Ask A Brit | Vol. 30 - Royal Wedding, British Television, and More

[@geniej9093]

Thanks for all the education, fun, visual stimulation, fun and family charm, fun, your very fine eyes 😉😉 Love your bride and my love to her as well.

[@fantasyofroses]

I don't know why, but I got a tremendous amount of joy from the impersonation of your cat. 😊

[@rustyrelicsfarm2406]

Nice Love Actually refrence it is spot on.

[@Mainleygirl22]

Your subscription has doubled since I started watching you @LostInThePond! Congratulations!🎉🎉

[@smallpp3267]

Nice video and brilliant new intro mate!

[@Westcountrynordic]

The worse thing about monthly pay is getting paid early at xmas and then having to wait until end of Jan for next pay

[@Westcountrynordic]

+DOWSETT You sure about that?

[@JamesFromTheDurham]

I can tell you are a fan/have previously watched the UK Office by your sharp and witty sense of humour, Am i right or am i righttt?

[@pasford]

Hi Laurence. Thank you for answering my question.

[@BiglerSakura]

There is a tricky thing when you convert your fortnightly (or weekly) payments into monthly basis. You have to do it for the budgeting purposes anyway, because your bills are mostly monthly. So, some months are kinda "leap" months when you get 3 fortnightly (or 5 weekly) payments within one calendar month.

[@1otterlover]

Thanks Laurence for answering another question of mine.

[@angelspadafore4268]

Pay periods in the states vary. Some jobs pay weekly, bi weekly, monthly. Here in the UK I've always been paid montly.

[@ellisrevill3539]

#AskABrit Is there any British foods/meals you can't get hold of in the US?

[@AnnaDaisybird]

#AskABrit Are there any British Christmas traditions that you wished we did in the states? Have you introduced any of your Christmas traditions to your American Family? And your 'Illinois' pronunciation is perfect- never an 's' on the end :)

[@ohlookmarki]

AnnaDaisybird Pushing this #AskABrit! :) and I'd like to add, are there any American Christmas traditions that you found weird? Are there any 6ou wish you had back in Britain? And are there British traditions that you found weird when you were still there?

[@littlean24]

John Quincy Adams impression made me laugh out loud.

[@szqsk8]

Happy 30th from windy, smoky Southern California Laurence! 🎉🎊

[@Sheila612Miller]

It's DUH-MOINE (SPELLING Des Moines) not Day Moine

[@steelcurtain7427]

Not sure about the kids looking like the royal couple but I did think you look the guy in the Geico commercial about casual Friday at Buckingham palace.

[@Quarton]

You are quite correct about "Illinois" - "There is no 'noise' in 'Illinois'!" :-)

[@bobbielobster]

Roger Quarton Just like there’s no zoo in zoology!

[@solatiumz]

@Bethny - What!?! Are you insane?

[@Lambieschmoo]

And no "cow" in Moscow

[@Lambieschmoo]

In the US we say, "Zoe-ah-lo-gy

[@bobbielobster]

solatiumz It’s pronounced zō-ol-o-gy, not zoo-ol-o-gy

[@wepped482]

Will you please say dah moyn instead of day moyn?

[@ddemaine]

The Partridge impression is superb as ever. Yes, David Mitchell is one to be avoided :-D I love the Ringo Starr one too. Just say: "Oh dear Thomas has fallen down a coal mine-- the Fat Controller won't be happy", for Ringo elocution practice. If Hazza wanted to marry the Head of State for Germany, he would have to marry Frank-Walter Steinmeier (for it is he), the German president. Angela Merkel is the German head of government-- Kanzler/Chancellor. I'm not sure if marry the latter would be any more acceptable though, unless she has Saxe-Coburg lineage somewhere. Great radio comedy panel show: Sorry I Haven't A Clue has been going since 1971, with many of the original participants still featuring. HIGNFY has been going since autumn 1990: Ian Hislop has featured in every ep; Paul took a series out in 1996, though has been there since its inception. Bucks Fizz has regenerated itself as The Fizz, and they have a new album out (they can't use the old name, owing to a rogue former member taking the name). I still get paid monthly, standard for British civil service.

[@SuperDrLisa]

Laurence, come here to New England, we never end words with "r"s! You'd fit right in 😉

[@RhondaKennedy63]

funny abt the Liam neesom /love Actually bit

[@janedrewel1329]

#askabrit. do you know what " Randy scrouse git "means? It is a song title. Thanks. love your videos.

[@patrickholt2270]

A gentleman from Liverpool who is overly prone to sexual arousal, and not a good friend. Git is a synonym for a similar word ending '-it', now mostly used to describe people, rather than what comes out of people (and dogs).

[@baylessnow]

That would be Scouse not scrouse unless Jane made a typo.

[@sageandcandle]

That was 'all along the watchtower' by jimmy hendrix (not bob dylan)

[@LostinthePond]

All Along the Watchtower was originally a Dylan tune: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Along_the_Watchtower

[@solatiumz]

Also, it's Jimi Hendrix.

[@sageandcandle]

That I did not know. Sorry

[@brookenjonas]

Happy 30th to #AskABrit 🎉 I don’t know if you’ve answered this, but what is/are you’re favo(u)rite musical(s)?

[@JH-jk9ek]

I am currently preparing to apply to universities in the USA from the UK, and was wondering if you feel that you wish you could have experienced this rather than in England as you did?

[@LorettaMoore1234]

First time I saw this channel I thought you were Simon Pegg.

[@limpfishyes]

You sound a lot like Reece Shearsmith. Certain mannerisms are identical to some of his LoG and Inside No. 9 characters.

[@flakeyjake3339]

#AskaBrit: Hi Laurence, have you watched HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and if so, what's your opinion of both John Oliver and the show itself?

[@lindae2524]

Most of the jobs I have had over the years paid weekly. I prefer that.

[@annam.addison2129]

Ha! I made it! Thank you..... frankly I suck at budgeting and don't know what I'd do if I had to wait all month for money I'd spend before the end of the day....seriously. Especially if I had a man that demanded vindaloo be brought to him before he'd let me back in the house...ppffttt! Congrats on the 30th....and many more.... Take Care you too.....

[@annam.addison2129]

Deeeee Moin (like tender loin)

[@sarahartwig5920]

#asksbrit speaking of the euro song contest, have you ever meet Ardal O hanlon?

[@jackmason5278]

#AskABrit I've noticed on Google "street view" that there are many places in the UK where streets have their lane demarcation lines not straight. Instead they zig-zag from slightly diagonal one way to slightly diagonal the other at intervals of about a dozen feet. I'm sure the intention isn't to demand erratic driving. What is this about? Thanks!

[@Julia-hs7vh]

Jack Mason Those zigzag lines means the approach to, and from a pedestrian crossing. It also means that you must not park on them, or overtake the leading vehicle, when approaching the crossing. Parking here would block the view for pedestrians and the approaching traffic.

[@carowells1607]

Sherbet Fountain Thank you! I just asked this question after noticing the zigzags in a British car crash video, but nobody answered me there.

[@Julia-hs7vh]

Caro Wells You're welcome, what road markings do you have in the US that denotes a pedestrian crossing?

[@purpleanex]

Sherbet Fountain ...they don't belisha beacons in America.

[@GetMeAReubenSandwich]

#AskABrit Laurence, is it still true that the government in the UK requires a person to have a license to own a TV or, at least to receive a television signal? Why? Also, can you explain the fascination the English have with beans and especially the inclusion of said beans as a breakfast food? Thanks.

[@stevefoster4732]

You don't have to have a license to have a TV. The license is for watching and/or recording programmes in real time as they are being broadcast and for viewing BBC iplayer. We use our telly for Netflix and DVDs etc; no license needed.

[@gordoncampbell3514]

The £147 annual license fee pays for the BBC's 10 TV channels and 17 Radio channels, all advert free. No fee for the 75's and over.

[@stevefoster4732]

Only if you are watching and/or recording programmes in real time as they are being broadcast. As I've already said you do not need a license to have a TV. Why is this so hard for people to understand?

[@stevefoster4732]

my flags upsidedown - I know they've closed the iplayer loophole. What I said is still the case. Also the inspectors have zero authority. They cannot enter your home without your permission. What I've done for the last four years (they contact you every two years by letter if you don't have a license asking why; even though it is none of their business) is to send them a letter stating that you don't watch bbc etc anymore and that's it. I know a lot of people ignore them, but I just send them the letter and they leave you alone. They've got everyone so frightened of them that people are too terrified not to pay the license fee even if they don't need too. Just think (hypothetically speaking because I know you can't do this, as far as I know anyway, without joining up and paying) that you don't watch Sky and never will do. How would you react if the Sky people came knocking on your door demanding to know why you are not paying them? Think about it. And, just so you don't misunderstand me, I am not advocating not buying a license when you should be doing, I'm just stating the situation which a lot of people don't seem to understand. Check it out on the official site. Read it carefully. Anyway that's me done on this subject.

[@baylessnow]

Because in true BBC fashion the word 'vague' doesn't even cover it. They're very quick telling you why you need a license but not so forthcoming on the loopholes that mean you don't. So people just pay up. Pretty much the same as getting a speeding ticket. It's so much easier to pay the fine and take the points even if you're not guilty of the charge (personal experience here) and so much cheaper than taking the case to court and losing.

[@Lambieschmoo]

#AskaBrit I mean no disrespect to veterans. I've just noticed in old movies and TV (_Fawlty Towers_) older retired officers will keep the title Major. In the US, usually only Generals and Colonels keep their titles when retired. I have no problem with it and again mean no disrespect. They certainly earned it! Do you know any older gents who kept their rank? Also, my favorite is when the Major thinks he's talking to the moose.

[@emilyx33x]

YOU MISSED THE CHANCE TO MEET DIMA BILAN???!!! YOU TWONG!!! I think Denmark’s got it this year not gonna lie...

[@LostinthePond]

I'm a tad out of touch with Eurovision. But I'd be happy for the Danes to win if - predictably - we don't.

[@emilyx33x]

Lost in the Pond Well predicted

[@baylessnow]

Lawrence, you forgot Channel 5. ;¬)

[@skypratt4375]

I was watching a program that said British people don’t have jury trials is that true. #askabrit

[@Julia-hs7vh]

Sky Pratt Crown Court trial without a jury is permitted in cases of suspected jury tampering where there is evidence of a "real and present danger" and despite the possibility of police protection, there is substantial likelihood of tampering, and trial without a jury is in the interest of justice. The first such prosecution application was made in February 2008. The first criminal trial in a Crown Court without a jury was appointed in 2009.

[@baylessnow]

Magistrates courts don't have a jury and massively pro police. If the magistrates court feels that it cannot impose a strong enough punishment on the accused they can refer it to a Crown Court. Also, the accused can ask to be sent to Crown if they feel that trial by magistrates will not be a fair trail.

[@dantaylor7344]

Only Magistrates and occasional Crown courts

[@simhedges]

We do have jury trials. In Scotland juries have 15 members, in the rest of the UK, 12 members. Juries were suspended in Northern Ireland during the troubles as the threat of intimidation by terrorists was so high.

[@MarianneExJohnson]

I'm a bit late to comment on this, but still: Angela Merkel is not the head of state of Germany; that role falls not to the Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) but to the Federal President (Bundespräsident), currently Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

[@1bigmac3]

#AskaBrit Have you noticed that you never see Prince Harry and Carson Wentz in the same place at the same time?

[@suem6004]

#AskABrit Were you a fan of pantomine? If so, do you miss that at Christmas time?

[@terribelbliss9646]

Sick of cacophony Illinois

[@lisal8533]

I had a British internet "pal" who came over to visit, and it was much easier to understand him rather than on the phone. Turns out he was looking for a wife. I didn't say it but couldn't he get one of those Russian brides online??

[@robinbrum]

What I would give to be in America on the day of the royal wedding...or anywhere outside of the UK. One of the most boring events of all time given wall to wall coverage on British TV.

[@Julia-hs7vh]

robinbrum You do realise that it will probably be televised in America?, as well as many other countries around the world. So good luck attempting to find somewhere that will be free from any coverage of the royal wedding.

[@robinbrum]

Good point.I doubt though that they will be showing it in the bars in downtown Manhattan or in an Irish neighbourhood in Boston. When dear old Wills and Kate got married I happened to be in Oxford for a hospital appointment. I thought if I avoided all the tourist traps I could find myself a nice, old fashioned back street pub with not a television in sight. How wrong I was . In what was one of the worst pub crawls in my life I wondered into bar after bar where everybody was glued to the TV set fawning over a couple of posh twits getting married. Eventually I stumbled upon an Irish bar where, to my delight, there was not a television in sight but some bloody good music pumping out of the stereo. I raised a glass to Kate and Wills and got very, very drunk.

[@purpleanex]

robinbrum ...can't be as bad as when that slag got killed in the French tunnel, absolutely ruined the whole weekends tele.

[@robinbrum]

Lol. My daughter was three years old at the time and naturally didn't give a hoot but I'm sure she was pissed off because Teletubbies had been cancelled, as was I ! We took the bus into town that morning and out of respect for Diana it was travelling at a top speed of 15 miles per hour ...very bizzare. At least the centre was deserted when I got there, which was a bonus!

[@MrDannyDetail]

It's on the same day as the F.A. Cup Final, so that means the coverage (on BBC1, ITV and Sky at least) will be shorter than it otherwise might have been, in order to fit both into the schedule.

[@wifighostcruiser9665]

#AskABrit In this video (volume 30) you said that your cat was made a Monarch by you, was it difficult and can you tell me how you turned a cat into a butterfly?

[@suejackson1731]

You forgot channel 5

[@graceenstine1486]

Have u noticed that an Australian accent is just a British accent and a Texas accent combined? Also the longer u live in America the more ur accent will sound Australia.

[@solatiumz]

There's not just *one* Australian accent.

[@seachangeau]

crikey! is it?

[@purpleanex]

solatiumz ...nor one British accent...

[@graceenstine1486]

purpleanex I said a British accent no

[@drewb242]

I did not know Bob Dylan wrote all along the watch tower or even he had a version of it. Always thought it was Hendrix. Had to look it up as soon as you said that was Bob Dylan.

[@dantaylor7344]

How? That's pretty common knowlege

[@felixd7818]

So have managed a meal at White Castle yet? They are best consumed at 4 AM as the buzz is wearing off. And oh, have you met the Chicago Police yet? They’re all fine chaps, even the “Copettes”. .

[@pandabear153]

Felix D I remember years ago at a certain time all the drug addicts would hang out at white castles. Is it true today too?

[@dalebelseth3058]

#askabrit Mike Brewers accent. What is it. He doesn't say leather

[@Simslord15]

#askabrit do u miss anything about England

[@Simslord15]

Soccer!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unless ur talking about (American) football

[@GameThruz]

That last question - didn't American's have terrestrial TV before they all got Sky or Cable whatever?

[@caulkins69]

Yes, but a typical TV market in the States had more stations broadcasting than the UK did. When I was a kid in the '70s, I was accustomed to getting five channels. Then my family moved to the UK for a time and I was surprised to find they only had three. Not only that, their TV sets were made with a maximum capacity of four. US TV sets at that time had two dials. Channels 2 -13 were on one and channels 14 - 83 were on the the other. UK TV sets just had four buttons. I remember wondering what they would do when they needed more.

[@corm7538]

#AskABrit Are you a fan of Monty Python? I love the Blamange Episode where a man-sized killer blancmange from outer space is going around eating people. Could you please tell us what is a blancmange? From what I know it's some type of white maybe milk pudding or custard dessret....I'm not 100% about what it is TBH. You're correct about Illinois the S is silent but you're incorrect about Boise the correct way to say it is (Boy-See) not (Boys-ee) the city's name is French for a blue river. The valley that Boise sets in was 1st found by French explorers that saw how blue the river was which they then named the Boise River and that's how Boise got its name.

[@Julia-hs7vh]

Corm75 Blancmange is a sweet dessert commonly made with milk or cream and sugar, thickened with gelatin or cornstarch and often flavoured with almonds.

[@CaptRobertApril]

Sky started up in 1987.

[@angelspadafore4268]

The biggest problem with BBC is there may be a number of channels but several of them play the same show. American TV much better and more of a variety.

[@rochellefreed1287]

I love British TV and watch only PBS in the states!

[@donwon7592]

I can’t believe people still give a crap about royals. Insane.

[@baylessnow]

Royal wedding? Harry is marrying an American divorcee. I'll give it 4 years tops before her Californian divorce lawyer tells her how much she can leech from the British taxpayer ('cos we pay for all this crap) when she finds out she won't be a Princess and decides to kick him into touch, or 'to the kerb/kurb/curb' however you ex colonials spell it. Would I lie to you? Just an updated version of Call My Bluff. One from my childhood. For the Americans who love British accents Frank Muir (pronounced m~your) is a must. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqDMfKJ_j5yqrdE

[@carowells1607]

Lol you're not cynical at all!

[@baylessnow]

Me? Cynical? Whatever makes you think that? :¬P

[@purpleanex]

baylessnow ...i used to love call my bluff, and name that tune, "I'll name that tune in one", "ding", what? how the fuck did you get that from one note?!

[@MrDannyDetail]

She will be styled as a Princess. She will be HRH Princess Henry of Wales, although if Harry is given a dukedom as a wedding present (as often happens when a British prince marries) then she will be styled as HRH The Duchess of .... (whilst still technically being a Princess).

[@baylessnow]

Styled? Maybe but I doubt she'll ever be 'promoted' to Princess. Kate still isn't a Princess and she's married to the future King. The Royal family is run by men in black suits. It is really just a tourist attraction for the men with no names or faces, hidden guns and ear pieces to make loads of money off. aka 'The Establishment'.

[@fbksfrank4]

#askabrit can you get KZbin to send you over to report on it for us? We trust you more than those...gits? On the...Telly.

[@jkrause365]

#AskaBrit Would a Scot be insulted at being called a Brit? Yes, the Scots do live in the UK, but aren't they Scots not Brits?

[@jkrause365]

That's entirely uncalled for, purpleanex. I expect an apology.

[@simhedges]

Scots are Brits. If Scots hadn't united with England to form the united kingdom of Great Britain, then English people wouldn't be Brits either. A lot of Scots would rather not be Brits, and would prefer to be called Scots, but they *are* British.

[@markoldgeezer167]

#AskABrit In your view, what is the difference between British humour and and American humour?

[@solatiumz]

Brits use the "n" words less.....

[@eviltwin2322]

Mark OldGeezer I think British humour tends to be a lot drier than American humour. That's a generalisation though, there's very dry stuff from America and very broad stuff from Britain!

[@Sophie.S..]

In general, I think British humour tends to be more drier and sarcastic than American humour. Of course, as Evil Twin said, there are exceptions.

[@patrickholt2270]

There's a tradition of cynicism toward authority and the conventional order in the UK which goes back to World War One in particular, and the working class side of the proverbial British class-riddenness, which manifests in almost reflexive use of irony ("yes, absolutely, boss, that's a great idea"), and mickey-taking, which is parodying anyone and everything seen as respectable, in authority and traditional, and of the military and overt patriotism (going back to the trenches - too many needless defeats and excessive casualties will do that to a country's respect for military, political and religious leadership).

[@Simslord15]

Haha fortnite aka the video game

[@patrickholt2270]

Most of the content on the satellite/cable tv channels is American as well, so it isn't that there are now 200 British channels of British rubbish like there are 200 hundred channels of American rubbish on American cable tv. Most of the Sky channels are portals of NBC. MSNBC, Nickolodeon, etc, and most of the programmes are made in the US, so it's quite weird and counter-intuitive really, especially the reality and True Crime things, which are American reality shows and American crimes, which we don't have here. We have the same kinds of crimes, obviously, but with a lot less murder and gun crime. Almost none relatively. But it's this strange thing where what cable TV in the UK presents as reality is someone else's reality, not Britain's. So I don't subscribe and I don't watch all that, and not just because Rupert Murdoch is congealed satanic putrefaction undermining everything to the left of Pinochet, who the now burning Mrs. Thatcher so loved.