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British Problems

When I first saw Very British Problems by Rob Temple, I was instantly blown away. This is a show where comedians and celebrities talk about what makes Brits so uncannily odd, so weirdly and hilariously self-contained and polite even if their ship is sinking in the middle of the Atlantic with no rescue around. And they even try to explain why they like queues, a cup of tea that can be the remedy to almost anything in the world, or how their manners change in a fraction of a second when they find themselves behind the steering wheel. Not only that, but also their politely wrapped ambiguous opinions about almost anything – the mastery behind their way to reservedly invite you over for a cuppa sometime in the future, without telling the exact date or expecting you to show up, or inquiring about your wellbeing not giving a monkey’s about how you feel, or, and most people in the world don’t get it, how important it is for them to make small talk, most probably about the famously rainy English weather. As if it were an infinite topic. And I find it terrifyingly amusing how they hide their feelings but still play with emotions in their series.  

No wonder I instantly bought How to be a Brit and English Humour for Beginners by George Mikes – Mikes György, the way we use names here in Hungary – when Apple Books recommended them. I’d never heard of this gentleman before. He was born in Hungary in 1912 and was sent to England for a couple of weeks in 1938 to serve as the London correspondent for two Hungarian newspapers. One year before the outbreak of the Second World War, he decided not to return to his homeland. Quite understandably, I’d say. I reckon he was fascinated by British culture, its oddities, and the renowned self-deprecating humour so much that he collected these peculiarities and compiled them into books. I haven’t finished them yet, I’m at the New Ruling Class chapter in How to be a Brit, and it’s hard to put down.

https://www.verybritishproblems.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mikes
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