hello everyone. im currently working on a dissertation on comedy. i am looking at racism in British sitcoms and sketch shows.
if you could help me and fill in a quick survey i would be appriciative.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TmzJlffH9F%2bi0JM%2b7yv%2b4w%3d%3d
www.youtube.com/comedydissertation 
was originaly this address but now the one above due to pop up problems http://FreeOnlineSurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=d0wrvy520lbjumv381800
Historically, Till Death Us Do Part and Love Thy Neighbour are two big ones.
More recently, you can look to the second series of Extras, the racist Keith Chegwin.
Love thy Neighbour was quite offensive, but used a racist as satire, he was made to look stupid, but yes the show could get quite crude and unfunny. Till Death us do Part was and still is a classic piece of television, that totally showed the ignorance of racism. Till Death was written by Johnny Speight who wrote the very controversial Curry & Chips starring a browned up Spike Milligan as the half Irish, half Pakistani Kevin O'Grady. This was full of quite offensive material, but Speight again was using satire, O'Grady was much more intellegent than his white co-workers and the show was alot more intellectual than Love thy Neighbour. Milligan also wrote a sitcom called 'The Melting Pot' that put many ethnicities together in one house, where some charactors had racist views. Despite the good intention, it didn't have a strong enough voice to challenge the racist attitudes of the charactors. Only one episode was shown, the other five cancelled by the BBC. Perhaps the best sitcom for challenging racism was 'Rising Damp'
Done. 
Mind Your Language is considered to be un-PC now I guess and some may see it as being racist.
I'm not sure whether Banzai qualifies as being a sketch show but there were protests about it due to its depictions of Asians.
Little Britain and Catherine Tate are 2 of the most recent shows to be criticized as racist.
the young ones had a few dodgy moments in it.
As far as I can remember, the racism in The Young Ones was just a parody/satire of Racism.
That's what they aaaaaaallll say.
I did the survey and claim my five pounds!
Quote: Winterlight @ January 9, 2008, 7:44 PMAs far as I can remember, the racism in The Young Ones was just a parody/satire of Racism.
True but i watched it recently and the thought: 'You can't say that!' did go through my mind. Which is shocking really.
Quote: jacparov @ January 9, 2008, 10:43 PMTrue but i watched it recently and the thought: 'You can't say that!' did go through my mind. Which is shocking really.
It's a bit unfair though.. The Young Ones was of it's time.. and they were more innocent times then, we didn't know that what we were laughing at was wrong! 
Not quite sure that a white liberal's views on "racism" are quite the same as Muslims or Jewish who are anti-white, anti-Christian, anti-English, anti-western, anti-democratic and anti-freedom (but don't mind living in a country they hate, of course).
Still, liberals think what they are told to think. To each his own.
Or hers.
Sexist.
Quote: Philly Baby @ January 9, 2008, 11:11 PMNot quite sure that a white liberal's views on "racism" are quite the same as Muslims or Jewish who are anti-white, anti-Christian, anti-English, anti-western, anti-democratic and anti-freedom (but don't mind living in a country they hate, of course).
How many Muslims and Jews actually think like that though? A lot less than the media like to portray I would say. It seems to me that the people who normally complain about racism aren't those who are involved but are white people who are offended on behalf of others.
There are certainly lots of examples of racist characters in shows. Kevin Eldon's character in I'm Alan Partridge and Darryl in Peep Show being 2 who spring to mind. Terry in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads also had some views on race that were very of the time. The shows themselves though make pretty clear that they don't support those views.
I seem to recall that the main character in Heil Honey I'm Home had some controversial beliefs. Perhaps I'm judging him too harshly though.
Quote: Frankie Rage @ January 9, 2008, 10:50 PMIt's a bit unfair though.. The Young Ones was of it's time.. and they were more innocent times then, we didn't know that what we were laughing at was wrong!
As is true for every show of that, and particularly previous, eras. So let that be a lesson to some of you. *shakes fist*
Quote: Nick @ January 9, 2008, 11:43 PMI seem to recall that the main character in Heil Honey I'm Home had some controversial beliefs. Perhaps I'm judging him too harshly though.
(I'd love to see the other episodes.)