Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Telly addicts

Related: Film discussion forum.

Original poster

Prince Charles 'We are amused' show - did anyone else feel embarrassed at Rowan Atkinson?

46 replies

tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:24

I really enjoyed the show, Bill Bailey made me cry with laughter, it was all good-humoured, until Rowan Atkinson. Does he really think that Charles would enjoy that? His mother is Defender of the Faith, Head of the Church of England; Charles has said he'll be Defender of Faiths.

This sketch made me feel really uncomfortable & embarrassed. What on earth was Rowan Atkinson thinking?

I don't know what Joan Rivers was like, didn't watch her, she's normally a disaster, but presumably Charlie likes her. Was she OK?

OP posts:
Carmenere · 15/11/2008 23:27

No he was very funny, I'd imagine that PC has a sense of humour.

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:28

Making fun of someone's faith?

OP posts:
Carmenere · 15/11/2008 23:30

Oh fgs, having a faith does not preclude having a sense of humour. He wasn't making fun of the non-specific faith anyway, he was making fun of pompous, old-fashioned preachers.

BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:32

It's a very old sketch and I'm sure Prince Charles has seen it before.

Why on earth wouldn't you find it funny - or why would you be embarrassed or uncomfortable though? It was actually pretty gentle.

It wasn't really making fun of someone's faith.

dmo · 15/11/2008 23:35

Joan Rivers was rubbish

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:36

Just me then.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I was offended. Am I allowed to say that without being told I have no sense of humour?

OP posts:
BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:38

You are, of course, allowed to say that. But can you explain why you were offended? I really can't see why you should have been as it was pretty tame - poking fun rather than vicious satire, IMO.

EyeballsintheSky · 15/11/2008 23:38

I didn't see it. What sketch did he do? Not the one about the devil (but you can call me Toby)?

PeaMcLean · 15/11/2008 23:43

It will all have been approved with "the authorities" before going out on air.

The whole thing will have been developed on the basis of people he likes.

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:44

Why was it offensive? You say you saw it as making fun of pompous preachers, whereas I saw it as making fun of Jesus, quoting from the Bible the passage about the first miracle, turning the water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and going on to change it into stuff about comedy act rabbits & stand-up shows in Jerusalem.

OP posts:
BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:44

It was the sketch about Jesus turning water into wine, and the servants saying that he should do children's parties.

Aitch · 15/11/2008 23:45

that's aaaaaancient, at least twenty years old. poor old pc, he's probably seen it before.

BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:46

this one

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:46

I like Rowan Atkinson. At least, I thought I did. Some of his BLackadder stuff is my absolute favourite. But I think this was misjudged.

No doubt you are right & it was cleared in advance - but so was BrandRoss & that upset people too! Also this is ITV, maybe not as fussy about taste as the BBC.

OP posts:
Carmenere · 15/11/2008 23:47

You have every right to be offended if you so wish, also I have every right to think that being offended by that sketch is a bit ott. And expecting PC to be offended is frankly ludicrous.

BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:47

But it was funny! Unless you believe that actually it is possible to turn water into wine, surely you can see how this can be made fun of?

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:49

I hadn't seen it before, & I didn't think it was funny, or appropriate. My opinion.

OP posts:
BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:49

Actually, if anything did make me vaguely uncomfortable it was the song by Bill Bailey and Robin Williams about the Queen not 'moving over' for Prince Charles.

I am not a royalist/monarchist by any stretch of the imagination, but this was directly about PC and his situation, so was much closer to the knuckle, IMO.

(but I still thought it was funny!)

MrsTittleMouse · 15/11/2008 23:50

I'd forgotten the sketch about the Devil! We used to have that on tape and play it on car journeys when I was a teenager. I've just found it on you tube. Brilliant!

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:53

Yes, I can see how it can be made fun of. But I didn't find it funny & as he will one day be Defender of Faiths, not appropriate.

I hate to say this, but they wouldn't do it with Islam...

OP posts:
edam · 15/11/2008 23:54

I think the original sketch may well have been on the Beeb, FWIW.

Can't really understand why you are offended. Unless you think that no-one should ever joke about religion. In which case I think you are in for a life of disappointment. Especially if you ever go to Iran - apparently the best place to go for a mad mullah joke.

Aitch · 15/11/2008 23:55

there was a blackadder anniversary show recently and they were saying that atkinson's stammer comes out on the letter b, which is why he says it so oddly/hilariously. hence 'bob' and 'toby' being unnaccountably amusing.

BecauseImWorthIt · 15/11/2008 23:55

Oh yes they would

There was Omad Djalili and Stephen (forgotten his name) making jokes about different races/faiths.

Don't go there, please. It is offensive to say that only one religion is 'acceptable' to make humour out of.

Original poster
tearinghairout · 15/11/2008 23:55

There were references earlier to the Queen not giving up too. But he was laughing at the song.

OP posts:
edam · 15/11/2008 23:56

You didn't write a letter to my local paper complaining about Carmina Burana being performed in the cathedral, did you?