15 June 2007

"Look at ma face. AmIbovvered?"

'Tis true, I am beginning to enjoy British humour. Yeewwmer, Kath, yeewwmer. It's hard to ignore being in a place that still so identifies with its motherland. The language, the meat pies, the cups of tea... Try as they may, Aussies are still very English. Consequently, on Australia's version of PBS-- the ABC, or "Auntie" as the Aussies call it-- BBC shows are broadcast much more than anything by Ken Burns (though Jim Lehrer is on every night... hmm).

And, when you have five channels total on the airwaves (6 if you count the community channel 31 based out of Melbourne)and three to choose from on account of your aerial and antenna, you tend to watch those BBC shows.

I am still NOT a fan of old school favourites Benny Hill and Are You Being Served? which they love running on Saturday nights on Channel 7, and The Mighty Boosh straight up confuses me, but most contemporary stuff that comes out of the UK is freaking hilarious: Extras, Little Britain, The Robinsons, and especially-- Catherine Tate.

One of my old housemates had Little Britain seasons 1 and 2 on DVD, and I credit watching that with easing me into the British style of humour within the comfort of my own home. Now I feel like I could live in London because I am so in tune with it all. I've even been youtubing Nevermind the Buzzcocks and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. What has become of me? And what has become of all these HYPERLINKS?! Hope you're able to navigate yourself around, my fearless readers.

The Catherine Tate Show used to be on after The Chaser's War on Everything, which is my favourite night of the week for ABC (Spicks and Specks and At the Movies with Margaret and David!). I describe her as a "one woman Little Britain" which I have come to find out is no so original, as it's the most succinct and popular way to explain her sketch comedy show.

She plays a variety of characters, donning so much makeup for some of them that you'd be surprised it's the same person (like when David Walliams plays an obese black woman; ridiculous). My two favourites she plays are Lauren Cooper, a high school chav (or if you like Urban Dictionary and need images), and Gran Taylor, a swearing octogenarian.

Lauren's catch phrases are: "Am I bovvered?" "Innit, though?" "Izzit" and "Ariiiiiight." This skit is particularly funny:


You'll definitely hear Gran's catch phrase; I won't reproduce it here cos it is NSFW:

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