Comments on: BBC censors Fawlty Towers

By: krazykiwi

krazykiwi — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:29:38 +0000

mm – agreed. A smile-worthy movie.

By: mikenmild

mikenmild — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:25:50 +0000

Apropos of Fawlty Towers, we saw Andrew Sachs (Manuel) last night in a smallish role in Quartet, which was an excellent film.

By: mikenmild

mikenmild — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:24:38 +0000

kk
John Cleese said something along the lines of we only have three hours of Hamlet and we already have nine hours of Basil Fawlty, which should be enough.

By: krazykiwi

krazykiwi — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:17:49 +0000

I have watched these so many times.. that I drive my family nuts with quotes, renditions, re-re-re-re-recycled jokes. Some of the most enduring comedy of my lifetime, perhaps because that most of us identify – even secretly – with at least one of Basil’s neurotic tendencies.

There were only 11 episodes produced. There are rumours that a 12th was written, but never saw the light of day. Perhaps the BBC’s interventionist tendencies were at work back in the mid 70′s

Now, it’s time for dinner. Duck with lemon? Duck with orange? Duck surprise? Oo, what’s duck surprise? It’s duck without orange or lemon

By: Dean Papa

Dean Papa — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:36:38 +0000

Archie Bunker was of course the USA version of Alf Garnett.

Cleese Apparently agreed with the cut, given the airing time of 7:30 in the evening. At least it isn’t being cut in order to fit commercials into a half-hour slot, as occurred with Blackadder here, a few years ago now.

By: PhilP

PhilP — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:51:18 +0000

What ever you do “don’t mention the war” I mentioned it once and I think I got away with it. Classic Basil Fawlty.

By: Kea

Kea — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:00:39 +0000

Why was the racism towards the Germans not removed ?

By: Ross Miller

Ross Miller — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:53:38 +0000

This is revisionist history making at its best/worst. It happened. You can’t pretend it didn’t.

Is there any difference in doing this and ascerting that the holocoust didn’t happen?

By: noskire

noskire — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:09:35 +0000

Come on, boys. Where’s your spirit? I don’t hear no singing. When you was slaves, you sang like birds. Come on, how about a gold ole nigger work song?

By: David Garrett

David Garrett — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:14:07 +0000

Like everyone of my age, I have seen the episodes from which that dialogue (above) was taken 100 times…still screamingly funny damn near 40 years later..

BTW what ridiculous name have they chosen in lieu of “nigger” for Guy Gibson’s dog?

By: Akaroa

Akaroa — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:31:18 +0000

Re-Jonno1 at 9.55pm;

Your comment reminded me that, when I was in the Air Force and serving in Bangkok in the 80s as an Attache, we made friends with the German Attache who had two teen-age sons.

Evidently, when the boys were growing up in West Germany any mention of WW2 was strictly verboten.

At the time I had a great selection of WW2 tapes – (Do you remember video tapes?) – dealing with various air warfare, episodes of WW2. “Target for Today”, ‘Night Bombers’, The Air Plan’, ‘Target Germany’ etc., etc. (Still gottem!)

My German friend – like yours – was fascinated and used to borrow my tapes so that his boys – who had no idea of the War’s events – could self-educate on the subject.

(Doubt whether many more will read this, but thought i’d add it all the same!!)

By: TheContrarian

TheContrarian — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:54:47 +0000

Don’t fuck with the classics.

Anyway – I better go put the picture up….

By: jonno1

jonno1 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 08:55:59 +0000

Keeping Stock @7.43: I did once, but I think I got away with it.

No, really, I did. We had a middle-aged German house guest for a few months, and before he arrived my wife warned me not to mention the war (she knew of my obsession with Fawlty Towers). Well, on day one I did manage to mention the war (quite by accident of course). It turned out that our guest was a student of WWII, particularly of the hardware involved. So we spent many pleasant evenings watching the History channel. He could identify every plane, tank, gun, and more. I learned more from him than from the docos themselves, and we have remained good friends although he has now returned to Germany.

By: OECD rank 22 kiwi

OECD rank 22 kiwi — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:58:18 +0000

Anyone remember EML’s sketch on Maori porn?

Oh yes, Anal Mana: Eating Media Lunch - Best Of episode Skip to 4:10.

By: Keeping Stock

Keeping Stock — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:43:42 +0000

And all the while the BBC enabled Jimmy Savile's unhealthy interest in teenaged girls, with countless BBC staff having walked in on him with a bird on his lap, but nothing said. Says it all really, I suppose. So whatever you do today; don't mention the war!

By: OECD rank 22 kiwi

OECD rank 22 kiwi — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:38:30 +0000

Guess the BBC won’t be playing Django Unchained.

By: Viking2

Viking2 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:53:31 +0000

What about that american guy with the braces. A real bigot he was.

By: duggledog

duggledog — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:31:21 +0000

RRM thanks for posting the script. Blood hilarious scene, the rant about socialists and also Franco. For god’s sake BBC it’s parody! Can’t wait to see Cleese’s reaction. The story is actually comedy in itself!

For comedy to work, unfortunately it has to be brutal. Someone has to suffer, and someone’s gonna be offended. Aw.
Don’t worry Fox – we’re a way off yet. Anyone remember EML’s sketch on Maori porn? Not one complaint.

Are the poms going to ban ‘Little Britain’? No because one of the boys is fat AND gay. Twats

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:21:18 +0000

I guess the uproariously hilarious condemnation of bigotry that is Blazing Saddles is out as well for it’s frequent use of the n-word.

By: liarbors a joke

liarbors a joke — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 04:30:18 +0000

Wait till they review Love thy Neighbour, another 70′s english classic where the white neighbour continually refers to the indians living nextdoor as ‘sambo’ and ‘sooty’.