Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: -tronski- on January 26, 2004, 04:55:23 AM
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WTG Ricky Gervais!!!!
The office is so bloody funny!!!!
"I'm not from these parts, I'm from a little place called England. We used to run the world before you."
Britcom TV show "the Office" rocks Golden Globes (http://au.news.yahoo.com/040126/19/nftg.html)
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/characters/images/david_points_640.jpg)
Brent: "If you have lost both legs and both arms just go 'at least I'm not dead'. Though I'd rather be dead in that situation to be honest- I'm not saying people like that should be put down. I'm saying that in my life I'd rather not live without arms and legs 'cos you know... I'm just getting into yoga."
Tronsky
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So well deserved!
I wasn't sure whether the humour would translate well across the pond, but it looks like it has.
After a really dull period in the UK when all the sharpest comedy in the English language was coming from the US, it's nice to see 'The Office' get plaudits.
Ravs
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I wonder what the US version will be like. The US versions of Dad's Army, Fawlty Towers, One Foot in the Grave and Red Dwarf etc were crap. In fact, I can't think of a single British comedy that has translated well over there.
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There was a yank Dads Army???
I love the office...and the Christmas specials were so frikken funny!!
I couldn't believe that the office won over those "established" sit-coms (despite how inferior they were)...but when Ricky Gervais won best actor over Matt Le Blanc etc...that was the easily the best part of the awards!!! (even better than when LOTR:return of the king won)
Tronsky
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More translations than I first thought...this from the Grauniad on line:
US versions of hit British shows have struggled to gain a foothold on the brutally competitive American terrestrial networks in recent years.
American translations of Cracker, Cold Feet, Men Behaving Badly and Holding the Baby have all foundered after short-lived runs.
The US remake of The Kumars was recently dropped from Fox's autumn line-up before it was even broadcast.
But UK entertainment formats such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, The Weakest Link and Dog Eat Dog, as well as comedy show Whose Line is it Anyway?, have proved more successful.
US versions of British reality, lifestyle and makeover shows such as Faking It and Changing Rooms have also made the successful transition to US cable channels.
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There was a US version of "Open All Hours" called "Open All Night" that was just as funny, if not funnier. It ran on ABC in the early 80's but did not last long. It was a riot. Set in a convienience store, they made Grandville a 16 year old that was just plain weird (weirder than Grandville, if that's possible). One week he was a punk rocker, ect, ect. You can find it on imdb.com .
Probably the best remake of a British programme (did you see what I did there?) was "Sanford and Son" from "Steptoe and Son".
The problem with most remakes is trying to rewrite the scripts to American style of humor, which just doesn't work. That wasn't the problem with the much hyped US version of "Coupling", it was the casting. The scripts were almost word for word from the UK show. Only problem with that was most of the viewers had already seen the same show with the original funnier cast on BBC America.
I'm waiting to see if there is any network with the guts to do "Father Ted".
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Coupling was essentially a copy of Friends anyway, without all the wisecracks common to friends.
Father Ted just could not be copied. Where would you set it? Even the writers of the program have failed to better it (they did a one series sitcom on BBC2 which was crap). I think without Dermot Morgan it wouldn't work; he was born for that part. Shame he died when he did.
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Spoke too soon: http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/americanversion.htm
(http://www.humorlinks.com/humornet/files/images/ted4.jpg)
I agree it will be hard to come close to the humor of the original, especially without Dermot Morgan.
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It will be tough to beat the original cast. Father Ted was eventually written around the characteristics of the actors themselves. It will be interesting to see who they get to fill their shoes.
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Add to that the fact most Americans are very uptight when it comes to religion. The only network I can see that would air it is FOX.
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I saw a film 'The Road to Paradise' last week (western women in a japanese pow camp) in which the actress who played Mrs Doyle in Father Ted did a topless shot. Most weird.
For me, however the very best reasonably recent comedy series I have seen has been 'Spaced' which didn't get the glory it deserved.
http://www.totaltelly.co.uk/dvd_spaced.html.php
If you havn't seen it, RPM, order it. Utter genius and side splittingly funny.
Ravs
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I haven't even heard of this show until now. I guess I'll have to scan the tv listing and try to catch an episode or two. Lord knows that with football ending this weekend, there's going to be crap on tv except for NASCAR and ALMS racing on weekends.
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Here are some lines from the series:
1. Eagles may soar high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
2. Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
3. There may be no 'I' in team, but there's a 'ME' if you look hard enough.
4. Process and Procedure are the last hiding place of people without the wit and wisdom to do their job properly.
5. Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
6. Never do today that which will become someone elses responsibility tomorrow.
7. Every time you open your mouth you have this wonderful ability to continually confirm what I think.
8. Show me a good loser and I'll show you a LOSER!
9. Put the key of despair into the lock of apathy. Turn the knob of mediocrity slowly and open the gates of despondency - welcome to a day in the average office.
10. It's the team that matters. Where would The Beatles be without Ringo? If John got Yoko to play drums the history of music would be completely different.
11. What does a squirrel do in the summer? It buries nuts. Why? Cos then in winter time he's got something to eat and he won't die. So, collecting nuts in the summer is worthwhile work. Every task you do at work think, would a squirrel do that? Think squirrels. Think nuts.
12. When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
13. Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
14. If your boss is getting you down, look at him through the prongs of a fork and imagine him in jail.
15. If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation.
16. You don't have to be mad to work here! In fact we ask you to complete a medical questionnaire to ensure that you are not.
17. If you treat the people around you with love and respect, they will never guess that you're trying to get them sacked.
18. If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.
19. You have to be 100% behind someone, before you can stab them in the back.
20. If work was so good, the rich would have kept more of it for themselves.
21. Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do.
22. There's no 'I' in 'team'. But then there's no 'I' in 'useless smug colleague', either. And there's four in 'platitude-quoting idiot'. Go figure.
23. Know your limitations and be content with them. Too much ambition results in promotion to a job you can't do.
24. Make good use of your cylindrical filing unit, the one you mainly keep under your desk.
25. Quitters never win, winners never quit. But those who never win and never quit are idiots.
26. If you're gonna be late, then be late and not just 2 minutes - make it an hour and enjoy your breakfast.
27. Remember the 3 golden rules:
1. It was like that when I got here.
2. I didn't do it.
3. (To your Boss) I like your style.
28. The office is like an army, and I'm the field general. You're my foot soldiers and customer quality is the WAR!!!
29. Set out to leave the first vapour trail in the blue-sky scenario.
30. Statistics are like a lamp-post to a drunken man - more for leaning on than illumination.
31. A problem shared is a problem halved, so is your problem really yours or just half of someone else's?
32. Is your work done? Are all pigs fed, watered and ready to fly?....
33. You don't have to be mad to work here, but you do have to be on time, well presented, a team player, customer service focused and sober!!
34. I thought I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was just some b*stard with a torch, bringing me more work.
35. Avoid employing unlucky people - throw half of the pile of CVs in the bin without reading them.
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They must really change the shows mentioned when they bring them here because I have never seen a brit show over here that was remotely funny and....
while you can understand perfectly everything that we say... we can maybe catch every other word that you slur/mumble out.
lazs
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does fawlty towers and benny hill count?
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I thought all British comedies involved men in dresses, or slapping bald guys in the head? :)
I still have a crush on Felicity Kendall though.
dago
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Originally posted by lazs2
while you can understand perfectly everything that we say... we can maybe catch every other word that you slur/mumble out.
Careful laz, you say this while living in the State that made Ebonics a language.
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When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
That one is worth remembering.
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Young Ones is stil my fav British comedy.
"PISS OFF YOU BASTARDS!"
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The Office is fediddlein hilarious. I watch it on BBCAmerica(DirectTV). Bought the 1st season DVD. Glad to see they got some recognition.
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Ban award shows.
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Here are some lines from the series:
You sure Ravells? I thought I knew the series pretty well but don't remember any of those.
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Ummm the website said they were David Brentisms, but you're right, come to think of it, I never heard them mentioned in the scripts.
But this line was:
“When was the last time you had an actual girlfriend?”
“I don’t look on it as when. I look on it as who, and why.”
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I'm very sure they are not from the show - think I saw them as part of an email. They are not really like anything Brent would say. He specialises in improvised moronic mixed metaphors, whereas some of those lines are actually pretty astute.
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rpm... I do not speak ebonics. In fact... I have about the same amount of difficulty understanding it as I do the average brit. Mostly when talking to black people who use ebonics I just say "forget it... I can't understand a fu#king word you are saying." This is pretty much what I had to say while in england too but I was more polite because they really were trying to make themselves understood.
conversly.... neither ebonics speakers nor brits had/have trouble understanding me...
I suppose I should ask the brits to sing their responses since they sound real American when they sing.... very understandable.
lazs
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They were doing it deliberately lazs. They probably thought you were a ****wit too. :aok As for understanding you... well even chimps manage to communicate with their keepers. You probably grunt really clearly or something.
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When in england I speak slowly and loudly... seems to work.
so dowding.... maybe you could sing for us? Why is it that you all sound American when singing? Like other speech defects, stuttering, british accents... they are fixed by singing... start by singing everything and work your way up to speaking.... watch a lot of American movies... soon... you too will be able to speak American and be understood.
lazs
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Grunting extra loudly probably helped as well. Was this when in that London bar for effeminate men?
I'd say you were wrong about the singing. I could name a load of bands that sing with distinctive British regional accents... but you would deny their existance purely on the basis that you haven't heard them. The bands that want to sing in American accents do so because it lends something to the type of music they perform, which is usually emulating something from an existing American group. What difference does it make?
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Golden Globes, has this got something to do with boobies?
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Well this thread went down hill fast.
On the subject of Brit comedies if you get chance pick up the DVD of Black Books.
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seen the shorts on the ABC (I think it was also on foxtel/UKTV) but never saw it...it did look interesting...
mind you, I always watch the Bill on the ABC - not exactly a comedy...well....that last years story lines might be...
Tronsky
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I watch 'Only Fools and Horses' whenever I can. I only understand 60%-70% of the lines, but I usually have a good laugh.
Rodney winning at the casino was priceless...
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Originally posted by Pei
Well this thread went down hill fast.
On the subject of Brit comedies if you get chance pick up the DVD of Black Books.
They'll NEVER get Black Books - they might only just manage Black Adder....
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dowding said..
"The bands that want to sing in American accents do so because it lends something to the type of music they perform,"
yeah... it certainly does lend something to to the music... it makes it so people can understand what they are saying...
Are you dennying that American accents are more understandable than most british ones? My point is... you guys can easily understand us but we can't understand you.... in order to make yourselves understood you tend to imitate our accents. My belief is that a California (white) accent is the most universally understandable.
I believe that my point is valid. Certainly you don't wonder why british comedies or, movies for that matter, don't sell well here? It is because the ones that have heavy bristish accents are gibberish to most Americans.
lazs
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I know this might come as a shock to your americanocentric viewpoint, but I understand British regional accents perfectly well. Even Geordie. Now maybe this is because I am British. Amazing eh?! Ever thought that the reason why you can't understand some British accents is because you are... a yank? Wow.
Likewise, I bet there are some American regional accents I'd have trouble understanding.
I would have thought all this would have been easy to figure out for a well travelled man of the world such as yourself.
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You are avoiding the point. I have not lived in may regions of the U.S. and have no trouble understanding them... even the ******* like braying of boston folk.
You would have far less trouble understanding the various American regional accents than most Americans would have with yours...
It is you who are britishcentric. you feel so self important as to have a clickish slaughter of the language and then take pride in it while on the other hand pretending to wonder why people not on your tiny little island don't understand you.
lazs
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I am from the south of england and i have trouble understanding any accent that is not from the south of england. Whether it be American, French, Spanish, Geordie, Liverpudlian, Scottish (has to be the worst) I talk to tourists every day due to my job, and i never get any better at understanding em.
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I wonder if Lasz thinks the Beatles sang in American accents?
Ravs
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I have not lived in may regions of the U.S. and have no trouble understanding them... even the ******* like braying of boston folk.
Because you're a Yank! My god are you dense. I'm not a Yank, therefore would have as many problems with Yank regional dialect and accent as you do with British language variation. Yet, strangely, I have no problem with same variations.
You would have far less trouble understanding the various American regional accents than most Americans would have with yours...
Thanks for that completely subjective and worthless conclusion.
It is you who are britishcentric. you feel so self important as to have a clickish slaughter of the language and then take pride in it while on the other hand pretending to wonder why people not on your tiny little island don't understand you.
I don't wonder about anything. If you can't understand British accents that is your problem. And accusing me of self-importance when you are Lazs the Incredible is funny. Thanks for the laugh.
Oh, as for slaughter of the language - I've watched Jerry Springer. Some of those people can barely pronounce their own names. You must be proud.
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Ok... I give up... I guess the reason none of your TV or Movies sell here is because we just don't "get it".
The U.S is very large (look at a map) "regional" diofferences can be 3-4000 or more miles. and still.... most people around the world have much less trouble understanding any U.S. accent over a british one... If we were your size we might have maybe two accents... you have dozens it seems..
lazs
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I said nothing about Americans not 'getting' British comedy out of any kind of inferiority. I've always largely put the lack of success down to the cultural references Americans are not aware of.
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Lasz said:
most people around the world have much less trouble understanding any U.S. accent over a british one
and how do you know this?
Ravs
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fair question ravells... I may not know it but... the widespread distribution of American TV shows, music and movies over the last half a century or so has expossed the world to our "accent". If it were a fact that british accents were the more understandable to people then we would have our actors/singers do so in british accents.
The oppossite is true tho... in order for british music, TV or movies to sell to more than a nich market... it has to be Americanized.
Some british accents are acceptable to the world tho... There is a very fine line in british accents between gibberish and effeminate. The "acceptable" british accent falls within that very fine line. Richard Burton did it. Cary Grant... that little fireplug in the "silence of the lambs" can pull it off... Peter O'toole... Sean Connery... to name a few. Most british musicans are better served singing than talking.... someone mentioned the beatles... never really liked em much but... ya gotta admit... they don't sound the same singing as they do talking.
lazs
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Seems Yanks and Brits have trouble understanding each other's typing also.
yowser