British Culture

I'm a Yank. What do I know?

But you have to understand British culture if you are going to understand the royals. Your own culture. Anything. Culturally, we are fooling ourselves if we think the Empire is dead. We do not even understand Hollywood if we do not understand British culture. Are you kidding? Patrick Stewart. Sean Connery. Alicia Silverstone, for Pete's sake. Come on.

We only have the nerve to run Married...with Children over here because they have Monty Python. We only run 90210 because they run Coronation Street. And, most importantly, we only pick on our head of state because they pick(ed?) on theirs. (Pardons and curtsies, Yer Lizness. I'm sure you know what I mean.) We're colonial children over here. Nanny has to tell us how it's done.

Back button's right there.

Diana was applauded for wearing purple when she visited Chicago (and no, I don't mean when they saw her at Harold's Chicken Shack with Elvis) for a reason. And yes, I am well aware that Northwestern's colors are purple and white, and that's where she was visiting. But, c'mon, the level of adulation over a newly-divorced, tarnished Princess of Wales was a little too intense for you guys to pass off that "charm and charity work" routine one more time. Mother Teresa whupped her in both; y'know, that gnomish charm that carried the Volkswagen Beetle for all those decades? Point made. We wouldn't have been more pleased if she'd whipped the Imperial State Crown out of that little clutch of hers and plopped it on her hairdo. Might as well have been a coronation.

Anyhow. You see what I mean. Maybe three tribes buried in the heart of the jungle who have never seen asphalt have remained untouched by British culture. It behooves us all to understand it. Plus which, they make this glorious cheese. Do these great science-fiction shows. And write, still write, these awesome books. And how do you do a Brit culture page without putting in Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Milton? Not to mention Geri, Emma, Mel C, Mel B, and Victoria?

Oh well. Let's go on. At certain points, you may notice my sections overlap. I may talk about music here rather than in the music section. Use the same projection techniques I may discuss in the skating section to discuss the impact of certain royals. It's all interdisciplinary. It's all one.

Well, at least that's what they told me.

Good sites to ponder while I'm doing other things on this site:

Dr Dave's UK Pages
Tudor.simplenet.com
Flying Rhino

I'll have more later. As usual.

Have fun.

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some essays for your enjoyment

Britain.



Isn't this fun?