Comments

  2. Geoff says

    Hugh Laurie is one of the few true celebrity skeptics out there. His father was a doctor and he grew to love and appreciate scientific method. A great number of his sketches from A Bit of Fry and Laurie were skeptical in nature.

    Too bad there aren’t more of them to counter the Jenny McCarthy’s out there.

  3. says

    Mr. Casalingua is a great name for the prefect of a British school, don’t you think?

    I love Fry & Laurie’s humor. Hugh Laurie puts one of his American accents on display in his kick-ass song, which I think unfortunately epitomizes Bush administration foreign policy.

  4. Remy-Grace says

    Hugh Laurie is uhmazing. I loved the VOTE CHANGE 08 sign in the season finale of House.

  5. tim Rowledge says

    I rather think that Mr Casalingua was the headmaster (you might use ‘principal’ down there in the Excited States) and not a prefect. Prefects are boys (or presumably girls in the appropriate context) that are given some responsibility (and usually too much authority) for maintaining order in the school. Typically they would be the jocks and bullies in my experience, rather than anyone actually deserving of any sort of authority.
    Think of it as a prison trusty.

    tim
    —
    tim Rowledge; tim@rowledge.org; http://www.rowledge.org/tim
    C++ is history repeated as tragedy. Java is history repeated as farce.

  6. says

    As a point of pride, I like saying I knew who Hugh Laurie was before he did House. But then I didn’t recognize him as Hugh Laurie until the second season.

  10. says

    “Headmaster.” Thanks, Tim. I’m sure you’re right.

    And here’s a link to the Hugh Laurie “kick-ass” song I mentioned, sung in a throughly American accent.

  12. JM Inc. says

    Ah, I never knew Hugh Laurie was a sceptic. In an embarrassingly discriminatory fashion, I actually respect him a great deal more now than I had done previous (having done previously a great deal, in fact).

    Another excellent “Bit of Fry and Laurie” sketch is The Word “Gay”, also of a mocking nature in regards to extreme right wing buffoonery.

  15. says

    I’ve never heard of a biology lab with just two locusts, I’d imagine they’re difficult to sex.

    *Covers mouth, eyes wide at such horrendous language*

    I’m sorry, I meant I’d imagine they were difficult to intercourse. Yes, that’s much better.

  20. Michael Norrish says

    Hugh Laurie also rowed in the annual University Boat Race one year while at Cambridge; he’s clearly a talented guy…

  21. Kimbits says

    Re: #16

    Oh! That’s wonderful! And sad. And really very awesome. I’m so excited.

    I was very disappointed when I couldn’t find a hard copy of Last Chance to See. I eventually downloaded the audiobook and it was fantastic. Read by DNA of course.

  22. anandamide says

    One of the many joys of watching House as a Brit is that half of you is enjoying the series on it’s own merits, and the other half is screaming “IT’S HUGH LAURIE! Like, y’know, HUGH LAURIE! From Blackadder and Fry and Laurie and all those sketches where he prances around like an upper-class buffoon! And he’s being nasty and mean and drug-addicted… but it’s HUGH LAURIE! How cool is that?!!!”

  24. bric says

    Stephen Fry on a world without gods

    Hugh Laurie has made acouple of appearances on Fry’s QI quiz show, here they are tackling actors

  25. bric says

    Can’t resist another clip from QI, when Alan Davies asks Stephen why people believe religious myths

  26. Lurky says

    #16 and #20

    I’m hoping someone will record it and put a torrent up for all to see. Don’t think we’ll be seeing it anytime soon in Finland. I just read Last Chance to See a month ago and it’s brilliant, definitely as funny as any book Adams has ever written.

  27. Matt Penfold says

    Only last week I bought the complete boxed set of “A Bit of Fry and Laurie”.

    For a series that began 20 years ago it remains incredibly fresh and pertinent today.

  28. Ted D says

    I was just entertaining a rather nice girl last night with clips of Hugh Laurie songs. I never get tired of them.

  32. says

    Not sure if this has been posted yet, but a nice bit by Stepen Fry on the beauty of the human spirit, in the non theist use of the word.

    Ciao y’all

  34. JoJo says

    “I’d like a son who isn’t soiled.”

    Something every parent wants at one time or another.

  35. Chris says

    “Well, I don’t actually call myself a school…” I love those wordjokes!
    I never thought of Hugh Laurie as a great actor until I saw him in House (in Jeeves & Wooster he more or less plays the same upperclass twit he always does, even though it was a great show).
    Despite not having enough patience to tune in weekly to a tv-show, I watched a lot of episodes just because of Hugh’s great acting.

  37. stewart says

    Let’s give Stephen Fry his full due. He’s written a skeptic novel, ‘The Hippopotamus’, and his philosophy shows through in all his writing and self-scripted work. I’m glad to be of the same species (although he could stand to inspire me more – it’s his fault I’m not a better person). His straight lines and straight face are a good springboard for Laurie’s inanity.

  38. Sili says

    That certainly beat the choral evensong on Radio 3 (not that it takes much). I suspect I’ll be wasting an aweful long time on the links in this thread.

  39. MPW says

    Wow. I may have to break down and start watching “House” after this thread.

    I’m a little depressed that this sketch “plays” in the UK… i.e., that there are enough people there who think and talk like this for it to be recognizable and funny. I’d thought of this “type” as a very American one – switch up the accents and a little of the syntax and it would play perfectly on U.S. TV, then or now.

  41. Matt Penfold says

    Sili,

    If you liked this clip, as well as the other Fry and Laurie clips I strongly recommend getting the DVD sets of all four series. I did so last week, after someone posted a link of the kicking ass song. I remembered the programs from when they were first shown, and had forgotten just how good they were. For some reason they do not get shown on UK TV anymore, not even on satellite which has channels that shows inane and racists sit-coms from the 70s that were not funny then and have not improved.

  42. Matt Penfold says

    MPW,

    That sketch can be seen as a parody on creationism, but I doubt it was written as such. The sketch comes from the first program of the first series of “A Bit of Fry and Laurie” and dates to 1987. There were no issues with creationism being taught in schools back then: For all their faults the Conservative government of the time were not a bunch of creationists. It was possibly an attack on the government’s policy on sex education at the time, which did seem to put morality above simple facts (although do not confuse that with abstinence-only sex education), although it is more likely to be a comment on the rather British reticence to discuss matter involving sex in public.

  44. says

    Re #36:

    The great thing about the fork-bending skit is that Hugh Laurie clearly has exactly the same powers as Uri Geller himself. (He’s just more cheeky about employing them.)

  45. negentropyeater says

    To demonstrate British prudishness, the exhibition will feature a two-foot high stone fig leaf.

    It was hastily made when a cast of Michelangelo’s David was lent to London in the 1850s. Fearing Queen Victoria’s reaction when she saw the statue, the fig leaf was hung in front of David’s naked manhood by two iron bolts.

    So, this sketch (1987) is about the typical british prudishness in children’s education.

    But what about 2008 ?

    Any brits care to comment ?

  46. says

    So what is “Black Adder”? Chopped liver? I’ll tell you. The best comedy ever. Even the curse of Rowan Atkinson couldn’t stifle his talent.

  47. Matt Penfold says

    negentropyeater ,

    I suspect the British are far less prudish these days, especially when compared to Americans. However it is probably still the case that compared to mainland Europe the UK is still somewhat reticent to talk about sex, or another bodily functions for that matter.

    For example, I have heard of examples of breast-feeding women being threatened with arrest for doing so in a public place in the US. In the UK I suspect a good number of people might feel uncomfortable seeing a women breast-feeding but not many would think it a matter for the police.

  48. chris says

    Stephen Fry, from the clip in #25:

    Anybody who tells me what happens to me after I’m dead is either a liar or a fool, because they don’t know.

  49. John Phillips, FCD says

    negentropyeater: Sadly, even in 2008 we still have them. Just read something like the The Telegraph or The Daily Mail, if you can stomach them, and you will see plenty of articles and letters bemoaning just about any portrayal of sex and especially anything to do with sex education. One of the reasons that of the European countries the UK has about the worst teen pregnancy and STD rates.

  50. negentropyeater says

    I suspect the British are far less prudish these days, especially when compared to Americans.

    Any notable consequences ?
    My parents were rather prudish (french mother, british father), rarely talked about sex, always wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
    Today, I tend to think that it’s not beneficial for the children’s education to be prudish, but are there studies that show evidence of the benefits ?

  51. negentropyeater says

    sorry fucked up post…

    I suspect the British are far less prudish these days, especially when compared to Americans.
    Any notable consequences ?

    My parents were rather prudish (french mother, british father), rarely talked about sex, always wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
    Today, I tend to think that it’s not beneficial for the children’s education to be prudish, but are there studies that show evidence of the drawbacks ?

  52. negentropyeater says

    ok forget it, don’t know what’s wrong with me today. One last try.

    I suspect the British are far less prudish these days, especially when compared to Americans.

    Any notable consequences ?
    My parents were rather prudish (french mother, british father), rarely talked about sex, always wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
    Today, I tend to think that it’s not beneficial for the children’s education to be prudish, but are there studies that show evidence of the drawbacks ?

    (seems I’m nervous when talking about my own failed sexual education)

  53. Matt Penfold says

    negentropyeater,

    I am not sure there are any studies that directly show any benefits of being less prudish, but there are those which show an indirect link.

    The UK and The Netherlands are often used as comparisons. The Netherlands has an very open policy on sex education, easy access to contraception and the age of consent is 14(*). Such a policy seems to have pretty widespread support. The teenage pregnancy rate in the Netherlands is low. The UK does not have such an open policy, with religious politicians and groups often sabotaging attempts to improve sex education. The same applies with the availability of contraception. It is legal in the UK to provide contraception to a person under 16 (16 being the age of consent in the UK) without informing their parents. However religious groups have ensured that medical professionals are looking over their shoulder when they do so. Pretty much the same arguments apply when comparing the dugs policy of the Netherlands and the UK.

    (*) The age of consent in the Netherlands depends on the age of both partners. As I understand it if both are under 16 then the age of consent is 14, but if one is over 16 then the other must be as well.

  55. Rey Fox says

    *has a first edition hardcover of Last Chance To See bought for a song at the local used book store* *gloat gloat*

  56. says

    tim Rowledge@#54,

    I propose that we adopt the (highly appropriate) nomenclature for trolls and spammers:

    Level 1 Encrapulation: Extensive trolling/spamming by unhinged loon/deluded nutter, e.g. Dennis Markuze, Mike Hallet, etc.

    Level 2 Encrapulation: Visitation of banned, but not obviously crazy, person up to their usual tricks, e.g. PlanetKiller/Kenny, etc. Severe thread derailment imminent.

    Level 3 Encrapulation: Visitation of known, but as yet unbanned vile liar, godbot, e.g. Teddy Beale and minions.

  57. Cheezits says

    But then I didn’t recognize him as Hugh Laurie until the second season.

    Same here! Well, actually it wasn’t quite until the second season, but it was months before I realized who he was. I never watched the credits, and the accent completely fooled me.

  59. Carl Buell says

    I’m a great Stephan Fry fan on his “new” show for the BBC “QI, quite interesting”. Well not quite new (it’s had 5 13 show seasons – all of which can be found on You Tube in 3 or 4 segments). I listen while I paint, laugh out loud often, and it’s amazing what you learn and how fast the time goes.

  60. Senritsu says

    *has a first edition hardcover of Last Chance To See bought for a song at the local used book store* *gloat gloat*

    Oh yeah? Well, I see your first edition and raise you a signed first edition hardcover. When Douglas Adams was on the book tour, he came to The Hungry Mind bookstore (now deceased) in St. Paul, and I squeezed into a small room with lots of other fans to hear him give a short talk before signing copies of his book. *gloat gloat gloat*

  62. Wowbagger says

    I have a hardcover copy of ‘Last Chance to See’ as well – I didn’t realise it had become a rarity. But I couldn’t not own it since it combines two of my all-time favourite things: Douglas Adams (who tops my list of ‘People I Really Wish Were Still With Us’) and komodo dragons.

  63. j a higginbotham says

    What’s with the “mardi gras in new orleans” sound clip at the beginning?

  64. Jack Rawlinson says

    Fry and Laurie are GODS. Even for an atheist like me.

    Here they are at the UHT milk container, chalice or pot witch trials.

  65. Jack Rawlinson says

    And as we’ve had “America”… let’s have “God Save the Queen”

  66. Peter Ashby says

    Stephen Fry is a National Treasure. So much so that we have decided to clone him. The program is called The Boys From Norfolk.

    Now we have so kindly lent you Americans Hugh Laurie, do you think we can have him back? No, you cannot have Stephen Fry, as a National Treasure there is an export ban on him.

    BTW amongst his many other talents Stephen Fry has also written a very good guide to prosody called The Ode Less Travelled. I also have a first edition Last Chance to See and am similarly bemused that it has become rare.

  67. bric says

    #66 – Stephen Fry is a National Treasure. Indeed, one of the Stately Homos of England. He talks about the documentary with mark Cawardine (amongst many other things) on his podcast, available through itunes

  69. Wowbagger says

    I recently read the superb Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell which features the Duke of Wellington as a character. Thanks to Mr Fry’s (hilarious) portrayal of him in a Blackadder episode I could only hear Wellington’s dialogue as if it were spoken by him.

    And I always remember his describtion of the regimental crest: ‘two crossed dead Frenchmen on a mound of dead Frenchmen motif’…

  70. Eli says

    Thanks for posting this. I know this is a late comment, but prior to this post I’d had no idea of the existence of Stephen Fry, who is now my favorite actor ever.