Episode 56 - "Roots?" with guest host Mr. Alvin! (& don't do blackface)
That Does Suit Madame, The "Are You Being Served?" PodcastShow Notes
“It turns out he was AC and I was DC”
👚🧦🧣👒🩲👞⬇️
Mrs. Slocombe Pride post! Wiggle Wednesday! Lots of social stuff!
We welcome special guest co-host Mr. Alvin! He watched AYBS with his sister when he was a kid (like most of our #Unanimous listeners too).
We talk about the series 8 Christmas finale, “Roots?”, the semi-banned controversial blackface episode (and we unpack a LOT).
Grace Brothers is in the dark with a maintenance crew strike!
“I cried all the way to the bank” was an original quote from Liberace and how was he related to Mr. Humphries?
“AC/DC” is a 70s bisexual joke.
Titfer = Cockney rhyming slang for “hat” (tit-for-tat/hat).
Professor Mr. Jeff teaches about the Welsh word: “eisteddfod”.
The staff look up Mr. Grace’s culture to celebrate his 90th birthday.
Welsh coal miners would remind 1981 AYBS fans of the Thatcher coal strikes on the news.
Mr. Humphries’ white jumpsuit!
That insane (and true) coal disaster at Aberfan in Wales depicted in “The Crown”.
Another Welsh word: “hiraeth” = longing (or saudade in Portuguese)
A return from Madame Berryl for Mr. Alvin.
Thank you to the nurses!
The “traveling matte” technique to film the same actor as two people in a scene (like Mr. Rumbold and his brother).
The staff perform a cool Scottish dance with Humphries dancing around crossed swords.
“Walkieeeeeees!”.
The super old-school use of using rabbits feet to apply makeup (like Humphries used from his sporran).
A new rule on Rupaul’s Drag Race that will prevent a Mrs. Slocombe portrayal? (say it ain’t so).
Now the Graces are from Somerset (a farming area in western England near the Wales border).
Why pirates have the “yeh-arrrrr” voice.
We have to (sadly) say goodbye to Young Mr. Grace (Arthur Bennett) who was 82. The episode was recorded in May 1981 but was only aired in December. Bennett died in September so the episode aired after he died.
The podcast debated whether “Roots?” should have been covered at all because of the blackface scene.
Mr. Grace’s family is then discovered to be from Africa (vaguely).
The staff comes out in full blackface, singing a minstrel song called “Waiting for the Robert E. Lee”.
Turner Classic Movies produced a great video all about the history of blackface and minstrels and its context.
Britbox has removed this episode from its available AYBS collection (because of the blackface).
Mr. Alvin shares about growing up and watching African Americans being depicted on TV and film.
What messages does blackface really give to both black and white audiences?
Being disappointed with a show that you love.
The exception: Wendy Richard, as Miss. Brahams, refused to dress in blackface and the BBC threatened to fire her. She insisted and performed the scene without blackface.
Should media companies edit out racist scenes from old TV shows or remove the episode entirely? It’s a debate.
And should John Inman, a gay man, have been more aware of blackface’s hurtfulness?
Blackface was started in New York City in the 1830s by white comedians to portray black enslaved people as comical, stupid, and happy to be controlled for white audiences’ amusement.
A long-lost pilot podcast episode?
Special thanks to special co-host Mr. Alvin!
Treat yourself to some That Does Suit Madame merch at our Bargain Basement podcast shop at imfree.threadless.com for t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more! Leave the show a voicemail at the Peacock Hotline: (662)-PEACOCK (662-732-2625) and find us on Facebook at fb.me/ThatDoesSuitMadame and Twitter @DoesSuitMadame #AYBS #AreYouBeingServed #ImFree #Britcom #comedy #MrHumphries #ThatDoesSuitMadame #GraceBros #podcast #LGBTQ #LGBT #BlackLivesMatter #WearAmask #BBC
More from That Does Suit Madame, The "Are You Being Served?" Podcast
Are you FREE for a BONUS episode?! We are!
Our FINAL podcast: After 86 podcast episodes, Mr. Jeff and Mr. Brandon say goodbye to the podcast they've crafted over the past two and a half years. What started out to be a COVID-hobby became a fantastic vehicle to bring "Are You Being Served?" fans together, share some laughs, and give the space to really take a look at why we all love this silly, wonderful comedy program.
In this podcast episode, we review the very final original content from the AYBS Universe. :( Your two podcast hosts had a lovely chat with Brian Slade, author “Simon Cadell: The Authorised Biography”, the beloved Hi-De-Hi actor. We received a delightful voicemail from the “Keeping Up Appearances: The Luxury Podcast” with chums of the pod William Hanson (from the “I Sexted My Boss” podcast) and Jonathan Vernon-Smith from the BBC “The JVS Show” programme. The staff has finally turned on Mr. Rumbold’s managerial role. “Fanny Adams” is a phrase that translates to “fuck all” but points to a very tragic news event which was popularized by the English Navy regarding an 8 year old girl in 1867. What if there -was- a 3rd season of Grace & Favour/AYBS? We learn about the fate of Mrs. Rumbold. Mr. Molturd randomly announces that the lads from the pub have challenged the staff with a darts match! We try to explain how darts is played (visualize a pizza). Find old episodes of “Bullseye” on YouTube, the Darts Game Show from 1980s’ UK! Sheep are being sold to the estate next-door. Mr. Humphries is proud of his Australian hat (sent from his penpal). Capt. Peacock’s mysterious bite marks that Miss. Lovelock somehow is privy to. Enter the 1928 Daimler sedan. What is a “tax disc”? Percy the local police officer and Molturd's bribe. And the super cute freeze-frame of Billy Burden in this scene with a great big smile. The Vine Tree Pub was where the exterior shots of the episode were filmed in Norton, England. It’s still open today and is a 14 minute drive away from Chavenage House (“Millstone Manor”). Apple orchards in the West Country of England generates excess apples which are then crafted into “scrumpy”- a high-octane alcohol. A quick history of why we call the graphite in pencils “lead”. Mavis can handle her scrumpy and “is just getting started”! Paul Humpoletz player Henry Heathcliff, Malcom’s father. Mr. Brandon finally stumps Mr. Jeff: Paul Humpoletz also played one of the thieves in the “The Hold Up” from the original series 10: episode 3! And her past catches up with her again from Tiverton.
We’re supporting Gladys in the Bell Ringers Association Union local #DING and their strike. Beryl, our switchboard operator, let a very confused voicemail get through to the podcast. Americans: don’t forget to vote in the Mid-term elections! A fabulous scene of Miss. Lovelock driving the carriage with Humphries in his red riding gear. “Walkies” jogs our memory to a classic AYBS episode. Peacock tries to encourage Lovelock’s fascination with his history… without luck. “It’s not quite the same thing, is it?” We learn “punka wallas”. Slocombe and Brahams can still pull the guys! We meet Malcom-Heathcliff again in the path and threatens Humphries again. Who won 3rd place in the Miss. Lovely Legs contest in Tiverton? One guess… “Of you’ll find some rough lads waiting for you”. Humphries looks right into the camera to contemplate. Mongolians booked a tour at the Manor but the currency has fallen drastically! Cheap, weird jokes made about Mongolians. The staff have to create a “cultural event” for their guests (Just like in the “Mr. Slocombe” episode!). Slocombe once served Vanessa Redgrave! Ferrets in trousers? Humphries shows off some childhood photos. We get a great “jug ears” thanks to Wendy Richard. A weird hierarchy joke against Molturd from Brahams. Molturd will arrange for local villagers to audition for the talent show. Kiri Te Kanawa is the famous New Zealand opera singer that Slocombe wouldn’t remember. Mavis is encouraging Humphries to have a scrap with Malcom-Healthcliff. Mrs Cleghampton (again) tries out for employment and fails (with her adapted cello). Her g-string broke! Tiddles cries; glass breaks. But she played at the Proms! Mr. Jeff explains the cultural mistakes during the Mongolians’ concert. The Mongolian language is not a tonal language yet the actors mostly speak Mandarin Chinese. The gong is played. Mongolians stand and bow, over and over. The “sooo…” joke from “The Hand of Fate” episode is recycled but the asian character gets a zing in the end. Molturd battles a donkey and loses. Sir Gay Humphries! Joanne Heywood knows how to dance ballet on point! A suspicious red codpiece. And a patriotic “Britannia” makes an appearance. We think this episode missed several points b/c of sloppy jokes about Mongolians but this shows its age (yet we still love it!). Treat yourself to some That Does Suit Madame merch at our Bargain Basement podcast shop at imfree.threadless.com for t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more! Leave the show a voicemail at the Peacock Hotline: (662)-PEACOCK (662-732-2625) and find us on Twitter @DoesSuitMadame and #AYBS #AreYouBeingServed #ImFree #Britcom #comedy #ThatDoesSuitMadame #GraceBros #podcast #LGBT #BlackLivesMatter #BBC #AreYouBeingServedAgain #GraceAndFavour #GraceAndFavor
It’s Halloween season!