Posts: 2114
From: Outside, to watch the nightfall in the rain
Registered: Aug 2006

posted September 04, 2008 05:36 AM         

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Sorry BM, I just killed your "Who Do You Think You Are" thread.

What I said is that it is a very Basil Fawlty attitude to have and that obviously they didn't understand the enormity of what happened or have empathy with Jerry.

BTW I also said it was a good show, we also had both the UK and Australian version made up of it.

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posted September 04, 2008 06:10 AM         

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It's O.K, I am very persistent when I set my mind to do something so I have put up a similar version of the same thread.

Hopefully the new version is better written, but as usual I can't resist drifting off into unrelated anecdote. The comment about the swear word was about the Stephen Fry, sorry, but it was a similar event, finding out where and how his grandparents were exterminated. What reaction are you supposed to give?

But this is, of course, typical of many English people. Tolerant of difference of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc, but unforgiving towards bad language, and poorly executed attire.

My English parent is a fine example, and that is my mother. You can discuss anything of a sexual matter with her, as long as it is using proper words. I have invited friends home of various nationalities including a gay couple. She was only displeased when my boyfriend (now my husband) appeared unshaven at breakfast and told him to go back upstairs before she turned him over her knee. He was well over 30 at the time. LOL.

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posted September 04, 2008 06:10 AM         

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*gremlins are on the site again*

English people complained in multitudes when politics presenter Andrew Neil appeared without a tie on his show.

Anything controversial he said would cause far less comment.

Jerry Springer really shows his Londoner roots ~ he is perfect for the English audience. Anything controversial will be acceptable as he remains calm, well-groomed, and doesn't use bad language.

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From: Outside, to watch the nightfall in the rain
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posted September 04, 2008 06:13 PM         

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So the swearing happened in Stephen Fry's episode? Strange, because that was the first episode I saw of that program and have no recollection of him dropping a few colourful words. Shows you what impact it had on me, didn't it?

Well, with the greatest respect, English language speakers swear a lot. The thought of even dropping some of swear words in some other languages would probably lead to the swearer being drawn and quartered. Which leads to the contradiciton of why this uptightness re swearing yet so much of it is done in the UK?

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posted September 04, 2008 07:34 PM         

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He only said it once, and it was reasonable in the context. I don't think the person who complained had a typical response. That's probably why I remember it.

Swearing is becoming more acceptable here, I couldn't say why. But on T.V the parameters of acceptability is widening in general so that is going to be part of it. Pensioners like my parents aren't very impressed by films filled with the F-word and reality TV exploits, and their age group make up a large percentage of the population. Younger people won't care as much.

But there is still something in the English mindset that will make newscasters not wearing a tie unacceptable, but something controversial like the Jerry Springer Opera will pass by with relatively little comment. If a chat show host appeared without a poppy in his suit in November, you would get ten times as many complaints.

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From: Outside, to watch the nightfall in the rain
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posted September 04, 2008 08:15 PM         

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Yes, if I was Stephen Fry, I think I'd probably have similar reaction. He's got every right to be either surprised or angry about it. Seems like its some odd busybody.

Likewise here, the eff word is now infiltrating daytime/evening TV even without editing. Yet 10-15 years ago, it was unthinkable for something like that to happen.
As for the clothes situation, well it doesn't really happen much here in Australia. Casualness is pretty much the norm. Only time you might see a tie is a office person, university educated, real estate agent, politician, current affairs/news presenter. Otherwise, I don't even think it would cause a ruffle if someone didn't show up in a tie (except maybe a lawyer in court). Especially up north, very sticky to wear a tie or make up.

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posted September 05, 2008 02:59 AM         

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A while back I worked for an international organisation where someone based in the Norweigan office told me an anecdote that sums up the Brits and dress. He said that some staff from our embassy went to a function formally dressed and the King was there, dressed casually.

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From: Outside, to watch the nightfall in the rain
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posted September 05, 2008 03:50 AM         

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LOL! As opposed to Australians - always showing up in boardies.

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