Harry and Paul-BBC comedy,I think not, I felt like the last 40 years haven't happened

Think we had better explain what "googling" is first.

What is "mansplaining"?

Oh thanks for the explanation, I always thought satire was a French philosopher.

I've just checked out both skits on youtube - it's all a bit desperate and sad isn't it?

Not only really unfunny, it's not satire and only reinforces old fashioned damaging stereotypes. Its not questioning anything, it's not challenging sexist or racists behaviour, and it's not funny.

Though I sense they desperately were trying to be funny they missed entirely. Do you think they look at that work now and feel suitably embarrassed? Or are they telling themselves "we really nailed it"?

Bumping a 5 year old thread for some classic mansplaining.
Indeed.

Blacking up is a fucking vile thing to do.

And you have completely missed the point of the women know your limits sketch, but hey, thanks for dropping by.....

Wow. Bumping a 5 year old thread for some classic mansplaining. hello Harry or Paul

I know this is an old thread, but I can't help but think that you are misinterpreting the nature of their comedy. Parking Pataweyo, in a similar way to the Dragon's Den sketch where they "black up" and sell there products, mocks both white people's reactions to black people and also the over PC nature of the modern British establishment. Similarly, the "Women, Know Your Limits" sketch is not misogynistic (as it does indeed seem on the surface), and is actually mocking the fact that men controlled so many aspects of society (including the media).

Bit late in the day, but to me never mind the feminism I found the overt racism in the Parking Patewayo sketch this week to be absolutely shocking. I honestly don't know how they a) think that it is acceptable or entertaining and b) why someone from the BBC is actually letting them get away with it.

I do find parts of the show mildly entertaining, but I am going to stop watching it. very disappointing as I used to like Paul Whitehouse and Harry Enfield

Hello everyone. Sorry, but I think it's great! It pokes fun at the behaviours and attitudes of people of all backgrounds and both sexes. I think it's inventive, original, brilliantly well-observed and hilariously performed. I don't see why exaggerating recognisable behaviour for comic effect is necessarily offensive, and I don't think sketches need to follow a formula - often just presenting absurd people or situations is enough if done properly.

What about the sketches where Paul Whitehouse in part of a group of three reactionary middle-aged white men and he's desperately wanting to talk about philosophy or classical music but feels completely inhibited by his companions' prejudices and limited thinking! Even if you don't recognise that, I think it shows that pretty much everyone is up for mockery.

The alternative to mocking the way we know some people behaviour is a pretty humourless world where we all pretend we haven't noticed anyone behaving in a ridiculous, stupid, mean, patronising or ignorant way.

I really like some of the sketches but I think that last night's episode did tip over into tiresome sexism, rather than witty riffs on sexism. The chocolatier sketch is usually ok, partly because chocolate addicition is usually a joke made among women rather than at women by men. But last night's extension of it into shoes and cocktails really did just degenerate into a Benny Hill scene of pretty women chasing after repulsive, fantasising middle-aged men.

And time and again the sketches have women being there just to be ogled by men, or in one not-very-hugely-inventive foray a man dressed as a lesbian woman. The 'sexy nurses' in the mock car advery are vile. I'm bored with it.

Some sketches are brill -- the two doctors,dragons' den, etc

I don't get why they think these sketches are ok. If you're going to have an entirely white cast the rest of the time, why bring in the one and only ethnic minority character to play an annoying idiotic jobsworth and make great play of his name? And present it all in a 70s-style format which will presumably remind many people of the days when Alf Garnett was treating the nation to his racist rants on prime time. Nice.

The van drivers sketch was clearly taking the piss out of van drivers, but the van drivers watching were pretty unlikely to be upset whereas the thousands and thousands of women and children who get sexual comments shouted at them in the street will be.

Tossers. Time H & P retired.

I'm a little uncomfortable watching but think it's more about the idiocy of the people they characterise rather than women.

It was a very weird sketch and uncomfortable to watch, not sure how it was supposed to be funny. I have seen this before with male comedians though where they think a sketch about women being followed home, harrassed, stalked or threatened can be funny when as a woman watching it's quite frightening and reminiscent of what happens in real life or what can happen.

One sketch that always sticks in my mind was a 'candid camera' on a TV show I saw once, where a comedian pretended to be a loony taxi driver who was offensive to passengers. A young woman got in his car and he started making suggestive comments to her and asking creepy questions, as he was about to drive off. She just looked terrified and got out of the car almost in tears. It wasn't funny at all, it was just scary.

Sorry i think it's brilliant and that you are taking things too seriously by disapproving!

Parking patewayo is particularly funny.

I think the acting and the costumes/sets are exceptional - but actually I think that's what is carrying the whole thing and disguising the fact that it's, mostly, not that funny.

Clever and well-observed, perhaps.

the acting on the dragons den thing is very good, imo, but the sketch has gone on too long. although in next week's ep they are a bit more political, explaining hedge fund trading using that format. but yes, it's not got as good legs as they think.

yy - agree re those two. Beatles sketches a bit too long/humour is too patchy

Oh god those two are fucking useless. Mind you I have never thought harry Enfield was funny at all, remember watching Loadsamoney when I was 7 and thinking 'wanker' (or whatever my 7 year old equivalent word for wanker was)

Hideously unfunny. I cannot think of any Harry Enfield character which is funny. Seriously. Kathy Burke was funny as Waynetta and that's it ('why did you get a braaahn car')

Old fashioned comedians are embarassing. Surely there is a Jimmy Tarbuck golf course where they can all congregate?

That programme is so untopical. Dragons Den? How novel is it to take the piss out of a programme which has been on the screen for 4 years. Compare the lazy tripe to Harry Hill, for instance.

i saw you coming is v funny
middle aged men in love with polish cafe girls v funny (and accurate round here)
i like the conceit of what would have happened if the beatles hadn't taken drugs, although the sketches are ropey
like the two doctors

erm... what else?

The homophobic stuff is the two old, posh men in the gentlemen's club, discussing who is 'queer'. Pointless - no resolution/funny ending/twist in the tale, etc

Which bits do you find funny Aitch?

i really think that a lot of it is funny, but there are a few bits i don't get. thought PP was going to go somewhere else, comedically, for example.

I wrote a long response to this, and it has vanished! Perhaps the BBC is on to me?

What I said was that I think this is a shocking series. Not even funny. Racist, sexist and homophobic. Really lazy. I thought better of Paul Whitehouse.