In Britain we process happiness... differently, Bill Bailey - BBC
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- Опубликовано: 13 мар 2021
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Watch the BBC first on iPlayer 👉 bbc.in/iPlayer-Home Bill Bailey on the difference between happy Australians and happy Brits. If you’ve ever used the phrase “Not too bad”, this is for you.
Comedian and Strictly champion Bill Bailey is in top form in his uproariously funny pre-lockdown live stand-up show Limboland at Hammersmith Apollo.
Bill Bailey: Limboland | BBC
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![LEAVING YESTERDAY BEHIND [Lyrics] - Keno | Cover by LaliRiver@](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/drcIEC1tieA/mqdefault.jpg)
This set was not too bad all things considered
Yeah, it could have been worse.
It was AWESOME
Could be worse ; given he's a spoilt brat needing haircut
@@jameshultstrom949 He had a haircut! in 1848. He's not that bad for his age you know.
It was alright
Bill's right. I teach English as a foreign language, online and by phone. With my adult students, when we start the lesson, we say how are you etc. and when my students asked me How are you, Jeanette? I replied "Not too bad." Some of my students were horrified "Jeanette! you feel bad?" Then I explain to them it is an ironic British way of saying I'm fine, thanks. Now, when we start our lessons, I say "How are you?" They all say "Not too bad." ;-)
You've ruined them! Haha
🤣 why did I imagine the class from "Mind Your Language" ?!!
@@sarah18j funnily enough, it's an old telly fave rave from the grave that my father in law likes
This comment is not too bad! Could have been worse lol 😆
@@AestheticWaif well, yes, all things considered.
In the Philippines, when someone asks, "How are you?"
We Filipinos say, "Oh well, still alive." :)
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
@@robertelessar Not too bad.
Ha ha ha. That's what my grandmothers used to say! (I'm Indian)
people in southwestern finland when they meet after a long break: ”oh, you're still alive?!”
In Oklahoma, They say " Oh well. Too wet to plow, Too windy to stack B-Bee's"
(I'm not kidding.)
"the baffling longevity of LinkedIn", in context, is one of the funniest sequences of words I've ever heard lmao
and true as well.
A Brit is the only person capable of sitting on a damp sack, under a rusty piece of corrugated iron, in a rainstorm, eating a rat, and saying, "Well, mustn't grumble, it could have been worse".
Canadians are like this too btw. I have a friend who says "not too bad" all the time. We're very sarcastic 🇨🇦
Corrugated iron roof, a sack to sit on AND a rat to eat? You were lucky!!!!
@@goweresque : There’s nowt to be Yorkshire about, lad.
@@goweresque Indeed, can't complain: no shortage of water, though the rat was a bit stringy.
Or as we like to call it "Brexit Britain."
This explains why people look at my blank facial expression and ask me , "What's WRONG?"
All the damned time! NOTHING! I've just got a case of 3rd generation resting - Brit-face.
(Thank you EVER so much Father.)
That subtle sarcasm there is also very British and not quite as obvious to other nationalities.
@@gnaskar Oh, that was supposed to be subtle? Sorry, just a German here ...
@@gnaskar that subtle sarcasm is basically covert abuse designed to oppress people because brits love oppression in fact humans in general do its a good way to avoid personal responsibility and to hide thier lack of intelligence from themselves and appear intelligent.
Its called gentrification
@@ThomasDoubting5 I fail to see the link between the separate points that you're making - I don't think there's a causal relationship there. Your definition of gentrification is wrong, or unconventional at the very least: it refers to the "gentry" - or wealthy people - buying homes in a neighbourhood where they did not formerly live.
@@ThomasDoubting5 So you're implying that ALL people from an Enlish background are entitled and wealthy ?
(Have you never heard of England's extensive economic and urban crisis or Council flats?)
My father was 2nd gen Brit who owned a couple of small ratty businesses, but didn't believe in paying child support. I was a white girl raised by a hardworking Cherokee and Irish single mom on minimum wage .
Like a lot of Okie family's, we moved between migrant fruit picking camps,farms and city projects during the upheaval of the 60s and 70's.
I can fell you this:
Sarcasm is definitely not the sole provenance of the wealthy, It's a time honored tradition for working class to keep their perspective and sense of humor amidst a world of inequity and chaos.
I think this is low-key one of the most beautifully written and hilarious little sequences of comedy I've ever heard.
It is not to bad
@@breenirwin2356 Oof, if only you could spell that might've been good.
@@Cheximus
Whatever man
@@breenirwin2356 I wrote a very long comment to the person who insulted you, then I just deleted it, cos it’s pointless. anyway… I like you my friend. That’s all I wanna say. I like both your comments, I hope that matters or helps. I don’t rly like the internet, although I spend hours and hours on it every day. Anyway. ‘I’m not too bad all things considered’ 🤣🤣🤣
@@Cheximus Oof is spelt ‘Ooof’
I'm from the northern part of The Netherlands and we are even "worse". If somebody ask how we're doing we answer;"It could be worse.." Must be a saxon trait.
Interesting!
I think you are on to something there.
I think you mean trait.
Old cultures (Europe, China etc.) vs New cultures (USA, Australia etc.).
koe minner ;-)
A British soldier in the trenches: *just lost an arm*
...
"Well that's not too bad, at least my arm won't be hurting now"
'Tis but a scratch.
It's only a flesh wound...
A similar exchange occured between the Earl of Uxbridge, and the Duke of Wellington during the battle of Waterloo. When the former had his leg blown off by cannon fire he remarked. "By God sir I've lost my leg." To which the Duke replied "By God sir, so you have."
@@colinyoung3685 this is amazing and I love you for telling me it
Merely a flesh wound. Not too bad. Could be worse.
It's the stoic approach, where happiness is considered unattainable and so your best option is to minimise unhappiness.
yup!
Yes
Loved this so much I am adding it to my collection of quotes (attributed to you, of course); might even frame it.
Absolute rubbish, the stoics where very open to happiness and emotional response.
Like pain and suffering, they believed your response to an event is a choice, 2 people could be doing exactly the same thing at the same time, and have 2 completely different experiences, it wasn't the act of the opportunity, it was the personal understanding of the opportunity. And if you follow the stoa teaching and find your life devoid of happiness you need to re-read and re-understand the fundamental truths you are obviously missing.
Learning the stoic philosophy, is seeing and understanding your response, and if the natural response is undesirable, teaching yourself the inflection points on how to modify your response to get the outcome most appropriate.
I could be waste deep in putrefied feces, with bloated dead animals and hypodermic needles floating past me, and I should be able to make it a happy experience.
I could be in a beautiful quiet field, under a lovely old growth tree which is dappling the warm sun's rays, whilst eating a picnic of delicious food, next to the person who brings me most joy in my life, and feel miserable as sin.
That isn't even the stoic approach. What it tells you is that happiness/unhappiness are a construct of the mind
As my Mom used to say "cheer up, things could be worse. So I cheered up and sure enough things got worse." Think about growing up with that attitude.
My Dad said that - Yorkshireman
I have a friend who is always hopeful. You alright, I hope so 😂
My mum used to have a magnet on the fridge - "Out of the gloom a voice said unto me 'Smile and be happy, things could be worse!'. So I smiled, and was happy, and behold! Things did get worse."
I’m American and that’s somewhat familiar
@@alphooey white rose!!
A British person has just won the lottery and he meets a friend who asks him how he is doing? He replies “not too bad, can’t complain, could have been worse, all things considered’.
Makes sense if you want to keep quiet about the lottery win.
But what if it was a quadruple rollover? Would he get a tad excited? I mean a single week lottery could be “not too bad, considering!”😂😂
@@whyohwhy3407 that's a rare occasion where a pretty good might be deployed. But it would have to be fairly close meeting post win for the upgrade. Otherwise it may be a smaller upgrade to alright. It's exceedingly rare for anything really giddy to come out of a Brit in terms of how one is doing lest we anger the gods of whatever you believe in and get slapped with a f*£&ening whereby you've been having things far too good some some 5h1t is gonna come shovelling your way. 🤣
Hi, send this to your American friends and they will get a better understanding of the British 💜🌹🎆💜🍁
"You won the lottery! How do you feel?"
"Mustn't grumble."
"We're in the car park and the snack area adjacent to the abyss." 😂
This is what I come back for.
"Tirade of Beautiful Nonsense" is my favourite genre of comedy.
I am British and I think that was more than not too bad. It was alright.
whoa, whoa, whoa, steady-on there mate, it's only a youtube video!!!
Yeah it was fine
Ha
Fairly decent
Hi Britisha, I'm dad
Makes me think of Paul and Mary judging cakes. Biggest praise ever: "that really is NOT to bad, at all!"
Shake my hand
It’s always funny seeing foreigners thinking there being rude xd
Wow.. the enthusiasm!!😂
*too... :)
"If you're not a circus freak or a Yeti, you can't actually play the bloody stuff ... " THANK YOU!!!!!!
You must have wanted to hear someone say that for a while, lol.
... and I'm pretty sure he's speaking from experience!
What's even more ridiculous is that keyboards were standardized in the late 1800's to accommodate the large hands of concert pianists without regard for the general player. So if you have small hands, you're at an extreme disadvantage. And every modern keyboard is sized the same; even the smaller electronic keyboards just have fewer keys, but the spacing is the same. So the whole thing is an exercise in frustration.
@@achakhakan4189 The really ridiculous thing is that my hands are actually pretty large, but I still can't manage that stuff. It makes me wonder how "good" his music really is or whether we idolize it because it's like the piano equivalent of Evel Knievel jumping over buses on a motorcycle. Is it actually beautiful art or just digital gymnastics?
As an Australian, I've always thought those English responses were a challenge to ask "oh, what's wrong mate? Tell us about it" but mostly we fail the challenge.
Same here. I am Indian. One of my Burmese friends moved to the UK and since then he has replied “not to bad” every time we chat. I would always ask him what happened? Is Something wrong?. Next time I’ll just send him this RUclips video.
Yeah, don't. Don't ever ever ever ever ask a British person to elaborate. Thank you.
You don’t need to ask what’s wrong. British people don’t ask normally.
My mum is Scottish and we were raised on 'If you've never had it, you canny miss it.'
This is wisdom.
Also, I really like your Water Horse.
That’s not actually true, of course.
@@Woodman-Spare-that-tree correct. Just ask a Portuguese
It is true. You can still desire it but if you've never had it, you can't miss it. :)
My dad will never, ever answer a question decisively. You could ask him a seemingly very straightforward question and he would never just answer "yes" or "no". With one, singular exception; when I asked him, about a year into his retirement after 39 years in a boring middle-management job, whether he was enjoying his retirement. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, firmly and unfalteringly, "Yes!"
Take note family guy: This is how you make a joke go on for too long....and it works.
Not to mention the past thirty-five years of SNL.
I think the last time SNL was funny was when I was too young to watch it, and my dad would recount all the Eddie Murphy skits the next morning and crack up laughing. I'd just sit and stare, wondering "I don't get any of this, grownups are weird."
Edit: Typo
@@maggpiprime954 Every generation thinks it invented humor. And in a way, it has to.
@@moeskido Oh absolutely, I totally agree! I am so glad that toxic Boomer humour is being phased out with other unhealthy ideals.
But as far as humour being quirky and snarky for the sake of its edginess goes, that falls flat the moment it's delivered and has the longevity and appeal of a turd on the pavement, no matter the generation.
@@maggpiprime954 As one of those Boomers, I can't wait to see more of my cohort get replaced.
Snark for its own sake is a refuge of mediocre individuals who have nothing original to say. But if it's used in the service of genuine wit and satire, it's like food for a starving man.
Bill's unique sense of whimsy contrasted against his bafflement at the majesty of creation is, as ever, undiminished by the passing of the years.
absolutely ! and he still puts on that nasally voice when he goes on an existential rant. I love it ! love Bill :D
Well that's a Baileyesque review if I ever heard one. I can imagine him saying that in bewilderness and then strumming a guitar.
Why do British sound so smart
Simple fact of the matter is - if someone asks how you're doing and you give an honest answer you can usually see their eyes start to glaze over!
I just stay silent !!! especially in the supermarket where they love saying , 'How are you today'? 💜💜💜 Bill is so funny , I would love to see him live.❤💜
We have the exact same in Finland, must be one of the reasons we love British sense of humour so much
The best Finnish joke was persuading the survey takers that they're the happiest people on Earth.
Well done.
I've never considered a Patagonian sunset.
You should. It's not too bad
Perhaps strangely, I have.
Well done for considering everything else though!
First you must become a Shepard, and bring us a shrubbery.
@@andrewradford3953 I think I'll pass. Shrubbery should stay where it is and I'd make a lousy shepherd all things considered.
I'm Australian and "Howyagoin" as a greeting is the one that gets me. "Would you like the truth or the happy answer?" is my sometimes reply.
"Would you like the truth or the socially acceptable reply"
Good reply
Yeah, as an American, we may seem cheery, but the truth is we just put that on for the sake of others. It is a social obligation to make others happy by masking our feelings rather than by putting out some middling, “Not too bad” which in the US would be seen as not holding up our end of the social bargain. It doesn’t mean we are happier, it is just a courtesy.
It’s the same as saying, “Have a nice day, “ which I know drive people in the UK crazy. We really do mean it. We really do hope other people will have a nice day. We just might be out in the car sobbing to ourselves after all the faux cheer that we faked to try to make you feel better about yourself because that’s what manners are for, dammit, and our parents taught us to be polite.
I’m great, though, how are you?
@@nimue325 It's polite to be happy and impolite not to be.
@@nimue325 it all depends on culture because in British culture we would consider it weird to put on a false smile all the time and fake happiness as it would be considered really annoying. You don't have to tell people about your problems and you can still mask your unhappiness to others so you don't make them feel uncomfortable but you can be somewhat in the middle and be stoic and just say you're OK rather than trying to fake emotions and feel something that you're not feeling. Other people's happiness is not our responsibility neither is making people feel good about themselves. It's up to the individual to do that themselves. It's not nice to make people feel miserable around you if you're a miserable personality as it's good manners to be stoic at times and not burden others with your problems. Being considerate and kind but not over the top I think is the happy medium.
A bilingual conversation, some years ago, in Spain:
Me, to hard-working Spanish waiter: Hola, Estavo! Como estas? Estavo (enthusiastically): "ESTUPENDO!"
Me, to an English millionaire ex-pat, chilling out with a sangria: So, Rob - how's it going? Rob: "Not so bad".
I expect the Spanish waiter had learned that tips are larger and more frequent if he displays a cheerful, sunny disposition - as opposed to being a miserable git, whereas the millionaire ex-pat didn't really need to even consider tips.
@@Ruffian_Xion You're right about the millionaire - but I knew Estavo quite well, outside his work, as he was taking English classes at a local language centre. He was relentlessly cheerful, 95% of the time, that was just his character. Of course, I guess it helped with the tips, too! (As for the 5% - check out a list of English irregular verbs!).
"Picking up stones in the rain. Awesome!"
Damn it! You didn't just talk about the Australians! You talked about us Kiwis also!
I think he is just so incredibly brilliant.
He's alright.
Unfortunately RUclips dont do a "not too bad" button. It's either like or dislike and I.....
Like 👍
This guy is on a different level
A bit bloody flooded here in Australia, awesome weather for picking stones tomorrow!
stay strong, mate 💪💖
It's like a daily conversation when greeting people at work. "Now then, how's it going?"
"Not bad mate, still alive." And that's being cheerful.
Surviving !!!! ❤❤❤ British humour , is the best!!! I do love Bill Hicks and George Carlin and a few other American comedians .💜💞💜
Reminds me of when I moved to the US. I tried someone's food or something (I don't remember), and when they asked how I found it, I said "yeah, that's alright."
"Just alright!?" They berated back at me in their shrill American horror.
I had to explain that in Britain, saying something is "alright" and "not too bad" is essentially that sweet spot between good and fantastic.
If you can pick up stones in the rain and have an awesome time, very little will get you down....
Have you tried skimming stones on a lake? That is a good time.
Came for the comedy, stayed for the poetry.
Yes, but HAVE you appreciated the limpid minimalism of Arvo Pärt?
The Avro Pärt reference was a deep cut 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Especially when Estonians are actually similar to Brits in that subject. Although we say "good" or "not bad" when you can't complain, and "normal" when you could complain all things considered, but won't bother to do so.
We choose to blame weather for all our complaints.
I hope you're not aspersing the limpid minimalism of Pärt.
The greatest praise for a nice meal in my region (Swabia, South-West Germany) is "better than a gob full of nails"
What a phrase 😂
I ran a class once, everyone introduced themselves and one colleague from Germany said they were from Swabia. At the end of the week during feedback they said they'd had a good time and the other Germans hasn't treated them too bad! It was the first time I'd been introduced to regional differences in Germany.
And that is why us North-West Germans look askance at South-West Germany.
Then again, my Gran has a few oddities of her own. "Ach du heiliges Kannonenrohr" being a particularly good one.
Ha
Plus, they say “Net gschempft, … isch g'lobt g'nuag!“ which translates to “not getting scolded is enough of a compliment”
What about "can't complain?" 🤣🤣🤣
Pure, unadulterated genius. Not too bad really.
Oh god he's right you know, even now I'm living in Australia. I was playing this while walking into my apartment building and without a hint of irony or even thinking about it answered my neighbour "not too bad thanks".
*Nuclear war starts*
Britain:
About that time ay chaps?
Right oh!
That is the sort of obscure quote that I can get behind
Righto
Lol ze end of ze world lol
Nice reference dude. Classic
You've just reminded me of a certain animation based off a book of a husband and wife dealing with a nuclear war. Following all the instructions that had been given out, staying home, and slowly dying because fallout. I wish I could remember the name because the wretched thing's on RUclips somewhere.
Interesting. This started as ordinary stand-up wit, which was amusing; but then from 2:59 it suddenly escalated into a monologue that sounded almost Shakespearean - not what I'd call amusing, but still impressive with the amount of content and work that has gone into it and leaving you with the vague impression of having heard something worthwhile.
Remember, if we British ever say anything positive to someone else at what they are doing then we REALLY mean it. There would be no comment otherwise
Y’all scary
@@Bestbeachesincalifornia That's a little hurtful rolig. I wish you only happiness.
I'm autistic and I can relate. I don't like to say things I don't mean.
Unless it’s sarcastic.
Better to be British and say something positive and mean it than American and say something positive just because you've been brought up to say it.
Priceless!!...shall I spoil the mood and say ''...it was a bit more than alright''
Probably my favourite 5 minutes of comedy ever - all things considered
Put the top down yesterday.Well,it wasn't raining.
I really wanna see Bill live... I suspect it'd be a not too bad experience.😊❤👍
I could complain, but no-one would listen.
Brain the size of a planet
Or even worse, they'd listen to your complaints, and then expect you to listen to theirs!
🧠🍷
Ha
Ah one of my favourite Eeyore quotes
Utterly wonderful!!
That's Bloody AWESOME mate 😎
When someone invariably says "not too bad" in reply to "how are you?", I want to scream! Liked the anecdote about the First World War letter. Bill Bailey is a genius.
Love this. He's fantastic live.
Exquisite. The poetry of it!
He is a gem!
could be worse is the one I tend to stick to, leaves it up to the other person to decide what level of not too bad I'm at without me needing to share anything
There are people, usually of the older generation, that when asked how they are will, unfortunately, tell you. ... at great length!
Bill Bailey is like a slightly more cheerful George Carlin. Love his observations.
It’s not too bad even tears on face.😭
Makes sense to this New Englander.. 🤣
YES!!!!!!!!!!!
The last part is pure poetry.
Brilliant commentary!!
Really loved it 🥰
I truly wish I was friends with this man
Love this. Awesome.
Just saw this bloke last night. Complete and objective genuis
Did you spell "genius" incorrectly, on purpose?
Wow, your comedy clubs have opened again?!? Unthinkable here in Germany 😭 it is April and hardly anybody has received the vaccine yet 😡 maybe Brexit wasn’t such a bad thing for you guys after all...
Wonderful man, absolutely brilliant on Qi and he won Strictly come dancing 👏👏👏👏👏👏 😚😚😎
i love nordic happiness.
Very subtle, like the rim of sunlight that lingers over the treetops in the long, gradually dimming summer evening,
The baffling longevity of Linken In 😂
0:55 “Mustn’t grumble.”
True
Seven hours to bury the cat???
Superb.
'Where we dare to touch the helm of infitity's cloak' is the most beautiful phrase ever.
Considering that this may very well be the best stand up skit ever written,
It's not too bad...
I heard a great line that said "In Britain we only put the top up if the storm qualifies for its own name."
LOL I’m American but maybe I should have been British 🤣🤣
Who said they take you? I'm English and German, born in the UK, but I still don't always feel welcome. My friend is British and American, and they only love her because she can take anything miserable they throw at her. Takes guts to work in an English pub and be beautiful and have an American accent.
No
😍 😍 😍 Bill Bailey
I always thought he was a genius. Now, he's gone up a notch!
Bill is brilliant! 👏👏😁
Bill Bailey is a poet
Simply brilliant. As a Patagonian sunrise
Lovely performance
I love this skit so much I can't stop repeating it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
In Malaysia for "not too bad" most of us would say "okaylaaa, bolehlaaa"
In another words it means "yeah it's fine, it's manageable i guess."
wouldn't it be "okay lah"?
@@ellenorbjornsdottir1166 yeaahh just the same i just drag the lah lil bit
Now that is a mullet!! 😎
Skullet
@رمضان Ramadan cool
Yes bill Bailey, on point as usual
Canadians will unironically say anything between "awesome" and "not too bad."
Sometimes, depending on who's asking, we'll even say "everything's shit."
Love it!
This was really brilliant.
The joke's not too bad all things considered.. 😂
As an American I was fortunate to live in Great Britain for three years it wasn't too bad
You obviously assimilated really well 😂
Well it was pretty awesome riding my kayak in the floods here in Oz.
Underrated Comedian
Been to all his stand up performances on stage whenever he was in our country, amazing fella. Oh yh i live in the Netherlands.
Hardly!
Apparently, I'm more than just British in my ancestry, my standard response to the question "How are you doing" is "meh, I'm not even worth killing", which replaced my old standard of "I'm not dead yet, but I'm hoping".
Not too bad.
Thankyou Bill Bailey. I laughed till I cried tears with opalescence comparable to the Patagonian shepherd's.
A great show Bill last night in Palmerston North!!!!
Picking up stones in the rain is pretty awesome.
Amazing
Imagine being Bill Baileys friend, & asking....got any ideas for the weekend?
There's a lot to consider
I'm enjoying the comments as much as Bill's brilliant sketch. Well, when I say enjoy...
Spot on Bill!
I love how he seems to have genuine contempt for the phrase "not too bad".
Brilliant! 😄