h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Fawlty Towers - A701894
Author: the Shee - U185837

The idea for this entry was spawned after I saw an entry in Peer Review on Monty Python that was due to go over to the Flea Market... The Monty Python entry turned into a University Project, and I volunteered to do this as an adjunct to it. The provisional end date of that project is 7 May 02, and many of the links in *this* entry are to entries written as a part of *that* project. (That is a note to the Sub-eds, Eds, and who ever else cares or needs to know, so that the links can stay within the entry.)

Anyway. Thanks, as usual, in advance, for your comments.


Shee

Hello Shee,

I am a big FT fan and this is a tremendous entry on the series. I think I spotted a couple of typos, but nothing major. Best of luck with this, looks like pick of the day material to me!

seeya
spiff

Great article

Bravo!

This is fantastic - terrifyingly comprehensive!

Only one question - I didn't realise that the two old ladies fancied him - I thought they were both just very "englishly" timid....

Marvellous!!

Otto

Lots of positive feedback! Thanks!

(typos? where?)

..The old lady bit was just what *I* perceived in the relationships... I never found that actually documented or mentioned by Cleese or Booth (the authors). If there's debate or ya'll think that that is distracting.. no, that isn't the word I want. I'm not sure what the word is... *narrows eyes in thought* Hrm.... Let's say, that that phrase doesn't accurately portray the programme, then I can take it out. (Jeez, that was a *much* longer way to say it, and not as nice, either....)

I think the old ladies were more flattered by the way Fawlty flirted with them a little rather than actually fancied him, but it's a fair interpretation - I say keep it in

One thing - the misspelt sign containts a swear-word which isn't clear from the way it's been starred out. Might the moderators consider censoring it another way?

Jims

Actually, discussing it with the Editorial team, the offending word could be considered editorially justified, so might even be accepted as it is....

After all, it *did* appear on TV in the 70ies! If you can't quote the BBC on the BBC...

I've always been a bit surprised they got away with it in the first place.

spiff

Hi Shee

Good to see this in PR at last

One small point: Connie Booth was John Cleese's first wife, married in 1968. His second was Barbara Trentham (1981) and his third Alyce Eichelberger (1992)

Are you sure? I'm sorry Danny; I don't want to sound as if I'm really questioning you, if you know what I mean, but I really did think that Booth was #2. Will be looking that up though, just to be sure.


About the misspelt sign... I had put that into the entry, and it stayed for a couple weeks before it was finally moderated. That just made me wonder if perhaps one mod found it offensive/otherwise in need of moderation, and another didn't. *shrug* It is a direct quote, though, isn't it? *grin*

I'm fairly sure Connie was John's first wife... at least, none of my Python references ever mention a wife before her (and there are definitely two after her). Let me know if you find out otherwise, 'cos I'll need to change the John Cleese entry.



Danny B.

Hello

About the sign quote, it could be argued in the context it's in you would have to already know the rude interpretation to know it could be interpreted rudely.

Unless of course you read this thread

Researcher PSG

Okay, I looked up the Connie Booth thing, and E! online says that she was his first wife... So I've changed it.

Actually I didn't recognise that word could be interpretted rudely, but I just assumed that that is because I'm American and this is the BBC.... *shrug* (Let me rephrase that... I didn't know that that word *was* rude, because it isn't one that I hear over here.)

You, er, don't need us to tell you what it means, do you... only... oh dear, and it was me that talked you into putting it in in the first place.

It might get moderated at first, but by the time it goes into the Edited Guide it'll be back in. I checked with the other italics and the general concensus is it's entirely editorially justified.

Hope the person who moderated it doesn't mind

Jims

I think it's worth mentioning that the hard of hearing guest (from seeing the dialogue, I'm sure it was Mrs Richards) was played by the splendid Joan Sanderson.

In an interview John Cleese was asked (it might have been with Anthony Clare in the 'In the psychiatrists chair' series) about mental illness and a particular syndrome. He said that yes, Basil Fawly displayed the symptoms of a particular mental disorder (and annoyingly I can't remember what it was [might have been a manic depressive]). If you could find out and add that in, that would be useful, I think.

Good stuff!

Here's a couple of links to John Cleese, Basil Fawlty and mental illness:

http://www.depressionet.com.au/people.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/indepth/featureitems/comedy.htm

Thanks ZSF!

Jimster, I know what it means. Just hadn't heard it *in use*.

I know this is Topic Slip-Slidin' Away but you may be interested to know that in the UK the offending word can often be used as a verb! It means 'to punch with full force'. Often heard in the more colourful pubs all over the uk.

For some reason this use particularly appeals to me - it lends a sense of force to the action described that is difficult to achieve with any other single word. Maybe it is the short, sharp nature of the word, and something about those two 't's! But then there is also the way you can extend the middle by insisting slightly on the 'w'.

"He ab-sol-f*****g-lootly t****ted him!"

Not considered terribly polite, perhaps, but very effective in terms of communication!

sorry about that, I know it was a red herring (better than a deadly kipper ) but I just found myself helpless to resist the urge to share it with you.

seeya
spiff

*sitting here, laughing away*

Thank you for that wonderful interlude, Spiff! Should I add that to the entry, perhaps as a footnote?

Hee hee.....

Zarquon's Singing Fish (and anyone else)-- I've added a footnote about Joan Sanderson. Did she do anything that I should include in a mini-bio, beyond "After Henry"?