A parody of an old style English Public School - which here means 'private'. Many of the elite of British comedy of this generation, like Monty Python, were educated at these sorts of schools. Don't know if Rowan was but he was clearly inspired by them. A good reference, is the 1968 film 'if', a dark satire of life in these schools set against the rapid social change of the era it was made.
His expression during 105-106 is classic schoolmaster! lol! "You're a moron, Undermanager. What are you? A carbuncle in the backside of humanity." hehe best parts of his performance in my book!
This was 1981, for those interested. I think it's one of his best works, being that it was one of his earliest. This is Rowan when he was first coming to the spotlight. I have to say that I enjoy both Blackadder and Mr. Bean even more though.
The Secret Policeman's Ball, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball, and a recent revival of The Secret Policeman's Ball, were live fundraisers / awareness raisers for Amnesty International The first two in the early 80s and the latter in 2008. The AI link is the reason for the reference to secret police.
excellent - i've not seen this in years. Sawittee i'd appreciate it if you could also upload the yorkshireman sketch.. thanks for this brought back memories.
Awesome, comedy genius. He could have read the phone book and got a laugh, but this is just brilliant. "If Shakespeare had meant it to be funny he would have put a joke in it." Is there anyone better in the world at pronouncing the letter B??
Hi everyone, it's the policeman here. I wanted to alert you to the fact that the Secret Policeman's ball is back with a bang! This year the event will take place on March 4th in New York, and will feature a galaxy of comedy and music stars, including Coldplay, Russell Brand, Jon Stewart and Mumford and Sons to name but a few. Find out more by going to our facebook page 'secretpoliceman' or following us on twitter @secretpoliceman
You can't go into this cold without having seen some other British comedy first to warm up with. It will be incomprehensible to some. I will explain the basic premise to you....he's a teacher ;)
Reply to ' 2000jago' It's actually titled ' The Schoolmaster Sketch'. But it's listed under 'Secret Policeman's Ball' because that was the name of the Benefit Show for Amnesty International, which he gave his performance for here.
I remember teachers like this from grammar school. Actually, this is mild compared with some, who would never be allowed anywhere near kids today. Rowan Atkinson made his name on a 1980s satirical sketch show called "Not the Nine o'Clock News".
Trying to learn English that way is a kind of slippery, but it works ! Try Otto if you want to learn German or Coluche for the french lessons. Humor is the universal language, so yeah !
Hm. Like wittle ol philistine me trying to appreciate thoroughly the stange genius of the striking outpouringsof Dali splattered vividly acrosss canvass without a solid fundamental grip on the wondrous anatomy of unbridal neurosis left to it's own devices, huh? I'll will risk being inpertinent by admitting advance Brit humor does as times strike me as a bit on the surreal side. Wad dey call it ? Avant-garde whimsical goofiness to titillate & delight the intellectually inclined or sumtin?
We've just posted the funniest official Rowan Atkinson content on our brand new OFFICIAL channel, thumbs up this comment and click on our name! Whether mesmerising us with the visual mastery of Mr. Bean, beguiling us with the Edmund Blackadder, or entertaining us as hapless British Secret Agent Johnny English, you surely won't have escaped the genius that is Rowan Atkinson. With 4 funny videos to get your started we will be posting many, many more, so don't forget to subscribe!
thats because you don't have a point of reference for it. the british have a history with schoolmasters like this. always-serious, old guard of authority -kind of character. the funny comes from expected seriousness taken into completely strange direction.
Well *sigh*....thanks. I thought maybe it had something to do with the price of whoopie cushions on the world market and the plight of radio active chickens that can lay only hardboiled eggs.
![Stewart Lee - [1/2] Give It To Me Straight, Like Pear Cider That's Made From 100% Pears](/img/1.gif)
Hilarious,Rowan Atkinson at his very,very best
Why is this funny? I have no idea why this hilarious but it makes me crack up every single time!
Snide, cunning, brilliant. A genius.
It's his face, his demeanor that makes this so funny! And isn't that essay title about as meaningful as most that we were assigned to write ha ha!
this is the best skit of rowan that ive ever watched XD
A parody of an old style English Public School - which here means 'private'.
Many of the elite of British comedy of this generation, like Monty Python, were educated at these sorts of schools. Don't know if Rowan was but he was clearly inspired by them.
A good reference, is the 1968 film 'if', a dark satire of life in these schools set against the rapid social change of the era it was made.
All he is doing is saying random words at first. To do that and make people laugh like that is genius!
Of all the words of the English Language, he used "dint". Pure genius!!!!
His expression during 105-106 is classic schoolmaster! lol! "You're a moron, Undermanager. What are you? A carbuncle in the backside of humanity." hehe best parts of his performance in my book!
This was 1981, for those interested.
I think it's one of his best works, being that it was one of his earliest. This is Rowan when he was first coming to the spotlight. I have to say that I enjoy both Blackadder and Mr. Bean even more though.
this guy is so amazing he has people rolling with just his delivery
It's so simple yet so brilliant.
Who ever shouted "here" is my new hero, at least for the next five minutes.
"HERE!"
"I have a detention book."
Best improv ever.
omg, thanks for posting. He's brilliant, and in this clip he's so young and relatively attractive!
Well in the Mr. Bean movies he does that kind of comedy better than any one else.
omg omg omg! love that 1 eyebrow raise lol god even when he looks so serious, its funny LOL
just shows no matter what he says someone will find it funny even back b4 the days of PC gone mad.
@MoveOverCasanova This was after someone in the audience yelled "Here!" That's how you handle a heckler!The Genius that is Atkinson!
Heckler gets it around 0:55 :D
This man is a genius.
The Secret Policeman's Ball, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball, and a recent revival of The Secret Policeman's Ball, were live fundraisers / awareness raisers for Amnesty International The first two in the early 80s and the latter in 2008. The AI link is the reason for the reference to secret police.
Essentially, it is a list of words, and we are laughing at him saying them. Only Rowan Atkinson....
"Nancy-boy Potter?"
Who knew that class attendance can take over 2 minutes lol
The Secret Policemans Ball is a comedy event, televised every year (i think) This was an act from one of the older ones.
I think.
love the tie, and he's great
There are barely a handful of people alive who can look THAT serious while keeping their audience rofling.
If I were to become a teacher, it would be hilarious to have a class with these names...
"Put it awaaay, Pllllectrumm!" lol
the joke is silly because he pulls it off with such a serious face
Absolute Classic!!!
Rowan Atkinson is a chatterbox.
comedy legend!
I wish british comedy was still this good.
excellent - i've not seen this in years. Sawittee i'd appreciate it if you could also upload the yorkshireman sketch.. thanks for this brought back memories.
"Yes, isn't life tragic." I died!
definitely the funniest part. :D
I love how he moves between near-smiling maliciousness to pure contempt after asking "Has Matron seen those boils?"
I love how he threatens the Heckler who yells "Here" with detention.
magnificent.
Awesome, comedy genius. He could have read the phone book and got a laugh, but this is just brilliant. "If Shakespeare had meant it to be funny he would have put a joke in it." Is there anyone better in the world at pronouncing the letter B??
This makes his portrayal of Maigret all the more intriguing.
@JaroslavGrygar8 It's from The Secret Policeman's Ball - a stage show from 1979.
You may use dividers, but not on each other. :'D Lmao!
Hi everyone, it's the policeman here. I wanted to alert you to the fact that the Secret Policeman's ball is back with a bang! This year the event will take place on March 4th in New York, and will feature a galaxy of comedy and music stars, including Coldplay, Russell Brand, Jon Stewart and Mumford and Sons to name but a few. Find out more by going to our facebook page 'secretpoliceman' or following us on twitter @secretpoliceman
truly man...
rowan atkinson 😂💛
"NIBBEL! LEAVE ORRIPHICE ALONE!"
Best part. :D
oh, thank you for letting me know that.
You can't go into this cold without having seen some other British comedy first to warm up with. It will be incomprehensible to some. I will explain the basic premise to you....he's a teacher ;)
lolol :)
Kasseigan, you're in charge
No-one can say 'nibble' quite like Rowan Atkinson
NIBBLE had me in tears
discuss the contention that cleopatra had the body of the rowtop desk and the mind of a duck!! XD
what a hillarious guy .... :P
" galaxy of comedy and music stars, including Coldplay, Russell Brand, Jon Stewart"
So much for "comedy and music".
How can 35 people 'dislike' this? Unbelievable!!
I don't think the audience gets when they are supposed to laugh.
hema globin
nancy boy potter
orrifice
plectrum
dit
tha
omg it's out of this world :d
es un genio !
@darkpopmusic - it's "discuss the contention that Cleopatra had the body of a roll-top desk, and the mind of a duck." :D
1979 - The secret policeman's ball. Long before Harry Potter
Reply to ' 2000jago'
It's actually titled ' The Schoolmaster Sketch'.
But it's listed under 'Secret Policeman's Ball' because that was the name of the Benefit Show for Amnesty International, which he gave his performance for here.
I remember teachers like this from grammar school.
Actually, this is mild compared with some, who would never be allowed anywhere near kids today.
Rowan Atkinson made his name on a 1980s satirical sketch show called "Not the Nine o'Clock News".
what does he say at the very beginning while everyone's cheering?
Genius
Thanks!
Yep this how some of our teachers used to be. (and some still are)
"If i see it once more this period i will have to tweet you"
Apperently this was performed at the secret policemans ball. Not that I'd know, as I wasn't there, not being a secret policeman and all.
He sure is.
"NIBBLE!!! Leave orifice alone!"
5:09 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA
Trying to learn English that way is a kind of slippery, but it works ! Try Otto if you want to learn German or Coluche for the french lessons. Humor is the universal language, so yeah !
what does he say at the beginning i cant really hear it
nibble! NIBBLEEEEEE!!!!!!! lolol
Hm. Like wittle ol philistine me trying to appreciate thoroughly the stange genius of the striking outpouringsof Dali splattered vividly acrosss canvass without a solid fundamental grip on the wondrous anatomy of unbridal neurosis left to it's own devices, huh?
I'll will risk being inpertinent by admitting advance Brit humor does as times strike me as a bit on the surreal side. Wad dey call it ? Avant-garde whimsical goofiness to titillate & delight the intellectually inclined or sumtin?
this is a perfect "audience test" -( i have a detention book !!)
Not out of place, but he did have quite a few smiles in Blackadder the First.
We've just posted the funniest official Rowan Atkinson content on our brand new OFFICIAL channel, thumbs up this comment and click on our name!
Whether mesmerising us with the visual mastery of Mr. Bean, beguiling us with the Edmund Blackadder, or entertaining us as hapless British Secret Agent Johnny English, you surely won't have escaped the genius that is Rowan Atkinson.
With 4 funny videos to get your started we will be posting many, many more, so don't forget to subscribe!
@Kruggy0 He nearly lost it at 4:08. i think. I see a wee smile creeping...
it is british humour. a list of amusing words is very british humour lol
"NIBBLE!! leave orofice alone"
lolz 5/5
thanks for telling me.
This is basically Marshall Eriksen and fish names.
yes! someone please subtitle this!
@AineCork Yeah, this is just a joke on English names and prep schools.
thats because you don't have a point of reference for it. the british have a history with schoolmasters like this. always-serious, old guard of authority -kind of character. the funny comes from expected seriousness taken into completely strange direction.
Genious
dint and plectrum are the best
I need to name a child Elsworth Beastmajor :)
Rowan Atkinson wouldnt ever crack.
sooo funny!!!
how does he keep a straight face???!
Funnii Stuff xD
lol i love it when i screams NIPPLE!!!!!
Well *sigh*....thanks. I thought maybe it had something to do with the price of whoopie cushions on the world market and the plight of radio active chickens that can lay only hardboiled eggs.
HERE!
Becouse Rowan Atkinson is funny he can say complete jibberish and i'd laugh.