Quote: Griff @ June 27 2008, 4:31 PM BSTI'm sure there were some jokes at Maggie's expense.
Well Maggie wasn't the disabled girl, so sure there must have been - there always is.
Mental hospital Page 2
Quote: Griff @ June 27 2008, 4:40 PM BSTYes I know Maggie wasn't the disabled girl I was being TRES AMUSANT by pretending I thought that was who you meant by "the disabled girl" ie INDIRECTLY IMPLYING THAT SHE COULD EASILY BE CONFUSED WITH A SPACKER. I'll get me coat.
I was just being dumb. 
Quote: David Bussell @ June 27 2008, 2:05 PM BSTCalling it "Spackers" would be a definite no-no.
How about "Contains Nuts".
Quote: ContainsNuts @ June 27 2008, 4:29 PM BSTLook at Extras when they had that disabled girl on it, the jokes weren't at her expense but Andy Millman's.
nice example, Gervais may say Millmans the target but (like much of his work) it's bollocks.
whats funny is that he thinks she's pissed because she's staggering about and cant understand her when she speaks (sort of thing jim davidson did about pakis in 1983!)...that's all. just like his 11 o'clock show stuff he goes way over the top so he can fall back on the "i'm the joke, not the black/gay/whatever".
gervais got away with it because he was a nobody on C4 then a superstar on BBC.....cant see a newbie getting away with it.
(should add - i'm a fan of gervais because i'm happy to laugh at black/gay/whatevers....but i dont fall for the high moral ground)
Quote: Pete @ June 27 2008, 5:10 PM BSTnice example, Gervais may say Millmans the target but (like much of his work) it's bollocks.
Well, I don't need Gervais to tell me who's the target because I can see it.
Quote: paul toft @ June 27 2008, 1:50 PM BSTi'm writing a sitcom set in a mental hospital, does anyone think, if good, i will have any joy or is it gonna be a no no?
Is that set or sat?
I say go for it. Just write it.
it sahll be written. well i'll give it a go.
MADHOUSE its called of course
Quote: Griff @ June 27 2008, 1:56 PM BSTNothing wrong with the setting, as long as it isn't just full of "ha ha aren't retards hilarious" gags which isn't likely to play well in the BBC etc.
Doubled-edged sword I think as there are only two ways to go. Either it's the retards are hilarious in a detromental way or they're actually more sane than those on the outside. Either way it's not going to be 'Only When I Laugh' which, to my mind, was all about people with mental problems or why else would they have been in hospital for several series. Whatever you write and however you write it one thing is for sure, you're guaranteed to piss of a lot of people. Go for it.
The classic approach is to make the clients, normal, sympatheitc characters with difficulties. Make staff, families etc the grotesque. You can often get away with making sympatheitc jokes about mental illness, if your research is good and accurate.
The character who hears voices, and learns to deal with them. As opposed to the wacky schizophrenic Howling Mad Murdoch.
If your serious, make research your watch word.
Also there is a wealth of humour by people with mental, developmental, and other related syndromes on the web you can access/
Quote: Timbo @ June 27 2008, 5:08 PM BSTHow about "Contains Nuts".
Brilliant.
I do think you're causing problems for yourself before you begin with such a setting though. As has been said earlier, the BBC especially would examine every single line of script for causes of offence, and would probably throw out a lot of jokes that MAY POSSIBLY cause offence if misconstrued.
I'm guessing that you'd be facing an uphill battle all the way - and that would be the first thought of producers too before they took such a project on. I submitted an idea to the BBC for a sitcom set in a Betty Ford-style recovery clinic and it was rejected out of hand because of the sensitive subject matter, and that was before they'd even read the script.
I guess the question to ask yourself is WHY is it set where it is? What would you lose if it were transferred to some other kind of residential/care institution. If there is something you want to write about and address in mental health - then absolutely go for it. Sometimes stumbling blocks become stepping stones, problems become opportunities. Sometimes of course they are just stumbling blocks if you can't overcome them.
Theres no point in doing anything in half measures, I'm gonna chuck em all in there. But there's nothing wrong with the main character
Quote: paul toft @ June 27 2008, 1:50 PM BSTi'm writing a sitcom set in a mental hospital, does anyone think, if good, i will have any joy or is it gonna be a no no?
Can't see it meself. With care in the community and Mental Health not getting the resources it should, you'd have a hard time finding a funny side to that aspect of the NHS. Unless you wanna go private, of course!
I think there are many ways you can do this. All Paul's said is its set in a Mental Hospital. So he's given us a location, a lot of people are assuming its going to be a piss-take of mentally ill people, which it might well be and therefore won't get anywhere, but it might not be.
Anyway, the location has got me thinking. Paul, I'd be happy to share my thoughts.