# Diana being in the top 10 Greatest Britains of all time. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 1, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803 "2002-11-01T06:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/101 "2002-11-04T18:50:43Z")
I have to admit, **I** used to think all Brits were stiff-upper-lip, tea sipping, tweed wearing, pocket watch carrying, “Cheerio, my good sir”, wankers. But then I saw a news story on soccer hooligans. It changed my whole perspective. Now I realize that all Brits are _drunk_ and _violent_ tea sipping, tweed wearing, pocket watch carrying, “Cheerio, my good sir”, wankers. Jolly fine head-butt there, old chap. Would you care for a wee touch of gin before I break the bottle over your head? ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/102 "2002-11-04T19:58:44Z")
Lib, I accept your apology and offer you mine. Lets move on. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/103 "2002-11-04T20:30:21Z")
**Lib** , I accept your apology and offer you mine. Lets move on. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/104 "2002-11-04T22:13:07Z")
Well, it could be worse; **Lib** could have taken his impressions of Brits from _Some Mothers Do 'ave 'em_. You guys would be amazed at the shows that get rebroadcast in the US. The government-supported public channels recycle just about every Brit sitcom, from the wonderful Red Dwarf to the boring Keeping Up Appearances. BBC America is a principal offender in this area: they’ll show old Monty Python, Ab Fab, and _The Thin Blue Line_ episodes into infinity, but do they ever show anything good, like _The Bill_? Ha! This will come as a sad revelation to you lot, but most Americans get their idea of how Britons behave from old episodes of _Are You Being Served?_. You guys need to start sending over more cop shows and dramas so Americans will think of male Brits as PC Cameron Tate, and not as Mr. Humphries. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/105 "2002-11-04T23:50:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beeblebrox \* > I have to admit, **I** used to think all Brits were stiff-upper-lip, tea sipping, tweed wearing, pocket watch carrying, “Cheerio, my good sir”, wankers. But then I saw a news story on soccer hooligans. It changed my whole perspective. > > Now I realize that all Brits are _drunk_ and _violent_ tea sipping, tweed wearing, pocket watch carrying, “Cheerio, my good sir”, wankers. > > Jolly fine head-butt there, old chap. Would you care for a wee touch of gin before I break the bottle over your head? Funny you should say that **Beeble** - what surprised me most about the Atlanta Olympics was that the flame wasn’t shaped like a cross. 😃 **gobear** There have been lots of threads about British TV shown in America. I’ll assume that favourable references to Benny Hill have been made sarcastically, but you’re the first I’ve spotted who thinks _Keeping Up Appearances_ and _Are You Being Served?_ are a pile of crap, whereas most British people of my acquaintance think that. I wouldn’t let them see the light of day if it was up to me. _The Bill_ seems to be all about sexual controversy these days, but maybe we should send over the back catalogue? ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/106 "2002-11-05T00:00:54Z")
Thank you. Now this England-born, America-raised hybrid can sit down and watch Monday Night Football while eating toad in the hole in peace!😉 And no comments about spotted dick, not even from you, **gobear**! :tries to look fierce: 😃 CJ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/107 "2002-11-05T08:38:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Yes. I hereby apologize to all whom I’ve offended. I’ll make an effort in the future to form my opinions about people based upon my own interactions with them rather than upon what I hear about them \*\* Nicely done. I offer my own apology, for being far too touchy and quick to anger on what was just a personal account of the effect someone had on your views - sorry. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/108 "2002-11-05T09:08:43Z")
What **Gary** said. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/109 "2002-11-05T11:11:11Z")
Right now that we’re all friends again. Back to the OP. In this non-Brit’s opinion Diana has no place what so ever in a list of the top 10 Britons of all time. While everyone will never agree that all the other 9 should be there a good case can be made for them being there. Di may have been a nice person who found herself in a position where she could do some good. So have a lot of people. Only a :wally would vote for her as No.1. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803/110 "2002-11-06T03:01:04Z")
In defence of _Are You Being Served_: I happened to catch an episode not long ago which contained the following scene: They are all out at a very posh restaurant on a staff-do, seated around a large table. A waiter approaches Mrs Slocombe. \*waiter (bowing):\*Good evening Madam, a nice _aperitif?_ \*Mrs Slocombe (looking flattered):\*Yes, and they’re all my own Comedy gold. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diana-being-in-the-top-10-greatest-britains-of-all-time/134803.md?page=5)