Quote: Sir Geoffrey Loftus @ December 6 2010, 4:59 AM GMT

^^ The idea of course being to laugh AT not WITH the dimwit in order to belittle the demographic of which he was a satirical construct.

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Exactly. I enjoyed it for those reasons as a teenager and might enjoy it even more now (this time to side with the conservative, racist bigot), although I haven't bought the discounted box-set yet -- life is too short for online Scrabble and re-discovering all those old sitcoms (yet apparently not too short for posting twee rubbish here). Verging back on topic, Love Thy Neighbour In Australia (starring an imported Jack Smethurst) was rather weak but I liked it because I like Jack Smethurst.

Incidentally Geoffrey, did you manage to get a complete set of The Goodies on DVD yet? If not, I know I chap who can provide.

Quote: zooo @ July 1 2008, 8:21 PM GMT

I don't like Spike Milligan.

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Me neither. Never found him funny. Not a popular view with comedy-types but there you go.

Jesus - 8 series of Love Thy Neighbour?? I had no idea. I remember watching it as a kid, my Dad loved it. I also remember all the kids at my school referring to black people as "nig-nogs" and "Sambos". From what I remember the show didn't deliver a racist message, but Jack Smethurst's character could be either laughed AT by more enlightened viewers, or laughed WITH by the less racially-tolerant.

It's the same with Alf Garnett and to an extent Al Murray's Pub Landlord character. We're meant to be laughing at their xenophobic flaws, but unfortunately a lot of people agree with them. I went to an Al Murray gig once and it was like a f**king BNP convention in the interval. "It's funny 'cos it's true!" seemed to be a popular view in the bar. "He should be Prime Minister" was another comment.

Quote: Kenneth @ December 6 2010, 5:55 AM GMT

Exactly. I enjoyed it for those reasons as a teenager and might enjoy it even more now (this time to side with the conservative, racist bigot), although I haven't bought the discounted box-set yet -- life is too short for online Scrabble and re-discovering all those old sitcoms (yet apparently not too short for posting twee rubbish here). Verging back on topic, Love Thy Neighbour In Australia (starring an imported Jack Smethurst) was rather weak but I liked it because I like Jack Smethurst.

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I loved Kingswood Country as a kid, but it does little for me now. It's still vaguley amusing, but some of the continuing jokes get old quick.

Quote: Kenneth @ December 6 2010, 5:55 AM GMT

Incidentally Geoffrey, did you manage to get a complete set of The Goodies on DVD yet? If not, I know I chap who can provide.

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Being a pirate at heart I downloaded them, in fancy overwatched video quality. Some of them are in a shocking state, but I'm happy until the BBC have finished milking everyone.

Seriously.... a third "best of" complitaion. No series should ever yield a THIRD "best of" DVD pack without a complete series option. Even a second is pushing it.

IMO, no series should have a first best of collection. Either there's a market to release the show or there isn't. I want complete, uncut and unedited series please.

This show was absolutely massive at the time, and the idiotic outlook of the two male leads was the main reason for the laughter; I've never seen this show since original transmissions, but the scenes I remember are the Rudolph Walker character donning full tribespeople regalia (including spear) to terrify the Eddie Booth character, also a later scenario that involved Eddie dancing around a tree naked in order to avoid a 'HEX' (or something), and an especially memorable 1973 offering, in which Nina Baden-Semper adressed the audience directly, offering viewers a peek at their new-borne babes: the two women characters being pregnant being a central axis of one series. This episode ended with a very American-TV like farcical scene, in which Smethurst and Walker were dressed up as babies in oversized pram props, acting appropriately...

At the time no-one really winced at this show, or indeed at The Black And White Minstrels Show: indeed the Minstrel Show was usually held up as the epitome of wholesome, innocent entertainment! People accepted TV fare without questioning it back then: today's over-analysis has squeezed the living daylights out of situation comedy especially to the point that no real popular 'hits' are forthcoming today: say what you like about the premise of this show, but it made household names of its four central stars (it was often discussed next morning in the school playground), unlike the marginalised comedy of today, which is only lapped up by a relative minority, bypassing the wider public at large.

Quote: Rico El Vista @ January 14 2011, 6:42 PM GMT

This show was absolutely massive at the time, and the idiotic outlook of the two male leads was the main reason for the laughter.

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It was. I remember me and the family sitting down to watch it, it was unmissable for us. Very dated and unPC now though. I'm sure there was a follow up about an Australian?

Eddie moved to Australia in Love Thy Neighbour In Australia, if that's what you're referring to?

Quote: Aaron @ January 14 2011, 11:12 PM GMT

Eddie moved to Australia in Love Thy Neighbour In Australia, if that's what you're referring to?

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That'll be it. Was the guy behind the bar from Minder in it? I vaguely remember him being in it, but I could be wrong. Memory might be playing tricks.

No idea I'm afraid! I was under the impression that it was pretty much just Eddie in terms of British characters/actors.

Quote: Aaron @ January 14 2011, 11:27 PM GMT

No idea I'm afraid! I was under the impression that it was pretty much just Eddie in terms of British characters/actors.

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Had a quick Google, Glynn Edwards (Dave in Minder) was in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, I'm getting confused with that methinks.

I also felt that the central white characters of Eddie and his wife were hardly good examples of 'white superiority': Eddie looked overweight and out-of-condition and always seemed to be smoking a fag: his wife was a bit frumpy and 'homely' looking. The black characters looked fit and attractive by comparison; I thought that Nina Baden-Semper was quite a sexy gal at the time.

A lot of the humour came about through Smethurst's character claiming superiority, when his personal DNA clearly screamed otherwise!

The show would have been more sinister and questionable if Eddie's character had been played by a young, attractive actor whose character was witty and intelligent. Eddie Booth in the programmes was clearly a bigoted fool from the outset, and a legitimate target for situation comedy.

Quote: Stephen Lee @ January 14 2011, 11:23 PM GMT

That'll be it. Was the guy behind the bar from Minder in it? I vaguely remember him being in it, but I could be wrong. Memory might be playing tricks.

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The barman in Love Thy Neighbour in Australia is called ... (I can't remember and don't have the energy to go through a cupboard of discs now) and he is a little bit like Dave of the Winchester from Minder but he sure aint Glynn Edwards.

Quote: Aaron @ January 14 2011, 11:27 PM GMT

No idea I'm afraid! I was under the impression that it was pretty much just Eddie in terms of British characters/actors.

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It is just Eddie surrounded by Australians.

Here's a fascinating aural/visual artefact from almost 40 years ago......essential viewing for comedy buffs of this genre.

Isn't Nina Baden-Semper a babe?

And doesn't Tarby look young?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNTeRlz6cuo

Only remember this show through my dad laughing, which is not a good sign.
Judging by the clips I've seen it looked like it had its moments, though I suspect they no longer show the full cringe worthiness of the show. Walker particularly looked very good in it.

I can hardly wait!!

L