Room Next Door - Liz Truss and the Big Pie, Michael Spicer
Week 30: The Market are Spooked!, Matt Green
Week 31: Liv Truss Final Speech as Prime Minister, Nerine Skinner
Week 32: Braverman Shanty, The Marsh Family
Week 33: Cabinet Ministers Charity Appeal, Larry & Paul
Week 34: Dating a Republican, Garfunkel & Oates
Week 35: Boys are always more popular when they are murdered, Diane Morgan
Week 36: Karaoke, Peter Kay
Week 37: The Guys Who Wrote Frosty The Snowman, Ryan George
Week 38: Going around for a birthday tea, Peter Kay
Week 39: Blackadder The Third's Cunning Compilation, Blackadder
Week 40: The Private Eye The Year In Review 2022
Week 41: Morecambe and Wise Christmas show 1978
Week 42: Information, Armstrong and Millar
Week 43: Striding Man - Fired, Armstrong & Miller
Week 44: The work outing Part 2, The IT Crowd
Week 49: Happy Couples, Armstrong and Miller
Week 50: Moments of Wonder: Computers, Philomena Cunk
Week 51: Tunnel Contractor, Alas Smith and Jones
Week 52: Aeroplanes, Dave Allen
Week 53 - The final Sketch: Head to head discussion of the Beatles, Alas Smith and Jones
If you’re a nervous flyer perhaps best not watch this sketch. Aircraft have definitely been a setting for many comical scenes over the years