Reply to: Spitting Image

[wendigo100]

An article in The Mirror by Mary Whitehouse complaining that "this verminous show has plunged new depths of depravity and corruption".

Spitting Image ran out of ideas, epitomised by when it kept showing Thatcher in an underground bunker demanding to get shagged by her cabinet ministers. Not much satire or comedy there, more like embarassment for the scriptwriters. No wonder it packed up shortly afterwards.

However, there is now a wealth of new material rolling past, and they'd better hurry up while it is fresh in the public's minds. Imagine what they could have done with the Iraq decision, money for peerages, and EU directives.

[ladymuck]

On a rather different but vaguely similar tack, I went to see Never Mind the Buzzcocks being filmed a couple of weeks ago and all the stuff to camera from the presenter is all scripted and the rest is sort of ad-libbed but more than likely prepped for. I would imagine the same goes for HIGNFY.

[threaded]

BGG What makes you say HIGNFY is scripted?

Because they have scripts?

[Bagpuss]

The fairly recent 2d Tv was made by the spitting image gang. Pretty much the same as spitting image but cartoons instead.

Dead ringers is also quite satirical. IMHO satire has had it's day as televisual slapstick comedy anyway.

BGG What makes you say HIGNFY is scripted?

[expat]

Indeed....back in the old days when satirical comedy was sharp, fresh and exciting, with a hint of danger and the whiff of a weekly lawsuit.

You mean 1963 with That Was The Week That Was? With young David Frost?

[threaded]

Even if they did try to make the show again they'd be disappeared under some of these new powers the New Lie have given themselves.

[mcquiggd]

Hurrah!

That should be our Song For Europe....

[Board Game Geek]

I can't be bothered to research the whole song, as it's late, but....2006 version

Hold a...white flag in the air (Iraq)
Stick 10 kilos up your nose (Kate Moss)
Buy a Lifetime Peerage (bit obvious that one)
And refuse to disclose (Tories)
Paint a crock of 5hit (Turner Prize)
Then find a dental quack (NHS Dentists in open revolt)
Form a real band, (as opposed to the manufactured ones)
And pretend your name is Olaf (nod to our immigrant friends)

[mcquiggd]

After me... "Hold a chicken in the air..."

.. Stick a deckchair up your nose...

[mcquiggd]

Are there actually that many examples of political satire on TV at the moment..?

The only one that springs to mind is Bremner Bird and Fortune... (or repeats of Yes Minister that are as appropriate as now as they were, and always will be!)

[Davros]

After me... "Hold a chicken in the air..."

[Board Game Geek]

Indeed....back in the old days when satirical comedy was sharp, fresh and exciting, with a hint of danger and the whiff of a weekly lawsuit.

Followed by an article in The Mirror by Mary Whitehouse complaining that "this verminous show has plunged new depths of depravity and corruption".

You could guarantee that Monday morning in the playground (or office) would be rife with impersonations of the previous night's show, as people shared the humour with each other.

Then another few days of morbid work or school until the next episode midweek of your favourite show and it would all start again.

As a nation, we don't seem to have that political and satircal release anymore. We have other shows, like Little Britain et al, but nothing like Spitting Image, Not the Nine O Clock News, Yes Minister, Young Ones (which was politcal at times). Modern show are more comedy sketches with branded characters repeating their catchphrases. I can't think of any characters which are political in their content however.

Is this due to a lack of writers, a fear of censorship, a lack of interest in politics in general ? I don't know.

It's interesting to note that during the anarchic "alternative" years of the BBC, which was riven with foaming-at-the-mouth lefties, there was no apparent shortage of money or programme commissioning for left-wing comedians (Ben Elton, Alexi Sayle), and yet now the Left are in power, the BBC seems a bit light on encouraging criticism of it's paymast...er....I mean government.

Don't get me started on HIGNFY.....it rapidly turned from being a promising anti-establishment show, to one in which "celebrity guests" were drafted in to point score off each other and show us how clever they all were (after preparing their scripts for their impromptu humour)

Perhaps we should have a new Reality TV show called "Guess My Sleaze" where members of a panel are encouraged to discover the skeletons of various political personalities. Allegedly.

[mcquiggd]

Actually youve brought back some fond memories with this one, BGG... tuesday nights at 9pm on BC2 for The Young Ones, etc... Friday Night Live... Stavros (would that work today, or would it be frowned upon, while 'LoadsaMoney' was cheered on...?)

[Board Game Geek]

I dont know if they have enough latex to do both Brown and Prescott though

I'd do them as a pair of Siamese twins, with the heads constantly bickering and fighting each other.

Either that, or...

Brown as Darth Sidious, scary and grapsing for power, and Cameron as young Anakin, being enticed to join the dark side. Blair is nowhere to be seen in the whole series.

[mcquiggd]

Aye


I dont know if they have enough latex to do both Brown and Prescott though.