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?!

Here it is, Hungary and the 'You Rang M'Lord' craze.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/oct/03/you-rang-mlord-the-90s-british-sitcom-and-its-unlikely-hungarian-super-fans

Comedies that have not dated and are genuinely funny (imo)
Black Books
The IT crowd
Derry Girls
Blackadder
Father Ted

all classics.

Blazing Saddles is brilliant, i think its clever satire, imnot sure if its comparable little Britain though. little Britain imo was more crude than clever. when i watched league of gentlemen years later it struck me how similar some characters were.

Oh - how could I forget
Mitchell and Webb - the Pride and Prejudice Sketch!!!
Smack the Pony
Monty Python - not the series, but Life of Brian and Holy Grail

@noideaatallreally Love Father Ted

also
The Royale Family
ANYTHING by Victoria Wood - one soup sketch!!!
Gavin and Stacey
Not Going Out is ok

There are some brilliant British Comedy shows out there!

Black Books!! Yes!
Right I'm going binge on that and the IT Crowd.

When I was a teenager to be in with the in crowd at the time, you had to be able to quote every Monty Python sketch but it's not aged well at all.
I always felt that Fawlty Towers was slightly racist and misogynistic, and I'm genuinely puzzled as to why John Cleese is so revered.
I loved the last series of Black Adder, and the final scene where the characters are about to go over the trenches is still tremendously moving.

I love pretty much anything Rik Mayall did, ESPECIALLY the Live Bottom Shows and the ad-libbing with Ade, never laughed as much in my life! absolute legends both of them!

I was lucky enough to see Bottom Live 3 Hooligan's Island- it was one of the best nights of my teenage years - have never laughed so hard. Rik's faces still make me cry laughing

It was unpleasant, sneering and unfunny.

That said, I'd have to watch it again to form an opinion on whether it would be 'allowed' today, and wouldn't do that to myself.

I rewatched The Office a few months ago and I would say that it has held up very well, it is a classic. It only dates because of the computers with massive backs, fax machines etc. But the comedy element has not dated.

This would never be allowed now, because it's too close to the truth of modern day politics. Monty Python, Loretta's "symbolic struggle against reality"

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgp9MPLEAqA

I thought that David Walliams had said that they would not be able to make Little Britain today.

My Dad used to like him but it looks awful now.

LB was a victim of its own success. Don't forget at the time it started most people knew Matt Lucas from his bit part on Vic and Bob. The early LB was for that audience, it was camp and knowing and ott and chaotic.

Problem was, it got a huge audience who didn't get that nuance then it started playing up to stereotypes instead of mocking them. Making a lot of money in the process.

Does anyone remember the New Statesman with Rik Mayall? He played a Tory MP called Allan B'stard who was actually eerily similar to some of today's Tories?

Haven't seen it for years but I used to love it at the time.

Also Spitting Image, Not the Nine o'clock News, Drop the Dead Donkey.

I've also just remembered The High Life with Allan Cummings. Haven't seen that since I first watched it and I'm not sure it would age well.

@Rubyupbeat league of gentlemen is one of my favourite comedies, I love surreal humour.

Although the blackface, even when it was implied it was actually Papa Lazarou's skin, definitely wouldn't fly if it were made for TV today. I'm not sure if they still do Papa Lazarou in their live shows still?

As Ricky Gervais says you can still joke about anything and you can choose whether to be offended by it.

Ahh yes, that old chestnut. “I can be a completely offensive dick and if you don’t like it that’s your problem, I’m right and you are wrong”

Come fly with me was racist and I didn't find it funny at the time it was on TV. David Walliams books for kids are racist too.

feellikeanalien, I remember Alan B'stard very well indeed. He was supposed to be loosely based on Jeffrey Archer. That was so funny. His wife was hilarious too. They don't make them like that any more.

What about Nighty Night? I loved that ... but it was extremely weird!
Pulling was also great.
Still love Blackadder, The Office, The Royal family, The Inbetweeners and Peep Show.

@Loveyou3000 they did it in the live show, but they didn't do it for their televised show. I loved Papa Lazarou.

Vicky Pollard & Fat Fighters were both hilarious & well observed !

@dinello he is a hilarious character, love him fleeing Royston Vasey because everyone's a bit too weird, even for him

To be honest, it's like Monty Python. There were a few good sketches but many were just lame.

-Vicky Pollard was based on people Lucas actually came across at University. The Comic Relief special with Dawn French was genius.
-Who among us hasn't come across a "computer says no" approach to customer service?
-The "only gay in the village" came to mind when Sam Smith entered the headlines recently. "Only one person can be different and that's me..."
-Fat Fighters was great, let's face it the target wasn't the "fatties", it was the rude Marjory Dawes