1982: Do MEN do any HOUSEWORK? | That's Life! | Voice of the People | BBC Archive

That's Life! reporters took to the streets of London to ask - in our forward-thinking 1980s society - how many men actually do any of the housework?
Originally broadcast 21 November 1982.
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[@brokenglassshimmerlikestar3407]

"I'm more than a pretty face, you know!" 🤣

[@earlwright9715]

That was my favorite😂

[@TheFlixFiles]

"Well why doesn't he make the bed?" "Oh well.. the poor old sod." 🤣🤣

[@Holland1994D]

Some people prefer to have their own beds because they cannot sleep well with someone else in their beds. There is nothing weird about that

[@etch3130]

@@Holland1994D if anything its better because you can have varying weight duvets

[@hensonlaura]

1:40 You can see how much she loves him, very touching.

[@liam_kentsportspod]

I thought that! Still laughing at his jokes!

[@JohnSmith-rw2yn]

the butcher had it right. if one partner didn't work and was home all day you'd expect them to do housework but if you both work it's 50-50

[@dean1100110]

Very true

[@TowGunner]

“What are you grumbling about?” Love it!

[@Chris-dm1je]

When a couple I knew had children, the husband raised them and looked after the house to school age while the wife worked. The house was always immaculate even with kids and some pets. By the time the kids were at school all day, they'd given the dog to relatives because it was mental. Then she lost her job and he got a job. They swapped over and within a month the house was a complete sh*theap.

[@stupid0account0name]

I agree completely.

[@nigelgraham8890]

It wasn’t as one-sided then as people today think.

[@hilaryepstein6013]

I love the sense of humour of these older people and that lady who'd had her husband for a long time talked just like Kathy Burke! Can't believe 1982 is 40 years ago!

[@garryleeks4848]

When people had a sense of humour

[@robinvanags912]

Indeed - & I can't believe 1972 is now half a century ago.

[@garryleeks4848]

@@robinvanags912 1982

[@Pads3d]

In my Experiance many stop have the same sense of humor haha

[@mh20162]

@@robinvanags912 I wasn't born decades later but even to me 1972 sounds about 30 years ago..

[@alanabroad3471]

"So what are you grumblin' about?"

[@enigmabodylanguage]

"I'm more than a pretty face" XD

[@tassiegirl1991]

Oh I did enjoy this and the humour of these wonderful people especially the last lady renting out her other half of bed priceless

[@williamsimpson2777]

This video is so charming and the people in it are wonderful, and great perspectives too!

[@97channel]

Going back a decade, I did some work in a laboratory for a short time. I was the only man among half a dozen or so women. They did the scientific stuff, I was the gopher. I was asked to washup the cups, beakers, petri-dishes and whatnot one time towards the end of the shift. Basically just the exact same thing as washing the pots at home. When I was about finished, one of them came up with a scowling face to inspect my work. She was obviously anticipating a bad job, but studied what I'd done and was astounded that I'd done it to perfection. The other women then gathered around to witness this astounding feat of male competence. One of them asked "Do you do the pots at home?!" I was like "Er.. yeah.". They just couldn't believe that I did housework. Modern domesticated man must be rarer than we all think, because me washing the pots was somehow a spectacle among that bunch of women I worked with.

[@jm19094]

I love the bloke who says his incentive for helping out is a biscuit!

[@jeannietapner5016]

We’re happy aint we ? ( 1.56 ) i feel really envious of this pair ! There’s much love respect and humour there .

[@shaneduffy7829]

She's uncontaminated by radical feminism.

[@garryleeks4848]

1:35 what a character 👍

[@horse5407]

One pair of socks he says😂😂

[@whydidmyhandlechangefromAlice]

What a lucky women, he seems so delightful and loving

[@TorbjornBakker]

Hard to believe that was 1982 and not earlier!

[@magiccheeks]

No it's not, actually very believable

[@tommyh4116]

The victorian era only ended in 1901

[@dan003]

The butcher was absolutely spot on!

[@iamaliveyoucantstopnow]

People seem so much jollier back in the early 80s! We are all so miserable now. hahaha

[@honestopinion6711]

not many distractions back then x

[@peter5.056]

My sister is married to a man that worked 20 straight days a month in the oil industry, to put her through college, buy them a very nice house, send their kids to nice private schools. Hard, dangerous work he did. For 32 years he worked his arse off, and risked life and limb! When he got home, he slept for three days to recover. Spoiler alert - yeah he expected her to do the housework when he was exhausted, and she did! They both retired (she was a tutor in her house, for ease of childcare) at age 50 with 8 figures in their account. They can finally relax, and enjoy life for the next 40 years or so. Now she makes him do the laundry;)

[@annother3350]

That's fine for each of them to have their own tasks. It can work very well

[@peter5.056]

She was more comfortable at home with the kids 24/7, he was more comfortable working most of the time. A win-win! And they worked together, retiring way ahead of most other couples. They were really wise beyond their years when they got married at 17.

[@craig1538]

Sad that all these lovely people are probably dead now.

[@LPBineli]

Why sad?

[@mgm9437]

That’s Life!

[@jonminton1878]

These are beautiful time capsules, showing again and again the truth in the statement, “the past is another country”

[@VittorioMowla]

Charming british people

[@fonrogers]

"We fight the wars". Well..he is not lying about that is he

[@oki__]

Only for a few years every few decades. So that hardly contributing to getting anything done in between.

[@IzzyWasborn]

Most of these women/couples were happy with the ways things naturally sort themselves out. F😩minism made women unhappy

[@johnhagan-zr4pm]

These clips are the funniest the BBC have ever filmed.

[@catherinesmalley8587]

Used to love That's Life! Brilliant show! 😄

[@danielwarren3138]

Laugh track on this is dreadful

[@harmoniefaerielove]

Sadly ,we young people back then didn't realise just how good life was truly like. I miss those happy times so very much .... 😢

[@Chris-dm1je]

True. But we were told that the future would keep getting better, so why appreciate what we'd got when there was better to come? For all the troubles we had back then, there was optimism. Not so much now.

[@harmoniefaerielove]

@@Chris-dm1je Very much so Chris . We bought into all the Classical conditioning that we were fed. I feel so sorry for my grand children. They even in their wildest of fantasies, cannot imagine what we had or how happy those times used to be like .

[@moragclark755]

When people had humour and perspective 😢😂😂

[@jamesmnaylor]

Happy times, when tv reporters could have a laugh and a joke with people without fearing that they may upset people with their questions.

[@liam5382]

The video wasn't diverse enough for my liking

[@footballmint]

That hasn't changed as much as you think it has

[@barrycrapper]

@@footballmint good job too

[@oki__]

Epstein was only reprimanded a few years ago so you have greater chances than you’re betting on

[@Ian-j3o]

There's literally a point in this video when the crowd got offended lmao

[@ghadeeralkhamees8752]

The good old day kind original beautiful people ❤️

[@theoldcoot55]

British Humour at its best 👌

[@zebedep]

Great clip! 😆

[@williamtoner8674]

What lovely people

[@rjjcms1]

If there's one place that will make you make your bed and iron your shirt properly,I would have thought it's the army (and all of HM Forces).

[@terenceretter5049]

Love the comments from the woman at 1.11 where she refers to her furniture, her windows etc. !

[@russellpensonjr.7136]

My thoughts exactly. He is hired help!🤣🤣🤣

[@S7EVE_P]

Back to a time when us Brits had a twinkle in our eye. That's all gone now.

[@davidlewis1787]

No it’s not, you just know boring people.

[@OrangeTabbyCat]

I have other stuff to do besides housework too. I live alone, I just don’t do it if I don’t want to. I never make my bed ever.

[@estoforte388]

Londoners were so funny

[@lornemalvo3298]

what are you grumbling about..

[@andyt8216]

Love this. I was 7 then but how the world has changed…although the new intake of old people carried on wearing brown and beige for many years and decades after these lovely lot had moved on. Wonder when you start doing so? As an aside, the younger woman at around 2:35 has definitely appeared on another similar vid from these time. Maybe they went to same area and she just happened to be passing twice. I won’t suggest any conspiracy theories that she’s someone’s mate.

[@rjjcms1]

I was 10 years older than you,and I haven't started wearing any much brown or beige yet!

[@andyt8216]

@@rjjcms1 ha ha, keep me posted :)

[@rjjcms1]

@@andyt8216 🤣

[@Chris-dm1je]

It was a street market that was easy to get a camera team to. Some people did appear more than once. Most notably an old lady named Annie Mizzen who became a sort-of celebrity for an unfortunately short time.

[@jackr1779]

Ah! Bless them all!

[@WhirlwindHeatAndFlash]

imagine earning enough money to pay for 2 grown adults and kids by yourself

[@harryhill-es5jk]

How the uk has change for the worst 😂

[@galegrazutis964]

I was about to say the same thing. This is when England was English. 😢😢😢

[@ShadowMan66]

No hurt feelings, just good olde British humour! Got to love it. I can't believe this was 1982. I was 16 and life was so much better then, people could have a good laugh at each other and then move on. Very funny interview..loved it!

[@garryleeks4848]

I was 15

[@JohnHonda101]

Same age as me, damn, I wish I could go back.

[@itemushmush]

@@JohnHonda101 i was born in 1993 so i have no idea about this. but why was 1982 a better time?

[@paulleach3612]

@SY-pw6tt Yup, I was a kid in the '80s. It was grim up in Manchester back then. Mass unemployment and a city that felt like you were stuck in a Morrisey song...

[@Chris-dm1je]

​@SPY1987 It wasn't great in the 80s, but it seems worse now. We had all the same problems then as now, but we had optimism that things could change for the better. I don't really see much optimism these days.

[@billmago7991]

ABC asked the same question on the streets of Sydney in 1960......most men said yes they do housework.

[@lovedaybebe5881]

Everyone is so articulate and humorous !

[@chrissilvester5663]

This is how life should be like not nowadays where folk are too scared to ask questions without fear of someone getting offended. Life was so much easier & simpler back then.

[@matthewfairchild3846]

Rose tinted glasses. Was it easier for black people? Def not.

[@sarahlynn7894]

@matthewfairchild3846 Oh shut up!

[@kylel6]

When they're saying "make the bed", are they talking about changing the sheets or literally just straightening the duvet and pillows? I didn't know other than children and teens this was a big deal.

[@ajs41]

Mostly it would mean just straightening it up.

[@rstevens7711]

Given when this was filmed, and the ages of the people interviewed, I'm going to guess that very few people had duvets. It would have been traditional bed covers on top of bed sheets.

[@ajs41]

@@rstevens7711 Yeah, we were unusual in having duvets at the time. I remember going to Center Parcs when it first opened in 1987 and being surprised to find blankets and sheets only. For a while we actually took our own duvets there in the car and transported them into the villas.

[@rjjcms1]

I don't it needed to be a Hospital Corner.

[@rjjcms1]

Weren't duvets still called quilts back then?

[@sassy_brit1975]

Brilliant clip 😂👍👏❤🇬🇧 back when comedy was allowed & honest speaking prevailed X

[@charlesscottkelly]

I do the diy, but not much housework.

[@CheDarkMarc]

4:00 is this Michael Kane in disguise?

[@garryleeks4848]

Might be, not a lot of people know that

[@T--xk3hf]

@@garryleeks4848 Not a lot of people know that you know that

[@garryleeks4848]

@@T--xk3hf I know nothing, nothing at all 🙄

[@BimBop83]

The young lady at @2:58 appears in another of these BBC interview segments about edible knickers: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXSVoqitdteBfa8 She’s wearing what appears to be the same outfit in both as well. Wonder if these were all staged. Edit: the last lady in this video is also is in the edible knickers segment (at 1:34).

[@Chris-dm1je]

These segments were filmed at a street market that was convenient for the production team. Quite a few people popped up more than once. An old lady named Annie Mizzen became a familiar face as she, like a lot of old people then, would spend a few hours at the market every week.

[@WhirlwindHeatAndFlash]

If i had to guess, they asked them multiple questions and then segmented the show by question asked. Thats at least what a lot of youtubers that make similair content do.

[@dean6816]

I make the facking beds!!

[@benji.B-side]

2:10 Ford Escort van?

[@maqui1814]

Yup

[@benji.B-side]

@@maqui1814 Cheers, thought it was. 😀

[@Greenwillow]

Got to love the men’s attitude of the past( although they weren’t all bad)😂

[@folksurvival]

None of them were bad.

[@Greenwillow]

🤔Guy in glasses with black suit. Who thinks he has more important things to do than housework as he has a wife for that. What important things. Golf maybe? He looks the type.

[@BOZ_11]

@@Greenwillow he's working outside she works inside. Not rocket science

[@Greenwillow]

@@BOZ_11And what does he do at the weekend?. She is probably working all day at home looking after the kids washing his clothes making his dinner so he has it the minute he walks in the door etc. The other men seemed to have no problem doing housework, but this guy acts as if its beneath him.

[@BOZ_11]

@@Greenwillow she doesn't do housework for 50 hours a week. She can take 4 hour breaks in the middle of the day, I don't think his employer would allow that. If you think of mothering as being analogous to salaried work, you should not be a mother. Stop moaning

[@phoenixswanson1561]

What about Roe? Light duties.. Gran - "No, never."

[@MeaHeaR]

😃😃😂😂😁😂😃😃😄😄😅😅

[@chrisr5499]

Talking about tidying the house but did you see the amount of litter in the street with people just walking into it.

[@phoenixswanson1561]

Maybe it's time to bring out the whole cabinet.

[@DerryCasey]

Not much hanky panky back then i suppose😂😂😂

[@kimghoss6021]

Oh the good old days 😂😂😂

[@davidsmith2356]

Does he do a 40 hour week??

[@SenorTucano]

Look everyone is British born

[@alexandradane3672]

Proper times .

[@garryleeks4848]

0.54 , I bet he’s fun to live with, makes he’s wife unblock the bog

[@annother3350]

maybe she blocked it!

[@garryleeks4848]

@@annother3350 uuu nice 😬

[@davethorpe8712]

Was this in Portsmouth?

[@jakecavendish3470]

Monte Carlo I think

[@sindobrandnew]

0:44 So are we happier now?

[@DUDLEY2000]

NOPE. !

[@sixbat282]

Now days, women just work. That’s it. Nothing else. I do all the cooking cleaning maintenance. Etc. in our home, even tho she works less hours, my wife is like one of the children. Society is F’d

[@peterdalyy3542]

How wonderful to see how it was and sad for what we lost sad

[@mole1596]

1. People are much easier to understand because they use ACTUAL words (that's coming from a non-native English speaker) 2. They have great sense of humour 3. Who knew people could look like people - without paint (makeup) on their faces?! 4. Everyone in 1982 is SUPER concerned about making their bed.

[@nesnibila4888]

I like the man in the chemist's coat

[@garryleeks4848]

He might be a butcher

[@JulieWallis1963]

The man at the butchers?

[@garryleeks4848]

@@JulieWallis1963 cockney butcher, corr blimey

[@967shaun]

i do no housework at all inside the house. thats why my missus has a ring on her finger. we have a traditional marriage.

[@rcspencerr]

It still is women’s work

[@johannaweichsel3602]

1:18 BASED

[@maxasaurus3008]

They sleep in separate beds?!?

[@jamesmnaylor]

For centuries married couples have slept in separate beds. Sometimes in separate rooms and would only sleep in the same bed for coitus.

[@thesniperabel8278]

Have you seen the dick van dyke show

[@russelledwards001]

I’d settle for another house.

[@broccoliface4501]

Older people tend to gravitate towards it more as well.

[@kieronparr3403]

My parents live in different houses at 65 and they are still married

[@simeonselmon8318]

When England was England before hammus entered uk

[@mwd331]

Ah bless you.

[@zosko1]

Nothing wrong with hummus, I could have it with anything savory

[@ANSELMGELINGAR]

I love this'No I don't do housework I have a wife to do it'...Splendid answer straight to point Sir Marvelous.....Not many men like him nowadays 😮😮

[@Chris-dm1je]

No, because most couples both have to work these days. I worked in an office with mostly women, and a surprising number of them said they'd prefer to be housewives. Although that might be because the job was bogging awful.

[@mark9294]

@@Chris-dm1jewell most jobs are really

[@Chris-dm1je]

@@mark9294 Aren't they just? So much for the 21st century life of ease we were promised 50 years ago.

[@Paddington_Clifford]

❤ good times before London was stolen and broken

[@galegrazutis964]

Hi l am from Australia and people like we are seeing here were the minority when l visited.😢😢😢

[@DavTitan]

You will never get London back. It's too late.

[@jamesjameson4566]

1:46 look at that hair, the death knell

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

What? He’s got a cap on ?

[@jamesjameson4566]

@@handsoffmycactus2958 behind him, with the cascading rats tails

[@citizenhal]

Never seen a person of colour before?

[@zaftra]

Do you pay the bills, no I have an husband who does that.

[@glenntoplis8872]

I miss those days

[@andybray9791]

Everyone has to do chores. It’s weird since people push women into work aggressively, now children are being used for medical experiments.

[@Dani-it5sy]

No because when he comes home from work (if he comes home at all, he might be dead) he is completely destroyed. People that try to take the rol of the victim while they are not make me sick.

[@racs9606]

Eh?

[@ilikethiskindatube]

Imagine having all your needs met and then complaining you have to do a tiny bit of work around the house.

[@buzzofftoxicblog791]

Wow I think 🤔 hope things moved on from old days mmmmm #buzzofftoxic

[@yusufkhan-ig7dv]

I think the butcher at the end seemed pretty reasonable

[@stupid0account0name]

The biscuit guy lolll. Not much has changed. hah.

[@atomictraveller]

back when the people's voice had a laugh track. python's fault, people hear a british accent and think it's a skit. course it was then really. still is, just worse writing.

[@jamiejosh96]

Let’s have perspective, millions of men fight to protect everyone. Any event the women an children are protected first…. All we expect is for domestic jobs to be taken care of, is that a bad deal? Let’s swap round then

[@Emily-xr6ny]

how many wars have you been in?

[@jamiejosh96]

@@Emily-xr6ny that’s not a great question to ask me Emily, would rather not but can elaborate and make you feel silly if you like

[@Chloelhn]

@@jamiejosh96 if a woman is also working full time and there are no wars to fight at the time it is only fair that both do half the work. If the woman stays at home and the man works then of course she should do the housework as that’s fair. In the 21st century men don’t tend to be going off to war in the UK and women are also working full time

[@akaNOCTURN]

I miss the days when men went to war and never came back.

[@jamiejosh96]

@@akaNOCTURN ahh you revealed yourself as pure scum. Thanks for that

[@sim6699]

What's the point in getting married if your wife doesn't do all or most of the housework depending on whether sge works.

[@Emily-xr6ny]

crazy thing called love

[@ava8340]

no one marry sim6699. yikes

[@kimifur]

Really? Wow. Well, my husband and I both work full time so the housework is split about 50/50. If I worked and he didn't, then I would expect him to do more/most of it. If he worked and I didn't, I'd expect me to do more/most of it. The only things determining how much housework someone does should be how much other work they do and what their physical and mental capabilities are that might limit how much or what tasks they can or can't do. Whether you're male or female shouldn't come into it.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

2:47 what is she on about? Why would you have to wash the socks just put them in the washing machine, you barely have to touch them? Weird

[@ajs41]

A lot of people still wouldn't have had washing machines at this time. In fact a lot of people still don't, which is why laundrettes exist.

[@tonybarrett8543]

😅😅😅

[@buy.to.let.britain]

do WOMEN do any factory work ? thats my question. or did they expect the man to do both ?

[@racs9606]

Factories were full of women

[@JimmyHandtrixx]

​@@racs9606yes while the Men were busy fighting Wars!