I know that the P.C. / Dykes against the bomb brigade don't exactly warm to this guy, but what do the good folk of NSC think of him? I haven't seen any of his 'material' for years, but can't watch a Japanese spokesman on the T.V. news without laughing and wondering why they seem compelled to impersonate Benny Hill.
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Benny Hill - Comic genius or complete prat?
- Thread starter Binney on acid
- Start date
Freddie Goodwin.
Well-known member
On the whole, not one of my favs.
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Never liked him at all, thought his brand of slapstick comedy was a little puerile and found him to be somewhat racist towards the Chinese...an accusation levelled at him by many!
Freddie Goodwin.
Well-known member
It's a bit sad that so much that was main stream comedy some years ago just wouldn't be allowed now.
Some may call it progress, and I suppose from a racial point of view then fair enough but such shows were broadcast as main stream and their existance should not be denied.
Some may call it progress, and I suppose from a racial point of view then fair enough but such shows were broadcast as main stream and their existance should not be denied.
clapham_gull
Legacy Fan
- Aug 20, 2003
- 25,735
I honestly think if you went back and looked and a lot of the output of Benny Hill now, you wouldn't find it half as funny as the 70s/80s. You can probably many "classics" on YouTube but in between there was probably a lot of dross.
I know it wasn't deemed politically correct, but I think there was also demand for something a bit more sophisticated - and although he was dropped by Thames, just before he died he was just about to start work on a number of specials for Central.
So I think it's a bit of revisionism to suggest he was suddenly pulled off the screens. If he hadn't had died - we would have seen a lot more of him.
He made a shed load of money for himself and the TV company through overseas sales. Left 10 million in his will.
There were at least a couple of sketches on there that were very controversial even for the time. One was very racist - in quite a nasty way and another was simply a joke about a women being tied up and raped. If it wasn't for that sort of stuff - he would probably be looked back on in a different light. There are few bits he did that always cited, showing what a comic genius he could sometimes be.
One thing I do remember Benny Hill was Bob Todd - the big fat bloke. Lived in our village and was friendly with my dad. Complete nutter.
He was featured on This is Your Life because he was a second World War Hero. They got him to the studio by telling him the programme was actually about Benny. I seem recall he told my Dad secretly that he going on.
Anyway - before it was shown he brought the This Is You Life book up to show my dad. I met him in the high street on his way up and he stopped me to show me the book. He started crying, telling me how proud he was. Then suddenly threw the book into the middle of the main road and walked off. I had to retrieve it and follow him home.
Doesn't sound particularly funny now - but it was like a sketch from the show. He never turned off and was always performing. I also remember him pretending to be a faith healer and attempting to customers in my dad's shop.
Head case, drank too much - but a very funny man.
.
I know it wasn't deemed politically correct, but I think there was also demand for something a bit more sophisticated - and although he was dropped by Thames, just before he died he was just about to start work on a number of specials for Central.
So I think it's a bit of revisionism to suggest he was suddenly pulled off the screens. If he hadn't had died - we would have seen a lot more of him.
He made a shed load of money for himself and the TV company through overseas sales. Left 10 million in his will.
There were at least a couple of sketches on there that were very controversial even for the time. One was very racist - in quite a nasty way and another was simply a joke about a women being tied up and raped. If it wasn't for that sort of stuff - he would probably be looked back on in a different light. There are few bits he did that always cited, showing what a comic genius he could sometimes be.
One thing I do remember Benny Hill was Bob Todd - the big fat bloke. Lived in our village and was friendly with my dad. Complete nutter.
He was featured on This is Your Life because he was a second World War Hero. They got him to the studio by telling him the programme was actually about Benny. I seem recall he told my Dad secretly that he going on.
Anyway - before it was shown he brought the This Is You Life book up to show my dad. I met him in the high street on his way up and he stopped me to show me the book. He started crying, telling me how proud he was. Then suddenly threw the book into the middle of the main road and walked off. I had to retrieve it and follow him home.
Doesn't sound particularly funny now - but it was like a sketch from the show. He never turned off and was always performing. I also remember him pretending to be a faith healer and attempting to customers in my dad's shop.
Head case, drank too much - but a very funny man.
.
Last edited:
Tyrone Biggums
Well-known member
Having read a biography on him I came to the conclusion he was overall a lovely person whose shyness probably gave people from the outside the wrong impression of him.
When you read about the things he did over his life to help people and the dedication to those people it paints him in a completely different light.
I still rate him as a great comedian and still find his stuff very amusing. Especially his songs, lyrically they are at times comedy genius.
Many great comedians cite Benny as a big influence which suggests those in the industry realised he was a master of his craft.
When you read about the things he did over his life to help people and the dedication to those people it paints him in a completely different light.
I still rate him as a great comedian and still find his stuff very amusing. Especially his songs, lyrically they are at times comedy genius.
Many great comedians cite Benny as a big influence which suggests those in the industry realised he was a master of his craft.
John Bumlick
Banned
are you really that arrogant that you actually believe that 'today's PC crowd' are merely pretending not to have the same sense of humour as you just for the sake of appearances?
Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews
Remainer
quite popular in Magaluf
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
Just soya dumplings...
My father worked with him. He was a complete c unt.
bhaexpress
New member
You have to bear in mind that Benny Hill made his name in the 60s when attitudes and tastes differed greatly from now which is the better part of fifty years later. Benny Hill was thought to be hilarious by many but very dated and yes, politically incorrect compared to now. Having said that his humour would only have offended the most uptight people and was frankly harmless. Yes not it's not considered funny but times have changed.
You have to ask, would Tony Hancock be funny now ? What about 'Till death do us part' let alone 'Love thy neighbour'. For the life of me what was so funny about Terry and June, George and Mildred, I could go on. I also know I'm not the only person who never found Monty Python that funny (although the films were, Life of Brian possibly the funniest film ever).
Most comedy is of the time, the odd ones that don't date are the likes of Only Fools and Horses and Dad's Army, they are the exception. I'm sure that in fifty years time the Inbetweeners or Gavin and Stacey will seem very dated.
You have to ask, would Tony Hancock be funny now ? What about 'Till death do us part' let alone 'Love thy neighbour'. For the life of me what was so funny about Terry and June, George and Mildred, I could go on. I also know I'm not the only person who never found Monty Python that funny (although the films were, Life of Brian possibly the funniest film ever).
Most comedy is of the time, the odd ones that don't date are the likes of Only Fools and Horses and Dad's Army, they are the exception. I'm sure that in fifty years time the Inbetweeners or Gavin and Stacey will seem very dated.
Lenny Rider
Well-known member
- Sep 15, 2010
- 5,827
In what way?
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
To be fair, most people were asking that back in the 70s as well...
But I take your point about the rest. We were easily pleased in those days - remember when Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game followed by Mike Yarwood and his hilarious 'silly billy' impression of Denis Healey was considered a top night in on a Saturday?
Petty, cruel, vindictive and malicious. And thats before you start on his treatment of women.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
Those were the stories about him I remember hearing back in the 70s and 80s too.
Gazwag
5 millionth post poster
I cannot recall ever watching his shows, other than the last few minutes when he always chasing scantilly clad women around and 2x speed with that song playing, there must have been something on after his show that I watched.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,404
I remember him being mildly amusing the first time I saw him on telly 40 years ago, but he only appeared to have a repetoire of half a dozen jokes
There was also the bit when he used to slap the little bloke's bald head.