I wasn't made an expert, I was born one.
January 26, 2009 3:14 PM Subscribe
Boyfriend? Fuck you! (Possibly NSFW)
SLYT FILTER: Matt Berry (the boss from the IT crowd) charms ladies on the streets of London.
SLYT FILTER: Matt Berry (the boss from the IT crowd) charms ladies on the streets of London.
This post was deleted for the following reason: if this weren't so familiar it might be more amusing, as it is I know this is supposed to be "oh man this guy is a dick" but repetition just makes it into dicks on parade w/o the funny. -- jessamyn
"Starring the very funny Matt Berry"
Starring the not very funny at all Matt Berry. FTFY.
posted by ericb at 3:19 PM on January 26, 2009
Starring the not very funny at all Matt Berry. FTFY.
posted by ericb at 3:19 PM on January 26, 2009
I can't find the link (site search is down) but I know this is a double.
posted by desjardins at 3:26 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by desjardins at 3:26 PM on January 26, 2009
I liked it
posted by Kirklander at 3:27 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by Kirklander at 3:27 PM on January 26, 2009
Matt Berry is brilliant.
The boyfriend scenes from Snuff Box (spread out over several episodes, rather than put all in a row) are funny.
posted by Wataki at 3:28 PM on January 26, 2009
The boyfriend scenes from Snuff Box (spread out over several episodes, rather than put all in a row) are funny.
posted by Wataki at 3:28 PM on January 26, 2009
Misogyny without irony? Fuck You!
posted by CynicalKnight at 3:29 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by CynicalKnight at 3:29 PM on January 26, 2009
"Starring the very funny hilarious Matt Berry"
posted by davejay at 3:30 PM on January 26, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by davejay at 3:30 PM on January 26, 2009 [2 favorites]
Starring the not very funny at all Matt Berry. FTFY.
He was hilarious in Darkplace.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:33 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
He was hilarious in Darkplace.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:33 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
Misogyny without irony? Fuck You!
I thought it was pretty clear that the whole thing about the sketch is that the guy is an absolute dick and made to look pathetic by his behaviour.
posted by ClanvidHorse at 3:34 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
I thought it was pretty clear that the whole thing about the sketch is that the guy is an absolute dick and made to look pathetic by his behaviour.
posted by ClanvidHorse at 3:34 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
Would be funnier if I hadn't ever met guys just like this. Bastard killed my dog.
Oh, wait. That wasn't me. Nevermind.
posted by miss lynnster at 3:35 PM on January 26, 2009
Oh, wait. That wasn't me. Nevermind.
posted by miss lynnster at 3:35 PM on January 26, 2009
Misogyny without irony? Fuck You!
I take it the misogyny is in the way the guy can't contain his rage at the frustration of his oily romantic advances? Wait, what?
posted by grobstein at 3:41 PM on January 26, 2009
I take it the misogyny is in the way the guy can't contain his rage at the frustration of his oily romantic advances? Wait, what?
posted by grobstein at 3:41 PM on January 26, 2009
It could just as easily be seen as just desserts for a woman who accepts a person's kindly offer of help - as if women with boyfriends don't deserve to be treated well. Blech.
posted by agregoli at 3:43 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by agregoli at 3:43 PM on January 26, 2009
Matt Berry's also great in The IT Crowd and The Mighty Boosh.
posted by signalnine at 3:46 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by signalnine at 3:46 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
This explanation/excuse doesn't always work...
I doubt the utterly brazen, transparent premise of this sketch could be made any more clear. The guy is a dick. The sketch makes fun of dicks.
posted by fire&wings at 3:46 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
I doubt the utterly brazen, transparent premise of this sketch could be made any more clear. The guy is a dick. The sketch makes fun of dicks.
posted by fire&wings at 3:46 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's actually a pretty accurate portrayal of the sad and lonely jolt of anger that one feels when one hears the word boyfriend in this context. Of course one just laughs and smiles and continues the conversation until one finds somewhere else to be, but to just kick one puppy would be oh such sweet dark release...for, uh, one in this scenario.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:46 PM on January 26, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:46 PM on January 26, 2009 [3 favorites]
but it stopped being amusing after the second time
When did it start being amusing?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 3:50 PM on January 26, 2009
When did it start being amusing?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 3:50 PM on January 26, 2009
It probably seems funnier as a motif repeated infrequently over a period of time in a television series, and less so as a series of predictable scenes in a short youtube video.
Misogynistic, yes, and cartoonish in the extreme, so it passes the "uncanny valley" of hate-based humor test.
I understand that genuine sociopaths can be very charming.
posted by Xoebe at 3:51 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
Misogynistic, yes, and cartoonish in the extreme, so it passes the "uncanny valley" of hate-based humor test.
I understand that genuine sociopaths can be very charming.
posted by Xoebe at 3:51 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
It could just as easily be seen as just desserts for a woman who accepts a person's kindly offer of help - as if women with boyfriends don't deserve to be treated well.
I don't think that the sketches are particularly funny, but that is an absurd reading.
posted by Kwine at 3:54 PM on January 26, 2009
I don't think that the sketches are particularly funny, but that is an absurd reading.
posted by Kwine at 3:54 PM on January 26, 2009
made to look pathetic by his behaviour
Maybe I'm just getting old, and need a lawn, to watch, and tell kids to get off of.
But, each vignette ends purely with his 'victory'. At face value the construction of the humour seems simplistic, levelled directly at buried resentment for male competition and imposed singledom. Your implied "pathetic" aspect of his character needs to be fully imagined by the viewer. To more effectively qualify it as a trait (and thus widen the appeal of the skit) we needed to see more flaws or consequences.
Or, widen the variety of the victims to soften the blow, as in Green Team, which is politically incorrect but is funny.
posted by CynicalKnight at 3:55 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
Maybe I'm just getting old, and need a lawn, to watch, and tell kids to get off of.
But, each vignette ends purely with his 'victory'. At face value the construction of the humour seems simplistic, levelled directly at buried resentment for male competition and imposed singledom. Your implied "pathetic" aspect of his character needs to be fully imagined by the viewer. To more effectively qualify it as a trait (and thus widen the appeal of the skit) we needed to see more flaws or consequences.
Or, widen the variety of the victims to soften the blow, as in Green Team, which is politically incorrect but is funny.
posted by CynicalKnight at 3:55 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
The guy is a dick. The sketch makes fun of dicks.
Heh.
This sort of thing happens all the time in meatspace. You meet an interesting fellow, you're having what you think is a nice conversation, mention the b-word, and suddenly it's "fine, you have a fat ass anyway."
posted by louche mustachio at 3:58 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
Heh.
This sort of thing happens all the time in meatspace. You meet an interesting fellow, you're having what you think is a nice conversation, mention the b-word, and suddenly it's "fine, you have a fat ass anyway."
posted by louche mustachio at 3:58 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
It could just as easily be seen as just desserts for a woman who accepts a person's kindly offer of help - as if women with boyfriends don't deserve to be treated well.
I appreciate your explaining this, but I don't think that's what's happening. The set-up before the "estate agent" skit makes it clear we're supposed to be laughing at this guy and his misfortune, and the terror he inflicts on the women after they drop the boyfriend-word. Laughing at people's (generally men's) suffering and frustratoin is a very common (and often funny!) form of humor.
posted by grobstein at 4:03 PM on January 26, 2009
I appreciate your explaining this, but I don't think that's what's happening. The set-up before the "estate agent" skit makes it clear we're supposed to be laughing at this guy and his misfortune, and the terror he inflicts on the women after they drop the boyfriend-word. Laughing at people's (generally men's) suffering and frustratoin is a very common (and often funny!) form of humor.
posted by grobstein at 4:03 PM on January 26, 2009
It could just as easily be seen as just desserts for a woman who accepts a person's kindly offer of help - as if women with boyfriends don't deserve to be treated well.
I take it back -- I actually had this reaction watching the period piece with the swing. In general, though, I don't think that's what they were about.
posted by grobstein at 4:04 PM on January 26, 2009
I take it back -- I actually had this reaction watching the period piece with the swing. In general, though, I don't think that's what they were about.
posted by grobstein at 4:04 PM on January 26, 2009
It could just as easily be seen as just desserts for a woman who accepts a person's kindly offer of help - as if women with boyfriends don't deserve to be treated well.
This is a "viking means being really good at something"-level misreading. The guy uses a breath-spray in the first scene. That's international comedy language for "tool."
posted by Bookhouse at 4:06 PM on January 26, 2009
This is a "viking means being really good at something"-level misreading. The guy uses a breath-spray in the first scene. That's international comedy language for "tool."
posted by Bookhouse at 4:06 PM on January 26, 2009
"You meet an interesting fellow, you're having what you think is a nice conversation, mention the b-word, and suddenly it's..."
It's amazing how those boyfriends seem to get worked into all manner of conversation, even when they aren't relevant to the conversation at all.
I wasn't hitting on you. There was no need for the cross and garlic.
posted by 517 at 4:10 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's amazing how those boyfriends seem to get worked into all manner of conversation, even when they aren't relevant to the conversation at all.
I wasn't hitting on you. There was no need for the cross and garlic.
posted by 517 at 4:10 PM on January 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
I can't find the link (site search is down) but I know this is a double.
How long can it possibly take to go through the archives month by month?
posted by gman at 4:10 PM on January 26, 2009
How long can it possibly take to go through the archives month by month?
posted by gman at 4:10 PM on January 26, 2009
Poor fish. :(
posted by ODiV at 4:12 PM on January 26, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by ODiV at 4:12 PM on January 26, 2009 [2 favorites]
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posted by KokuRyu at 3:18 PM on January 26, 2009