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

Back to the original question - is MP elitist?

My son (13 and 3/4) just received an Amazon package today, having received a gift voucher as a Christmas pressie.

It contained a 4 box set of Python movies. (about a tenner on Amazon)

Bought largely on the basis of my interpretation of the Albatross sketch, delivered in the kitchen, while making dinner one evening.

He's just watched Life of Brian. And had to press pause to laugh during the

"You are all individuals!"

"Romani eunt domo"

"E's not the Messiah, 'e's a very naughty boy!"


bits.

So, no. Not elitist. Hope this helps

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That's typical! Most Americans are barely aware that there is a world outside the USA.

<< we make the best TV drama, despite such evidence as Heartbeat vs The Sopranos?>>

I could not agree less with you, Edward! IMO, British drama *is* infinitely superior - and you couldn't have chosen a worse example of the American output! The Sopranos is very trendy - but that's about all it has going for it.
Given that we're watching it on DVD right now, I have to say Babylon 5 which has been put in the science fiction box, is an example of superior American drama. It has (did have) depth, awesome characterisation and is constantly inventive, exciting and meaningful.
Memo to those who object to what I say because it is I saying it, note that I said IMO. No one is obliged to agree, and I expect that most won't...

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Edward! That word, what does it mean to you? I ask because Blinky is still calling me a racist after a year, for using it once!

Della surely you cannot have any doubt as to the meaning of the word now. You have had it explained to you numourous times.

Even if you hadn't given that the post was in relation to Sacha Cohen Baron (whos most famous character is "Ali G" seeing as you idolise brit tv so much I am sure you must have heard of him) I would have thought it would be pretty easy to ascertain the meaning of the word.

Namely what has been explained to you ad infinitum.

Mustelid, surely you realised that I was asking Edward what the word meant to him! This time last year, when Blinky began the controversy, I stated what I understood the word to mean, and BB and everyone accused me of "lying" (a ridiculous assertion.) Which is why I was so excited to see Edward (a) using the word and (b) using it in exactly the same sense in which I used it! Namely, in the context of Ali G., a meaning and context BB has insisted for a year, was wrong!
Simple, really.

let me repeat that



So did you errr miss all the controversy about Ali Gs character then Della? Or are you just willfully misunderstanding what it means? What the connotations are?

So, who here remembers Northern Exposure? Fantastic series, funny, weird, both dark humour and some slapstick. Almost uncategorisable.
Largely overlooked and, shock horror, USAian.

I remember Northern Exposure, it was really good... It didn't seem to last very long, which is what happens to the good shows.

catachresis

Er, Lucky Star, wait while I look that word up...

Ah, I see... Interesting.

Northern Exposure - brilliant! We just had the full run of it repeated here last year. I taped alot of the good episodes. Do you think it was classified as a comedy though?

(have a look at my PS Ictoan )

While I agree with the generalisation about British comedy, and find alot of US comedy cringemaking, there is some excellent American comedy too. I think alot of it comes down to taste - most of the American sitcoms I find really bad, and I wonder if I just don't like the genre (although there are some exceptions - The Simpsons, MASH, Sex and the City, Will and Grace at the moment...).

I don't even bother trying any American sitcoms that turn up on NZ TV in prime time (Malcolm in the middle type stuff), unless I hear otherwise.

I can think of a few recent British ones too

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I know who Ali G is, but I don't know what the controversy is, and so have no idea what Della and Ferret are on about.

I'm also unfamiliar with the term wigger.

Anyone care to explain?

The use of "self depreciation".

Malcolm In the Middle? Oh, that's just an awful programme!

The controversy is over the word "wigger", which I used in January 2004. My meaning was misinterpreted. That's why I wanted to know how Edward de Bono interprets the word, cos he seemed to be using it in the same sense I had.

I just realised - he's Edward the Bonobo! (But I'll let the mistake stand, because sometimes he reminds me of Edward de Bono, whose books I have read and liked.)

I wonder - does anyone know.. is Sacha Baron Cohen related to the guy who is an expert on autism spectrum disorders, and whose first name escapes me right now? Simon Baron Cohen, that's it...

I always thought it was wigga. Generally describes white people who are fanboys/girls towards typically black culture (usually referring to rap). Sort of racist, but hey its hardly the most offensive thing I've heard today.

Malcolm in the Middle has hidden depths. Interestingly, like Frasier, it seems to me to rely on a particularly British trait of humour derived from the self-inflicted pain of others.

Ever since Tony Hancock, British humour has essentially been based around the idea of the main protagonist been undone by their own ambitions - other classic examples include Captain Mainwaring, Harold Steptoe, Del Trotter and Father Ted Crilly. That is character driven comedy, and Malcolm and Frasier fall squarely into that bracket.

My son explained the term to me as meaning "wannabe" so fanboy/girl also covers it. I never thought of it as being racist, cos it just has connotations of "groupie"... it's just the same as wannabe rock star, sports star etc.
I didn't know about the other spelling.

"Do you think it was classified as a comedy though?"
Oh definitly, as much as anything. As I say, I think it is somewhat unclassifiable. Sort of humourous mock documentary or something.
I mean come on, the funeral service for the bod 9can't remember names) that got splatted by the satelite? Funny as hell.
Fleishmann and Maggie? Oh so many, many things. Even just the general weirdness.

Yeah definitely weird, but beautifully weird. And I agree it was often very funny.

The guy 'in' the satellite was one of Maggie's 5 ex, dead boyfriends.

I think it was often social commentary as well. The ongoing theme of Maurice and the 2 gay guys who ran the local B and B, the way that the indigenous peoples were just naturally part of the stories, Maggie's ongoing struggle with her independance, the country vs city theme in Joel's character etc.

In alot of ways it didn't seem that American to me. I always had to remind myself they weren't Canadian. Maybe Alaskans are a breed apart.

I may have heard wrong, but I do believe that the guy playing Maurice was a real ex-astronaut!

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Yes, wonderful series, and I also felt the characters came across more as Canadian than American. Perhaps it's because Alaska has more in common with Canada than the rest of the US. All that snow for one!


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