"Is one bovvered? Is one's face bovvered?

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Is Catherine Tate trying desperately to cling to one catchphrase only?

(quote is herself to the queen, apparently)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

who is this dreadful woman?

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

Daughter of King George VI, apparently.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

I knew she was yet another posh person poking fun at the working classees but I didn't think she was that posh

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

My sister keeps repeating this phrase like some kind of mantra. It kind of grates.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

grout wots your source for this?

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

isn't tate just a spin-off of that one 'yeahbutno' character from 'little britain'?

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

i think the first person i heard say this (sort of thing) on TV was PayJay in Big Brother. but it's not like either he nor Tate invented it or anything.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

PayJay? Now you've lost me.

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

p. j.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

My source: the "Magazine" section of the BBC Website. That's all I know about it though.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4454382.stm

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

From that story..

Matthew Wilson, 18, said he had come to see Charlotte Church, because she was "a good role model".

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

Matthew Wilson, 18, said he had come to see Charlotte Church, because she was "a good role model"

http://loljesus.com/submissions/thumb-jesus_gay.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

Does that Jesus Statue have a Joey from friends voice?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 23 November 2005 09:24 (twenty years ago)

can someone explain this one to a dumbass like yrs truly?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 23 November 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

eleven months pass...

wtf? i just read on the bbc site that Catherine Tate launched this catchphrase. Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm excuse me, people have been saying this for fucking years.

She's back on tonight. *so* not funny.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:29 (nineteen years ago)

Haven't seen the new series yet so I can't comment. Though I'll probably be watching the C4 Lord Longford thing with Jim Broadbent instead.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:33 (nineteen years ago)

xpost: Agreed. The Little Britain-inspired televisual wasteland truly is here to stay, and there's nothing we can do about it.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:35 (nineteen years ago)

As with all of these sketch shows: it's funny once. It's not funny the thirtieth time when the whole sketch is built around the catchphrase everyone knows is coming because every fuckwit in the country has been going round saying "Am I bovvered? I'm the only gay in the village - oo, suits you sir!" for the last twelve months.

― Sir Tehrance HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:37 (nineteen years ago)

I kinda disagree. But not strongly enough to really argue the toss.

― You've Had Your Chances (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:38 (nineteen years ago)

Akshully it's only the foul-mouthed old woman that makes me smile.

― You've Had Your Chances (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:39 (nineteen years ago)

But that's basic stuff, and no matter how well it's done it won't have any comedic complexity. Ach, maybe I'm too demanding, but in the mid-90's there were more than enough shows (Father Ted in the main) that definitely didn't have me begging for more. Just two good shows (Peep Show and Phoenix Nights) is a substandard return for 00's British comedy.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:42 (nineteen years ago)

Doctor Science says: groups of people might have an attachment to a colourful phrase or punchline influenced by a particular local dialect, but appearing on national television may bring this phrase to wider attention.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:43 (nineteen years ago)

fuck phoenix nights.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

makes me laugh = good, what can I say? Not the most cerebral, but did the job!

I forgot Nathan Barley, btw. Make it three.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:51 (nineteen years ago)

Complexity is Rockist.

I mean, I like a good Hancock's Half Hour as much as anybody, but sometimes inappropriate use of the word FACK just hits the spot. CT's just the latest performer to use the comic strip format. Repetitive punchlines are part of the point of that format. I don't think she's particularly funny, but then neither is lots of shit that people fall over themselves to like because it's "clever". She don't represent any particular trend in TV comedy: the meh has always outweighed the roffle.

― You've Had Your Chances (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:53 (nineteen years ago)

fuck phoenix nights

You wish.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:53 (nineteen years ago)

I don't see why comedy has to be complex.

As long as it's funny I'm satisfied.

No comedy this century is fit even to piss on the shoes of Hancock's Half Hour.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:55 (nineteen years ago)

xxpost: I guess, and you make your point well, but 'lots of shit that people fall over themselves to like because it's "clever"' EXMPLS PLS!

Comedy doesn't always have to be complex, but even the teeniest bit of sophistication does more good than harm IMO.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:56 (nineteen years ago)

piss on the shoes of Hancock's Half Hour

This actually happened in jam.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:57 (nineteen years ago)

The trouble with both Nathan Barley and Peep Show is that they tried to be clever first, Trojan horse serious drama second and comedy a very belated third.

The best "complex comedy" from Keaton onwards wears its complexity lightly.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:58 (nineteen years ago)

I love Hancock but he rarely fulfils my base, dirty urge to just laff out loud at something stupid.

― You've Had Your Chances (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:59 (nineteen years ago)

Peep Show was most definitely comedy first, Marcello, it's got practically more quotable lines than every other recent British show combined! You're right that there were elements of all three in both programmes, but I think you've got the proportions wrong.

All of this is academic anyway, because A******d D*********t knocks all current British television into a small cocked hat. Now THERE'S comedy. Complex in structure, yet never elusive, and never shy of resorting to a big crowd-pleasing image or simple moment of humour when the moment calls.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

i missed the trojan horse serious drama element to 'nathan barley'. i think umad anyway, peep show is fucking funny. funny isn't in opposition to clever.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:04 (nineteen years ago)

it's academic to talk about current (or returning) UK shows because a good american show existed, until it was cancelled?

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:05 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think there's a funny/clever opposition, but one is sometimes mistaken for the other. Maybe witty would be a more accurate word than clever, here.

― You've Had Your Chances (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:07 (nineteen years ago)

Well, the serious drama in nathan barley probably relates to how one's sympathies towards nathan barley and dan ashcroft alter over the series, as the one reveals himself to be actually quite endearing (if idiotic) and the other turns out to be a hypocritical, self-contradictory fool who should know better.

xpost: Well, if we're trying to work out what the best show on the air is, my tip would be Sunday nights on BBC2, for a show that rather definitely isn't British.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:09 (nineteen years ago)

best show on air: 'LOST', BITCHES.

actually maybe 'the wire' but i haven't seen s03 so not s04 either.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:10 (nineteen years ago)

best COMEDY show, BITCH

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

I only watch Onionversity Cabbage. And movies and sport.

― You've Had Your Chances (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

wire's the best and has some good catchphrases

crossposts

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

Lost is funnier than most 'comedies', for sure.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:13 (nineteen years ago)

Nathan Barley makes me laugh like a blocked hoover. It's the tiny touches and endless character complexities (characters that on first inspection DO seem to be complete caricatures) that do it for me. It IS clever, but not to the detriment of being funny. I certainly don't see the clever-then-important-then-funny equation at all.

Peep show is a lot funnier than it has any right to be, usually cos of Mitchell being teh funny. I've only seen The Catherine Tate Show once. It was shit.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:15 (nineteen years ago)

Would that Arrested Development or any other post-Seinfeld comedy (arguably including Seinfeld) had an ounce of the genuine wit of Bilko or even Frasier.

I find Catherine Tate predictable and also laugh-out-loud funny. You know what's coming but as with ITMA, Dick Emery, Fast Show etc. that's part of the humour and I see nothing wrong with that.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:22 (nineteen years ago)

ah, yes 'genuine wit'.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:23 (nineteen years ago)

not to be confused with... fake wit.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:23 (nineteen years ago)

I'd actually be grateful if you got off this thread if you've nothing useful to contribute to it, Henry, because generally you're coming across as a troll.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:25 (nineteen years ago)

Frasier's style is different to Arrested Development's. The latter gets its humour from the ridiculous, from the in-jokes, the fiendishly clever plots, the absurd little details packed into every scene. The former is more conventionally 'witty', yes, in that the humour is almost entirely verbal, and the characters spend the whole time zinging each other, but this method for me only raises, say, two or three belly-laughs per episode, whilst AD has me laughing virtually throughout.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:27 (nineteen years ago)

LOST = 2 dozen times funnier than Tate

― teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:27 (nineteen years ago)

...although I did see Frasier recently for the first time in ages and found to my pleasant surprise that I was enjoying it immensely.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:28 (nineteen years ago)

The latter gets its humour from the ridiculous, from the in-jokes, the fiendishly clever plots, the absurd little details packed into every scene.

So does The Simpsons, but that's actually funny first, and in-jokes/clever plots/absurd little detaisl second. You end up caring about Homer in a way I don't finally care about anyone on AD.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:33 (nineteen years ago)

People still care about Homer???

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:36 (nineteen years ago)

I'd actually be grateful if you got off this thread if you've nothing useful to contribute to it, Henry, because generally you're coming across as a troll.
-- Marcello Carlin (marcellocarli...), October 26th, 2006.

am i bothered?

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

The Simpsons, whilst excellent, is moralistic drama first, comedy second IMO. AD is more manic, more surreal, has better characters (Homer aside), and a greater sense of theatre. Personally, I prefer this to what The Simpsons is doing. Plus, AD quit whilst ahead, something Groening and company have signally failed to do.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

And benrique's 'point' is worth upholding. Why make claims as to what constitutues 'genuine wit' without explaining just what it is that renders Arrested Development or Seinfeld not as witty as Bilko or Frasier.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:39 (nineteen years ago)

No, I've thought about this, NOT Homer aside. The Simpsons I find increasingly cloying and sentimental with age, whereas AD's characters are plain hilarious.

TS: G.O.B. vs. Homer Simpson?

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:40 (nineteen years ago)

I do think an argument can be made that AD lacks the charm of older shows (but then so does modern Simpsons, which has not been excellent for over six years, and many other shows), but I will still laugh out loud at it more than any current British comedy.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:41 (nineteen years ago)

Frasier is funny in the same way that sitting on a cosy couch and drinking a cup of hot chocolate late at night is funny.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

Oh FFS - another potentially interesting discussion wrecked beyond repair by the Three fucking Stooges of ILx.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:44 (nineteen years ago)

much like Seinfeld, only with any observational comedy. and George.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:46 (nineteen years ago)

erm, 'without' any observational comedy i should say.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:46 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah we've ruined the 'discussion' with our demands for showing of working.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:46 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.fnm.com/promo/CD5DEverythings.gif

― teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:47 (nineteen years ago)

frasier gets the occasional nose-laugh. comedies about 'sophisticated' people != sophisticated. same with 'peep show' (which actually is funny): it isn't clever, just about middle-class people who make wordy jokes.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:48 (nineteen years ago)

sorry, that sounds like i'm dissing Frasier and Seinfeld, but i love them. like a hot cup of coco.

AD is sharp, i don't find any sympathy with any of the characters but so what. It's hilarious but not something I could watch over and over.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:49 (nineteen years ago)

I sympathise with George-Michael!

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:50 (nineteen years ago)

And his Dad, a bit.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:50 (nineteen years ago)

Barley is just plain absurd and brilliant to watch, I just can never remember any of the amazingly clever things he says when it's finished. Apart from 'coincimental', that one has stuck.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:50 (nineteen years ago)

i sympathise with michael. i am surrounded by crazy people.

xpost

TECHNICALLY A POLANSKI

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

'amazingly clever' is surely going too far!

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

i just get too excited sometimes

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:55 (nineteen years ago)

Watching AD over and over is half the fun! It actually gets better every time!

Frasier and Peep Show aren't sophisticated but very well-written (especially the latter), AD IS sophisticated, and all the better for it.

Barley's psychobabble is very entertaining, but the programme's excellence doesn't come from its script so much as its concept, a self-referential study and thence savagery of an increasingly moronic culture.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, it is pretty moronic itself, but with a knowingness that somehow lets you in on the joke.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:57 (nineteen years ago)

i think the six-ep series is a stupid idea. they end before they've really got going. a 13-ep 'nathan barley' would have been better than the six. british comedy often feels a bit rushed i suppose -- compare it to 'entourage', which was, i guess, another comedy-drama (though with more comedy, um). even that's better than most uk comedy.

xpost

i think musch of the self-referencing is in the script, louis, to be fair.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:57 (nineteen years ago)

bah, pedantry ;-)

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

it's not so much a stupid idea as a financial restriction surely benrique

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

and i'd like to see shorter American comedies and dramas personally. how many episodes did their version of The Office have?

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

america = has more advert breaks = each half-hour slot only has about 23 minutes' worth of tv = episodes are shorter = more episodes per series almost a given.

NB series 2 shouldn't be too long in the making (so I hear), anyway.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

it's not so much a stupid idea as a financial restriction surely benrique
-- ;_; (n...), October 26th, 2006.

wouldn't it be cheaper to make more, though. you've got to fill (say) the 9.30pm thursday slot. you commission six eps of one thing... and six of another. this all costs, as does getting the cast, crew, sets, etc. it'd bring down the unit cost to make more of the same. isn't it just an inground brit tv tradition?

oh my god i just realize we've had this exchange before.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

I personally can't relate to a lot of NB's concept, being a country bumpkin and all. Your statement is probably the reverse to be true for me, I just laugh at the things he says and those two silly twerps that work in Dans office. and the names of some of the characters.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:06 (nineteen years ago)

The usual explanation trotted out for the difference in series lengths is that US comedies are a team effort, UK comedies are generally authored by one or two people. Still, Clement & La Frenais managed 13-ep runs of WHTTLL in the '70s (only two, mind.)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

I love Michael and George Michael and Maebee (sp?). I also love the dad/uncle. I really care for these characters!

(but then I like Lisa in the Simpsons so ymmv)

― === temporary username === (Mark C), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

oh my god i just realize we've had this exchange before.

but this is a thread about british comedy...SURELY not...

if you're right surely it WOULD happen more then? you can't make 24 episodes with one just one or two writers here, supposedly - if only just because you'd need enough material from different people to make a series that long worthwhile AND consistently funny. so they'd have to hire a pool and pay them all the same (but would be good if performance-based ha ha).

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

I watched Big Train on UKTVG2 last night featuring Tate altho she never had much to do in that. It was the one where she leaves Mark Heap for a set of portable traffic lights. Eat that Hancock.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:18 (nineteen years ago)

US shows are (UK comedy writers like to think) written by vast teams of people, "led" by yer aaron sorkins or shawn ryans etc. also they seem more likely to be shot while the series airs? and apparently there is much more money floating around. i wonder, though -- someone like andrew davies is too relied on here, and he's shit!

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:20 (nineteen years ago)

blueski, is that sketch also done in French with subtitles?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:31 (nineteen years ago)

oui, tho it's not as funny as the earlier sketch where Pegg runs over a tortoise called Jacques.

― ;_; (blueski), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:31 (nineteen years ago)

wait.. am i the third stooge?

― teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:33 (nineteen years ago)

wheel

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

rail

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

tram

― teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:36 (nineteen years ago)

cable car

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:40 (nineteen years ago)

MORNINGTON CRESCENT

― teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 26 October 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

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