I am always shocked to hear that these sort of programmes are still aired as I haven’t watched TV for so many years.
How anyone could voluntarily watch such predictable, pedestrian content is beyond me.
If you want to learn about migrant crossings to Dover, druidism, afternoon tea or buying vintage clothes, YouTube is full of in-depth videos made by people who are actually involved and care about the subjects. And those videos don’t mess about setting the scene, re-capping what has happened so far, vox-poping “ordinary folk”, trying to set up tension or lecturing the viewer with bien-pensant opinion. And if you pay a sub, its ad-free.
If you want to understand sociological issues in modern Britain, get an UnHerd sub.
As for the presenter, I am barely aware of his existence so his “national treasure” status seems a bit of a reach.
You’ve not missed much overlooking Perry. I’ve seen a couple of documentaries/interviews of him and he’s remarkably dim, even by the standards of artists, who tend to plumb the depths of stupidity. He’s also very much a stereotype too, the English eccentric, but thinks he’s very different, which is quite amusing too.
Your opening sentence struck a chord, as I cancelled my TV licence 15 years ago, and TV on the rare occasions I glimpse it nowadays just seems utterly alien.
You’ve not missed much overlooking Perry. I’ve seen a couple of documentaries/interviews of him and he’s remarkably dim, even by the standards of artists, who tend to plumb the depths of stupidity. He’s also very much a stereotype too, the English eccentric, but thinks he’s very different, which is quite amusing too.
Your opening sentence struck a chord, as I cancelled my TV licence 15 years ago, and TV on the rare occasions I glimpse it nowadays just seems utterly alien.
Matt M
1 year ago
I am always shocked to hear that these sort of programmes are still aired as I haven’t watched TV for so many years.
How anyone could voluntarily watch such predictable, pedestrian content is beyond me.
If you want to learn about migrant crossings to Dover, druidism, afternoon tea or buying vintage clothes, YouTube is full of in-depth videos made by people who are actually involved and care about the subjects. And those videos don’t mess about setting the scene, re-capping what has happened so far, vox-poping “ordinary folk”, trying to set up tension or lecturing the viewer with bien-pensant opinion. And if you pay a sub, its ad-free.
If you want to understand sociological issues in modern Britain, get an UnHerd sub.
As for the presenter, I am barely aware of his existence so his “national treasure” status seems a bit of a reach.
Last edited 1 year ago by Matt M
ben arnulfssen
1 year ago
Which rather sums up why the English tend to regard the arts as the province of supercilious ponces, best ignored.
Interesting if depressing to see the false equation of “Englishness” with “multiculturalism”
Supercilious ponces! Nail on the head, Ben. Twee grant chasing regime propagandists dressing up as counterculture rebels and boosted by a similarly tame media
Supercilious ponces! Nail on the head, Ben. Twee grant chasing regime propagandists dressing up as counterculture rebels and boosted by a similarly tame media
ben arnulfssen
1 year ago
Which rather sums up why the English tend to regard the arts as the province of supercilious ponces, best ignored.
Interesting if depressing to see the false equation of “Englishness” with “multiculturalism”
Richard 0
1 year ago
Would Grayson Perry have ‘made it’ as an artist/commentator if he hadn’t started cross dressing? I doubt it. His art and commentary are bang on average (I’m being generous). Pull on a dress, get noticed, there’s the path to riches.
Richard 0
1 year ago
Would Grayson Perry have ‘made it’ as an artist/commentator if he hadn’t started cross dressing? I doubt it. His art and commentary are bang on average (I’m being generous). Pull on a dress, get noticed, there’s the path to riches.
Malcolm Webb
1 year ago
Excellent review. Thanks you. This is another good example of why I value Unherd.
Yeah, I thought this short piece was very well written (even though I’d never heard of Perry).
Malcolm Webb
1 year ago
Excellent review. Thanks you. This is another good example of why I value Unherd.
Hugh Bryant
1 year ago
Perry is proof of the adage that what you get from state sponsorship of the arts is state sponsored art.
Hugh Bryant
1 year ago
Perry is proof of the adage that what you get from state sponsorship of the arts is state sponsored art.
Steve Murray
1 year ago
I managed to watch just 10 minutes last night before coming to pretty much the same conclusion. I should declare my interests: i’m not a fan of his artwork, i simply find it trivial. I’ve not seen any of the other travelogues he’s made but wouldn’t go seek them out, either before or after this latest one in his homeland.
Perry typifies a certain type of English eccentricity, whilst he’d probably baulk at such typecasting. Good luck to him and i can admire him for living the lifestyle of his choice.
Steve Murray
1 year ago
I managed to watch just 10 minutes last night before coming to pretty much the same conclusion. I should declare my interests: i’m not a fan of his artwork, i simply find it trivial. I’ve not seen any of the other travelogues he’s made but wouldn’t go seek them out, either before or after this latest one in his homeland.
Perry typifies a certain type of English eccentricity, whilst he’d probably baulk at such typecasting. Good luck to him and i can admire him for living the lifestyle of his choice.
Richard Craven
1 year ago
I’ve always thought of him as one of those inexplicably patronising my-year-in-Provence Remainer types.
Richard Craven
1 year ago
I’ve always thought of him as one of those inexplicably patronising my-year-in-Provence Remainer types.
I am always shocked to hear that these sort of programmes are still aired as I haven’t watched TV for so many years.
How anyone could voluntarily watch such predictable, pedestrian content is beyond me.
If you want to learn about migrant crossings to Dover, druidism, afternoon tea or buying vintage clothes, YouTube is full of in-depth videos made by people who are actually involved and care about the subjects. And those videos don’t mess about setting the scene, re-capping what has happened so far, vox-poping “ordinary folk”, trying to set up tension or lecturing the viewer with bien-pensant opinion. And if you pay a sub, its ad-free.
If you want to understand sociological issues in modern Britain, get an UnHerd sub.
As for the presenter, I am barely aware of his existence so his “national treasure” status seems a bit of a reach.
Excellent comment, and hear hear.
Agreed.
Agreed.
You’ve not missed much overlooking Perry. I’ve seen a couple of documentaries/interviews of him and he’s remarkably dim, even by the standards of artists, who tend to plumb the depths of stupidity. He’s also very much a stereotype too, the English eccentric, but thinks he’s very different, which is quite amusing too.
Your opening sentence struck a chord, as I cancelled my TV licence 15 years ago, and TV on the rare occasions I glimpse it nowadays just seems utterly alien.
Excellent comment, and hear hear.
You’ve not missed much overlooking Perry. I’ve seen a couple of documentaries/interviews of him and he’s remarkably dim, even by the standards of artists, who tend to plumb the depths of stupidity. He’s also very much a stereotype too, the English eccentric, but thinks he’s very different, which is quite amusing too.
Your opening sentence struck a chord, as I cancelled my TV licence 15 years ago, and TV on the rare occasions I glimpse it nowadays just seems utterly alien.
I am always shocked to hear that these sort of programmes are still aired as I haven’t watched TV for so many years.
How anyone could voluntarily watch such predictable, pedestrian content is beyond me.
If you want to learn about migrant crossings to Dover, druidism, afternoon tea or buying vintage clothes, YouTube is full of in-depth videos made by people who are actually involved and care about the subjects. And those videos don’t mess about setting the scene, re-capping what has happened so far, vox-poping “ordinary folk”, trying to set up tension or lecturing the viewer with bien-pensant opinion. And if you pay a sub, its ad-free.
If you want to understand sociological issues in modern Britain, get an UnHerd sub.
As for the presenter, I am barely aware of his existence so his “national treasure” status seems a bit of a reach.
Which rather sums up why the English tend to regard the arts as the province of supercilious ponces, best ignored.
Interesting if depressing to see the false equation of “Englishness” with “multiculturalism”
Supercilious ponces! Nail on the head, Ben. Twee grant chasing regime propagandists dressing up as counterculture rebels and boosted by a similarly tame media
Excellently put.
Excellently put.
Supercilious ponces! Nail on the head, Ben. Twee grant chasing regime propagandists dressing up as counterculture rebels and boosted by a similarly tame media
Which rather sums up why the English tend to regard the arts as the province of supercilious ponces, best ignored.
Interesting if depressing to see the false equation of “Englishness” with “multiculturalism”
Would Grayson Perry have ‘made it’ as an artist/commentator if he hadn’t started cross dressing? I doubt it. His art and commentary are bang on average (I’m being generous). Pull on a dress, get noticed, there’s the path to riches.
Would Grayson Perry have ‘made it’ as an artist/commentator if he hadn’t started cross dressing? I doubt it. His art and commentary are bang on average (I’m being generous). Pull on a dress, get noticed, there’s the path to riches.
Excellent review. Thanks you. This is another good example of why I value Unherd.
Yeah, I thought this short piece was very well written (even though I’d never heard of Perry).
Yeah, I thought this short piece was very well written (even though I’d never heard of Perry).
Excellent review. Thanks you. This is another good example of why I value Unherd.
Perry is proof of the adage that what you get from state sponsorship of the arts is state sponsored art.
Perry is proof of the adage that what you get from state sponsorship of the arts is state sponsored art.
I managed to watch just 10 minutes last night before coming to pretty much the same conclusion. I should declare my interests: i’m not a fan of his artwork, i simply find it trivial. I’ve not seen any of the other travelogues he’s made but wouldn’t go seek them out, either before or after this latest one in his homeland.
Perry typifies a certain type of English eccentricity, whilst he’d probably baulk at such typecasting. Good luck to him and i can admire him for living the lifestyle of his choice.
I managed to watch just 10 minutes last night before coming to pretty much the same conclusion. I should declare my interests: i’m not a fan of his artwork, i simply find it trivial. I’ve not seen any of the other travelogues he’s made but wouldn’t go seek them out, either before or after this latest one in his homeland.
Perry typifies a certain type of English eccentricity, whilst he’d probably baulk at such typecasting. Good luck to him and i can admire him for living the lifestyle of his choice.
I’ve always thought of him as one of those inexplicably patronising my-year-in-Provence Remainer types.
I’ve always thought of him as one of those inexplicably patronising my-year-in-Provence Remainer types.