It's weird ... As a proud American I got irritated at Sean's comments, but at the same time I can't really point anything he said out as being wrong. Oh well, been a Lock fan for a while now so I won't let this spoil it for me. I will say though that I don't know of a single person who dislikes the Brits, and I live in Alabama where racism and unfounded hate was honed to a razors edge. And thanks for the upload!
Never knew Sean was a middle class bloke. So his animosity toward Clarkson was probably rooted in a class divide since Clarkson grew up in a working class home but went to posh schools because of his dad's luck. And where Sean's middle class habits come in is in the unwavering habit of following the rules which is why he dislikes it when Jezza breaks them. That's because Jezza thinks that too many unnecessary rules make things more difficult for the working classes. So Sean is a middle class bloke trying to appear working class through his comedy and getting a blue collar job, whereas Jezza is a working class bloke with the eloquence and charisma of a middle class man. Its a shame really, love em both.
Yeah, it's just that the American bad culture is so in your face and loud, and the kind gentle people are actually really respectful, polite and cultured.
Thing about those American laws is that most of them were put on the books in the 1800s and were just never taken off, so now we compile them in books called, "Craaaazy Laws!" I can see Sean's point about hating us.
What's America like? It's a bit like Milton Keynes with no pies. Brilliant. And I completely see his point about traffic wardens, I never really thought about it before. Sean is so brilliant, he's a very underrated comedian.
Of course people appreciate the nuances, it's just that the less appealing aspects tend to be overwhelming. I absolutely loved the west coast, countless charming places to be found. Nonetheless, most of it was like one giant parking lot.. it's not surprising that some would fail to see past that.
The radio series of the same name is well worth getting too. As a side note, maybe don't listen in public, Laughing to myself on the bus got me a few funny looks. :D
I'm not saying they are less important, as clearly some people think it's good. However, my point is that it's manufactured and artificial, it's like the IKEA flatpack of city design. It has nothing unique about it, which is why I prefer European cities, as none of them are alike. You might not need a map, but it's still something you need to get used to, especially if a grid system is new to you. Saying it's easy as if a person can do it right off the bat is also not very convincing. Touché.
80% of London was destroyed in the great fire of london in 1666, which prompted the King to appoint people to rebuild it (which they did). However, back then London was much smaller than it is now so what they rebuilt was the "city of london" which is pretty much the centre. Over time London expanded and absorbed towns and villages around it which followed no predetermined design.
Yes, London was rebuilt, but that was nearly 400 years ago, and unless you hadn't noticed, it's changed a lot since then. So sure, it may not be a fantastic 'design' (even though it wasn't formally or officially designed, it just grew) but at least it's got history, and a stronger culture. All European cities do, especially compared to yours. Philadelphia? Boston? Pff, give me Florence, Paris or Cologne any day.
Society=/=Internet Sarcasm, arrogance, pretension, and struggling to accept others' opinions, while not generally accepted in society, are the four pillars that hold the internet up
"Soulless" is a petty euphemism for "sensible", imo. Didn't London have the option of redesigning itself after the Great Fire, and typically British bureaucracy resulted in them just rebuilding the same mess? That was in the late 17th century, about the same time as our NE cities were founded. Cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have a lot of charm, esp compared to places like Birmingham. I'd agree if you're talking about LA, though. It's like a time-capsule of 1970s tastelessness.
Especially west of the Mississippi, whatever initial planning there was has long since been overrun by expansion. As someone who was born and raised on a cul-de-sac overlooking a canyon with an interstate freeway running through it in southern California, I am baffled that actual urban planning is coming in for criticism. I mean, obviously, criticize whatever you like, but I would have thought the soulless sprawl would be a much more natural target.
Sean recently visited America with Jon Richardson. Sean seems to be having a good time with the Cajuns. Just one of the many cultures in America. I think Sean was playing off of a general dislike of the wars when he ranted on Americans. And I think his generalizations are satirical. I hope so. It annoyed me that some people in the audience applauded. I wonder where in America Sean had actually visited when this show was taped. It wasn't my neighborhood.
telling a person to go to 7th and 20th would still rely on them having A) a good understanding of the city and B) actually knowing where those streets are and where they cross. Therefore, in that respect, it seems to me as if the grid system is far more labour intensive, and requires the understanding of a taxi driver for it to work effectively. With a map, you have none of that crap. You can where you are, and where you need to go, and it's simple. Same goes for satnavs.
That makes no difference because we're arguing the linguistic value of the use of "race" in this context, not the scientific boundaries between races. I mean if phrases like "the human race" are correct, and race describes different types or breeds of human, then surely the value of the word's parameters is variable.
You'd think if Sean was in New York City, it wouldn't have been too hard for him to find the nearest English pub using the ever so efficient grid system where they would have happily served him his meat pie with a smile while he winged about having to count and know the cardinal directions.
your street names just seem wrong to those of us who have actual names for streets, as opposed to numbers. even coming from a grid system, it feels off.
Having just watched and adored "Peter's Friends" here on RUclips, I can tell you that we have something of a case of what in cross-cultural communication is called "the iceberg problem". Yes, there is a lack of geographic knowledge here in the US. But the majority of the time, those stereotypes are treated by thoroughly educated Americans as the running gags they are usually presented as. We don't take them seriously. But it is quite interesting that you don't mention what we DO.
@IonizedRasputin Wrong! There was a case of "cowboy" traffic wardens a few years back in south London, as reported on ITV news. A man who'd checked his car was parked legally continued 2 get tickets, then threats from the firm telling him he had "outstanding fines". London Tonight tracked down the private firm (which therefore wouldn't have even raised funding 4 council) who were too chicken 2 even leave their office or show their faces 4 the news.
Well, a grid system is inarguably something good, as it makes it easy to navigate an incredibly dense city. In NY, you don't give people directions, you just tell them the cross street. You don't need a map to know how to get to 7th and 20th st. Basically, you're saying the objective benefits are less important than your subjective preferences, and that's silly. "Charm" is very personal - your nostalgia for certain attributes of your childhood city is not a convincing argument.
race 1 (rs) n. 1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics. 2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race. 3. A genealogical line; a lineage. 4. Humans considered as a group. The Oxford English Dictionary doesn't even define "race" in this context.
I mean, that place where you were raised sounds like hell to me. With that canyon, the views won't be fantastic and I imagine the traffic noise will be both persistent and annoying. No, personally, I'd take the little English village I was born in any day.
That is the big difference between American cities and British ones. Where American cities were designed, cities like London have grown over millennia so - outside of individual buildings - the vast majority of it wasn't "designed" at all and I'd take that over soulless design of some American cities.
That's like saying that "blond" has no biological meaning. A "race" is simply a set of features that are often present together in humans, due to different groups having lived in separate isolation for long periods.
I agree with Sean. Sure, there are likely some instances where there are corrupt or pedantic traffic wardens, but a lot of the complaints are from idiots who think that it's okay to park on the double yellows for "only five minutes". No, they're double yellows for a reason!
@rainfallshard The points he was making are still sweeping generalisations, they may be based on experiences like "I went there recently," but he's just following the popular opinions about Americans. I spent months travelling the US, and what I found was that there were nice people AND idiots, just like here in the UK. You can't judge an entire nation based on a few experiences. Experiences which Locke didn't share to back him up, all we got was "I went there recently."
It surprises me that Sean Lock would describe himself as middle class. He's a liberal and not a tabloid reader but he always seemed fairly working class to me..!
Thom Harrison With the money he's earning (and fair play to him), it would be a tad' crass of him to call himself working class. Class is bullshit anyway, I speak posh but I'd rather have a coke than a fine wine, and as I like to say in classy restaurants, 'My compliments to the chef for the 7 up.'
Thom Harrison Just a small point, some people define class differently, some define it by manners, others by wealth, some a mixture, so it's difficult to say. I've met rich people where rats have more decorum.
I tend to speak about class in cultural/aesthetic terms. I'd regard myself as middle-class, but I earn a lot less than so many plumbers, builders, etc. I'd possibly even regard someone like Sir Alan Sugar as working class, despite the fact he's super-rich.
Thom Harrison Yeah I see what you mean, people speak more about class in regards to how somebody conducts themselves, as you say culturally/aesthetically. I'd regard Sir Alan Sugar as working class too, The notion of class is a bit ambiguous now I guess.
@lilmale Thank you. There's a reason I watch British comedy on RUclips all day when I have a TV in my room, but it makes me feel sad when my favorite comedians hate my silly country. Sorry about the McDonalds.
@gullivera It sounded like he was giving an account from experience to me. You might not agree with him, but he was just saying what he didn't like about having been.
Sean Locke attacking Americans based on stereotypes immediately after criticising Jeremy Clarkson for doing the same to the French! Lol, does he have the memory of a goldfish? He's still funny though.
And when I talk about popular opinions, I mean its very fashionable and popular to bash Americans, but just because somethings popular doesn't mean its right.
For all those saying he was being offensive and bigoted in regards to Americans, I'll let you in on something... he's a comedian.
(i agree) but what about Jeremy Clarkson then? 1 law for one....
jaredr8 he's not a comedian. He's actually just a homophobic and racist asshole. (edit: I'm talking about Jeremy NOT Sean Lock)
Matthew Mitchell It is possible for a comedian to be a bigot and use that bigotry for comedic effect. It's quite common, actually.
@@ellis0896 it's his fucking character you oaf
pretty sure everyone agrees with that except for americans
So bloody sad to hear him talk about cancer. What a hilariously funny and clever bloke. RIP Sean. Thank you for the laughs.
I Love Sean...I'm a yank that just got back into BRIT comedy about 5 years ago after growing up with the pythons and goodies ...glad to be back
Sean Lock is an awesome comedian and i think its criminal that hes never gotten more recognition outside the UK
Greetings from California U.S.A.
Sean Lock is a welcome breath of musty, mildew laden air to this chuckle fest.
As somebody from Milton Keynes, I take offense at the comparison to America...
Plus, we livened the place up with a shit-tonne of roundabouts.
Still one of my favourite comedians.
I last commented on this 3 years ago.
Still shocked that he is dead.
Rest in peace Sean Lock.
I love Sean Lock but I love Jeremy Clarkson as well.
It's weird ... As a proud American I got irritated at Sean's comments, but at the same time I can't really point anything he said out as being wrong. Oh well, been a Lock fan for a while now so I won't let this spoil it for me. I will say though that I don't know of a single person who dislikes the Brits, and I live in Alabama where racism and unfounded hate was honed to a razors edge.
And thanks for the upload!
This format is so much better than the current one. Sadly the BBC are too formulaic these days and can't do anything unless it's a panel show.
Never knew Sean was a middle class bloke. So his animosity toward Clarkson was probably rooted in a class divide since Clarkson grew up in a working class home but went to posh schools because of his dad's luck. And where Sean's middle class habits come in is in the unwavering habit of following the rules which is why he dislikes it when Jezza breaks them. That's because Jezza thinks that too many unnecessary rules make things more difficult for the working classes.
So Sean is a middle class bloke trying to appear working class through his comedy and getting a blue collar job, whereas Jezza is a working class bloke with the eloquence and charisma of a middle class man.
Its a shame really, love em both.
I love Sean! He is so funny! XD
Yeah, and, like, handing over sticks or rolled-up newspapers!
Yeah, it's just that the American bad culture is so in your face and loud, and the kind gentle people are actually really respectful, polite and cultured.
Thing about those American laws is that most of them were put on the books in the 1800s and were just never taken off, so now we compile them in books called, "Craaaazy Laws!" I can see Sean's point about hating us.
What's America like? It's a bit like Milton Keynes with no pies. Brilliant.
And I completely see his point about traffic wardens, I never really thought about it before. Sean is so brilliant, he's a very underrated comedian.
Was looking for for ages ! Thanks for upping it.
@4Gil4 Sean has a bit of a pop at him on QI, it instantly reminded me of this.
Right Mr. Lock, because when I think good food, oh yeah, I think Britain.
it's so good to see Sean Lock on QI with Clarkson. He gets a chance to have a dig...
Of course people appreciate the nuances, it's just that the less appealing aspects tend to be overwhelming. I absolutely loved the west coast, countless charming places to be found. Nonetheless, most of it was like one giant parking lot.. it's not surprising that some would fail to see past that.
This show was MADE for Sean Lock!
If you are a fan of Sean Lock, and have not seen 15 Storeys High... I highly recommend it, you can get it for about a fiver on amazon.
he wasn't accusing him of racism and you know it
New slogan = "America: it's a bit like Milton Keynes with no pies"
rip to a true king
The radio series of the same name is well worth getting too. As a side note, maybe don't listen in public, Laughing to myself on the bus got me a few funny looks. :D
The censorship is ridiculous. (not your fault)
I'm not saying they are less important, as clearly some people think it's good. However, my point is that it's manufactured and artificial, it's like the IKEA flatpack of city design. It has nothing unique about it, which is why I prefer European cities, as none of them are alike.
You might not need a map, but it's still something you need to get used to, especially if a grid system is new to you. Saying it's easy as if a person can do it right off the bat is also not very convincing. Touché.
80% of London was destroyed in the great fire of london in 1666, which prompted the King to appoint people to rebuild it (which they did). However, back then London was much smaller than it is now so what they rebuilt was the "city of london" which is pretty much the centre. Over time London expanded and absorbed towns and villages around it which followed no predetermined design.
i always fink its wierd sean lock being on a building site
he is like everyone's favourite uncle lol.
Wierd how two people with pretty much the same views and humor can dislike eachother that much based on what they say as entertainers.
Yes, they are. A race can be anything from an entirely different species to those born in different cities.
he's right about it being utterly charmless
well that is because it is difficult to comment on the video without talking about choices sean has made.
Yes, London was rebuilt, but that was nearly 400 years ago, and unless you hadn't noticed, it's changed a lot since then. So sure, it may not be a fantastic 'design' (even though it wasn't formally or officially designed, it just grew) but at least it's got history, and a stronger culture. All European cities do, especially compared to yours. Philadelphia? Boston? Pff, give me Florence, Paris or Cologne any day.
He summed up the US perfectly.
I think the misunderstanding occurred because there was no comma after the "No".
lol I know that very feeling, I listen to the Ricky Gervais podcasts, been caught laughing to myself a few times :D
Sounds great.
type in sean lock....see what random videos come up, anything with sean lock in is awesome so its a win win
Acacia Avenue? Thats where Bananaman lives!
This was aired years ago before all this “I take offense’ nonsense....
Society=/=Internet
Sarcasm, arrogance, pretension, and struggling to accept others' opinions, while not generally accepted in society, are the four pillars that hold the internet up
"Soulless" is a petty euphemism for "sensible", imo.
Didn't London have the option of redesigning itself after the Great Fire, and typically British bureaucracy resulted in them just rebuilding the same mess? That was in the late 17th century, about the same time as our NE cities were founded. Cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have a lot of charm, esp compared to places like Birmingham.
I'd agree if you're talking about LA, though. It's like a time-capsule of 1970s tastelessness.
Sean complaining about America sounds a lot like Clarkson.
Hates people who hate traffic wardens!!!??? You broke my heart Sean...
It has an arbitrary definition.
Especially west of the Mississippi, whatever initial planning there was has long since been overrun by expansion.
As someone who was born and raised on a cul-de-sac overlooking a canyon with an interstate freeway running through it in southern California, I am baffled that actual urban planning is coming in for criticism. I mean, obviously, criticize whatever you like, but I would have thought the soulless sprawl would be a much more natural target.
Sean recently visited America with Jon Richardson. Sean seems to be having a good time with the Cajuns. Just one of the many cultures in America. I think Sean was playing off of a general dislike of the wars when he ranted on Americans. And I think his generalizations are satirical. I hope so. It annoyed me that some people in the audience applauded. I wonder where in America Sean had actually visited when this show was taped. It wasn't my neighborhood.
There is actually a beautiful concrete building in Rome, called Oculus, i believe. Built by the ancient romans. So there is at least one.
"....a bulldog licking piss off a nettle."
@rebelbiscuit So true, it seems to be like living in one big office block, partitions and all.
Difference is he gave reasons.
4:10 I've never seen Paul laugh like that before.
telling a person to go to 7th and 20th would still rely on them having A) a good understanding of the city and B) actually knowing where those streets are and where they cross. Therefore, in that respect, it seems to me as if the grid system is far more labour intensive, and requires the understanding of a taxi driver for it to work effectively. With a map, you have none of that crap. You can where you are, and where you need to go, and it's simple. Same goes for satnavs.
As an anthropologist I would have to say that it most certainly doesn't.
This is probably before QI because they have been on the panel together a couple of times
That makes no difference because we're arguing the linguistic value of the use of "race" in this context, not the scientific boundaries between races. I mean if phrases like "the human race" are correct, and race describes different types or breeds of human, then surely the value of the word's parameters is variable.
Clarkson is almost never serious though, if he's irritating he's being tongue in cheek.
Yeah it is, Andrew Collins.
You'd think if Sean was in New York City, it wouldn't have been too hard for him to find the nearest English pub using the ever so efficient grid system where they would have happily served him his meat pie with a smile while he winged about having to count and know the cardinal directions.
your street names just seem wrong to those of us who have actual names for streets, as opposed to numbers. even coming from a grid system, it feels off.
Having just watched and adored "Peter's Friends" here on RUclips, I can tell you that we have something of a case of what in cross-cultural communication is called "the iceberg problem". Yes, there is a lack of geographic knowledge here in the US. But the majority of the time, those stereotypes are treated by thoroughly educated Americans as the running gags they are usually presented as. We don't take them seriously. But it is quite interesting that you don't mention what we DO.
thats not irony, its hypocrisy
@IonizedRasputin Wrong! There was a case of "cowboy" traffic wardens a few years back in south London, as reported on ITV news. A man who'd checked his car was parked legally continued 2 get tickets, then threats from the firm telling him he had "outstanding fines". London Tonight tracked down the private firm (which therefore wouldn't have even raised funding 4 council) who were too chicken 2 even leave their office or show their faces 4 the news.
Correction Sean is on of the best in the WORLD!
Well, a grid system is inarguably something good, as it makes it easy to navigate an incredibly dense city. In NY, you don't give people directions, you just tell them the cross street. You don't need a map to know how to get to 7th and 20th st.
Basically, you're saying the objective benefits are less important than your subjective preferences, and that's silly. "Charm" is very personal - your nostalgia for certain attributes of your childhood city is not a convincing argument.
race 1 (rs)
n.
1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.
2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.
3. A genealogical line; a lineage.
4. Humans considered as a group.
The Oxford English Dictionary doesn't even define "race" in this context.
I put it to the community that we use the word "Haplogroup" from now on.
Well it's actually two. North & South America. So if you want to get into semantics you're wrong as well. :)
@Vault101Reject You're probably not a fan of Have I got News For You either, right?
I mean, that place where you were raised sounds like hell to me. With that canyon, the views won't be fantastic and I imagine the traffic noise will be both persistent and annoying. No, personally, I'd take the little English village I was born in any day.
That is the big difference between American cities and British ones. Where American cities were designed, cities like London have grown over millennia so - outside of individual buildings - the vast majority of it wasn't "designed" at all and I'd take that over soulless design of some American cities.
There is good and bad in all culture's.
Were they playing bjork's play dead when he was in the plane?
Thanks, I do.
That's like saying that "blond" has no biological meaning. A "race" is simply a set of features that are often present together in humans, due to different groups having lived in separate isolation for long periods.
I agree with Sean. Sure, there are likely some instances where there are corrupt or pedantic traffic wardens, but a lot of the complaints are from idiots who think that it's okay to park on the double yellows for "only five minutes". No, they're double yellows for a reason!
@rainfallshard The points he was making are still sweeping generalisations, they may be based on experiences like "I went there recently," but he's just following the popular opinions about Americans.
I spent months travelling the US, and what I found was that there were nice people AND idiots, just like here in the UK.
You can't judge an entire nation based on a few experiences. Experiences which Locke didn't share to back him up, all we got was "I went there recently."
I don't know, I think it is pretty representative of Ancient Greece to have a bit of meat between two buns.
It surprises me that Sean Lock would describe himself as middle class. He's a liberal and not a tabloid reader but he always seemed fairly working class to me..!
Thom Harrison Fuck the class system anyway.
Thom Harrison With the money he's earning (and fair play to him), it would be a tad' crass of him to call himself working class. Class is bullshit anyway, I speak posh but I'd rather have a coke than a fine wine, and as I like to say in classy restaurants, 'My compliments to the chef for the 7 up.'
Thom Harrison Just a small point, some people define class differently, some define it by manners, others by wealth, some a mixture, so it's difficult to say. I've met rich people where rats have more decorum.
I tend to speak about class in cultural/aesthetic terms. I'd regard myself as middle-class, but I earn a lot less than so many plumbers, builders, etc. I'd possibly even regard someone like Sir Alan Sugar as working class, despite the fact he's super-rich.
Thom Harrison Yeah I see what you mean, people speak more about class in regards to how somebody conducts themselves, as you say culturally/aesthetically. I'd regard Sir Alan Sugar as working class too, The notion of class is a bit ambiguous now I guess.
10:00
clarkson mode, ON.
xD
tbf, the UN doesn't distinguish between race and country in terms of racism
Lock and Clarkson were on a QI episode together S3E7. A few time during it Lock comments to make Clarckson look stupid.
Hey paddy9i99, (below) apart from Sean Lock do you have any other friends?
minor correction that 4 was supposed to be a 3. Good day :)
@lilmale Thank you. There's a reason I watch British comedy on RUclips all day when I have a TV in my room, but it makes me feel sad when my favorite comedians hate my silly country. Sorry about the McDonalds.
does anyone know the song at the beginning?
is it just me or do they bleep the word "put" or "pour" and leave the word "shit" at 1:58?
@gullivera It sounded like he was giving an account from experience to me. You might not agree with him, but he was just saying what he didn't like about having been.
could be the new Arthur Askey
Sean Locke attacking Americans based on stereotypes immediately after criticising Jeremy Clarkson for doing the same to the French! Lol, does he have the memory of a goldfish?
He's still funny though.
Check out The Real Man's Road Trip.
And when I talk about popular opinions, I mean its very fashionable and popular to bash Americans, but just because somethings popular doesn't mean its right.
Agreed.
Sad that the cancer he spoke about came back and took him
Britain is the island.
IRONY? Heard of it?
Calm down dude!! LMFAO :p