I used to be a high school English teacher. I would teach John Betjeman's poem, then show this video. The kids loved it. I would also show them David Brent's song about Slough.
That little “I’m not at 1:23” is so good. Quickly remembering he needs to be PC for the camera, but not willing to commit to the lie that he’s not homophobic. So shrugs it off the “You know…”
@@axonis2306 Betjeman speaks as though people in Slough are below human because they're in a hellish dystopia of ambivalence and consumerism. But people in Slough had lives that were as complicated and nuanced as his. He disregards and groups together people as mindless idiots for being raised in a poor environment- calling for them to be exterminated as there's no hope for them. Never mind industrial workers are constantly exhausted and indulge in the things Betjeman denounces to get some reprieve. While it's an exaggeration and metaphoric for the sake of poetry, the poem is classist. He was a son of a middle class family in London who attended Oxford and lived a life writing. While he should be allowed to criticize and write about anything he wants, I think it reveals a high and mighty attitude in a man if he writes so negatively and unempathetically about a life he's never lived.
@@riparoo9675 I quite agree with your explanation of the high and mighty attitude exuding from the poem! But why do you also think that this clip "completely misses the point of the poem"? thanks :)
@@user-lf8mq2li3i I think @Riparoo means that Brent isn't understanding of what they outlined, that its classist etc. He's just offended personally, we assume Brent isn't really thinking about it in that much depth. He sort of feels the poems flaw on an emotional level but not an intellectual one. I think that's what they mean't.
@@pezushka thank you! that makes a lot of sense and is such an interesting observation, that someone speaking purely out of sentiment and emotion and another from an academic/literary critical POV, two greatly different perspectives, may draw similar conclusions (that the poem is alienating and offensive).
The writers would have been well aware of the middle stanzas in poem, funnily enough not read out by Brent, which goes; And get that man with double chin Who'll always cheat and always win, Who washes his repulsive skin In women's tears And smash his desk of polished oak And smash his hands so used to stroke And stop his boring dirty joke And make him yell. But spare the bald young clerks who add The profits of the stinking cad; It's not their fault that they are mad, They've tasted Hell.
Strange that Betjeman should have been so snobbish about new-town Slough whilst going into raptures about Metroland, not too far from Slough. Perhaps it was because Metroland was City-stockbroker-suburban while Slough was industrial.
@@Havermeyer7908 I am not from Slough and it is my opinion (to which I am entitled) that his work was not worthy of someone who held the title Poet Laureate. So much effort went into making his words rhyme that any poetry was lost.
@Danny Tallmage Well, the character doesn't get it, but the character isn't real, the performance is to satirise Brent. Ricky via Brent is pretending he is offended by the poem for comedic effect. I guess that isn't intentional irony. Idk, my point was it isn't serious.
@Danny Tallmage the joke is that the Brent character is an ego maniac. He thinks he, and by extension everything associated with him (his town, his office) is the best thing in the world. Him taking petty offense to the poem is hilarious (to me).
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I used to be a high school English teacher. I would teach John Betjeman's poem, then show this video. The kids loved it. I would also show them David Brent's song about Slough.
It was only uploaded one year ago though.
@@solvapydoom8077 its 20 years old.
I know, but then you were showing the original episode, not this specific video.
@@solvapydoom8077 tell him later
I'm from Maidstone. But I wouldn't describe it as a shit hole. If you want to visit a shit hole, head to Slough.
"He's having a go at tinned fruit now." Damn poets are down on everything lol.
I'd forgotten how good The Office was, but this has reminded me. Sensational.
I know, they didn't even include all of this.
Yes, I thought there were bits here I didn't remember from the broadcast episode.
That little “I’m not at 1:23” is so good. Quickly remembering he needs to be PC for the camera, but not willing to commit to the lie that he’s not homophobic. So shrugs it off the “You know…”
“Doesn’t he like girls?” 🤣
I’m not
"what he's never burped" gets me every time
You know what? I bet all the train stations in the world, Sir John would have found an immense amusement from David Brent's synopsis.
He's embarrassed himself there, next
Best part for me 😂. Classic Ricky
"not enough grass to graze a cow"
"good , i don't want a cow , we have one of the biggest dairys in the south east just down the road"
Hilarious 😂
Which is actually Betjenam's point!
I just love how visibly annoyed Brent is getting as he’s reading the poem! 😆
When he mentions maidstone is a shithole used to crack me up. Imagine the repping and dull towns his type visit.
“What, he’s never burped?” I’m dying! 😂
“He’s embarrassed himself there” 😂. Sounds like the xfm show
Love this poem and i love Gervais. Not orthodox. I don't play by 'the rules', so...
I work in Slough. There are no cows. Plenty of dogs!
Of course there's no cows there's no grass to graze on! 🤣 DURRRR
i'm back. this is one of my favourite scenes from the office, so..
Brent is magnificent 😊
I used to live in Maidstone, its kind of a shithole but not absolutely awful
I'm sure John Betjemin would have loved this
Ricky Gervais being edgy in 2005
Betjemin was edgy in 1926
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Brilliant.
I was born in Leamington and my sister taught in Slough
@@DUDLEY2000 loool
Sending thoughts and prayers.
@@OhFishyFish looool
Completely misses the point of the poem, but is dead on criticizing the high and mighty attitude.
Genius scene, wish it was kept in.
What high and mighty attitude?
@@axonis2306 Betjeman speaks as though people in Slough are below human because they're in a hellish dystopia of ambivalence and consumerism.
But people in Slough had lives that were as complicated and nuanced as his. He disregards and groups together people as mindless idiots for being raised in a poor environment- calling for them to be exterminated as there's no hope for them. Never mind industrial workers are constantly exhausted and indulge in the things Betjeman denounces to get some reprieve.
While it's an exaggeration and metaphoric for the sake of poetry, the poem is classist. He was a son of a middle class family in London who attended Oxford and lived a life writing. While he should be allowed to criticize and write about anything he wants, I think it reveals a high and mighty attitude in a man if he writes so negatively and unempathetically about a life he's never lived.
@@riparoo9675 I quite agree with your explanation of the high and mighty attitude exuding from the poem! But why do you also think that this clip "completely misses the point of the poem"? thanks :)
@@user-lf8mq2li3i I think @Riparoo means that Brent isn't understanding of what they outlined, that its classist etc. He's just offended personally, we assume Brent isn't really thinking about it in that much depth. He sort of feels the poems flaw on an emotional level but not an intellectual one. I think that's what they mean't.
@@pezushka thank you! that makes a lot of sense and is such an interesting observation, that someone speaking purely out of sentiment and emotion and another from an academic/literary critical POV, two greatly different perspectives, may draw similar conclusions (that the poem is alienating and offensive).
The Tiger Lillies brought me here lol
When did Brent become Ricky Gervais?
He's the only cabbage around here
Maidenhead used to live near went to slough once it's good
Come friendly bombs!
I went to a conference in maidenhead 😅
brilliant
The one who wrote this poem was your good friend cris finch
Oh don't get me wrong, I think it's bloody hilarious!
The thing is… he’s right about Betjeman!
The writers would have been well aware of the middle stanzas in poem, funnily enough not read out by Brent, which goes;
And get that man with double chin
Who'll always cheat and always win,
Who washes his repulsive skin
In women's tears
And smash his desk of polished oak
And smash his hands so used to stroke
And stop his boring dirty joke
And make him yell.
But spare the bald young clerks who add
The profits of the stinking cad;
It's not their fault that they are mad,
They've tasted Hell.
Strange that Betjeman should have been so snobbish about new-town Slough whilst going into raptures about Metroland, not too far from Slough. Perhaps it was because Metroland was City-stockbroker-suburban while Slough was industrial.
😂
I think that John Betjeman’s poems were rubbish. His work might be worthy of a twelve year old budding poet.
He’s the only cabbage round here
Slough resident detected
Opinion rejected
@@Havermeyer7908 I am not from Slough and it is my opinion (to which I am entitled) that his work was not worthy of someone who held the title Poet Laureate. So much effort went into making his words rhyme that any poetry was lost.
@@johncrosley1 I can taste that copium
@@johncrosley1 Who do you prefer? genuinely curious.
Is this tongue in cheek? If not, he plainly doesn't get Betjeman's irony.
Yes it's ironic,
@Danny Tallmage Well, the character doesn't get it, but the character isn't real, the performance is to satirise Brent. Ricky via Brent is pretending he is offended by the poem for comedic effect. I guess that isn't intentional irony. Idk, my point was it isn't serious.
It's a clip from a sitcom dude...
@Danny Tallmage the joke is that the Brent character is an ego maniac. He thinks he, and by extension everything associated with him (his town, his office) is the best thing in the world. Him taking petty offense to the poem is hilarious (to me).
If you think this this isn't tongue in cheek you should stick with a TV show like Friends.
A sour little misunderstanding of the poem’s intention and a total disregard of the period in which it was written.
A bitter large misunderstanding of Ricky gervaise
@@highviewbarbell A sad misunderstanding of anything intelligent.
@@paulbell8653 a verbosely grandiloquent manner of explaining that one has a malfunctioning funnybox
@@highviewbarbell A magniloquent, turgid oaf.
It's satire, it's not serious ffs.
Not funny mate…….
He's the only cabbage around here