bickster Posted August 12, 2021 Moderator Share Posted August 12, 2021 2 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said: Who, dear? Kenneth, dear? Gay, dear? No, dear! The 70s were a strange time. TV was full of "camp" gay characters like John Inman and Kenneth Williams. But the papers would regularly "out" someone as being gay and portray it as shameful. But Morecombe and Wise could share a bed together on TV and no-one gave it a second thought. If someone was outed by the press it could mean they would never work again. Williams' biography is undoubtedly written with his own viewpoint and in a manner that protected his career. Not so sure about the KW story covering up his sexuality. I think it's possible he may well have been an abstainer from sex no matter what his actual feelings. I remember an interview with Parky iirc where he was describing his absolute fear of germs, he used to go everywhere with these paper circles to put over toilet seats (many years before they became a thing), he wouldn't use a toilet without them and given that I suspect that the germs involved in bodily exchanges may have made it rather impossible for him to enjoy sexual encounters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted August 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 hour ago, tonyh29 said: Screen ones drama "Hancock " was quite good , seems all of them , James , Hancock, Williams were troubled souls Fun fact: You know that Al Stewart song from the 70s, "Year of the Cat"? OK, some of you won't, but it's up there with (the somewhat similar) "Baker Street" as an oldies radio favourite. "On a morning from a Bogart movie, in a country where they turn back time/You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre contemplating a crime/She comes out of the sun in a silk dress, running like a watercolor in the rain..." etc. Well it originally had completely different lyrics, and was all about... Tony Hancock. The record company hated it, and made him totally rewrite it. I'd love to hear the original. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 3 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said: Who, dear? Kenneth, dear? Gay, dear? No, dear! The 70s were a strange time. TV was full of "camp" gay characters like John Inman and Kenneth Williams. But the papers would regularly "out" someone as being gay and portray it as shameful. But Morecombe and Wise could share a bed together on TV and no-one gave it a second thought. If someone was outed by the press it could mean they would never work again. Williams' biography is undoubtedly written with his own viewpoint and in a manner that protected his career. The morality of public school, innit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 21 minutes ago, troon_villan said: I often wonder if sketches like these were genuinely laugh out loud funny at the time to viewers. Whenever I read "comedy" I think back to my early exposure to the genre; growing up in the 90's I had the emergence of risky and 'extreme' comedy and legendary sketch shows like The Fast Show and Harry Enfield. I can't imagine the Carry On movies raising anything more than a smirk....and the occasional erection, of course. I'm of the same era, and I've never seen a fully Carry On film, just odd clips here and there like the above. If that's the funniest scene, it feels like a lucky escape, it's painful to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Maybe my age and a love of comedy of a certain vintage but I loved all of the Carry ons. I watched and creased up to them, certainly as a man in my twenties I found them ridiculously funny. Over familiarity means I will smile now but not laugh. As a reference at the time of the Young ones etc, I never found that funny at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted August 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 minute ago, Seat68 said: Maybe my age and a love of comedy of a certain vintage but I loved all of the Carry ons. I watched and creased up to them, certainly as a man in my twenties I found them ridiculously funny. Over familiarity means I will smile now but not laugh. As a reference at the time of the Young ones etc, I never found that funny at all. I would agree with your assessment of Carry On Films as I'm in that boat but The Young Ones used to have me in absolute stitches. It was without doubt the most important thing on telly when I was a kid. If people think Carry On hasn't aged well they need to watch some other 60's / 70's comedy. It's not exactly PC now but compared to a lot of what was going on at the time it was virtually WOKE. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 2 hours ago, tonyh29 said: Screen ones drama "Hancock " was quite good , seems all of them , James , Hancock, Williams were troubled souls It’s often the way with “funny” men. Robin Williams a more recent example. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Just now, Genie said: It’s often the way with “funny” men. Robin Williams a more recent example. He was a very ill man . Very funny and likeable, but near the end you could see his pain . Great actor and all round funny man . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 11 minutes ago, Seat68 said: Maybe my age and a love of comedy of a certain vintage but I loved all of the Carry ons. I watched and creased up to them, certainly as a man in my twenties I found them ridiculously funny. Over familiarity means I will smile now but not laugh. As a reference at the time of the Young ones etc, I never found that funny at all. I don’t get today’s humour . Rising Damp is a big favourite of mine . Steptoe , Some Mothers Do Ave Em’ as well . The Young Ones I enjoyed , but I didn’t find it that funny either , it was just entertaining. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid4ever Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 23 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said: I don’t get today’s humour . Rising Damp is a big favourite of mine . Steptoe , Some Mothers Do Ave Em’ as well . The Young Ones I enjoyed , but I didn’t find it that funny either , it was just entertaining. 70's humour like "Are you being served?" and "It ain't half hot Mum", wonder how they would be viewed today, in the latter case probably not at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 31 minutes ago, Genie said: It’s often the way with “funny” men. Robin Williams a more recent example. very true . and its why I'm not concerned about @chrisp65 in the slightest 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: very true . and its why I'm not concerned about @chrisp65 in the slightest I have a dark and needy soul only appeased by light office bantz humour and the blood of my victims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Sid4ever said: 70's humour like "Are you being served?" and "It ain't half hot Mum", wonder how they would be viewed today, in the latter case probably not at all. Both were on tv a lot in my household as a kid. I didn’t like neither, especially the latter. Black Adder was another I couldn’t take to. Some of it is very racist by today’s standards. Edited August 12, 2021 by Rugeley Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, chrisp65 said: I have a dark and needy soul only appeased by light office bantz humour and the blood of my victims Also, may I add, buying records in desolate far away towns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 minute ago, Rugeley Villa said: Also, may I add, buying records in desolate far away towns Coming soon: Middlesbrough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Davkaus said: I'm of the same era, and I've never seen a fully Carry On film, just odd clips here and there like the above. If that's the funniest scene, it feels like a lucky escape, it's painful to watch. I've seen about half a dozen of them, and you're not missing much IMO. They fall into that bracket where there's no way you'd want to watch them because they're good, but also they're just a bit too good and professional to get campy enjoyment out of watching them because they're shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 46 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said: I don’t get today’s humour . Rising Damp is a big favourite of mine . Steptoe , Some Mothers Do Ave Em’ as well . The Young Ones I enjoyed , but I didn’t find it that funny either , it was just entertaining. Young ones was hilarious when i was 14 , 50 year old me thinks it just hasn't dated well Some Mothers do ave em' i don't remember ever being funny , but maybe i'd need to watch it again before passing judgement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 6 minutes ago, chrisp65 said: Coming soon: Middlesbrough! It’s a step up from St Helens I suppose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 7 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: Young ones was hilarious when i was 14 , 50 year old me thinks it just hasn't dated well Some Mothers do ave em' i don't remember ever being funny , but maybe i'd need to watch it again before passing judgement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 minute ago, Rugeley Villa said: As a general rule, if humour is derived from catchphrases, it's not for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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