New BBC sketch comedy show 'Horne and Corden'...

[SamJamsmum]

...has James Corden playing 'Janice' who 'very publicly breastfeeds'.
[Heat Magazine interview this week]

This does NOT make me feel happy.

these 2 guys are revolting. Esp Matt Horne - he has the kind of face I'd like to slap - second only to Dick of Dick&Dom.

how disappointing. haven't seen it.

oh get a grip, its hardly going to affect any adults who want to/or are breastfeeding is it.

It does affect women who want to/are breastfeeding IMO.

It gives the ignorant masses handy little catchphrases to parrot and a bizarre justification for negative attitudes to BF, which can undermine womens' feeding choices and obliterate any good manners.

I dont think any negative atitudes to bf will be changed (in any way) by a small sketch show that most people wont watch.

And if people are that easily led by seeing a sketch show then maybe theyre not mature enough to be parenting.

I would think most people are adult enough and sensible enough to make their own decisions whatever they may be

Women who have had 'bitty' said to them will beg to differ.

These catchphrases permeate peoples' attitudes, and they do undermine BF. They contribute to a culture where its ok to poke fun at the physiologically corect way to feed a baby.

Its not so much that negative attitudes will be changed, its more that they can be reinforced. It gives the ignorant/embarrassed/rude something they can just splurt out without thinking, and it puts the onus on the woman to find it funny that her feeding choices are being ridiculed.

It's not just one sketch show though- attitudes to bf in the media are notorious. Think of Little Britain and the 'bitty' catchphrase. Bf is usually portrayed as hilarious, disgusting, weird... hardly ever as something normal, a part of life. These negative messages become reinforced by media representations.

A relative recently asked me how long I plan to bf for and I said I didn't know, def for the first year, and probably longer- to be met with the 'bitty' phrase... this from a well educated, himself breastfed man who is expecting his first child (his wife intends to bf)and would define himself as pro-bf. But these ideas/attitudes are ingrained in our social subconscious and, like I said, reinforced by these 'hilarious' comic characters. So no, one drop of water will not wear away the stone but, over time...

I think they are hilarious. (Horne and Corden, that is)

I don't like it, but I am happy (desperate) to have bfing out there in the general public discussion arena and this type of show does that.

Not seen it yet so reserving judgement. From what I have seen from the trailer it does look crap. Hopefully, though, it will stop arseholes saying "bitty".

I was about to start a topic about this but saw that you had beaten me to it SamJamsmum .

Was really annoyed when I read that in the heat interview. Just what we need; another comedy sketch taking the piss out of breastfeeding in a country where BF levels are not particularly high. I wonder how many women they have seen 'very publicly breastfeeding anyway' (wasn't sure if they mean showing huge amounts of flesh or just feeding in cafes etc). I would imagine that they have more experience of seeing lots of babies being bottle fed in public, but that's not so funny is it

Not sure I can muster up any outrage before seeing it.

What if the sketch is taking the piss out of people who don't like b/feeding rather than out of b/feeders themselves?

It probably won't be though will it chequersmate?

It's just a bit depressing. I'm struggling to think of another comparable "area" where people would so gleefully piss-take re a personal/natural/normal thing

I have no idea caz10, I haven't seen it.

Hence remaining neutral.

Sorry, but this thread smacks a bit of looking for an excuse to be offended.

Why not wait til you've actually seen it and know exactly what it is you're being offended by?

Not offended, or outraged, just a bit puzzled/depressed at it being in a sketch show at all! I mean, why is it funny?

My MUM who is an educated, sensible lady has said "bitty" to me before, and she hasn't even seen the show, couldn't tell me afterwards where it came from, but it's just one of these phrases that seep in and become commonplace. Not helpful at all.

No idea why it is, or is supposed to be funny, I haven't seen it.

I suppose it's just because it's something close to me - if they had a sketch where they took the mick out of budgie owners or something it wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but maybe budgienet.com would be going crazy!

It just seems an utterly mindless thing to have on the TV BUT that could be said for a very high percentage of the current programming, so it's nothing new I suppose.

I completely agree we have to see it first. But the idea that someone 'very publicly breastfeeds' as a concept is hardly hopeful, is it? It's about Janice and my mind boggles at Corden with his top off (again) and fake boobs. It's not a sketch about 'Dennis' and his anti-bf stupidity and prejudice.

I just think that there are a section of mums who would be breastfeeding against the odds anyway and this image potentially won't be helpful. Not feeling comfortable feeding in public is cited in surveys as a reason why some choose not to bf. It's easy to imagine that's an 'excuse' but if you are 19 and all your mates ff and you are trying to feed in public this comedy show and any associated catch phrases could be pretty significant.
God I hope I am proved wrong. Wait and see.

LOL budgienet.com

Can we just remember that comedy in modern times is about observation, all the sketchs start from a person or experience had by the writter they are not meant literally ie Is little britain offensive to people in wheel chairs? Is it offensive to women who are fat? Is it offensive to all teenage girls?

It's a comedy show - not a fly on the wall documentary. Since when did BF mean you can't have a sense of humour?

how hilarious would a sketch show about feckless chavvy ff mums with bottle in one hand, fag in the other be?

or does ff mean you lose your sense of humour?

....vicky Pollard.
I'm sure many a FF has laughed at that one.