Can you tell I’m rewatching Fawlty Towers today for the first time in a few years. And loving every second of it.
I’ve always told myself that I’ll make a Waldorf Salad but never have. . Gourmet Night and The Germans are coming up next.
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Basil the rat dining scene with the health inspector: Sybil to the rescue as usual. 
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I love Waldorf Salad.
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Gourmet Night:
And the Germans:
If you enjoy the show have fun!
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Particularly appropriate to watch that one today?
Thanks for that. May have to add Fawlty Towers to our watchlist!!
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Probably one of the funniest shows ever on TV. I read an interesting backstory to this a while back: Apparently the Python boys were staying at a resort in Torquay, and Cleese was so amazed at the owner’s behavior, he stayed behind for a few days to “study” him. This person was the actual model for Basil Fawlty. When the show first came out, someone let it slip that it was modelled after that resort owner – an alert reporter figured out which hotel it was and went to interview the guy. He wasn’t there at the time, but his daughter, after seeing the show, confirmed, “yes, that’s Dad alright!” BTW, Cleese’s actual wife at the time was Connie Booth, who played Polly, the maid, in the series.
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I just saw this kinda funny bit of FT trivia on Wikipedia.
“One critic of the show was [Richard Ingrams, then television reviewer for *[The Spectator], who wrote a caustic condemning piece on the programme. Cleese got his revenge by naming one of the guests in the second series “Mr. Ingrams”, who is caught in his room with a blow-up doll.”
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The Spanish brother in law told me that it played in Spain many years back. But Manuel wasnt Manuel - but an Italian (except in the Catalan version, where he’s a Mexican)
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Funny, your comment reminds me of a conversation had just recently as friends and I were discussing how in Europe, this marks 75 years of peace between nations whereas in the UK people (in particular this government and its allies) are treating it as victory over Germany. (I know the name is more suggestive of victory, of course.)
Peace.
I think commemorating the defeat of Nazism and all its horrors is a very worthy commemoration. This was “Victory in Europe” whereas in August we may well be celebrating “Victory over Japan”. Important differences there in the language used.
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Reading the reports of yesterday’s commemorations in other European countries, they actually seem to have had more of a military theme than in the UK. French president laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier; similar in Russia, full military parade in Belarus (in both countries and Ukraine, it is known as “Victory Day”) Even Germany marks it as “Liberation Day”, with Merkel at a ceremony at the nation’s central war memorial.
Much as it marked the end of a long war, it was going to take another 30 years before fascist dictatorships on the continent were brought to an end (Greece 1974, Portugal 1974 and Spain 1975)
Interesting how a 2000 poll of the top 100 British shows made no mention of Keeping Up Appearances with Hyacinth Bucket (Bouquet😃). Fawlty Towers came in first but that show should have been SOMEwhere on the list. Another one of my favorite Britcoms.
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Love it, especially the long-suffering Richard, and the BIL’s cerebral reading material. Not to mention the incredibly jumpy neighbor woman.
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I loved Hyacinth’s sister and BIL. Hilarious!!
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I never really watched Keeping Up Appearances - the humour just didnt appeal.
I think much of how Patricia Routledge played the part came from her regular supporting appearances a few years before on a comedy show (Victoria Wood -As Seen on TV). She would do a monologue as “Kitty from Cheadle” who was much much the same snobby woman. By the by, Cheadle is literally just down the road from home. Locals all know someone like Kitty. It might even be me - I live somewhere that, for very many decades, has been talked about as being full of snobs.
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As an aside - pardon everyone, but are you on facebook? There is a group I’m in there I Heart British TV. You might enjoy.
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I’ve had the pleasure of having many happy memories enjoying a Waldorf Salad at the Bull and Bear Steakhouse at the namesake of the salad. Fun Fact; I was the lead-in interview to the CEO of Domino’s pizza on Business Happy Hour show that was filmed there during the 2009 restaurant and hospitality industry show at the Javits Center.
