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Britcomedy Digest Vol 2 no 02
==================================
B R I T C O M E D Y D I G E S T
==================================
VOL. 2 POLITICAL SATIRE SPECIAL ISSUE AUG. 1995
No. 2 "YES MINISTER" VIDEOTAPE GIVEAWAY!
A monthly electronic newsletter on British comedies.
What's Inside
=============
* YES, PRIME MINISTER
* THE NEW STATESMAN
* A BIT OF POLITICS: BEN ELTON LOVES IT TO DEATH
* EVENTS GUIDE
* THE BLACK ADDER ANIMAL QUIZ
Regular Departments:
===================
Mailbox
Britcomedy News
BD Recommends
Spotted on the Internet
etc.
Circulation/Back Issues
Staff
=====
Managing Editor..................Melinda 'Bob' Casino
Contributing Editor..............Michelle Street
Assistant Editor.................James Kew
Copy Editor......................Cynthia Edwards
Spiritual Advisor................eVApOR8
Contributing writers: Vincent Golden, Timothy Reed, Jan Staff, Michelle
Street.
HTML logo by Nathan Gasser.
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) <Schopenhauer Publishing Co.>
Copyright (c) 1995 by Melinda Casino. Reproduction for personal and
non-profit use is permitted only if this copyright notice is retained. Any
other reproduction is prohibited without permission. Britcomedy Digest may
be uploaded without the editor's permission to bulletin boards as long as
it remains fully intact.
NOTICE: In order to preserve the integrity of Britcomedy Digest, use of
the "BRITCOMEDY DIGEST" name to gain interviews, etc., is forbidden
without the express permission of the Managing Editor.
EDITOR'S PAGE
=============
Welcome to a special issue of "Britcomedy Digest" which focuses on politics
in British comedy.
Why this special issue? Well, politics and the people who make it their
profession have always provided an inordinately rich vein of material for
satirists, comedians, and writers. And why is that, you may ask? Oh, I
don't know. My guess is that politicians leave themselves open for ridicule
by being innately spineless, self-serving, greedy, power-hungry jerkface
gutless wonders but then again, maybe I'm wrong and perhaps it's just
human nature to want to mock *anyone* whom we feel has power over us.
In this day and age, however, coming up with anything more surreal and
bizarre than a Newt Gingrich (the name is bad enough, let alone what the
man believes) must be a true test of creative ability. In spite of this
fact there is still plenty of fine political satire being produced. Though
we don't have room to do the subject anywhere near the justice it
deserves, inside you'll find articles on two very popular shows ("Yes,
Prime Minster" and "The New Statesman") which delve into the shark-infested waters of Parliament, plus a look at Ben Elton, whose work has a
definite political slant.
The best of political satire, like the best of anything in art, has the
power to entertain, enlighten, and most of all, make you think. Whether
you're left-wing, right-wing, or somewhere in the middle, it's important
to keep an open mind and listen to what others have to say. Then, as Brian
of Nazareth once said, "You've got to work it out for yourself."
So enjoy this special issue and since I'm in a quoting kind of mood, I'll
leave you with the words of Stephen Fry (supposedly quoting the Archbishop
of Canterbury), who once said:
"That's enough tedious wank. Let's party." :)
-- Michelle Street, Contributing Editor
MAILBOX
=======
Thanks for your great Britcom Digest 'zine! I love it. I send it out to my
friends on the 'net. Thanks to your information I now have a plan for my
trip to England -- it'll be in October because of the Alexei Sayle tour
and the Bottom tour. Thanks for the invaluable information, it is greatly
appreciated!!!
Susan Barclay <sbarclay@uniserve.com>
Chilliwack, British Columbia
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Just writing to say "Hooray" for the editorial on David Letterman (see Vol.
2, No. 1). It really got to the heart of the matter. So what is all that
anger about? And don't say, "it's just a joke," because we all know that
extensive joking is a useful, safe way of expressing real hostility.
Michelle Casino
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: BD's mailbox was packed with reactions to that editorial
-- see the Op/Ed section in this issue.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I don't understand what is meant by "it has made the cover for the previous
16 years" ("Radio Times Likes the Old Familiar Ones," News, Vol. 1 No.
13). I have taken RT for the last five years and haven't noticed "Fawlty
Towers" on the cover at all until now. It could be that I'm particularly
unobservant (because I am), but I don't understand why they would want to
put it on the cover if it's not actually on television.
Ian Collier <imc@comlab.ox.ac.uk>
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: That was a typographical error (known in the
high-profile world of 'zines as an "editorial boo boo") that I made.
Michael Clarkson responds: "What I meant was that the programme had *not*
been featured on the Radio Times cover for 16 years."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There seems to have been some confusion surrounding which Goodies shows
exist at the BBC as the result of an erroneous article some time ago. The
1995 "Kaleidoscope Guide to TV Comedy and Light Entertainment" lists most
archive holdings of UK TV companies. There was an addendum to the Goodies
listing (as a Stop Press!) in the 1994 edition saying that one black and
white show had been recovered and one restored to colour. The 1995 edition
now indicates that all shows (except the original version of "Kitten
Kong") exist, including the two that haven't been repeated ("A Collection
of Goodies" and "Caught in the Act"). The latter, along with "Come
Dancing" and "The Commonwealth Games," exist only as black and white
recordings; the remainder of surviving shows are on PAL colour tape.
It appears that the "one restored to colour" indicates that a broadcast
quality copy of "The Greenies" may have been salvaged from the damaged
master, although UKG showed this in monochrome only.
It certainly makes a change to find out that a television show of this
vintage has been preserved so well. So much from the 60s and 70s has been
wiped that it's scarcely believable.
Jim Exley <J.Exley@shu.ac.uk>
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Goodies fans rejoice! In addition to this good news,
there is a Goodies Fan Club on the internet that is announced in this
issue's "etc."
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Have I missed something? I've enjoyed Michael Bilton's work for years in
"To The Manor Born" and "Waiting for God." My PBS station is now getting a
new season of "Waiting for God" and Michael's not in it. Has he passed
away, or maybe retired?
Jill Alters <IFDA@aol.com>
Springfield, Illinois
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: I haven't the foggiest. Readers?
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It was mentioned that "Wyrd Sisters" was the first radio dramatization of a
Pratchett novel ("BD Recommends," Vol. 2, No. 1). This ain't so. The first
was "Guards! Guards!" about three years ago, again on Radio 4, and again,
not much cop.
MAD Mosher <I.R.Purdie@bradford.ac.uk>
Bradford University, UK
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I want to thank you in the highest regard for posting your review on
"Britannicon '95" ("Report on Britannicon '95," Vol. 1, No. 13). Putting
together a convention like that (especially a British media convention in
the States) is not an easy task. But all it takes is one item like your
newsletter to make it all worthwhile! I am also pleased to announce there
WILL be a Britannicon '96!
Phil Satterley <atv@Venus.mcs.com>
Director, "Britannicon'95"
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RE: Letters, Vol. 2, No. 1: ITMA actually ended in 1949 when Tommy Handley
died -- it was most famous during WWII when it was probably the most
popular comedy programme. It started in about 1939 but took 2 or 3 years
to reach its full popularity. Some of its catch phrases and characters are
still remembered.
Martin Briscoe <martin.briscoe@almac.co.uk>
Inverness-shire, Scotland
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: BD will be running an article on "It's That Man Again"
in the September issue.
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What Britcomedy Digest readers REALLY want to know is: What's the most
interesting thing you've done so far in England, and exactly how much Spam
did it involve?
Ricky Fluke <ad110@rgfn.epcc.edu>
Roosevelt Dimes, TX
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Sorry, Ricky -- that's between me and my psychiatrist.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Enjoyed your last issue a lot... You deserve a lot of credit for your work.
If it's not a secret, about how many subscribers do you have? Obviously
some people read it on Usenet, but I'm curious as to your distribution
quantity. Also, are most of them in the US, or you have many UK
subscribers as well?
Ralph Johnson <RALPH@fis1.qc.edu>
Huntington, NY
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: There are currently 886 subscribers to the ASCII version
of Britcomedy Digest. There are 90 subscribers with a ".uk" in their email
address; however, not all accounts in the UK have ".uk" in their email
address.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MAILBOX: Send letters to <bd@badger.idiscover.co.uk> with the
subject heading "Letter to the Editor." Include your full name
and location. All letters submitted are assumed to be for
publication unless marked otherwise. BD reserves the right to
edit letters for reasons of space or clarity.
BRITCOMEDY NEWS
---------------
FAREWELL, SWEETIE DAHLINGS
Though it aired in the UK earlier this spring, Americans had to wait until
July 31st to be treated to the final episode of "Absolutely Fabulous."
With guest cameos by series script editor Ruby Wax, Josie Lawrence of
"Whose Line Is It Anyway?," and Mo Gaffney, the episode didn't end with
anyone's death or destruction (as in "The Young Ones") but all loose ends
were tied up and the fact that the characters could really be taken no
further guarantees that, as Jennifer Saunders said, the British version of
the TV series is no more.
"Ab Fab" fans shouldn't shed tears in their champers, though. There is
still the much talked about possibility of an "Ab Fab" movie and the even
more talked about American version, which at last report is to star Carrie
Fisher and Barbara Carrera. No word yet as to when the series will
premiere here, but a recent article in "TV Guide" makes it appear as if
we are in store for a watered-down version of the original.
The article states that ABC Entertainment Chief Ted Harbert was floored by
the drug and booze soaked drafts of the scripts. Carrie Fisher (the
subject of the article) was then quoted as saying, "You can't go on
American TV showing cocaine use -- the sponsors won't like it. The
characters' bad habits will have to be legal."
Nevertheless, we want to take this opportunity to say "So long and thanks
for all the Bolly" to Edina, Pats, Saffie, Bubbles, and everyone else for
giving "Ab Fans" so many laughs.
LORD MELCHETT'S PAGE, PARTE DEUX
Stephen Fry, you sly dog! Since Britcomedy Digest reported last month
about his home page, he has made a lot of changes and turned it into an even
more impressive piece of work. So if you haven't checked it out lately,
do so and be sure to sign the "guest book." The URL again is
http://www.phantom.com/~stephenf/. What else can we say but "You go, web
boy!" :)
PETER COOK REDISCOVERED
A series of interviews by Michael Parkinson were recently aired again in
the UK and gave new insight into the comic genius of Peter Cook. The
interviews took place between 1972 and 1982 and what follows are a few of
the anecdotes he shared about his life and his long, successful career:
-- [During the 'Beyond the Fringe' tour] "Jonathan Miller's first
baby had just been born when we were in America, and I entered
with the baby during a sketch asking 'What should we do with this?'
Miller was shocked by it."
-- "When I arrived in America I went to one of those strip shows
where ladies dance and there is a screen where you look through. I
paid my 25 cents and went through a door. Unfortunately this was
the wrong door and a group of men then tried to kill me ..."
-- On his failed talk show for the BBC, Cook commented: "It was hopeless.
I did not listen to the guests. I asked the guests who they were!! I
could not cope as it was a live programme ... I am terrible at being
interested with people; I would doze off in the middle of an answer."
-- During the last of the interviews Parkinson considered Cook to be
a bit forlorn. Cook was clear on this: "I suppose I have regrets,
but I do not know what these are. Dudley (Moore) has gone to America.
I floated along here for 22 years and I have enjoyed it. When I do
something I work bloody hard."
MUPPETT TREASURE ISLAND '96!
Billy Connolly and Jennifer Saunders will appear in "Muppett Treasure
Island." As the title suggests, it's an adaptation of Robert Louis
Stevenson's adventure classic, "Treasure Island," with a new twist: the
lead is played by a small green amphibian.
Jennifer Saunders plays "Mrs. Bluveridge," Billy Connolly is "Billy Bones,"
and Tim Curry is wonderfully cast as "Long John Silver" (can't you just
see him playing that role to the hilt?). Kermit (as "Capt. Smollet"), Miss
Piggy ("Benjamina Gunn"), Fozzie the Bear, Gonzo, and Rizzo all return for
the fifth Muppett movie, as well as favorite stand-bys such as Beaker and
the Swedish Chef.
According to the press release, Tim Curry remarks about his new role, "It's
a great privilege. I have waited years to work with these tiny but
perfectly formed characters."
WHEN BASIL MET SYBIL
Prunella Scales recently revealed a bit of trivia about her most famous
role, that of Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife Sybil. She is reported
as saying that the first thing she asked John Cleese when she read the
script for "Fawlty Towers" was how on earth the unlikely couple met.
Cleese replied that Basil had been in the Catering Corps and he first met
Sybil, who was a barmaid during his hitch in the army. Scales also noted
that it would not have been likely that Basil would have married anyone
else but Sybil and vice versa.
NEWSQUIRKS
---------- pixels in the press
STOP THE PRESS!
As this issue was going through final revisions (bet you didn't know we did
that), two books were released: Adrian Edmondson's "The Gobbler," and
Simon Gray's "Fat Chance."
Adrian Edmondson's first novel tells the story of "Julian Mann," who only
"wants to surf on life but feels that he can't even get upon his board."
Mr. Gray's novel covers the people and events surrounding the failure of
his West End play, "Cell Mates," last February, the chief event being
Stephen Fry's sudden departure after poor reviews about his performance.
According to "The Guardian" book review, "The luvvie's revenge" (Aug. 4,
1995), the playwright's book is "pitched at a sustained level of hostility
that makes "Mommie Dearest" read like a Mother's Day card."
-- "Fat Chance," by Simon Gray, Faber #5.99
-- "The Gobbler," by Adrian Edmondson, William Heinemann Ltd.
ISBN 0-434-00149-X (hardback); 0-434-00362-X (paperback).
A TOAD -- A TOAD! IT'S THE O-O-O-ONLY THING!
According to Weekly "Variety" (Aug. 7-13 issue), Terry Jones will be
directing a film version of "The Wind in the Willows," and will also be
cast as "Mr. Toad." Eric Idle will play "Ratty," and Michael Palin and
John Cleese will be doing cameos. Shooting began August 6.
ERIC, THE BUSY BEE
Eric Idle also appears in "Casper," a movie directed by Brad Silberling and
starring Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci, and Cathy Moriarty. Steven
Spielberg is executive producer and had Industrial Light & Magic on the
job for the tricky ghost special effects.
-------> Send news items to Michelle Street <mtstreet@soltec.com>.
E D I T O R I A L / O P I N I O N P A G E
===========================================
We received a lot of mail about Kristin Sabo's piece, "David Letterman,
Whipping-Boy for rec.arts.tv.uk." A number of them were from British folk
who said they enjoyed Letterman despite the cultural differences. Others
firmly stood their ground. Here's just a sample...
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Having read the article by Kristin C. Sabo, I would like to say, please do
not judge the rest of us by the self-important childish rantings of a few
people on rec.arts.tv.uk who fancy themselves to be TV critics.
We take a lot of American TV comedies over here: "Roseanne," "Ellen,"
"Blossom," and "Home Improvement" are just a few that come to mind immediately
-- we get a wide range suiting all audiences. We obviously like them, or
they wouldn't get the ratings they do.
I for one enjoyed very much the week of Letterman -- his style of
presentation is unique, irreverent, off-beat and worth sitting down to
watch. Of course, lots of you across the pond know that already. :)
Kevin F. Quinn (aka Reke)
<kevq@banana.demon.co.uk>
Basingstoke, England
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I used to watch "The Late Show" on Sky and I thought it was quite amusing
in places and cringingly dire in others (notably the monologues), but when
I saw Dave in London it was a totally different story -- he spent most of
the shows just portraying the tourist's Britain and taking the piss as if
it were real. I personally found that quite insulting -- not to any sense
of national pride, but to my intelligence. If the show was intended to
appeal to British as well as US audiences, I thought it failed. OTOH, just
as I find it insulting that Letterman expects us to believe that Big Ben,
Bobbies and Beefeaters are all there is to Britain, I also find it rather
galling that some of my countrymen (and women) seem to think that
Letterman is a representative of all Americans' views.
Marcus Hill <mbbgpmh@ma.man.ac.uk>
Manchester
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I don't have access to USENET so I'm surprised by the all the reaction
you've reported. I watched most of the first edition from London and it
seemed OK to me -- reasonably funny, very American-oriented in content (as
I'd expected).
[Kristin Sabo states "America likes Great Britain -- a lot. For some reason
I believed the sentiment to be mutual."] For what it's worth, I have to
say I think you're wrong. *I* quite like many aspects of America but I
think in general there is a negative feeling -- ranging from detestation
and contempt to amused tolerance. However it's mild compared to the French
attitude to the US!
Ian Kitching <systimk@bridge.anglia.ac.uk>
###
Britcomedy Digest welcomes contrasting views. Mail rebuttals
and editorials to <bd@badger.idiscover.co.uk> with the
subject line "EDITORIAL".
===============================================
Yes, Prime Minister
by Vincent Golden <golden@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu>
===============================================
James Hacker, Minister of Administrative Affairs and MP for Birmingham
East, is wrestling over the question of the Eurosausage. While he mulls
over this fat-laden problem, other events are set into motion that will
affect his future.
The Prime Minister has decided to step down at the end of the year,
forcing an election in Hacker's party. Cabinet Secretary Sir Arnold
Robinson is also retiring, giving the job to Sir Humphrey Appleby. So the
question becomes: who will get the Prime Minister's job? What is needed
is someone fully trained by the Civil Service, well-liked, with no
opinions of his own, no bright ideas, not intellectually committed, and
without the strength to change anything.
In a nutshell, Hacker.
Once Hacker has been decided upon, the wheels are set in motion. While
Hacker is kept out of trouble the two top candidates are forced to step
down because of indiscretions that are potentially leakable. Hacker
solves the problems of the Eurosausage. And in the first vote, he is
elected Prime Minister.
Thus is the transition made from the TV series "Yes, Minister" to "Yes,
Prime Minister" (YPM). YPM continues the story of all the main characters from
the first series, but all have been elevated to higher positions. Jim
Hacker (played by Paul Eddington),is, of course, now Prime Minister. Sir
Humphrey Appleby (played by Nigel Hawthorne) is now Cabinet Secretary to
the Prime Minister and in charge of the entire Civil Service. Bernard
Wooley (played by Derek Fowlds) continues to be Hacker's Private
Secretary. Even Humphrey's former boss Arnold Robinson is still present
as President of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, which can be most
useful to Sir Humphrey. The one new character is Dorothy Wainwright, the
Chief Political Adviser to the Prime Minister -- both Hacker and the former
PM.
This series was one of Margaret Thatcher's favourites. In fact she even
attended and took part in a rehearsal of the programme, which was
originally inspired by an actual conflict between a minister and his
secretary. In 1964 the Minister of Housing, Richard Crossman, was at odds
with his Secretary, Dame Evelyn Sharp. Crossman was inexperienced about
housing and felt that Sharp kept him in a "padded cell" while crushing all
new ideas. Sharp, on the other hand, was able to set up agenda and minutes
and muster support, but never was able to work out a relationship with
Crossman. (Ref: Anthony Sampson, "The Changing Anatomy of Britain." London:
Hodder and Stoughton, 1982. pp. 179-180.)
"Yes, Prime Minister" is political satire at its finest. It exemplifies the
battle between elected officials, whose terms are temporary but who want to make
their mark in the history books, and members of the the Civil Service, whose jobs are permanent and who want things to stay the way they are. The two shows illustrate the constant battle between the two sides with the latter having the
advantage. In the editor's notes to the American edition of the book,
Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay point out that while the American system
doesn't accomplish anything openly, the British system doesn't get
anything done privately. The TV series brings out this private conflict
to the viewer: the battle of the political will and the Civil Service
won't.
I think YPM is better than the first show for one reason. In the first
show, Jim Hacker is working from a weak position. As Minister for
Administrative Affairs, he has no power and no experience. Sir Humphrey
Appleby, on the other hand, has all the experience, all the facts and
statistics in hand, the rest of the Civil Service cooperating with
him, and the Prime Minister's Cabinet Secretary to call upon. No matter
what Hacker does, the deck is stacked against him. Hacker does win one
battle with Humphrey, but only because of a mistake made many years ago
which is uncovered at an opportune time.
Once Hacker becomes Prime Minister, the dynamics of the relationship
change. Sir Humphrey still has the Civil Service to back him, but Hacker
now has some authority that matters. He can set off one plan against
another, get independent advice from Wainwright, and can actually get some
orders carried out. He also shows a little better understanding of the
Civil Service. In "A Victory for Democracy" he beats the Foreign Office
at their own game, and makes it look like the idea for the solution came
from a civil servant. Though Hacker does not win all the time, neither
does he lose as much. The balance of power is more equal, and the battle
of the wills (and won't's) is more uncertain until it is played out.
What also makes the show a success is the fine scripts that are the work
of Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay. They created a show which is very
funny without any jokes. What makes us laugh are not one-liners but well-crafted characters. A well-timed uncertain "ah" from Hacker, or even a
startled expression from Sir Humphrey are hilarious. We are laughing at
the situations the characters are put in and how they react to them.
The writing is at its finest when Bernard or Sir Humphrey switch into
non-clarifying Civil Service lingo. An example is when Sir Humphrey
explains to Bernard why the Prime Minister was kept in the dark. "The
fact that the Prime Minister needed to know was not known at the time that
the now known need to know was known, and therefore those of us who needed
to advise and inform felt that the information that we needed as to
whether or not to inform the highest authority of the known information
was not yet known, and therefore there was no authority for the authority
to be informed because the need to know was not yet known, or needed."
In addition to the series, Lynn and Jay also published the book "Yes,
Prime Minister" which came out in British and American editions. Unlike
most books to TV series where you either get a script to the shows you've
seen (and some of the material that may have been left out or changed),
the book to YPM actually enhances the programmes. For Americans, the
editors' notes help understand the various positions. For everyone, the
book gives a better insight to the actions of the characters through
additional material. It is presented as the diary of Jim Hacker as
dictated by him in a series of tapes, but edited by Lynn and Jay (in the
year 2022 AD at Hacker College, Oxford). They also enhance it with the
papers and diaries of Appleby provided by his widow, interviews with
Bernard Wooley, and documents that were released by the Public Record
Office under the Thirty Year Rule, and further comments by the editors.
One odd thing: Lynn and Jay made Bernard and Sir Humphrey as graduates of
Oxford, and Hacker as a graduate (with a third) from the London School of
Economics. The authors, however, are both graduates of Cambridge.
The Shows
--------- (not all of these are covered in the book)
The Grand Design
Hacker has been PM for 3 days and things are running smoothly as
he has not tried to change anything yet. However the first thing
he tries to do is cancel buying Trident from the US and saving
the government 15,000,000,000 pounds. How can he do this if he
can't even get a cook for himself? Especially when Sir Humphrey
describes Trident as the missile that Harrods would sell you.
The Ministerial Broadcast
Hacker is still looking to cancel Trident, but he has another
worry; his first broadcast to the nation. While he prepares for
this, can Humphrey change the minds of politicians regarding a decision
that is guaranteed to win votes?
The Smoke Screen
The Trident issue is still there, but other issues are now
arising to occupy the PM's mind. Hacker wants to cut taxes by
1,500,000,000 pounds, but the Treasury is balking at giving tax
money back to the taxpayers. Hacker decides to play Humphrey's
game and start an anti-smoking plan that would cut 4,000,000,000
pounds instead. Will Humphrey see Hacker's smoke screen for what
it is, or can Hacker shuffle this deck and keep track of the
Jokers?
The Key
We finally meet Dorothy Wainwright, Hacker's political adviser.
Humphrey has her office moved from next to the PM's to far away in
the attic where she has no access to him, leaving him all to
Humphrey. Can Hacker get Dorothy's office back against
Humphrey's wishes, and more important, is he skillful enough to
play off one civil servant against another?
NOTE: In an interview last year, Nigel Hawthorne said that
he pointed out to the authors of the show that Sir Humphrey
Appleby is actually quite mad and obsessed when it comes to
the Civil Service. In this show the madness is very evident
and becomes more of a presence in some of the later shows.
A Real Partnership
The Civil Service wants a substantial pay rise (raise in the
US), but the government is in a financial crisis. Can it be
done, and if so, can it be disguised, and if so, can it be made
digestible for the PM?
A Victory for Democracy
Hacker is having problems with international affairs. Especially
as the Foreign Office won't tell him about any and won't
cooperate. He finds out about a potential problem with St. George's
Island in the Indian Ocean from the American Ambassador ("An
educated man -- for an American"). Not only that, but there is a
vote coming up in the UN on Israel on which the PM wants the UK
Ambassador to abstain. Can Hacker ferret out the information he
needs, and can he get any cooperation from the Foreign Office,
even against their will?
The Bishop's Gambit
A bishopric is vacant and Hacker must decide which candidate to
refer to the Queen. However, he is given a selection that
Bernard describes as "magician's choice." Meanwhile there is a
British nurse sentenced to prison and lashes in a Middle Eastern
country. The PM wants to get her out (a real vote-getter), but
the Foreign Office won't cooperate. Can Humphrey use both
situations to get something else without being caught out?
One of Us
Benji, a dog, wanders out onto an artillery range. At the same
time the PM's popularity rating is dipping. Not only that,
but a former head of MI5 who recently died is discovered to have been
passing information to the Soviets. To make matters worse,
he was suspected in the 1970s, but was cleared by a Civil Servant
named Humphrey Appleby in a complete cock-up. What can be made
of this mess, and who has the upper hand?
Man Overboard
The Employment Minister wants to redeploy troops to the northern
part of England to ease the unemployment problem (and make a
profit out of selling off assets worth a considerable amount in
the southern regions). The move is popular with almost all the
politicians. But this would mean moving Civil Servants out of
London. Can Humphrey fight a plan that is economical, popular, a
vote-getter, and is actually quite good and sensible?
Official Secrets
The former PM is publishing his memoirs, and trashes Hacker in
them. However Hacker has to approve the various sections. He
tries to suppress those sections that are uncomplimentary to him,
and this gets leaked to the press. Can they do damage control?
Can they convince the press that it is not true, even if it is
true? And can Bernard do a good impression of a vulture?
A Diplomatic Incident
Before the memoirs can be finished, the former PM dies. Where
there is death, there is hope, and Hacker turns it into a working
funeral. But the French are (as usual) uncooperative with the
British government. They want certain concessions on the
Channel Tunnel and plan to use quarantine rules to create a
diplomatic incident and gain an advantage in the negotiations.
For once Hacker, Bernard, and Sir Humphrey are working towards a
common goal. What forces can they draw upon to keep the bitch
out of the UK? (In this episode, Hacker's facial expressions when
he learns that the former PM has died are priceless.)
A Conflict of Interest
There is a major scandal in the City as a prominent bank is caught
breaking rules and going bankrupt. Sir
Humphrey is brought in for damage control, but not by the Prime
Minister. (One of the best descriptions of British newspapers is
in this episode: "The Times" is read by the people who run the
country. The "Daily Mirror" is read by the people who think they
run the country. "The Guardian" is read by the people who think
they ought to run the country. "The Independent" is read by
people who don't know who runs the country but are sure they're
doing it wrong. The "Daily Mail" is read by the wives of the
people who run the country. The "Financial Times" is read by the
people who own the country. The "Daily Express" is read by the
people who think the country ought to be run as it used to be
run. The "Daily Telegraph" is read by the people who still think
it is their country. And the "Sun's" readers don't care who runs
the country providing she has big tits.)
Power to the People
Hacker has problems with local government where he has no power;
or does he? And can Sir Humphrey stop the PM from trying to
reform government yet again, while coming up with a solution to
the militant-looney councilwoman, Agnes Moorhouse? Well yes, but
how?
The Patron of the Arts
Hacker has accepted an invitation to be guest of honour at
the British Theatre
Awards Dinner, but the Arts Council grant will be cut by
12,000,000 pounds. Not only that, but Sir Humphrey has a vested
interest the theatre as he is on the board of the National
Theatre. Will Hacker have to face a hostile crowd? Will Sir
Humphrey stop the PM from selling the building the National
Theatre resides in? And is there a winner in this conflict?
The National Education Service
What can be done about comprehensive education, which is in a
mess? If the Prime Minister cannot do anything, can he at least
appear to do something? Can he reform education by allowing
people to chose the schools they send their children to, and more
important, will Sir Humphrey allow him this choice?
The Tangled Web
Hacker tells a lie in Parliament because he was not fully
informed (a normal state) of the facts relating to the bugging of
an MP's phone because it was not known that he needed to know
until after it was known that he needed to know when he didn't
know. Can Sir Humphrey defend him, or should he? Especially
after he slips up and actually speaks clearly and concisely after
an interview for Radio 3 is over, but the tape is still rolling.
Especially if the tape falls into the wrong hands. Especially
if those hands are attached to a personage close to the Prime Minister.
###
_The Complete Yes, Prime Minister_ by Jonathan Lynn and Anthony Jay
BBC Books 1989, #6.99 0-563-20773-6.
-------------------------------------
WIN A FREE "YES, MINISTER" VIDEOTAPE!
-------------------------------------
For a chance at winning a free "Yes, Minister" videotape (PAL format),
simply give the correct answers the four questions below and send to:
<contest@badger.idiscover.co.uk>
* Answers should be sent to the above email account to be considered
entries to the contest.
* Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone number so BD can
verify and mail you the tape.
--------8< snip! -----------------------8< snip! -----------8< snip!------
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TEL.:
1. Who was Sir Humphrey Appleby's former boss?
2. What type of person reads "The Sun" according to "Yes, Prime Minister"?
3. What University did Hacker graduate from?
4. Nigel Hawthorne, the actor that plays Sir Humphrey Appleby, recently
received an academy award nomination for playing what role?
--------8< snip! -----------------------8< snip! -----------8< snip!------
FIRST-PRIZE: A VHS tape of "Yes Minister" (PAL format): "Open Government,"
"The Official Visit," "The Economy Drive," "Big Brother."
SECOND-PRIZE: A celebrity crossword book with pen (Robbie Coltrane
featured).
Please Note:
------------
ONE ENTRY PER EMAIL ACCOUNT. All entries must be received by September 18,
1995. The winner will be determined by a random drawing of those who
correctly answered all four questions. If you submit more than one entry
per email account, automatic disqualification applies. Winners announced
in an upcoming issue of BD. Staff of BD, their immediate family and their
family pets not eligible. Vincent Golden shouldn't even think about it.
###
-------------------------
The New Statesman
-------------------------
by Jan Staff
In 1987 Yorkshire Television unveiled "The New Statesman," a series which
broke new ground in a couple of ways. First, the British tradition of six
programmes per series was sacked for what turned out to be a lucky number
of seven episodes per series. Second, it brought a hard-hitting political
satire into what is commonly known as a sitcom.
Yes, I'm aware that "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister" were also set
in the corridors of power, but those series contained less political
satire and more general humour about bureaucracy.
"The New Statesman," however, used the actual environment of the Houses of
Parliament as the setting for its satire and this allowed the writers to
attack former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and use actual politicians
and situations as the basis for some of their episodes.
Writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran created the incredibly right-wing
Alan B'Stard (played by Rik Mayall) as a personification of the increasingly
greedy, self-serving atmosphere in late 1980s Britain. As the story
starts, Alan is tossed into Parliament as the Member for the
Yorkshire constituency of Haltemprice, only after his opponents meet with
"accidents" and largely due to the help of his wealthy, influential
father-in-law.
Once in Parliament he teams up with the slightly blue-blooded but heavily
inbred Piers Fletcher-Dervish (played by Michael Troughton), another
Conservative MP. Fletcher-Dervish is the show's comic foil as he often
gets sucked into being an accomplice to Alan's evil schemes. His
participation in these plots is unwilling, however, and part of the fun is
watching Alan's shameless manipulation of the essentially good-hearted
Piers.
The other regular characters appearing in "The New Statesman" are Alan's
wife Sarah (played by Marsha Fitzalan), Sir Greville McDonald (played by
Terence Alexander) and Norman/Norma Bormann (played by R. R. Cooper --
series 1 only).
So far there have been four series of "The New Statesman" plus a special
episode entitled "Who Shot Alan B'Stard?" The first three series focus on
the Houses of Parliament but the fourth focuses on the new European Union
-- formerly know as EEC.
Rik Mayall's Alan B'Stard has many of the same qualities as the other
characters he's played, such as Rick in "The Young Ones," Richie Rich in
"Filthy, Rich and Catflap," and Richard Richard in "Bottom." Though his
character this time is not a sissy virgin he is still the same sort of
complete bastard/pissed off human being. Yet as Mayall always seems to
do, he takes a character with no absolutely no redeeming qualities and
makes him somehow likable.
"The New Statesman" won an International Emmy in 1989 and a BAFTA for Best
Comedy Series in 1990. A spin-off book, "The B'Stard Files" (The New
Statesman Expose), was published in 1988 by David and Charles. The ISBN
number is 0-7153-9305-7. A collection of scripts (ISBN number
0-233-98797-5) is also available from Andre Deutsch Publishers.
Even more information on "The New Statesman" can be found in the British
comedy pages (where else?) at the Cathouse archives. Point your web
browser to http://cathouse.org. Among other things here you will find a
very good episode guide put together by Michael Shephard.
###
=============================
THE BLACK ADDER ANIMAL QUIZ
============================= by Timothy Reed <treed@ball.com>
The canon of "Black Adder" comedies has given watchers of British comedy an
array of unforgettable characters. Edmund, Baldrick, Percy, George, and
Melchett have amused viewers in their several incarnations, as have a
collection of other minor characters that span England's history. We
happen to be particularly partial to the bevy of minor characters that,
although named, aren't even human (and we're not talking about Baldrick's
mother, either).
The following quiz asks you to identify the animal characters from the
Black Adder series that can be identified by name, whether they are seen
on screen or merely alluded to in the dialog. For each name identify the
animal character, provide the type of animal the character is, who it
belongs to (if anyone), and name the episode in which it is seen or
mentioned. Several of the entries are fictional animals, and two aren't
exactly non-human, but we felt they were needed for completeness. Answers
in back of issue.
1. Alan
2. Arnold
3. Black Satin
4. Bubbles
5. Colin
6. Flossy (1)
7. Flossy (2)
8. Graham
9. John Grumbleduke
10. Lochinvar
11. Merlin
12. Millicent
13. Mr. Frisky
14. Neville
15. Quicksilver
16. Sammy, Bertie, Katie (grouped as one due to context)
17. Speckled Jim
18. Squirrey
19. Sticky
======================
Answers in back of BD.
======================
A Bit of Politics: Ben Elton Loves It to Death
---------------------------------------------- by Michelle Street
I'll tell you what I'd like to do to Ben Elton. (Oh, calm down, will you? I
didn't mean *that* so get your minds out of the gutter and quit going
"oo'er...") :)
Now don't get me wrong. I'm a major fan, but whenever I see Elton perform I
desperately want to stuff a few Valium down his throat with a Quaalude
chaser followed by a few stiff drinks and a quick shot in the butt from a
tranquilizer gun. Something. Anything. Just to get him to CALM DOWN. (Of
course, uh... errrm... many of my friends will tell you that they've had a
similar urge to do this to *me* so I guess the preceding is mighty fine
talk coming from Queen of the Caffeine Abusers.) :)
All kidding aside, there is no doubt that Elton is a force of nature, pure
and simple. When he performs stand-up he is in constant motion as he
prowls the stage, but nothing works harder than his mouth. It goes at a
speed that could probably outrun a Japanese bullet train and at a volume
well past Spinal Tap's "eleven."
Ah, but what comes out of that mouth is a potent mixture of two seeming
polarities: logic and passion. His routines are carefully crafted and well
thought out, but delivered with all the zeal of a man on a mission. If Ben
Elton talks loudly, it's because he has something to say and wants to make
damn sure he's heard.
He's been saying it since the early 80s, when he co-wrote "The Young Ones."
His political conscience was on display even then, and there are few
comedy stars who have been as outspoken about their personal beliefs as
Elton. Listen to his stand-up routines, read his books, see one of his
plays, and you immediately catch on to his concerns. He's worried about
the environment, disdains big business, hates the tabloid press, and well,
basically espouses an entire litany of left-wing causes. Even in his
personal life he has spent years being a highly visible supporter of the
Labour party.
He particularly made no bones about how he despised Mrs. Thatcher. On 1988's
"Motorvation" he even went so far as to compare her to the devil.
Apparently Mrs. Thatch was having a problem with her hand and it was in
effect turning into a claw.
"The doctors tried to help," he commented, "but they cannot
undo what God is doing. First the claw, then the horns,
then the forked tail."
OK, not exactly subtle, but powerful nonetheless.
Material like that (or maybe because he likes to swear and use brand names)
made the censors and BBC brass nervous when Elton began appearing in the
late 80s as a regular on "Saturday Live." To lessen their worries, in
fact, he was forced to do his monologues in front of lawyers before they
would let him go on live.
This tendency to state his views in a very strong manner has led some of
his critics to view him not so much as a stand-up comic but as a preacher.
To a certain extent the criticism is justified and as he made the move
from stand-up and TV script writing to writing novels and plays, he
continued to be somewhat heavy-handed when dealing with those issues he
cares about.
Maybe it comes from his background. As the son of educators it must be in
his blood to lecture and that he does. His novels ("Stark," "Gridlock,"
and "This Other Eden") and his first West End play ("Gasping," which
starred Hugh Laurie) are full of rants about how man is destroying the
environment and the evils of big business. In his second West End play
("Silly Cow," which starred Dawn French) he also got in a lot of digs
against another favourite target of his: the gutter press.
This makes it sound all terribly heavy, but to his credit Elton never
forgets that he has an audience that wants to be entertained and he
certainly does that. You have to marvel at someone who can make you laugh
hysterically, prove through sheer force of logic that newspapers are made
of shit, *and* drive home a good point about the destruction of trees all
at the same time.
It is true that only a relatively small percentage of Elton's material is
political, but the forcefulness of his topical routines makes it more
memorable than his standard observations of everyday life. (Though I
personally never pass up an opportunity to chant "Double-seat,
double-seat, gotta-get-a-double-seat.") Whether you agree with his
politics or not, there is no doubt that he has the courage of his
convictions and believes passionately in every word he says. What'll be
interesting to see is if he sticks to his guns or mellows with age and
ends up to be what he now seems to despise.
Personally, I have a hunch that he'll be just fine... unless he switches to
decaf.
###
BD RECOMMENDS
=============
Capsule reviews on radio programs, television, and stage.
THUMB DOWN
Feature Review: Jack and Sarah
Starring Richard E. Grant and Samantha Mathis
The plot is too mind-meltingly dull to describe here -- suffice it to say
that there are a lot of shots of a baby and some "comedic" moments as
Richard E. Grant fumbles with it. Samantha Mathis plays the obnoxious
American in a variety of fuzzy sweaters. Grant gives a PGP (pretty good
performance), but the most memorable moments are when he slips into
"Withnail and I" mode: "Get OUT of my SKIP!" Aside from a PC scene where
Grant cries in the arms of his father, and a good twist ending, this movie
has nothing to recommend it.
THUMB UP
Have I Got News for You
10 PM Wednesdays BBC 2
Reruns of eight of the classic episodes of this satirical news quiz show.
Features Angus Deayton, Paul Merton, and Ian Hislop.
THUMB UP
Musical Tales
1 PM Saturdays Radio 3
Tony Robinson's first series of "Musical Tales" was hailed "a perfect
introduction to classical music for young people" -- now he returns for a
second run, telling modern versions of tales while classical music plays
in the background. He starts his series with Prokofiev.
###
===================================
THE BLACK ADDER ANIMAL QUIZ ANSWERS:
===================================
1. Alan: Tortoise belonging to Field Marshal and Lady Haig. "Would that be
the plan to continue with total slaughter until everyone's dead except
Field Marshal Haig, Lady Haig and their tortoise, Alan?" From "General
Hospital," Black Adder Goes Forth. Not seen on screen.
2. Arnold: Edmund claims to be dressed up as Arnold the Bat, a character in
a Richard Brinsley Sheridan play, to explain his black clothing. We
presume Edmund has invented this character. From "Amy and Amiability,"
Black Adder the Third.
3. Black Satin: Horse belonging to Edmund. He acts as a witness at Edmund's
witchcraft trial. From "The Witchsmeller Persuivant," The Black Adder.
Seen on screen. Later deceased.
4. Bubbles: Cat belonging to Edmund mentioned in the witchcraft trial. From
"The Witchsmeller Persuivant," The Black Adder. Not seen on screen.
5. Colin: Dachshund resident of Dunny-on-the-Wold, Suffolk. From "Dish and
Dishonesty," Black Adder the Third. Seen on screen.
6. Flossy: The assumed name of Prince Ludwig the Indestructible while
disguised as a sheep acquainted with Melchett. It is unclear whether Ludwig
was impersonating an already existing Flossy. From "Chains," Black Adder
II. Not seen on screen (well, not as Flossy).
7. Flossy: Rabbit belonging to the childhood George. Set upon by dogs, run
over by a car, and shot by Melchett. From "Private Plane," Black Adder Goes
Forth. Not seen on screen. Deceased.
8. Graham: Dead slug that is part of Baldrick's Charlie Chaplain costume.
>From "Major Star," Black Adder Goes Forth. Seen on screen.
9. John Grumbleduke: Name given by the Witchsmeller to a poodle he claims
is Edmund's son. From "The Witchsmeller Persuivant," The Black Adder. Seen
on screen.
10. Lochinvar: Horse belonging to Dougal McAngus. From "Born to be King,"
The Black Adder. Seen on screen.
11. Merlin: "The Happy Pig" that Edmund claims to be when drunk. From
"Beer," Black Adder II.
12. Millicent: Cat that Edmund kicks across kitchen. It is unclear whether
Millicent is a resident of the palace, or merely wandered into the
kitchen. From "Nob and Nobility," Black Adder the Third. Seen on screen
briefly.
13. Mr Frisky: Cat belonging to Emma Hamilton, now part of Edmund's robes
of state. From "Dish and Dishonesty," Black Adder the Third. Not seen on
screen (well, not in one piece at any rate).
14. Neville: "Neville The Fat Hamster," Baldrick's pet, whose untimely
death provided a necessary piece of kitchen equipment. From "Goodbyeee,"
Black Adder Goes Forth. Not seen on screen.
15. Quicksilver: Name Edmund gives to Baldrick in his role as a
highwayman's horse. From "Amy and Amiability," Black Adder the Third.
16. Sammy, Bertie, Katie: Spider, bird, worm. Three of Baldrick's friends
killed in the war. From "Goodbyeee," Black Adder Goes Forth. Not seen on
screen.
17. Speckled Jim: Carrier pigeon belonging to Melchett since childhood.
>From "Corporal Punishment," Black Adder Goes Forth. Seen on screen. Later
deceased.
18. Squirrey: Squirrel in Edmund's story to Arthur. "Neep, neep, neep."
>From "Money," Black Adder II.
19. Sticky: "We're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the Stick Insect
got caught on a sticky bun." From "Major Star," Black Adder the Third.
###
SPOTTED ON THE INTERNET
=======================
You can never be too rich, too thin -- or have too many email
addresses...
-----------------------------------------------------
Eric the half-a-bee
j.ogley@lancaster.ac.uk
j.ogley@cent1.lancs.ac.uk
hidjeo@cent1.lancs.ac.uk
ecdjeo@cent1.lancs.ac.uk
cyddev@cent1.lancs.ac.uk
jogley@nether.net
jameso@cyberspace.org
My home page
http://cent1.lancs.ac.uk/eric/
FLAME FELLOWSHIP '95
http://cent1.lancs.ac.uk/~hidjeo/flamey/flamey95.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
E V E N T S G U I D E
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PRESS GANG CONVENTION
---------------------
Roll up for "The Press Gang Convention!" All profit goes directly to "The
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Children."
Date: Saturday, October 21, 1995
Venue: St. George's Hotel, Liverpool City Centre, UK
Confirmed Guests (subject to work commitments): Steven Moffat (writer), and
Sandra Hastie (producer). Invited guests include: Julia Sawalha, Dexter
Fletcher, Paul Reynolds, Lee Ross, Moloki Chrystie, Bob Spiers, Bill Moffat
and Michael Jayston.
Planned events: interviews, autographs, classic episode screenings, charity
auction of original scripts and props.
Fees: Adults - #12
Children - #8
Family (Adult & Child) - #17
Checks/Postal Orders should be made payable to "Both Sides" and sent to:
"Both Sides of the Paper '95"
18 Prescot Road
Ormskirk
Lancashire L39 4TQ
"CARRY ON" SUMMER FILM FEST
---------------------------
Along with the new book on Carry On films, the Barbican Cinema are having a
season of Carry On films. In mid-August they're showing all 31 of them
back-to-back in London. "Carry On Up the Barbican" runs August 11-31. For
more info, call the cinema hotline at 0171 382 7000.
A WEEKEND CALLED FRED
---------------------
The Goon Show Preservation Society are pleased to announce that the first
Residential Goon Weekend in 15 years will take place in Bournemouth from
Friday, October 20 to Sunday, October 22, 1995.
The celebrations will be held in King Arthur's Court, the conference hall
section of the Manchester Hotel, St. Michael's Road, West Cliff,
Bournemouth.
Fees: #60 plus #10 conference fee. For the 60-pound fee residents will get
half board for two nights -- bed, breakfast, Saturday evening meal and
Sunday lunch.
Rare and classic Goon moments, on both video and audio, will be running
throughout the weekend. Guest speaker John P. Hamilton, who worked on the
Goon Show as Spot FX Man from 1953-1955, will be speaking about his
associations with the Goons.
Those interested are encouraged to book their stays early for this event.
To obtain the booking forms, or for further info., contact:
Mike Waring
15 Park Crescent
Southport
Lancs PR9 9NL
U.K.
__________________________________________________________________________
etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc
__________________________________________________________________________
GOODIE GOODIE YUM YUM! The brand-new, as of yet unnamed GOODIES FAN CLUB
has a homepage: http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Goodies/FanClub/
To join, send email to: <goodies@badger.idiscover.co.uk> with "I'M A GOODY"
in the body of the message -- then relax, sit back and wait for the
funky sherbert dreams to appear.
__________________________________________________________________________
THE UK/US DICTIONARY mailbox has been inundated with helpful feedback from
netizens -- many thanks to your input! A new version is currently in the
works. Email corrections and suggestions to: <ukus@badger.idiscover.co.uk>.
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Info/UKUSDictionary/
__________________________________________________________________________
To submit an ad for "etc." send your name and address and full ad to:
<bd@badger.idiscover.co.uk>. [Editor reserves the right not to run an ad.]
__________________________________________________________________________
CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS:
==========================
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) is a free electronic newsletter posted
monthly to alt.comedy.british and rec.arts.tv.uk.comedy.
DELPHI: In the "UK-American Connexion" forum, cf 171.
GENIE: In the "Showbiz" roundtable, page 185.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: To receive an issue every month, send your email address to:
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