Spitting Image at 30 - Newsnight
Vložit
- čas přidán 24. 02. 2014
- Anthony Wall, editor of the BBC's Arena programme, has just finished a documentary about Spitting Image. Newsnight asked him to reflect on the programme's legacy.
"Taken from Newsnight and using footage from the BBC4 Arena documentary Whatever Happened to Spitting Image.."
![Spitting Image on Newsnight [25 02 2014]](/img/n.gif)
2014: "In the 80s, your enemy was mad and bad and plain in view. Satirists today have to fire at more oblique targets."
What a difference six years has made.
Perhaps it's not surprising Spitting Image is back.
In this day and age I have to ask; Who are you getting at? Or is that the point?
@@chriswilson3126 I don't think you have to ask that, but your asking suggests there's a selection of figures one might choose from
@@chriswilson3126 Well as far as characters in modern UK politics that are easy to satarise, there is a selection from both sides. On the right you have Farage and Johnson and the left Corbyn and a plethora of activists. In the early 2010's politicians were often criticised for all having fairly similar personalities and views, with Miliband emulating many Tory policies and One Nation Conservatism incorporating many of Labour's progressive reforms. Now politics has become a lot more stark for better or worse, as the two major parties and their voter bases have shifted closer to their respective poles. Boris Johnson is a traditional Eton raised conservative with a pompous accent and the bad habit of saying the first thing that comes to his mind, whilst the ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is a shaggy old man who promised free wifi to all and a host of poorly thought through pledges in hopes of winning the 2019 election. Satirists however, now have the issue of creating crazier parodies then ever befoee to stay relevant. I feel as if that is why the new Splitting Image series has been met with poor ratings as it's need to seem more outlandish has only removed it's nuance.
It also shows society does change in waves. There really was less relevance for satire for about 20 years. Sadly, we're in a new golden age for satire as things have regressed so badly.
Can you imagine today's politicians and "celebrities' being ripped apart on Spitting image? Johnson,Rees Mogg,Corbyn,Trump, Sturgeon,Foster,Abbott,May,Farage,Cowell,Rooney,etc etc. It would be amazing. Bring it on.
Just as an aside, it had a spiritual successor called 2DTV which dealt with the early 2000's. Didn't catch on at all, but was just as good, look it up.
@@Hysteria98 I remember 2DTV. Not bad but puppets work better than cartoons when it comes to ripping the piss
The Leftist clowns are a vastly more entertaining comedy than Israeli-shilled conservative party satire.
Not long to wait...
@@N75911_ ?
We need this show back to end the careers of some of today's politicians.
that's why they got rid of it.The social engineers wouldn't be able to cope
GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!!!
@@spyrofan9681 What is it, professor?
@@toyotaprius79 Spitting Image has been revived for the 2020 season, photo's of several prototype puppets are already available to see and a pilot has been filmed.
I vote for the us congress as sheep
THEY NEED TO BRING THIS BACK
What was that similar CGI show they did a few years back? That was supposed to be a new spitting image. Wisely they didnt use the name as I think everyone would have been pissed off that they didnt use puppets.
ianucci Headcases. And the puppetry one they did recently was Newzoids. Both were pretty average.
It's back but on britbox
God that puppet of thatcher is scary
The original was scarier.
Alex Cros A monstrosity the original was.
Hah, you should see the one for Tony Blair
she was much scarier in real life.... morons and racists will of course look back very fondly of maggie. cunts.
@@Cryptokat seems like someone forgot about Tonny Blair and calls every one who has a different opinion fascists
“Hello, how marvellous to talk down to you” - thatcher
It warms my heart all this. Magnificent. They're back. Real comedy isn't dead yet.you can't kill the human spirit
These puppets scared the shit out of me as a kid and it’s brilliant! Great news that it’s coming back, wonder what it will be like.
Accurate.
I lived in England in the 80s and remember this well. Seeing these faces that I haven't thought of in years like Tebbit and Kinnock brings back memories.
The world needs comedy and quick!
Comedy died long ago. People are not prepared to hear anyone having the piss taken out of them anymore. Try writing a decent quality comedy today and you’d have to go through your script about 100 times and then get an editor to double check it just in case you upset some little snowflakes out there who are just waiting for the chance for their 15 minutes of fame and make it bbc newsworthy racist accusations against. Someone will probably be upset that I’ve pointed that out lol.
@@Eleventhearlofmars Tell that to Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boil etc
Kingsman I said comedy?!
@@Eleventhearlofmars Yes but _comedy_ is an umbrella term, what you or I consider to be *comedy* is purely subjective. The idea that comedy is long dead just isn't true EG The Office, The IT Crowd, The Inbetweeners etc. That's a bit like saying "...music of today is shit because in my day, it was proper music and so much better..." when in truth, it's just different.
Take Laurel and Hardy which, in _my opinion_ are the finest pair of comedians to have graced the screens. I think they are hilarious but my daughter thinks they are crap, not even remotely funny.
Spitting image was brilliant. Bring it back.
An American version is to be shown in America but it won't touch how good ours was.
The Spitting Image Genesys music video was cool. It got a lot of play on MTV... 🇬🇧
Bring back the benny hill show too. I mean it was one of the best shows ever made.
Bevis and butthead do politics in the UK... Ermmm okk I'm the great cornhollio I need pee per for my bung hole
Absolutely Brilliant Outstanding
Memorable, So Missed The Spitting Image, I Still Often Wonder Of It's Return Back To Our Screens Again
It’s back on in couple of weeks on BritBox, you can watch the trailer
Full episodes are on CZcams
Aswell
New episodes of Spitting Image have returned to TV this year. Some bits are already on CZcams.
"hello, how marvelous to talk down to you". I nearly hurt my stomach laughing at that. Brilliant would be an understatement 😂😂😂😂👏👏👏👏
and the funny thing is the guy she was talking down to was Steve Nallon the voice of Margaret Thatcher on Spitting Image
I just started watching this show about a month ago. Its genius. I had no idea that Spitting Image was so old. Very cool
It was criminal that spitting image stopped just before Blair came to power. All those walking caricatures in his cabinet, it was screaming out for the spitting image treatment:
Gordon Brown, Frank Dobson, Robin Cook, David Blunkett, Jack Straw, John Prescott, Alistair Darling, Margaret Beckett, Harriet Harman, Mo Mowlam, Clair Short and, of course, Blair himself with his pet Gerbil (I mean Goebbels) Peter Mandelson.
Their back czcams.com/video/n0JTta67aUE/video.html
@drdavid They did Greta Thunberg does it get more left then that? They also did Pelosi and a lot of artists. Just stop with this stupid dividing bullshit that's going around. The world isn't divided in left and right, that comes mostly from Trump's lala land so he can grab power again.
@drdavid We have way more parties here in the Netherlands some are left in local politics and right for immigration. But if I read comments on CZcams video's of American issues they react like "Your not right so you must be left", that's why I reacted a bit harsh because that is just not true.
Even the current leading party in the Netherlands that is considered a right wing party here would be considered left wing to Americans so it's not that simple.
I think spitting image is doing the comedy just right without offending the politics but more playing it on the persons. And most media leans a bit to the left as that comes from trying to keep an open view on things. It's just easier to target the prejudice of some of the right's conservatism.
@@AndreVanKammen >>"Just stop with this stupid dividing bullshit that's going around. "
Sadly, it's never going to stop. Small-minded tribalism is at the root of politics, and you don't get much smaller than a colour divided binary - easy consumption for idiots.
Blair, Brown, Cook, Prescott, Blunkett, Beckett and Mandelson appeared in the show but near the end of its runtime as opposition MPs
Welcome back Spitting Image!
What the world needs now, is satire, sweet satire...
(And check out that very young Ian Hislop talking head!)
I love spitting image!! We need it now more than ever
Glad it's coming back. We need it *now* more then ever.
I loved this. I wish it would come back. An American version is to be shown in America but it won't be the same.
Copycats of British shows are just terrible
General Zucc Indeed, look at ‘Sanford And Son’ 🙄 WTF??
That "healthy contempt" has been sadly lacking for too long.
Princess ナコルル I
If we hadn't lost it the mob we have now would not be so out of control.It might be the best weapon we have to regain our freedoms .
OMG Just read in paper that this incredible iconic show IS RETURNING!! I'M SO PLEASED. Can't wait to see it!
I guess Jearmy paxman dosnt talk about his puppet.
I thought the same thing. His editors went out of their way to show it multiple times, but deafening silence from him.
Yyyyeeeeeeesss.
They should really do something with the Paxman puppet and University Challenge, in the same way Saint & Greavsie did it with Jimmy Greaves' puppet when he was ill one week and couldn't make it to the TV studio for filming. It was classic.
Yes he does
Pacman, puppet, says it all.
And for us who worked and raised families in the nightmare of the Thatcher years ,especially in the North of England ,this was the one programme that showed that someone in the broadcasting industry was really on our side .And yet I think ,who was worse ,the beastly Thatcher ,or the pathetic Kinnock?.
Roy Hattersley
Love love love the old spitting image.
We need this more than ever
*This needs to be revived!*
*Desperately!* 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Anyone watching this in 2020???
I'm glad they're back!!
Great it's coming back, needed.
2:25 I remember that rectangular pattern in the top right hand corner when the programmes were about to have a commercial break.
Those Guys who made the puppets, should have got 'Oscars'!
trust the BBC to have a tribute for an ITV show! More respect then the progenitor
it's coming back on britbox this autumn and i can't wait!
2019...it's now official....Spitting Image is returning.
No it isn't. An American version is to be shown in America.
Laura Walker No it isn’t
It is
Who else is getting recommended this since the new one came out
ahhhh.... the good old days!
Spitting image was great. I used to love that show.......better times to.
Im looking forward to seeing the new show coming soon.
The John Major in Spitting Image scared the shit out of me as a kid
My entire creative respect to the creators what a brilliant idea., with all its shades of biting humor.
That slap 1:02 jesus christ im in tears lol
Spitting Image was bloody brilliant
That takes me back
I would love this show back
We need this show back.
An American version is to be shown in America but it won't touch how good ours was
This has to come back for today
Can anyone tell me which series and episode 2:29 is from?
Rhys Benjamin its the end scene from the 1987 election special
It’s back on tv....new series October 2020
The first time I saw spitting image was in 1989 and I loved it.
this looks like a great show
One of the best comedies ever! 😆👏😜
It's back baby
I grew up with this right from 1984 funny then still funny today
I really love this it's funny 😃
Bring back spitting image God knows theres enough material out there.
GOOD NEWS czcams.com/video/n0JTta67aUE/video.html
Thats the difference between then and now.
Although it'd probably mostly Americans who sue...the Poms have a healthy sence of humor.
I really hope they stick it to Mrs Markle and her lapdog.
Spitting image is British...proves my point really.
The British enjoy a good joke even if its at their own expense.
For the most part they arent snowflakes like their American cousins.
The Americans dont have anything that compares to Spitting Image or the Goon Show...not even close.
With them it's all politically correct sitcoms.
Boring as f$&k and predictable as Tuesday following Monday.
Good memories
A great show that should be resurrected.
its back n its brill
One of the funniest programmes ever, satire the only genre of comedy
02:10 probably one of the best moments in British Television history
I still wanted Paxman to say “Yyyyesss”
Was that a very, very young Ian Hislop I spotted from before the days of "Have I got news for you?"
A Koster think so!
Coming back on 3rd October!
So glad they’re bringing it back now, Britain post-Corbyn and post-referendum has so may extremities that it’ll work a trick.
It's back baby 😘
Is the Arena on BBC4 special from 2014 available on CZcams/stream/torrent/anywhere?
Will they just stop harping on about how this satire is over! It's NOT! If they put spitting image back on, it would be funnier than ever. Look at Trump! look at farage! look at May! look at JCJ! Look at marine le pen! bloody hell. If any time now, it would be funnier now than it would be ever before. get your act together! and be positive
boxeriain Corbyn, Sanders, Chavez, Clinton the list goes on.
boxeriain
Think we know your bollitics lol how about obama , Hilary Clinton , jess Phillips , jermery corbin, Boris Johnston, Diane abbot , Nicola sturgeon, Vince cable ( gift) ????
@John Bowkett
It's back.
Your wish is my command
SPITTING IMAGE, BRASS EYE, BREMNER, BIRD & FORTUNE are arguably the best and sharpest of British satire.
2DTV, HEADCASES, and NEWZOIDS all follow SPITTING IMAGE's legacy but didn't last too long.
Wish I grew up on the SPIT but I was a tad too young for this programme in the day because of the 15-cert and adult humour.
It was great
"Nigel pinched my pen." 😂😂😂😂😂
It was amazing to think Thatcher was played by a man, Steve Nallon
Pretty sure that's him sitting on the bench saying he's unemployed.
@@oldtimer5111
Yes, it is him.
Love it, Love it . If got a John Major.
You don’t need spitting image today - they are all a joke already.
The show or the people they make fun of? Because so much for the show to attack.
@@devilslayerthesaintofkille1317 I guess the people, these politician nowadays.
Bro that’s the point of the show 😂
Phoenix Coleman
Back when it started Politicians etc managed to make it look like they lived respectable sensible lives. SI ripped that apart.
But now we see them all for the greedy stupid liars that they are....
Agreed - In fact Splitting Image would appear extremely serious compared to todays political reality.
The Master Ship of the British comedi. ! ! !
"Tatcher's was the most popular and unpopular of governments"
Boris Piffle-waffle - "Hold my beer!"
She knew about her pedophile cabinet and brushed it under the carpet!.
Leather Jacketed Norman Tebbit rocked.
:)
3:38 what's Jezza Corbyn doing?
Peter Davies nah chap he’s the one that wants to stop selling weapons to the Saudis
❤️
5:31 Amazing the realism of the modern Spitting Image puppets!
I'm surprised the narrator hasn't fallen asleep reading his own lines.
We want a spitting brexit immage special.
You mean a Spitting Imagine Brexit Special. I agree.
This was the best episode of tooth and ears to date. Lol
chris was rockin it .. xx
Spitting image can replace the BBC!! I'll start paying your licence then
It became a badge of honour. The worst fate that could befall a politician was NOT to have a puppet
Wish they would bring it back they would have a field day
The thumbnail borders on uncanny valley and then when you start the video you get that terrifying shot of Thatcher 😂💔 this video was quite a ride lol
We need Maggie now.
I expect to watch this mentioned on the crown next season
Spitting image so needs to return 2020 alone as so much they could make so many seasons 🤣
When Spitting Image is aired this Autumn which news story will it be? 1) Spitting Image is racist as they are making fun of black people by exaggerating their features. 2) Spitting Image is racist as they have no black characters.
Andrew Davies but it would be racist
Today’s BLM SJW Twittermob crowd absolutely, positively NEED to have the urine mercilessly extracted from them. They take themselves FAR too seriously. People who can’t laugh at themselves don’t deserve to be taken seriously. Either scream with laughter, or stop screaming.
@Edgy-Big-Boi lol thats my point 👍
Oh, grow up.
@@matthewjones4423 instead of growing out. Like your mum
Paraphrasing the late Vladimir Putin:
Anyone who does not miss the eighties, has no heart. Anyone who wants to bring them back, has no brain.
Loved this show, it could be vicious against the politicians
Omg at 3:50 that's a young Ian Hislop.
Has anyone got that pilot from August 1983?
Maggie thatcher telling her son to stop biting his nails was sooooo funny
From Aristophanes in ancient Greece, via Gillray in the 18th century, and through to Spitting Image in the 20th century, satire (brilliant satire) was par for the course. Now, things are so sanitised it's unbelievable.
3:56 got a chuckle out of me!
I remember John major having like a small satellite coming out of the side of his head. Was that just one of the episodes or another Mandela effect? Or maybe just some F'd up dream I had lol.
I can't even imagine growing up with the surname Fluck.