“ The Thick Of It “ is a mutant strain of British comedy. British comedy, particularly the kind that emerges out of Monty python-esque satire, has always had a kind of non-nationalistic pride within it. That is not to say anti-nationalist pride, but an inverted nationalism where the very ability to criticise the state becomes a point of reverence towards the state: we are “so proud of our nation, because we can call our ministers dickheads if we want to”. It is an inverted nationalism because despite its intent to scrutinise the state, it propagates all the tenets of nationalism and nurtures the quintessential British Exceptionalism that has dominated the Isles for so long; here, we can criticise our governors, everywhere else is barbarism. To be “fair”, Monty Python is a good example of a fairly exceptional case, being amongst the first comedians to make a public criticism against the establishment of the Church, even publicly debating ministers and priests. This was quite radical and rebellious, and their time in court did create a legal precedent that appears to benefit “freedom of speech”, quite comparable to the US State vs Gangsta Rap. Mock the Week is another example of this, and even current Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears several times on this panel show, but those appearances are worth an article of their own.
@ -165,4 +168,4 @@ I am you, and you are me.
Goolding Inquiry: Are you finished?
Malcom Tucker: I’m not finished, you didn’t finish me.
Malcom Tucker: I’m not finished, you didn’t finish me.
