Little Britain USA
AMAZING statistics at LITTLE BRITAIN USA where a cursory headcount revealed more than 130 people had a hand in it.
Even more amazing? Not one of them had the balls to tell Matt Lucas or David Walliams this simple truth:
"Hey buddy, you suck!"
A real shame. Because it really needed saying.
The upshot being? Unless Vicky Pollard At Brat Camp can pull them out of the mire we can quickly add Walliams and Lucas to that long list of British success stories in America.
Just behind Robbie Williams, Martine McCutcheon, Rachel Stevens, Denise Van Outen, Tamzin Outhwaite, Piers Morgan's diet . . .
Still, after the so-so third series of the show over here we can't really claim to be that surprised.
It's just that after all the hype even I'd been looking forward to something really special.
Just look at that pre-match build-up. It had glowing previews in a host of newspapers and magazines (even the ones where their best mate isn't TV Editor).
That squeaky girl sitting in for Richard Arnold on GMTV said it was the funniest thing she'd seen in ages (and we have to assume she's seen inside Dickie's dressing room by now).
Plus, most importantly, Walliams and Lucas' barnstorming shift on Jonathan Ross a week ago had me believing they were comedy geniuses again.
Impressive momentum. Stopped dead in its tracks the moment that frickin' canned laughter onslaught kicked in.
Now, I know a fair share of Americans may need to be alerted when something funny is meant to be happening. But surely the BBC could have edited it out of the UK version?
It was downhill from there. Even Tom Baker seemed strangely subdued.
Kinda ironic, though, that the first sketch ended with Lou's mate Andy p***ing in a swimming pool.
Because for the next 23 minutes Walliams and Lucas were p***ing in the wind.
Meandering sketch after meandering sketch, with barely a punchline in sight.
Worse still, their cloying desire to be loved by their new audience meant there was none of the savage social comment which made the likes of Vicky Pollard such a success over here.
Fair enough, Lucas's make- up and accents were brilliant throughout. And, yes, Marjorie Dawes had a couple of decent lines before Rosie O'Donnell's ranting ruined the Fat Fighters sketch.
Even Carol "Computer Says No" Beer was mildly pleasing until Walliams went for the cheap f-word laugh.
The rest? Utterly forgettable.
Rounded off by a jaded Bubbles sketch which lacked any kind of shock value-even for a first-time viewer-and which ended with this telling declaration from Bubbles: "I think it's important to know when to stop."
Couldn't have put it better myself, darlink.
X FACTOR update. Proving once again that beneath that duck's ass haircut lies a neck of finest brass, Simon Cowell has announced "I know who's gonna win this year."
Yeah, Si. Like every year. Cos you fix it.
But although we haven't exactly been seeing eye to eye lately (mainly cos I've been standing up) I have an offer:
I'll stop laughing at your werewolf arms and Botoxed blockhead (hell, I might even admit your heels are less than 10 inches).
In return, all you have to do is give up the one thing that makes a mockery of the live shows. Your casting vote.
In fact, let the viewers vote again on the bottom two. All shouts of "fix" will then disappear and the winner will indeed be chosen by the public.
Ball's in your court, Si.
NB. Who do I think will win? Not sure. Best take your pick from these:
Dead wife guy, dead mum girl, ex-crack addict mum, teary goblin boy, weepy adoption faker kid and dead granddad wildcard.
But please, viewers, let's never forget: This is a singing competition.
HARD not to wish Jamie Oliver's latest campaign to teach people to cook much success.
I'm just glad that his Ministry Of Food: Rotherham (MOFR) was the first one he launched.
Imagine the acronym if he'd started in Oldham.
BBC4 railway documentary query. Why wasn't IAN HISLOP GOES OFF THE RAILS called Have I Got Choo-Choos For You?
NAME change required to reflect the current ratings of would-be chat show king Piers Morgan's THE DARK SIDE OF FAME.
The Wrong Side Of Lame.
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This article has 26 comments
I loved Little Britain (the original.) Great gags, great characters. Unfortunately, on a recent holiday, I tuned into Little Britain USA on the aeroplane. It was absolutely awful. Terrible jokes, terrible characters. To tell the truth, I didn't even crack a smile once. I was shocked that such brilliant actors as Lucas and Walliams let themselves air such unfunny stuff.
By Bec.. Posted October 4 2009 at 9:44 PM.
I visited family in uk, watch little Britain, loved it, came home, and got excited for the new us version. I shouldn't have. Lame sketches with old characters, and new characters that are either uninteresting or poor attempts to poke fun at US stereotypes which the creators clearly don't know enough about to do well, at least not well enough to {successfully} cater to a US market.
By Tim.. Posted November 6 2008 at 3:12 AM.
i dontt lice it
By sally.. Posted November 2 2008 at 9:10 AM.
Can't wait to catch the original "Little Britain" show, because our USA version is the funniest thing I've seen on TV in many, many years! Astounding how some people on this site think it's unfunny (!?). Maybe it's because you're getting a censored version on the BBC. I hope the lads really catch on here. They're completely brilliant.
By Bob Page New York.. Posted October 27 2008 at 3:58 AM.
I used to love Little Britain show, but unfortunately series in LB in USA not that funny...I hope guys will improve it...
By Alya.. Posted October 21 2008 at 1:10 AM.
Little Britain USA? I doubt anyone who watched the first series of LB thought this new series was in the slightest bit funny. The sad fact is that Lucas and Walliams have taken some great original characters and ruined them by trying to "Americanise" them. Like many great rock bands, these two comedy rockers have run their course. Just enjoy the early repeats because Lucas and Walliams have lost the plot.
By simon orrell.. Posted October 19 2008 at 7:50 AM.
Hate to say it, but Matt and David have really lost their edge... The show used to be funny, but clever at the same time... now it's just filled with cheap material.
And even worse... Little Britain USA is becoming a copy and paste job of the original series! I realize that they have to introduce the characters to their new audience... but do they really have to take Tom Baker's "Vicky is one of the most beautiful women in Britain" gag and stick it into a Bubbles sketch? D|;;;
Just goes to show you... ... It was called "Little Britain" for a reason.
By Sion_Ta.. Posted October 18 2008 at 10:48 PM.
LB is so unfunny. I can't believe people out there in zombie TV land didn't get bored after episode 2. Anyone who likes this nonsense doesn't really get comedy. Just because there's a catchphrase that is familiar, that doesn't constitute funniness.
The canned laughter of the US version just tells me what a sad state we're all in, and the fact that the BBC air this drivel makes me want squirt pepper spray in my eyes.
By Adam Smith.. Posted October 17 2008 at 11:11 PM.
Love Little Britain but the Canadian show Trailer Park Boys is better.
By John.. Posted October 17 2008 at 5:41 PM.
@ Kaz's statement: What about South Park?
By Sephlock.. Posted October 13 2008 at 8:39 PM.
Watched LB/USA this evening on HBO absolute PISH.
By Tom Wilson Vancouver BC.. Posted October 13 2008 at 5:54 AM.
we watch one episode that is funny, and think that these self important idiots are comedians typical british.
By jimmy.. Posted October 12 2008 at 9:26 AM.
Little Britain US,wasn't as good as I anticipated it was going to be but there were still plenty of laughs on offer.
By Mick Daley.. Posted October 7 2008 at 5:40 PM.
I can't stand Little Britain, either in the UK or the USA. I don't mind the crudity and filth too much-- this seems to be the most common complaint about LB.
The reason I dislike LB is because it is tedious and repetitive; if you've seen a few LB episodes, you've seen them all, I feel. "Computer says no" and "I want that one" cease to be funny after the nth time of hearing them.
On the plus side some of the characters are well observed, I admit. But then take away the catchphrases, and what do you have? Nothing really, as far as I can tell.
By Jac Griffin.. Posted October 7 2008 at 8:26 PM.
Why is it that the British always think that they are better than Americans? Oh, we're funnier than Americans, we're smarter than Americans, we have a better country than Americans. If you have to brag about something, then it probably isn't that great. And, by the way, I have watched Little Britain in it's original form and it was pretty funny, but the American version of The Office really is much better than yours.
By kellirc.. Posted October 6 2008 at 12:35 PM.
I think that alex watt has partially hit the nail on the head with his comments about British/US comedy.
I have lived in the United States for about thirty five years now, and I assure you that there is a vast difference between American and British humour. British does tend to be more "earthy" than most American.
Monty Python does well because it is, well, bloody silly but clever at the same time, and I think the appeal is universal
I remember dear Frankie Howerd and Bruce Forsythe both attempting to break into U.S. prime time television, and falling flat on their faces sadly.
Much has to do with everyday culture, and life here folks, is nothing like life in the UK, therefore people do not relate, which ever side of the Atlantic.
Luckily I can appreciate both sides of the coin, although I must admit "Little Britain" made me cringe.
By John in New York(Ex Pat Englishman).. Posted October 5 2008 at 10:13 PM.
I commented last week on the fact that I never normally agree with Ian, but I like others having seen them on JR thought little britain USA looked funny. So I sat and watched, it was like pulling teeth but with more pain, quite terrible, and what was that canned laughter all about!
As for american comedy I have to agree with mark's comment, all those shows are funny, and you can add Curb your enthusiasm to the list, genius!
Oh and Dee please have katie price over there, or perhaps we could lose her some between us both!
By justin.. Posted October 5 2008 at 8:54 PM.
Little Britain USA was terrible. Loved the original UK pilot, but the show's been going downhill since that
By Alex.. Posted October 5 2008 at 4:19 PM.
I will give you Family Guy and The Simpsons because I am a fan of those shows but even they are not laugh off your chair funny. I know that everyone has a different sense of humour but from my personal perspective American comedy shows are like lightly salted bags of crisps. There is little to no taste to them and you’re always left wanting that little bit more out of them.
By Ian Macdonald.. Posted October 5 2008 at 3:45 PM.
Re Ian Macdonalds comment. Americans don't appreciate good comedy like we do. What about shows like Frasier,Seinfeld,Bilko,Cheers, Simpsons,Family Guy? Funny how they enjoy The Office, Monty Python. What are our other latest offerings? Two pints of lager...how many episodes of this drivel have been made? Its never off BBC3. It makes any ITV1 'comedy' seem side-splittingly hilarious. Except Teenage Kicks. That was pretty bad!
By Mark Roberts.. Posted October 5 2008 at 3:15 PM.
Williams and Lucas brighten up a dull day. If you find them too full on just switch off. There is always the alternative of switching to the over-run sitcom Friends, the same of boring cast. At least Williams and Lucas employ brilliant make-up artists and its great for them to be able to show off their skills.
By Kaz.. Posted October 5 2008 at 1:49 PM.
The first episode of Little Britain was really funny. The trouble with Americans is that they haven't got a sense of humour when it comes to making fun out of the americans. If they haven't got a sense of humour then they shouldn't watch it, they know what Matt Lucas and David Walliams are capable of.
By Martin Parrett.. Posted October 5 2008 at 1:51 PM.
Americans don’t appreciate good comedy like we do. Unless its fake and utterly meaningless conversations packed out with dry one liners in cheap and cheesy sitcoms then it is just not funny to them.
By Ian Macdonald.. Posted October 5 2008 at 1:14 PM.
If you don't like comedy that is tremendously grotesque, very rude and pushes the boundaries of good taste, you have no business watching Little Britain USA. Period. If you are easily offended then steer clear. Viewers with an appreciation for outrageous humor will come back for more. It isn't exactly the same television show that's won awards in England and Australia for years, but it's very, very close.
And by the way, it's not that Americans can't master the idiosyncratic comedy detailed by Little Britian USA. Its just that with Monty Python, Tracy Ullman, Borat and Eddie Izzard, the British always do it so much better. Don't ask how or why, but it works. Now if you could just keep the Beckhams and the orange box kid, Katie Price over on your side of the pond, we'd be happy!
Dee McCallum
By Dee from England living in NJ.. Posted October 5 2008 at 1:12 PM.
So pleased L/B has failed in USA these two are dispicable couple who are making money out of hu iliation, filth and foul mouths. I only have to see either one of them and switch off immediately.
By june spears.. Posted October 5 2008 at 10:55 AM.
Can we add "Little Britain" to the multitude of non-Ameircan comedies misunderstood or coppied poorly by them. If they don't like them, who cares? Leave them to us who appreciate them.
Ooreck
By alex watt.. Posted October 5 2008 at 8:58 AM.