================================== 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) 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 Chilliwack, British Columbia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 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 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." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 Springfield, Illinois EDITOR'S RESPONSE: I haven't the foggiest. Readers? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 Bradford University, UK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 Director, "Britannicon'95" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 Inverness-shire, Scotland EDITOR'S RESPONSE: BD will be running an article on "It's That Man Again" in the September issue. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 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 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 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 . 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... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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) Basingstoke, England - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 Manchester - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 ### Britcomedy Digest welcomes contrasting views. Mail rebuttals and editorials to with the subject line "EDITORIAL". =============================================== Yes, Prime Minister by Vincent Golden =============================================== 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: * 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 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: 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: . http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Info/UKUSDictionary/ __________________________________________________________________________ To submit an ad for "etc." send your name and address and full ad to: . [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: with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in either the subject header or body of the message. 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