# "Cunk on Earth" mockumentary on Netfilx **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** netflix, documentary-bio\ **Created:** [February 2, 2023, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201 "2023-02-02T10:01:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/1 "2023-02-02T10:01:15Z")
Ya like science shows about the the history of the human race, going back the Neanderthals and later, like the cave paintings at Lascaux? Who doesn’t? Ya like Spinal Tap? This show, starring Dianne Morgan (if you are in the UK you may know her, I have just discovered her) had me cracking up Just one quote,- The ancient Greeks invented lots of things that we still have today, like medicine and olives. And lots of things that have died out, like democracy. The ancient Greeks also invented culture, in the form of yogurt, and theatre, in all it’s tedious forms Edit- well not as funny reading it, you have to watch the show ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/2 "2023-02-02T10:15:10Z")
I agree that it is wonderfully irreverent and quite funny, though it wears out after a few episodes: the pattern is predictable. Still made me chuckle. I like the interviews with experts, mostly from academia. She asks completely absurd questions, it’s nice to see how they react. The best are IMO the ones that say what she asks is profoundly true, in a way, and actually very interesting. That is a defense against stupidity that I must remember. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/3 "2023-02-02T10:18:23Z")
It is all in the delivery. You might want to look up some her earlier stuff for Charlie Brooker, particularly “moments of wonder” Some gems from the [“time”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvpbW7JRu0Q) episode. > “what is clocks” and even better > “the is the famous Greenwich Marillion line, named after the band Marillion, who are named after this line” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/4 "2023-02-02T11:49:33Z")
Diane Morgan is a master of deadpan, and a perfect vehicle for Charlie Brooker’s wittering. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/5 "2023-02-02T13:15:00Z")
I love this show. Dianne Morgan is hilarious, and I like that they cut the scene before it gets too cringy. Plus, there really are nuggets of historical information and beautiful footage. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/6 "2023-02-02T13:22:56Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > I like that they cut the scene before it gets too cringy Agreed, the absurdity is best in small increments. I still want to know why we were at war with the cows, and who won. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/7 "2023-02-02T13:35:43Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Agreed, the absurdity is best in small increments. This is a really interesting difference from Sacha Baron Cohen. For him, a lot of the humor is in taking the scene far into cringe, to the spiders-crawling-on-your-skin point. I can appreciate that, but I don’t want terribly much of it. Cunk cuts quickly, and I can take a lot more of it. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/8 "2023-02-02T14:11:21Z")
Philamena Cunk is in effect Charlie Brookers vehicle for a bit of comedy, his background was much more that than Black Mirror, which he’s famous for now. She’s appeared in every News/Weekly/Year XXX Wipe episode, alongside Barry Shitpeas, commenting on various topical things, this was presented by Brooker. Her first series was Cunk on Britain, which you can find episodes on youtube. My favourite, deeply sick, moment, I’m trying to locate, just sums her up: a idiot with insight who’s not paying attention half the time and off in her own world. [This sequence here which ends with a story about her mate Paul](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc4evkC33rs?t=23m49s). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/9 "2023-02-02T15:02:45Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Her first series was Cunk on Britain, In which she takes you “right up the history of United Britain of Great Kingdom.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/10 "2023-02-02T20:15:46Z")
I just spotted it. I’ve loved her deadpan humor. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/11 "2023-02-02T20:34:25Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > Plus, there really are nuggets of historical information and _beautiful footage._ Seeing her travel the world, I observed to my wife, “Man, they have a huge budget for a one-joke show.” ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/12 "2023-02-02T21:27:02Z")
A very worthy successor to Kenneth Clark and Jacob Bronowski. Her ‘Cunk on Everything: Encyclopedia Philomena’ is available as an audiobook, so you can enjoy her on the move too. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/13 "2023-02-02T21:42:04Z")
Remember the wise words of Aristotle, “Dance like no one is watching.” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/14 "2023-02-02T21:49:34Z")
I saw a very brief clip from this show in a YouTube video I watched, where Dianne Morgan was talking about the Globe Theater and said something along the lines of, “People actually came here to see plays on purpose.” It wasn’t the line that was so funny, it was the way she said it. I had no idea who she was or what it was from. But the OP’s description reminded me of it, and when I looked up her name, sure enough it was her. I’m probably going to have to watch this show now. This is clearly my kind of humor. It’s almost reminiscent of “Drunk History” which I also enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/15 "2023-02-02T22:33:38Z")
“Right. Who are you??” Can’t figure out how much the people being interviewed are in on the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/16 "2023-02-02T22:43:18Z")
Oh, they’re told ahead of time. Some are better at playing off her act than others is all. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/17 "2023-02-02T23:17:42Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > This sequence here which ends with a story about her mate Paul Hehehe, I love her stories about Paul. He seems like an interesting guy. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qrjV8sUf20c/maxresdefault.jpg "Philomena Cunk: My Mate Paul Compilation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrjV8sUf20c) ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/18 "2023-02-02T23:35:53Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > Her ‘Cunk on Everything: Encyclopedia Philomena’ is available as an audiobook, so you can enjoy her on the move too. My kids have the hard copy and their favourite quote is about the two types of dinosaurs. The “up and down” ones and the “across” ones. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/19 "2023-02-03T05:47:36Z")
Philomena Cunk reacting to the fact that nuclear weapons still exist. An entirely rational response. [Philomena Cunk finds out that nuclear weapons still exist - YouTube](https://youtu.be/5zabCBnUHLA) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201/20 "2023-02-03T06:02:28Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > “Man, they have a huge budget for a one-joke show.” Apropos to the last gag of the last episode. I liked the way she used Pac Man to explain what Columbus was attempting to do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunk-on-earth-mockumentary-on-netfilx/979201.md?page=2)