To be shocked that this was ever ok?! Blackface on Little Britain...

[BrexitBingoGenerator]

Hello. I've just been looking at the Daily Mail (sorry) and there is a thing about this. I was genuinely gobsmacked seeing the photo and it's completely offensive. However, at some time in the not-so-distant past, this was seen as mainstream comedy and I remember it being on primetime telly. So a critical mass of people must have thought this was ok? I never really watched little Britain and this sketch in particular made me want to heave, but I think at the time it was rather for its horrible portrayal of women generally. I don't remember outrage over it at the time. But maybe there was? I guess I'm just ashamed that comedy like this could have been screened in my adult lifetime.

[Peapod29]

I dread to think what would be said about Emily Howard by the twitter mob now too.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe]

I think perhaps all of our 'comedians' need their material looking at/consigned to the bin. Aside from Little Britain, that I never liked, there are some absolutely horrible 'funny people' that MN as a whole seem to adore and roar over.

The point is, people like what they like - and they make excuses for liking it/minimising the offensive material. I think Little Britain must have been clever in that the offensiveness was 'across the board'. Hard to pinpoint something particularly offensive in amongst it the over offensiveness of the whole thing.

I'm just as guilty, I liked 'On The Buses' and still do. Mostly because of when it was set but it is misogynistic (all of it) and racist (in parts). I wince but I do still like it. It was of its time - none of it would be acceptable now.

[Raaaa]

@Peapod29 I've just got what you mean haha yes I agree

[SpokeTooSoon]

I never watched Little Britain - I mean, like everyone, I saw glimpses of it - but I thought it was worse than unfunny, it was gross and offensive and just unkind. Lucas and Walliams have serious issues if they think a woman dragging her vulva across the carpet because she has some sort of itchy infection is humour. That’s the scene that sticks in my mind. What sort of man comes up with that in the writing room??

I hate censorship but I’ll allow it for David Walliams. None of his nasty books in this house.

[Pumperthepumper]

They offended everyone. Blackface was just as offensive then but they got away with it, and the rest for years because they were 'cool'.

No, they were never cool - people defend it because they like the idea white, able-bodied English men should be able to say whatever they like and shrug it off as humour. Also, I think a lot of people like the validation of these men being openly racist on tv.

[donquixotedelamancha]

Sasha Baron Cohen didn't black up. That's the difference.

That would have defeated the point. The character was white.

[vanillandhoney]

@june2007

Anne is very funny and actually not demeaning, if you watch it.

Yeah, taking the piss out of a mentally disabled, incontinent lady is absolutely hilarious

[CHIRIBAYA]

There seems to be a serious sense of humour defecit on this site. League of Gentlemen was brilliant and as for this show, sometimes it's nice just to switch off from the intensity of modern life and not take everything so bloody seriously and be looking for offence in every nook and cranny. The only thing going to be left to watch on telly soon will be the uber PC The Dumping Ground. Let's just ban everthing that might possibly offend the old, the young, black, white, rich, poor, furloughed, non fuloughed, right, left, centre, blind, deaf, tall, short, fat, thin or any of the ever expanding variants of gender identity that we are expected to keep up with. I'm in need of cheering up so I'm off to watch an episode!

[DrDavidBanner]

@DrDavidBanner

They offended everyone. Blackface was just as offensive then but they got away with it, and the rest for years because they were 'cool'.

See also Emily Howard and "Ting Tong was Ping Pong" yet now they've disapeared into a purity vortex that's made their careers pretty much pointless

This is virtue signalling at it's best, but it is quite funny.

Sorry, to clarify, when I say its quite funny.

I find the irony of them being cancelled when they now try to appear so woke and progressive funny.

Some of the jokes were funny but it was mainly tiresome and cringy

[Pumperthepumper]

Imagine being cheered up by racism. That’s sad.

[PlatoAteMySnozcumber]

I thought LB was hilarious back in the day. I haven’t watched it recently, but comedy is often offensive as it usually mocks something. As pp have mentioned, they mocked everyone and as far as I recall, there was nothing especially racist behind the ‘blacking up’. It’s generally accepted now that this isn’t acceptable and I don’t think we will see anyone else doing it any time soon but you can’t judge the past through the lens of today.

[SudokuBook]

I liked it back in the day, but that day is not now anymore. It’s actually cringey when you think about it and for the best that it’s been taken off air.

[Vodkacranberryplease]

LB was a joke on the racists, and stereotypes and the stupid things that people thought about other people. That was the point. You weren't supposed to take it at face value or think they were actually taking the piss out of gay people or black people or Thai women or fat rich women. Cause if they actually were it would be just awful.

[Starshollowwannabe]

@Lockeduporknockedup completely agree.

[Destroyedpeople]

It want that long ago ya know and in fact 'blackface' was already deemed inappropriate at that time. God knows how they got away with it. Well I have an idea but I won't say here because I wd sound too vile.

[Pumperthepumper]

@Destroyedpeople

It want that long ago ya know and in fact 'blackface' was already deemed inappropriate at that time. God knows how they got away with it. Well I have an idea but I won't say here because I wd sound too vile.

I was just thinking that, people are talking about it as if it’s forty years old - the first episode aired in 2003!

[TheLadyAnneNeville]

Dreadful show. And Williams forever gives me the heebie jeebies

[MrsTidyHouse]

I enjoyed it on the radio, but not so much when it moved to television.

[Pumperthepumper]

@Vodkacranberryplease

LB was a joke on the racists, and stereotypes and the stupid things that people thought about other people. That was the point. You weren't supposed to take it at face value or think they were actually taking the piss out of gay people or black people or Thai women or fat rich women. Cause if they actually were it would be just awful.

If that was true they wouldn’t have had all the characters played by two white English men.

[planetcloud]

I don't think it was racist and as for being homophobic - Matt Lucas is gay - every race, creed and colour was taken he mickey out of - no to everyone's taste but not essentially racist I don't think.

[Pumperthepumper]

Why don’t you think it was racist?

[Vodkacranberryplease]

I go to Camden comedy club a bit - even have the little book of Jewish Jokes. There have been a few disabled comedians, with various disabilities, all ages and colours, and if you think that the woke Camden isnt going to be offensive you would be very very wrong. It makes little Britain look like peppa the pig.

[CoppullLudite]

Watch where you’re going with this - it’ll be book burning next.

[Destroyedpeople]

I am sorry but this silly comment said by people who think they are being clever is getting tedious. Nobody is 'book burning' the are slagging off unfunny comedy.

[vanillandhoney]

@PlatoAteMySnozcumber

I thought LB was hilarious back in the day. I haven’t watched it recently, but comedy is often offensive as it usually mocks something. As pp have mentioned, they mocked everyone and as far as I recall, there was nothing especially racist behind the ‘blacking up’. It’s generally accepted now that this isn’t acceptable and I don’t think we will see anyone else doing it any time soon but you can’t judge the past through the lens of today.

Back in the day? It only aired 18 years ago! It's not like it was a TV series from the fifties or sixties.

Blackface wasn't acceptable in 2002. And quite rightly so.