Well Channel 4 did not start broadcasting until 1982 so there will be no exhibits from that channel's output on this show. However let us give a Hall of Shame mention to Channel 4 programmes such as Minipops and After Dark where guests in order to be controversial were plied with drink and smoked like chimneys.
It was alright in the 70s is a smug and sneering look at some of the programmes on the BBC & ITV in less enlightened times. In sitcoms where men were louts and women were dolly birds.
Still Channel 4 took the opportunity in showing clips out of context such as the one in Butterflies which was a rare sitcom as it had a female writer and dealt with the frustrations of a middle aged married woman.
The second episode examined race and sexuality where we had flamboyant gay men in sitcoms and white people blacking up in the Black & White Minstrel shows. The non ironic commentary is from Matt Lucas well known for being the last gay in the village and blacking/browning up in comedy shows for over the last 10 years.
This is just a clips show to demonstrate how horrid television was 40 years ago and we had comments from not so famous comedians and television personalities. I agree some of the television output was bad but why show The Goodies clips on racism which itself was a satirical and political critique of the Apartheid regime in South Africa. That's right a kids show daring to be controversial, something you will be less likely to see these days.
Ironically it was left to black entertainers such as Derek Griffiths and Kenny Lynch who were there at the time to stand up for the television shows they did. Lynch lets not forget was always politically active and got his MBE many years before his showbiz pal Bruce Forsyth and was a pacesetter for black comedians from the 1960s onwards.
It was alright in the 70s is a smug and sneering look at some of the programmes on the BBC & ITV in less enlightened times. In sitcoms where men were louts and women were dolly birds.
Still Channel 4 took the opportunity in showing clips out of context such as the one in Butterflies which was a rare sitcom as it had a female writer and dealt with the frustrations of a middle aged married woman.
The second episode examined race and sexuality where we had flamboyant gay men in sitcoms and white people blacking up in the Black & White Minstrel shows. The non ironic commentary is from Matt Lucas well known for being the last gay in the village and blacking/browning up in comedy shows for over the last 10 years.
This is just a clips show to demonstrate how horrid television was 40 years ago and we had comments from not so famous comedians and television personalities. I agree some of the television output was bad but why show The Goodies clips on racism which itself was a satirical and political critique of the Apartheid regime in South Africa. That's right a kids show daring to be controversial, something you will be less likely to see these days.
Ironically it was left to black entertainers such as Derek Griffiths and Kenny Lynch who were there at the time to stand up for the television shows they did. Lynch lets not forget was always politically active and got his MBE many years before his showbiz pal Bruce Forsyth and was a pacesetter for black comedians from the 1960s onwards.
