Are You Being Served?

I'm not sure why, but the old British sitcom "You Being Served?" popped into my head last night and prompted this post. Are You Being Served? was a popular Brit-com that ran on the BBC from 1972 to 1985. The story was set in the men's and women's department of a fictional London store called Grace Brothers. It was one of my favorite comedies, and continues to enjoy popularity to this day in the US on PBS and BBC America, despite it's dated story and style of humor.

I copied the following information from our friends at Wikipedia. Are You Being Served? featured mostly obvious humour based on sexual innuendo, misunderstandings, and mistaken identity, as well as sight gags generated by outrageous costumes the characters sometimes wore for store promotions, and gaudy store displays frequently featuring malfunctioning robotic mannequins. The show is well remembered for its prolific use of double entendres. Many jokes also confronted the English class system - especially those built into the interaction between maintenance men Mr Mash or Mr Harman and the ostensibly higher class store personnel. Characters traded-on such stereotypes as the effeminate Mr Humphries, who lived with his mother; Captain Peacock, the haughty floorwalker and the snobbish and boisterous Mrs Slocombe of the ever-changing hair colour. The show spawned the catch phrase "Are you free?", usually said by Captain Peacock to the staff; more often than not, the staff are noticeably free, and each would look solemnly from side to side before saying, "Yes I'm free, Captain Peacock." Mr Humphries often trilled "I'm free!" which became his own personal catchphrase throughout the series.

During its run, the series attracted some mild criticism for its reliance on sexual stereotypes and sexual double entendres, including jokes about Mrs Slocombe's "pussy" (cat). John Inman's camp portrayal of Mr Humphries as an effeminate gay man was supposedly offensive to some gay men, but the character quickly developed a cult gay following.

Above: Captain Peacock & Mrs Solcombe

Above: Miss Shirley Brahms & Mr Humphries

Above: "Young" Mr Grace, the rich, eccentric, sometimes dirty old man who owned Grace Brothers department store.
Here is a great clip of the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlCr6KsDYbw

Check back tomorrow for a special edition of "The Saturday Seven" and my Birthday Extravaganza post!