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?
Lib, I accept your apology and offer you mine. Lets move on.
Lib, I accept your apology and offer you mine. Lets move on.
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.
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?
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
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.
What Gary said. Sorry.
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.
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.