French & Saunders - Fred And Friends (Fred Astaire)

[@Xterminalism]

This was such a cruel portrayal of both actresses. I love it. It was done perfectly. Satirical and dark comedy is just perfect. I showed some of my friends this clip and they thought I was an asshole. I still laugh my ass off.

[@bialystockandbloom]

i remember seeing this sketch for the first time and laughing hysterically. i still laugh hysterically everytime i see it. "never knew fred..." always gets me. that and "he was a HELL of a guy! and a HELL of a--" *silence while speaking* SO SO SO FUNNY!

[@Emma88178]

It's amazing how the only thing Dawn has to do is just sit there, and yet she still manages to crack me up in this video!

[@vladdegs]

One of F & S best sketches ever; the first time I saw it, I was went into convulsions, which is extraordinarily rare. Magnificent.

[@daveross3642]

Classic F&S. Amazing artists, the both of them!

[@bernadettesouthwell5156]

This is one of my favourite skits. I laugh till I cry.

[@marktwoone]

Not seen this one since the 80's, and like then had tears running down my face,a timeless classic :-)

[@shawnwest6341]

Been coming back to this sketch for years, thank you for keeping it on the tube. I find it hilarious. It is only a bit cruel towards Ginger Rogers because she was in a wheelchair due to her age and health issues, while Katharine (please guys get her name right) had no health issues and her trembling was hereditary, not an illness, so it's not really cruel to make fun of it. Still, comedy, parodies and satire are what showbusiness is made of, so stop the complaining. My favorite part is when Jennifer throws the mike off the podium!

[@mariepoessa]

wonderful!

[@kimpunkrock]

LOL that was hilarious!

[@QANTAS330]

fabulous!!!!!!!

[@SlumNobility]

This makes me cry with laughter every time!!

[@11montmont]

Hilarious! Sooo... good!

[@lukeguldan4906]

OMFG.........I'm Dead!!!!!!

[@MBM91UK]

It makes me LOL every time when she knocks over the microphone

[@daveross3642]

the quick cut back to the reset with the microphone kills me the most :-)

[@roseytrebles]

Oh God, that's so funny.

[@clazza01]

hilarious man!

[@ГурченкоАндросов]

Amazing !

[@Jarvamon]

That was in 1991 when her book was published. This went out in early 1988 which was BEFORE or around about the time she got sick. As far as I know she didn't make any public appearances in a wheelchair til 1989/90. So this was actually a rather unfortunately spot on premonition as to how Ginger would end up.

[@ginnypinnydfjs]

Just type in "french and saunders cyd charisse" and it should come up. I love that one too!

[@sunlightguy75]

I think at least Katharine Hepburn would have loved this... she was very self-ironic.

[@dayglowjoe]

oh come one! it's more taking the piss out of hollywood's ridiculousness rather than they as individuals.

[@joshcrawford561]

Alot of 'bad taste' comments on here but i honestly think this a spot on send up of those awful tv specials in the 80s that rounded up the stars of Hollywood yesteryear!

[@algoyo]

*stares*

[@ketmaniac]

Those who are offended by this should realize that it isn't a satire at the expense of Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers. What it satirises is American celebrity culture, where every night is a gala event. Ancient movie stars, however senile, are wheeled out to lend respectability to something that is nothing more than self-congratulation. It's Hollywood patting itself on the back. That's fair game for satire, and this sketch was funny, funny funny...

[@fredericwild734]

This is NOT humor or wit or satire it is pure infantile CRUELTY!

[@mmjhcb]

No, this is offensive. Period. These two need to learn where to draw the line.

[@ketmaniac]

No reply to my post for 14 years, then 2 in the space of 3 days. What are the chances?

[@mmjhcb]

@@ketmaniac Easy. YT pushed the video on the feed; we look; we are completely turned off, only to notice your deeply penetrating psychoanalytical take on what is simply a tasteless skit.

[@ketmaniac]

@@mmjhcb Better stick to safe comedy, then. Real comedy has no boundaries.

[@IrishEyes1989]

When I first watched this sketch, probably about 15 years ago, I thought it was funny in and of itself but I didn't really appreciate it fully. In the time since then, I have become a classic film aficionado and Kate Hepburn and Ginger Rogers are two of my idols. Watching this sketch now is just hilarious and so much more enjoyable because I know the actresses they were lampooning so well. Certainly some black humour with the portrayal of Ginger in her final years, but Dawn does it so well it's impossible not to laugh. I don't know how the hell she kept a straight face. Jen's Katharine impression wasn't great compared to the usual caliber of her celeb imitations, but she captured enough of the essence of her to make it funny. Walking across the stage and back into the wings until she was led to the podium was quite amusing! Saunders has always been a master of physical comedy and Katharine Hepburn did move very deliberately and energetically. Exaggerating it for comic effect here worked well.

[@zungg]

A sane person has to appear insane in this insane world.

[@alicetheactress]

soooooo sooooooo bad, yet sooooooo soooooo good. i do feel bad come on...that was hilarious. damn, she does a good katherine hepburn

[@adamknaggs]

awesome. I pissed myself.

[@clazza01]

i thought that too!

[@647Anna]

I'd like to have one of those Astaires standing behind:)

[@Emma88178]

Another thing, I agree with Simplebum why is everybody making such a big deal about this? This isn't the first time they have made fun of celebrities. What makes this different?

[@peaceangel-rl2hf]

This is so inappropriate by todays standards but I couldn't stop laughing its so ridiculous 😁😂😃😅

[@mmjhcb]

It's inappropriate by any standards!

[@Emma88178]

I think they did this sketch before they died, so I think everybody needs to chill out.

[@bialystockandbloom]

@TedzBfd i'm sure that's exactly what they're doing this very moment. reflecting on a hilarious sketch that made many people laugh and others cringe.

[@ginnypinnydfjs]

HIHi! Jen makes quite a good Katherine Hepburn!This is on the "Ingénue years" DVD.

[@StCloud-ns7vt]

they didnt have to roll her out in that chair lol

[@seanwynne7112]

This is classic comedy.

[@zouphout]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@bialystockandbloom]

@TedzBfd c'mon, you've done a katharine hepburn impression in your time i'm sure. i know i have. lol

[@manwithoutfriends]

@MsGinger92 you really dont get satire, do you? they aren't poking fun of kate or ginger, they are taking point at the way they get degraded in their later years by award shows and the like who are just out to make a quick buck.

[@dayglowjoe]

@tallpaul521 chill out mate, it's called a joke. It's not meant in a cruel way

[@tallulahdarling]

Bad taste is often very funny and this is bad taste and very funny!

[@dayglowjoe]

@tallpaul521 chill out mate, it's ca

[@dickychip]

have a sense of humour..there are worse things in the world to be angry at.

[@spunkyboy2000]

Its comedy. Deal with it.

[@647Anna]

This is disrespectful. I'm glad, that Katherine, Ginger and Fred will never see this, they don't deserve it. But to be honest I started laughing at 2:10-2:26:) especially when I saw Ginger's eyes at 2:25:)

[@Omnicient.]

Pity they couldn't get Kate's name correct! Its with an 'a' not an 'e'!

[@thekingofmoney2000]

Kind of funny, but the Hepburn accent is totally wrong!

[@apollonia6656]

Cruel. Unfortunately, Ginger ( in her later life ) tried to look like her former self and ended up looking like this fake Ginger.

[@didianandakala1144]

zero hepburn there.

[@gill426]

Eh. I was wondering why there weren't more sketches of Fred&Ginger on the internet but now I know why. I really like French and Saunders but this was so distasteful and disrespectful, it repelled me. I love Fred&Ginger so SO much, this just hurts.

[@TedzBfd]

F&S have done some glorious stuff - that sketch with Sarah Walker was perfection - but this is loathesome, cheap and deeply offensive. Now that they're both experiencing the infirmities of incipient old age themselves I hope they can look back and reflect.

[@MadonnaProject]

Yeah well....dawn and Jennifer have done some funny work but this is not one of their best. I appreciate comedy and caricatures but some things just foray too far into "bad taste". Maybe the girls are jealous of the fact that us brits have never had anyone like Fred and Ginger nor the great Katherine. Heaven knows Olivier was a pompous idiot. Maybe mocking everything is a British thing but there are places it works. Here it doesn't.

[@mmjhcb]

Not at all funny.

[@barbrasgirl8]

This is in extremely bad taste. Remember Ginger in the 30s when she was beautiful and lithe and Kate at the height of her acting prowess. Grieve for them as they were.

[@tallpaul521]

They spoof and make fun of those whose talent they will never acheive.