samedi 2 octobre 2010

Having fun

Although they've been dominating the world of entertainment since the earty 20s, not all American comedians or artists did it out of America. Dany Kaye, Deanna Durbin, Abbott and Costello come to mind and many other thousands I don't know of by definition. 

Among them is the trio known as the Three Stooges which I thought were British the first time I heard of them. I guess Laurel and Hardy were too much of an act to let The three Stooges have their chance on the world scene.

Here is a short I chose at random but someone may propose another one deemed funnier, I have no idea.






And here is a French episode of the Un gars/Une fille tv serial which I am a fan of. This one must be my favorite...

27 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

Un gars/Une fille j'aime bien. (Pas que je comprends tous qu'ils disent.)

Mais les 3 stooges, ils m'énervent.

Ce que j'aime bien sont les Marx Brothers et surtout Grouch Marx dans You bet your life

Flocon a dit…

Anijo,

I have to leave right now but I'll make a transcript of the Un gars/Une fille episode (which comes from French Canada in the first place) for your eyes only ;-)

The Marx Brothers were an obvious choice of course (I must have seen all of their movies in another life) but I wondered how The Three Stogges would (or, still) fare among contemporary Americans.

The skit I "chose" didn't seem excruciatingly funny to me but what do I know?

Anyway I'm not sure whether the Three stogges were ever shown in Europe safe maybe in UK.

Your links will be posted on the other blog asap.

Anonyme a dit…

but I'll make a transcript of the Un gars/Une fille

So very considerate of you. Thank you so much Flocon!

The skit I "chose" didn't seem excruciatingly funny to me but what do I know?

Ah, so you had no interest in these ridiculous stooges. You were simply wanting to be polite and held back how you really felt.. Kind of you and yet unnecessary as you know.. ;)

Anonyme a dit…

Sur YouTube à ce moment.. John Coltrain (In a sentimental mood... beeaauutifulll...)

merci

Anonyme a dit…

You were simply wanting to be polite

You didn't have to be so nice

Flocon a dit…

Re the script, they're really wordy in this video and your command of French is such that I guess you caught the gist of the skit.

Now, if you're interested, you tell me the moments (2'45 for example) where a little help would be appreciated.

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I didn't know that song by the Lovin' Spoonful. Fair enough I know nothing about them... safe their name. Quick -> Wiki!

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Speaking of being nice... Here it is.

Ned Ludd a dit…

I could list a bunch of programs from my childhood days. I liked the Stooges, but they were a primitive Marx bros, like Anijo suggests.

One of the programs I loved was Soupy Sales.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8VtY_li3Sc&feature=related

Another was Rocky and Bullwinkle, especially their Fracture Fairy tales.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYiCM35V7_w&feature=related

There was also Sherman and the Wayback Macine, a name that now has been taken by a website to keep stored old and sometimes disappeared websites.

Flocon a dit…

Never heard of this Soupy Sales, there's nothing on French Wiki about him.

Also I had no idea someone could have a name like this. Ventes soupeuses...

I like the Goldilocks and the three bears...

Those two weren't to be seen in Europe but in UK maybe.

I remember the Flintstones being aired in France around 1964.

One French program for children that was extremely popular at that time was Le manège enchanté

But the one which became cult is Bonne nuit les petits (circa 1962)

Oh well...

Ned Ludd a dit…

At 2:45 in the Stooges tape, Moe says, "One of us says "nuts" and it's not me." Is that the part you mean?

Also, in your earlier post, it should be "save" not "safe". Just a little help.

One of the big hits of the Lovin' Spooful, even more than "Do You Believe in Magic", was "Summer in the City". I remember listening to that all the time on the car radio.

It was in that way like the Stones, "Satisfaction".

Anonyme a dit…

Bonne nuit les petits.. Que la nuit vous apporte à tous calme et tranquilité.. :)

Anonyme a dit…

The bear seems to be a tad drunk and smoking a pipe. Such a role model. My how times have changed..

Flocon a dit…

Ned,

A little misunderstanding here.

When I wrote 2'45 I chose an example of the moment in the Un gars une fille skit when Anijo could need a little help from her frineds. I could have chosen 1'38 or 6'07.

Actually what they say at 2'45 in the French episode should be no problem for Anijo, it was just a way to indicate to her how to let me know where she may have encountered some kind of difficulty to understand what is said.

And since you live in France you certainly know this serial.

Summer in the city, yes, that was a major hit in 1966 (thought it was later). I've never known what the lyrics were dealing with and now, 44 years later I'll do the research!


Save instead of safe???

Parle-t-on de la même chose?

"I know nothing about them... safe their name"

Je ne sais rien des Lovin' Spoonful sauf leur nom. Safe their name or are my neurones in a complete and irretrievable state of decay?

Je tombe régulièrement sur 2 façons d'écrire the 30s or the 30's.

Dans la presse (New York Times) c'est toujours 30s mais ici c'est 20's.

I remember Anijo once correcting SF for the wrong use of the 80's say.

So now I stick to the 80s.

There may be some difference with British english though...

Me not to know...

Flocon a dit…

Anijo,

Actually I've never seen the bear smoking but as you say, The Times They are a-Changin'.

Also I was 11 when Bonne nuit les petits was being broadcasted so it was no longer for my age. Nicolas et Pimprenelle were supposed to be 6 or 7 years old.

I have no souvenir of children programs by the end of the 50s. Maybe they were none?

Anonyme a dit…

30s is correct. 30's is incorrect. One might, however, say the '30s.

Flocon,
Here is an example of the percentage of what I don't understand from the first skit:

G=gars, F=fille, D=Daniel, AD=Amie de Daniel
?=j'avais pas compris

F: Voila

D: En tout cas c'est vraiment gentille a vous de m'heberger pendant un mois

G: ???

F: C'est tout à fait normale Daniel. C'est pas parce que tu ?? ma meillieure ami apres quatorze ans de mervielleux bonheurs que je t'en veux

G: ???

F: ? non, je suis très contente de rencontrer Chantal. Non? C'est pas ça?

AD: France

F: France.

AD: oui, c'est ça

F ?? d'habitude j'ai la mémoire de prenoms mais tiens c'est marrant, je retiens pas.

Flocon a dit…

D: En tout cas c'est vraiment gentil à vous de m'héberger pendant un mois

G: 'tends Daniel... ça... (la fille l'interrompt.)


F: C'est tout à fait normal Daniel. C'est pas parce que tu t'es séparé de ma meilleure amie après quatorze ans de merveilleux bonheur que je t'en veux.


F: Quoi? non, je suis très contente de rencontrer Chantal. Non? C'est pas ça?


F Excuse-moi, d'habitude j'ai la mémoire des prénoms mais tiens c'est marrant, je retiens pas.

Quand c'est écrit on se demande pourquoi on n'a pas compris la première fois :-(

Je crois que c'est parce que l'on s'imagine que c'est plus compliqué que ce n'est en réalité.

Je dois partir mais no problemo si tu veux encore une petite aide.

Anyway your listening/understanding skills are great, no doubt about it.

Anonyme a dit…

Quand c'est écrit on se demande pourquoi on n'a pas compris la première fois :-(

so true!

Je dois partir mais no problemo si tu veux encore une petite aide.

merci mille fois

Okay, for skit #2

G: tiens ça te dis?? pour du vin?

AD: ah, oui oui, je veux bien, oui

G: France, oui

AD: merci

D: Jean, j'en prendrai bien moi aussi s'il te plait

G: oui, bien sûr

F: alors, comment vous vous êtes rencontrer?

D: ah, ben écoute, dans un café internet

G: ah oui

F: ah bon

AD: ouais, ouais on s'envoyer des emails erotiques depuis 2 semaines et on s'étais jamais vu

F: ah, ouais, c'est ???

G: ah non, c'est c'est...

D: de ??? relire, c'est fantasme. Il faut vraiment assurer apres . Finalement (un soir de plein lune) (I had to listen to this a few times to get it!) on s'est donné rendezvous.

F: et alors?

AD: alors on a fait tout ce qui était écrit.

F: et bien, ah bon

G: c'est sympa

F: Jean, tu veux pas faire visiter la maison?

G: crois ???? maintenant? ???? en bas?

F: ben oui, le temps que???

G: ah, oui, pourquoi pas? vous voulez visiter la maison?

D: oui allez-y

G: alors, ben ??? maison ??? américaine. On va passer dan le salon

D: ???? ma chambre, tu vas voir on vas faire bcoup de bruit ????

F: hallo, jeannette. Oui, c'est moi. Je viens de voir une nouvelle copine de Daniel. Une vrai salope.

Ned Ludd a dit…

Flocon, ""I know nothing about them... safe their name". That could make sense in the idea that their name is safe from you knowing it.

But usually "save" in this context would be interpreted as "except"(sauf). So all you would know about them was their name.

So let's say it is ambiguous.

I always write decades with the apostrophe: the 80's. Some people write "the '80s" but we don't use both "the '80's". There are other uses of it that I always use that seem to have gone out of style. I can't think of them for the moment.

A good reference is the Merriam-Webster Concise Handbook for Writers.

Ned Ludd a dit…

Anijo, there is a satirical program not for children on Canal +, Groland.

In their new season, the presenter Moustic, has a table beside him with and ashtray and a cigarette butt visible and smoke coming up, probably from incense. It seems to be a slap at the various prohibitions on cigarettes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDmhnL-loWw&NR=1

Anonyme a dit…

Ned,
Interesting. I have a friend in France who smokes and he sent me a picture of himself and his friends in bar smoking cigarettes. This was after the ban on smoking in public places. It seems that the smokers in France are not as well behaved as the American smokers.

Flocon a dit…

vous devriez lire ses fantasmes...
(even for me it's hard to hear what D says)

G: alors, ben là vous avez donc la cuisine américaine. On va passer dans le salon

D: ???? ma chambre, tu vas voir on vas faire bcoup de bruit ????

Je vais t'faire visiter ma chambre tu vas voir on va faire beaucoup de bruit, ils ont insonorisé (not sure, the sound is hardly audible)

Anonyme a dit…

Thank you so much Flocon. This is a superb way to improve my listening skills in French.

Ned Ludd a dit…

Another program I loved as a child was "Crusader Rabbit and Rags the Tiger".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWwOT-jZonM

Notice it was done by Jay Ward. Because of his influence, you can see the letter "j" in many following cartoons. The most famous is Homer J. Simpson.

It seems that children's programs in the U.S. back then were more subversive than those I have seen from French tv. Correct me if I am wrong.

Flocon a dit…

Cute cartoon Ned,

"Correct me if I am wrong"

1°) You're never wrong
2°) You're right

Although I fail to see how much Crusader rabbit is subversive (but I may have seen too many Tex Avery cartoons) you're definitively right for French programs for children;

Since its inception, French television was under State control until privatisation started in 1986.

During the 60s and 70s French television could teach lessons to any eastern country, Poland, East-Germany you name them, re submission to any French government.

I don't know about American children programs of course and I stopped watching the French ones before I was 10 so I don't actually know what they were made of thereafter.

ZapPow will correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Dorothée was exactly being subversive...

I wrote a post on this topic last year.

Ned Ludd a dit…

Flocon, when I wrote "subversive" I think I meant more Rocky and Bullwinkle(also by Jay Ward)and Soupy Sales. I would also include Anijo's "You Bet Your Life" by Groucho. He would sometimes tell jokes that went over the heads of the candidates, but strangely not the audience.

Soupy got in trouble more than once with his producers. One New Year's Day he told the kids not to wake their parents up, but go into their bedroom and find green pieces of paper with pictures on them.

Some parents complained later and the head of programing called him in and asked if he had done it and how much he got. He said, "80,000 dollars". And that was in the 60's!

Somewhere on youtube there is a video of him explaining it. He got in trouble for a couple of other jokes that I forget for the moment.

Ned Ludd a dit…

Anijo, I know that there are some bars, especially in the countryside, that disobey the law, but the ones I frequent in Paris don't, but on the terrasses one can smoke. People inside go out on the street to smoke.

Flocon, I should have posted Crusade 1 episode 1 of Crusader Rabbit. CR attacks Texas because it has a law prohibiting rabbits. It can be read as a satire on racism and on anti-immigrant attitudes, and of course Texans.

There is even a deportation center where rabbits are imprisoned until their eviction, and a sign on a store saying "No Rabbits Allowed".

As to Gars/Fille though I have seen few episodes, I prefer Camera Cafe.

How do you make links blue so that they can be direct?

Ned Ludd a dit…

Flocon, here is another jazzman worth listening to, Jimmy Smith. I found out about jazz from him and had a couple of his records when I was a teenager.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqSLoxwkCYE#

Other records I later got were Miles Davis(Sketches of Spain) and Herb Alpert.

Flocon a dit…

Ned,

Je n'ai pas souvenir d'une émission pour enfants où il soit arrivé ce que tu racontes. La télé française était très contrôlée à cette époque.

This one must be the episode you refer to ("No Rabbits Allowed")

It's in episode #4, I'll watch the others from #1 to #7 (my homeworks)

A peu près à la même époque il était impensable que la télé française évoque pour les enfants quoi que ce soit de la guerre d'Indochine, de la guerre d'Algérie ou un quelconque thème d'actualité.

For what I remember, French programs for children were more educational oriented.

Un gars et une fille est beaucoup plus family oriented que Caméra Café dont j'ai dû voir presque tous les épisodes. Il y a cependant bcp d'épisodes avec beaucoup de very explicit sex-oriented scenes (in Un gars/Une fille). Don't know if that would be possible on contemporary American TVs?


Tous les épisodes de Caméra Café sont excellents et il y a véritablement un regard critique sur l'entreprise mais aussi sur le syndicalisme.

C'est très cynique, sadique, psychologiquement assez violent voire cruel. Mais c'est drôle anyway.



"How do you make links blue so that they can be direct?"

Ce sont des balises HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

Tu as ici une liste des principales balises.

Basically, you have to frame your texts with HTML Markup pages.


It's impossible to demonstrate here since these markups are invisible as soon as I try to use them.

Va sur la page des balises essentielles, paragraphe hyperliens (c'est le 5ème) et suis l'exemple donné à la première ligne (Lien vers une page Web).

N'oublies l'espace entre a et href.

Les balises pour les italiques et le texte en gras (bold) sont beaucoup plus simples.

Unless you're a geek you'll probably have to try again and again like I did some years ago...

Tu peux essayer as many times you want on this page since you can delete your texte each time it doesn't work.

Bon courage et ask me in case you can't, no problemo...