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Original poster

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

36 replies

DarrellRivers · 13/10/2010 09:24

Did anyone see this last night?
DH has been watching on and off and I haven't really been watching it as am not really a fan but had caught sight of 'Parking Patewayo' and had thought that that was uncomfortable watching already.

Last night, I was in the room a little more during the episode and saw the last sketch which was 'Van Drivers' Lament'
The apparent joke in this sketch was to verbally abuse a young attractive woman whose car had broken down and block the road, and then when they had made her cry, drove past and made crude sexual suggestions to her.

It was horrible and the fact this has been paid for by my license fee has incensed me.
Do people really think this is comedy, really?

I am writing to complain.
Did anyone else see it?
And anyone want to join me in complaining?

OP posts:
CarmelitaMiggs · 13/10/2010 09:55

I thought the Parking Patewayo sketch was much dodgier. I can hardly believe someone let that go out. I'll complain about that, if you like Smile

Van drivers thing was just profoundly weak and unfunny, imo (in that way it was a fairly accurate reflection of the whole 30 mins). I didn't feel the woman was being victimised; the blokes were plainly the idiots. Thoroughly embarrassing for all concerned

weblette · 13/10/2010 09:53

It was so utterly unfunny and yes, did feel like something they'd dredged up from the 70s.

anastaisia · 13/10/2010 09:51

I detest having to pay the licence fee. If a subscription channel continually ignored complaints I'd cancel the subscription. All you can say to the BBC is please don't do that. But unless you give up all TV channels you still have to fund them.

Original poster
DarrellRivers · 13/10/2010 09:49

I could sort of see what he was trying to do, but he didn't.
It was a case more that we were (well I wasn't) laughing at a group of men shouting and making crude sexual suggestions to a woman.

It gets so difficult trying to express why this was unacceptable when other people will say 'oh it was tongue in cheek ' etc
Standard defense

OP posts:
Unprune · 13/10/2010 09:44

anastasia - so true.
I once framed a complaint to say that I understood that they were trying to do X but that it didn't work because of Y.
Long response from producer (which I did appreciate) saying 'ah but you see we were trying to do X, sorry if you didn't understand'. Angry

Can I just add that I think Harry Enfield is one of the laziest comedians ever, and relies on laboured half-jokes which would be so much better in another comedian's hands. OTOH he is likely a millionaire, and I am not, so what do I know?

Original poster
DarrellRivers · 13/10/2010 09:41

Wellll, I tried to look at it that way, but it didn't work. I felt slightly sick after watching it
Why should we laugh at people being verbally abusive toward women?
I didn't feel we were laughing at the idiot van drivers, we were meant to be laughing at how they were behaving
Which wasn't funny

OP posts:
anastaisia · 13/10/2010 09:40

Worth complaining, but knowing the BBC they'll come back with something like 'well, they were obviously taking the piss out of van drivers so it isn't sexist its van driverist'

I don't know anyone who hasn't been responded to with the verbal equivalant of a pat on the head when they've complained to the BBC.

webwiz · 13/10/2010 09:40

I thought it was making out what idiots the van drivers were.

Ellielou02 · 13/10/2010 09:38

Yeah I felt quite uncomfortable watching this last night, and I can swear with the rest if them but it was ott!

HeftyNorks · 13/10/2010 09:37

I didn't see this but know Harry Enfield has sailed very close to the wind in the past.

Was the sketch making a point about idiot van drivers or was it more uncomfortable viewing than that?

Original poster
DarrellRivers · 13/10/2010 09:33

Anyone?

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