Diane Morgan is an actor from the UK. She got a small recurring role in some of Charlie Brooker’s shows (Screenwipe, Weekly Wipe, etc) as a vox pop interviewee, alongside Al Campbell, the director.
Her character (and Campbell’s) originally had different names for each appearance, but Morgan’s eventually settled as Philomena Cunk. It’s meant to be an absurd name; Campbell’s recurring name was Barry Shitpeas.
Cunk’s character got a couple of spinoff mockumentary specials in around 2016 where she was the presenter, and then a couple of miniseries later (“Cunk on Britain” and “Cunk on Earth”). I imagine Diane Morgan has had increasing control of the writing and the character as it’s gone on.
The shows are very funny but won’t vibe with everyone’s sense of humour.
The overall joke of Philomena Cunk is, BBC documentaries try to be highbrow and prestigious, so what if one was hosted by someone who is thoroughly unsophisticated? My favorite individual joke is, beholding a baroque masterpiece painting, interviewing the resident art expert, she gestures to the painting and asks “What the fuck is this?”
It’s basically the same joke as having Larry The Cable Guy host an episode of NOVA.
Oh I think they’re all in on it, since Brass Eye back in the 90s that’d be a real challenge to catch so many people out. But they do a great job of going along with it!
I’ve taken it as a lampooning of documentary makers/presenters. Especially history ones. There’s a definite vibe of “aren’t I all fancy and knowledgeable?!” about many UK docs in recent years. The whole Brush Strokes/Technotronic thing is a jab at them trying to look cool & with the times, but missing by a mile, because they’re history or science nerds! Having a dipstick presenter here adds a comedic counter to the fancy/highbrow presenters of real docs.
The shows are very funny but won’t vibe with everyone’s sense of humour.
Is this a necessary detail to include? Humor is subjective, and I don’t recall the character or shows ever generating controversy/backlash. Also, your statement describes all comedic content ever created…
On the basis of what?! Yes both aspects exist in British comedy, but there’s plenty of depth too. If you’re American, I can say that I’d take anything British over US comedy given what we get of that here! If you only get some of our stuff then you’re not getting the full range (& vice versa).
You think I’m American when I spelled humour with “u” after “o”? I live across the Irish Sea so I get the full range of British humour. When i said crude, I don’t mean unrefined, what I mean is that there is plenty of very edgy and “toilet humour” jokes. I’m saying that people not familiar or did not grow up with British humour would be taken aback and find it distasteful.
Ah well I didn’t assume anything, hence why I said ‘if’. There’s a large portion of Americans on Lemmy & my point was about how imported media is not a full representation. That said it is a moot point given your reply! (And I didn’t notice the spelling, too tired at the time!).
I see what you mean re the crudeness, & therefore why other nationalities may not take to it. Humour can be very different in other parts of the world!
Diane Morgan is an actor from the UK. She got a small recurring role in some of Charlie Brooker’s shows (Screenwipe, Weekly Wipe, etc) as a vox pop interviewee, alongside Al Campbell, the director.
Her character (and Campbell’s) originally had different names for each appearance, but Morgan’s eventually settled as Philomena Cunk. It’s meant to be an absurd name; Campbell’s recurring name was Barry Shitpeas.
Cunk’s character got a couple of spinoff mockumentary specials in around 2016 where she was the presenter, and then a couple of miniseries later (“Cunk on Britain” and “Cunk on Earth”). I imagine Diane Morgan has had increasing control of the writing and the character as it’s gone on.
The shows are very funny but won’t vibe with everyone’s sense of humour.
The overall joke of Philomena Cunk is, BBC documentaries try to be highbrow and prestigious, so what if one was hosted by someone who is thoroughly unsophisticated? My favorite individual joke is, beholding a baroque masterpiece painting, interviewing the resident art expert, she gestures to the painting and asks “What the fuck is this?”
It’s basically the same joke as having Larry The Cable Guy host an episode of NOVA.
It was also like Colbert in the early days at Comedy Central, where the guests didn’t realize they’d been booked for a joke interview.
Oh I think they’re all in on it, since Brass Eye back in the 90s that’d be a real challenge to catch so many people out. But they do a great job of going along with it!
I’ve taken it as a lampooning of documentary makers/presenters. Especially history ones. There’s a definite vibe of “aren’t I all fancy and knowledgeable?!” about many UK docs in recent years. The whole Brush Strokes/Technotronic thing is a jab at them trying to look cool & with the times, but missing by a mile, because they’re history or science nerds! Having a dipstick presenter here adds a comedic counter to the fancy/highbrow presenters of real docs.
It’s fertile ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjnmzljtREk
He knows it!
“Tree”
Is this a necessary detail to include? Humor is subjective, and I don’t recall the character or shows ever generating controversy/backlash. Also, your statement describes all comedic content ever created…
Same thing I’d say in person, and I included it because I know a few people who didn’t care for it, but I agree that it’s kind of redundant.
British humour is sarcastic and crude, much cruder than most people’s taste.
On the basis of what?! Yes both aspects exist in British comedy, but there’s plenty of depth too. If you’re American, I can say that I’d take anything British over US comedy given what we get of that here! If you only get some of our stuff then you’re not getting the full range (& vice versa).
You think I’m American when I spelled humour with “u” after “o”? I live across the Irish Sea so I get the full range of British humour. When i said crude, I don’t mean unrefined, what I mean is that there is plenty of very edgy and “toilet humour” jokes. I’m saying that people not familiar or did not grow up with British humour would be taken aback and find it distasteful.
Ah well I didn’t assume anything, hence why I said ‘if’. There’s a large portion of Americans on Lemmy & my point was about how imported media is not a full representation. That said it is a moot point given your reply! (And I didn’t notice the spelling, too tired at the time!).
I see what you mean re the crudeness, & therefore why other nationalities may not take to it. Humour can be very different in other parts of the world!