to think Little Britain wouldn't be allowed today

[Tobythecat]

Just came across some old Little Britain clips on Youtube. I'm really shocked! The amount of racism, disablist and sexist stuff. It was only back in 2007 I think that the filming ended so it wasn't that long ago at all! There is no way this would be allowed on tv now, surely?!

@HelenaDove
Forces TV has been my main channel since February. They reran The Equalizer from March to August. Love that. Now its Quantum Leap.
Which is ForcesTV?! Not heard of that one, probably Sky and I have Freeview lol.
MASSIVE Quantum Leap fan here!

I got so sick of everybody saying ‘yeah I know’ to everything when little Britain was popular, drove me bloody nuts!!

It's vile tbh. I don't think David Walliams or Matt Lucas like women very much tbh

Should t even be repeated because of how dull it was and boring.

What’s the problem with the office?! The office was genius.

I was never a massive fan of LB. didn’t find it offensive it’s just not my thing. I always quite enjoyed the only gay in the village sketches though.

I love Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em. I have fond memories of watching re runs of it with my dad when I was a kid, but I remember reading that that wouldn't go down well today because Frank Spencer has an obvious mental disability and it's wrong to laugh at him.I never looked at it that way before, I always saw him as just an innocent, hapless chappy who everything just happens to go tits up for, bless him

See, this is where the whole combination of social media, the 21st century culture and growing up sucks!
Just what, I mean there's no wonder we're left with crappy comedies now lol, we have to over sodding analyse everything!
Loved Some Mothers Do Ave Em.
Love loads of old comedies, Some Mothers Do Ave Em, On The Buses, Fawlty Towers...
Don't think any of those types would be aired if they were pitched as a new idea now.
Only comedy I can think of that is half decent is Friday Night Dinner.
Not a patch on the old stuff though!

Dobby - there was a DVD of it at some point if you can get it second hand. When we were teenagers a friend of mine spotted it in the library and made me watch it as we were Red Dwarf fans and we loved it. I'd never come across reference to it, before or since.

I think the worst sketch on LB was the guy trying to sexually harass his friend's old, vulnerable grandma. Absolutely horrible - on what planet is it funny?

Forces TV is Freeview 96 but not all areas can get it.

Or its Freesat 165

Loved:

Fatfighters
Mr Man ( Margaret shop)
Vicky Pollard
Anne
Hypnotist
Computer Says No
Lou and Andy
Vomitting and pissing ladies
Probably a few others

Best of all was Sebastian Love

There were plenty of sketches I either didn't understand (Dennis Waterman) or didn't see the humour in (This is a ladies' shop, for ladies).

Forces TV also ran Father Dear Father recently. That slot has now been filled with Bless This House.

Forces TV is Freeview 96 but not all areas can get it

Think we must fall under an area that can't get it then as blank when I try looking on 96!
Just googles after reading this and yep, sounds Freeview but pffft not for me lol

I hated little Britain I didn't find it offensive it just wasn't funny. Dh loved it 🙄

Also I hated Bottom.

That sucks Roses.

My parents cant get it either and DM loves Bless This House.

Also I hated Bottom

My older brother watched goodnight sweetheart, the darling buds of may and last of the summer wine ON REPEAT for years... Little Britain was a welcome relief

"I used to love Allo Allo as a youngster but only recently discovered that upstairs in the cafe was actually a brothel and the waitresses and Edith were "entertaining" the Germans. I can't look at it the same way again now!"

:O omg, really. I did NOT realise that as a child ha ha. I thought they were just into them, like they would just go up there for a shag because they were having an affair or whatever. I thought it was a kind of 'oh the French are so horny' stereotype.

I did like Mitchell and Webb. If someone is reading out a list of numbers for any reason I often say "that's Numberwang!" to much confusion.

I don't believe for a second it was satire, or intended to laugh at those with prejudices. It wasn't clever enough to be satirical - it was always the same punchline, every episode, usually based on a catchphrase

• haha, they aren't really disabled
• haha, she's faking a mental illness
• haha, it's a man in a dress trying to pass
• haha, this thai bride isn't attractive, and is actually a man
• haha, she's fat but this man finds fat women attractive. Also, blackface
• haha, she's a 'chav' who is rude, uneducated and has several babies

I found it funny as a teenager. I tried rewatching and it is appalling and unwatchable. It's like comedy written by a year 8 bully.

Oh god, and 'haha, she's incontinent'

I've got a Year 8 Drama scheme of work on sub genres of comedy that uses Little Britain and Katherine Tate clips within in (mainly Fat Fighters and Aga Saga). It directs the children to notice who it is that we laugh at and which character is the one that is the butt of the joke - difference btwn Fat Fighters and Aga Saga being that in Fat Fighters it has to be the weight loss coach we laugh at because the overweight, Asian and lesbian characters are not in the position of power in society and have historically and/or still are been abused for that characteristic. Whereas in Aga Saga it is 'ok' for the m/c stereotype to be the butt of the joke because the m/c are in the position of power so aren't hurt in the same way.

The children did get it and were able to produce some of their own comedy using the same rules but I always had to be ready to shut down their pieces at a split second's notice if they got it wrong and it started to feel more and more uncomfortable in general so I haven't used the scheme for a few years now.

I don't know if it would still be an approved use of material though.

I loved Little Britain these are my two favorite characters.

Disagree. You have to see it in the time and place it was set. But I still find it funny. And I don't think it's disabling/racist/anything else.

It was funny, I'm not a 'type' I'm just not a fucking flannel and can enjoy comedy without getting offended at every damn thing grin OP you're right, it would never be allowed on tv now cause the world has gone mad!

Hate to break it to you but you most definitely are that type. Not a fucking flannel? 🙄

People can talk about how they were highlighting bigotry, but it’s bullshit. They’re still two white men exploiting bigotry to get a laugh and earn lots of money. It was appalling when it was on, I couldn’t believe it ever aired.