Little Britain

[tallulahhula33]

Just seen an interesting discussion on Twitter regarding Little Britain and how damaging it was to minority groups in the UK. I must admit I liked it at the time (I was a teenager) but can't understand how they got away with it now. And I don't think I've ever seen them apologise for it?

There was the disabled guy pretending to be disabled.
The old lady who threw up when she found out anyone foreign had baked the cake and she was eating.
The university secretary who used blatant racist language.
Also transphobic/homophobic issues.

Were they perhaps double bluffing by poking fun at the views of people who for example think all disabled people are fakers? Or was it really that offensive? It definitely wouldn't be aired now but it wasn't really all that long ago. And Walliams and Lucas are still very much in the public eye.

Er - Meera was speaking perfectly understandable English, so the other "fatties" were speaking the same language as her.

It is quite rare in real life for people to "call out" the sort of rudeness exhibited by Marjorie, so why should a character do it in fiction? Or do you think that it's not a proper story without an obvious hero? Instead the characters look visibly uncomfortable as Marjorie is rude to them, which is actually more true to life and makes it more believable and relatable.

It's a bit like when Major Gowan was using all sorts of archaic racial slurs when talking about a cricket match, and Basil (no saint) looks very uncomfortable. People can relate to that discomfort as someone is spouting off and you cannot escape.

Maybe thats it! I remember watching Fat fighters and completely seeing every weight watcher/slimming world group leader I've ever met!

I worked in care at the time and the Ann, Andy and Lou resonated! As did Vicky Pollard.

I'm thinking that those who protest Little Britain wasn't actually pretty relevant have sheltered lives! Or you're denying it for some other reason! I can't imagine why!

I'm beginning to wonder if that poster is American and hence doesn't understand British humour.

From Wikipedia:

British humour carries a strong element of satire aimed at the absurdity of everyday life. Common themes include sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek, banter, insults, self-deprecation, taboo subjects, puns, innuendo, wit, and the British class system. These are often accompanied by a deadpan delivery which is present throughout the British sense of humour. It may be used to bury emotions in a way that seems unkind in the eyes of other cultures. Jokes are told about everything and almost no subject is off-limits

I imagine the Walliams and Lucas simply wanted to make a money from a comedy show and gave very little thought to the attitudes of racists who watch it.
Disagree with your other posts, but agree with this one - that's just it, isn't it?!
So little thought was given to people who weren't white, straight, not trans, able bodied......
like they're fair game.

Hilarious then, Hilarious now. Matt Lucas and David Walliams should never have apologised.

Well I fit in with one of the groups that’s stereotyped and I did find it funny.

Sir Norman Fry is bang up to date, you can just imagine him standing at the gate reading a statement: "I was in the House researching agricultural machinery and I accidentally..."

Transwidows will recognise Emily Howard too, when the US cop asks for marital status:
[Girly voice] "Many proposals from eligible gentlemen, but I don't have a ring on my finger just yet!"
[Cop gives an impatient look]
[Gruff voice] "Wife and three kids"

We've all had customer service that Carol Beer would be proud of, and conversely been faced with a customer like Mr Mann; Dafydd would be "the only non-binary in the village" these days, at least until everyone was using "they/them" pronouns and he wasn't so special and unique anymore; stage mothers are definitely a thing, living out their own dreams through their child; and the "bitty" character isn't too far removed from one or two of the mummy's boys featured in AIBU threads over the years.

The characters did get their comeuppance. For example with Marjorie Dawes the other members of the slimming group would be rolling their eyes and sticking up for the Asian lady.

'Bitty' was laughing at people who think just because you are breastfeeding a toddler 'who can ask' that therefore means you will still be breastfeeding them into adulthood.

It's not comparable because it mocks white people am I right....?

Utter hypocrisy 🙄

This again shows a character getting their come uppance. The creepy guy thinks he's got a Thai bride but the joke is on him as Ting Ting is actually taking advantage of him.

People in the group did call it out.

Let’s be honest it was outrageous but it was funny and very successful.

Just going off thread a bit, but The Inbetweeners was on tv earlier a few back to back episodes and I had actually forgotten how X rated it was.It was just nonstop talking about _ock and sex and I personally found it more offensive than Little Britain.

The Asian lady speaks English. All the others in the group speak English - that's the point of it. Have you actually watched it?

So Little Britain must be 'punching up' then as many characters got their comeuppance.

They have both apologised for Little Britain. I wasn't a fan - I found some of it too long and a bit ageist. The Lad snogging 'nans' and the elderly lady with incontinence seemed cruel and unfunny

My DH and I were discussing the late 90s early noughties 'wouldn't get away with that now' era. I used to love Mark & Lard on Radio One but 'Fat Harry White' was outrageous for weekday early afternoons. Bo Selecta was a other one that would be dodgy nowadays.

White people are forever being mocked for their race....ie "gammon, Karen pink people, mayo" and it's all OK. Because we're white.
Oh the privilege
oh fucking give over lol
i say this as a very white person and British/English too!!

^
I agree.

The point of comedy is seeing where you end up if you take things too far.
Where is too far? It's extremities that make it funny. It's often about anxiety and frustration.

Breast feeding a baby, most people support that. A toddler, starts to get "isn't it time...?". LB picks up on that anxiety of a verbal child asking and exaggerates it.

The tension around supporting people with disabilities and encouraging them to be independent. At what point is care, enabling?

The helpful customer service who goes the extra mile- but it's still not enough.

Len Goodman never having tried Coronation Chicken because his Nan called it 'foreign muck'.

Exaggerating things to the point of ridiculousness is the foundation of loads of comedy.

And of course if you are pushing to extremes, sometimes you'll go too far.

They found a kernel of discomfort and played with it.

Interesting how many of us get creepy vices from DW!

Matt Lucas is great. DW not so much.

A quote from Ricky Gervais concerning some people finding comedy offensive:

"With comedy as well I think you've got to deal with taboos and contentious issues and sometimes you deal in irony and some people don't get that but you know you can't legislate against stupidity otherwise you'll be doing nothing,"

I love carol beer. I still use 'computer says no' occasionally. In fact it's more apt now than it ever was. I keep still being told re nhs admin mistakes that it's covid's fault. Which I refute and say please don't blame covid.

I think that as big fan as I am some bits were over the line. But overall, most was simply funny

I suppose it depends we’re or not you believe the comedians have any sort of social responsibility to particular groups