Are You Being Served? Season 8 Roots? Part 3

This episode is rarely shown on American TV due to the blackface routine at the end. Season 8, episode 8. Part 3.

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Are
• You
• Being
• Served
• John
• Inman
• season
• roots
• blackface
• AYBS

[schnauzerlover1496]

What country did they end up representing with the final scene?

[bphutchins]

@schnauzerlover1496 They were doing a minstrel type show from the United States, insinuating that Mr Grace had black ancestry.

[pillowcase97]

What country are they representing at 6:55?

[bphutchins]

@pillowcase97 Those are supposed to be farmers from like Lancanshire, so actually it's England

[northofhome28]

i wasnt offended but if mr grace was 90 in the 0's why did they pick a black-face 1920's skit? if the intent was to state that humans originated from africa did they think it would be too racist to just hire some blacks?

[bphutchins]

@northofhome28 I don't think that was the intent, lol. It was insinuating that Mr Grace had black in his history. Really I think it was just an excuse for them to wear blackface.

[quirpco]

Looks like Wendy took a stand and refused to paint her face...good for her!

[miginaustria]

I don't think the ending is so racist -- the idea is that if you go far enough into the past, all humans came from Africa, which is the opposite of racism since it highlights the lack of significance of race as a distinctive mark.

[thebackgroundartiste]

@MarkSentMe He does. And Mr. Rumbold was very enthusiastic about the dancing. He's usually at the piano but he seemed quite comfortable. dancing here. I would like to have seen the two girls dance a bit longer. They looked very authentic too.

[Saartje05]

@MarkSentMe  The show I mean is a LOT older, from around the 1930´s and American. The show you mean is probably based on that again.

[MarkSentMe]

The Scottish portion of this is my favorite. Captain Peacock looks authentic.

[MarkSentMe]

@Saartje05 No. There used to be a British show called The Black and White Minstel Show on BBC. The Black and White Minstrel Show was a British light entertainment show that ran on BBC television from 1958–1978 and was a popular stage show.

[geekbaritone]

This show aired in 1981 was taped from what I've read that same year Young Mr Grace died, he was already dead when the show aired that year. the actor that played young Mr grace died 2 days short of his 82nd birthday, Old Mr.  was wearing a bald cap he was 28 years younger than the actor playing young Mr. grace. probably cause they could not find an actor old that to play old Mr grace that would be in good health

[Saartje05]

@northofhome28 Actually, it was based on an American show with white singers dressed as blacks.

[ericdn62782]

@quirpco Actually, she had a bad reaction to the makeup and couldn't wear it.

Remember, this is England, not the United States, and so blackface isn't considered racist there as it is in the U.S., especially not 30 years ago when society was different in the UK than today.

The blackface sketch was done for humor, and was vastly more innocent than it would have been had this been an American show, where it couldn't have been done at all.

[bettypro]

@quirpco I;m not so sure thats why she didnt put on blackface, its supposed to be black heritage but he had to have had white heritage also so thats why she isnt in blckface. Hence the white skin on mr grace?> Just my thought on the matter, I was kind of shocked when I saw this also, but there has never been an explanation on why Wendy Richards didnt put on blackface and this was one of the reasons why it may have been done that way.