The Insulting Librarian - Mitchell & Webb

[@sistervigilante27]

"What happened to the friendly Australian girl who used to work this circulation desk?" "She's gone, ma'am. They've all gone. And We're back."

[@burntgrahamcracker2866]

the incredibly judgmental and pessimistic people who are still unaccountably librarians

[@TheJMPJR]

"Er, who?"

[@burntgrahamcracker2866]

TheJMPJR watch mitchell and webb look vicar or shop or waiter you'll see

[@YKW2]

jack brearley "I saw you in here last week. I saw you idly leafing through the Classics section and not putting books back on the shelf. I saw you pretending to understand Tolstoy and feigning an interest in Shakespeare, before picking the book with the glossiest cover. We all saw you. And we all thought you were a snooze."

[@burntgrahamcracker2866]

YKW2 why are you saying these things about me? because im trying to help you im trying to show you that you arent enlightened or intelligent with profound ideas you dont have any worthwhile contributions you are meek uninteresting foolish and a bore now lets try something simple i recommend the fifth elephant

[@EndlessVacuum]

The D.E.N.N.I.S method condensed to 3 minutes. Spectacular.

[@soylentgreen6082]

A fine observation.

[@Thom-jj7yr]

You haven't thought of the smell, you bitch!

Ha ha - yes. All it needs is the Jeopardy of ebing at sea.

[@yourealrightboah9414]

Its a system

[@Football__Junkie]

Step 1: Demonstrate your value…

[@MundaneGray]

My local library allows me to request books online, and the hold shelf is self-service, so I can just walk over and get it. Then I use a self-checkout kiosk to check the book out. This enables me to completely avoid all contact with librarians. However, this strategy falls apart when I get home, because a librarian is waiting there for me. And I can't ask her to leave; she'll just point out that she has every right to be there, since we ARE married.

[@NickQtasi]

Haha, it happens to me too! Classic ☺️👍

[@idkimlikereallybored9533]

that was drôle, well done! (8 years old but still funny)

[@Davvg]

That’s terrifying, thanks for sharing!

[@oliveryt7168]

@@idkimlikereallybored9533 Ha! A Frenchman!

[@idkimlikereallybored9533]

@@oliveryt7168 uhh im swiss and my mother language actually is italian 😂

[@michaeltye2359]

You know Robert was happy to be able to play the smart mean guy for once 😂

[@pietadon]

But he couldn't pull off smart and just became an elitist arse hole.

[@atklm1]

And we're back. The super-intellectual, intimidatingly snob people who still unaccountably work in a library.

[@FrankyBabes]

+atklm1 We've seen you in here, rifling through the DVD section, reading the comics in the newspapers. We were watching you from the staff lounge. And we all thought you were a turd.

[@atklm1]

FrankyBabes Excuse me, what happened to the friendly australian girl who used to work here?

[@FrankyBabes]

They're gone, sir. They're all gone.

[@atklm1]

Tiwaking Tiwaking It's 2015. Nowadays people ask naked picture online and agree upon time and a place and it's a one time meeting in a place with dimm lights. New one every other week. And they usually come twice as fat and ugly and ten times more annoying as in the pictures. Anything including date and flowers and asking IRL is a fairytale lovestory these days.

[@SinOfAugust]

+atklm1 Working in a library is bloody awesome!

[@changer_of_ways_999]

This is basically how people find themselves in an abusive relationship only it's a bit more subtle

[@tedsmith6385]

Just want to punch Roberts character in the face really hard lmfao

[@JanaSzIsBasicGlitch]

I hate those kind of people... but they are also arogant as sht... because on one hand I don't wanna date them or anything but if it was in school or elswhere my people pleasing insticts kicked in because ... basicly from birth I know I alone against group of poeple can't do shit... welp up until one asshole now I don"t care ... oh there will b group of people bullying me because you want me? I mean grow up byllying girls to get date is mentality of 5 year old ... also why do you think I told you about that my family don't have luck with people... for you to feel sorry for me? nah mate that is just "lightly teliing you I will not date you how, ever you are digging deep in my past wound, so I basicly will giving gifts to you and shit (and be somehow incrisingly offputing) to leave me alone because I don't want to hurt you)

[@TheRoadhammer379]

oh ffs, it's a fucking comedy sketch, you obtuse dullard

[@nickc3053]

Funny how in one episode of Would i lie to you, David Mitchell has to lie about writing columns for a womans magasine so he picks Top sante as the one and everyone was shocked that he actually knew a woman magasine. Must have remembered it from this sketch

[@leslielysaght230]

If I remember the clip correctly it actually backfires on him because the other team doesn't believe that it's a real magazine.

[@krazed0451]

Are you French? Magazine is commonly spelt with a z, even in England.

[@kami3000]

@@krazed0451 Kinda funny... 'magasin' (without the e) in French means shop. And I think those paper magazines are called 'hebdo', short for hebdomadaire, which means 'weekly'.

[@Scipio-Africannabis]

@@krazed0451 Why do you care so much about the way someone wrote a word on the internet? Are you one of those brexit racists?

[@stevekelly5166]

@@Scipio-Africannabis ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[@blackbird5634]

I once asked a librarian: "May I please use one of the computers?" And he replied: "I've been waiting ten years for someone to ask that question correctly."

[@stevenlewis4961]

But did you ask correctly? He may still be waiting.

[@zapkvr0101]

@@stevenlewis4961 He might be

[@jimreily7538]

What did he mean ?

[@danfish300]

@@jimreily7538 I would assume that it would be the lack of please, but also the fact that most people say "can" instead of "may", of which "may" is technically correct (the best kind of correct).

[@WandererTheLost]

​@@jimreily7538 it is probably a plural thing. Most people ask if they can use the computers.

[@frankmachin5438]

I feel sorry for this lady....I know it’s just a sketch but I want to give her a hug and tell her it’ll be alright...

[@Equinoxe-gp9sq]

@Jaysun B A packet of biscuits?

[@vicinteriano]

Yeah, sounds like charity.

[@vr3824]

probably wont be alright in the real world tho

[@jamesmcinnis208]

Are you willing to devote the time necessary to make sure that it is indeed all right for her? Or do you just want to spend the minimum of time and energy necessary to spew vacuous remarks that make you feel better without a whole lot of regard for her?

[@ticklershpickler]

Yeah, I bet you would, pervert

[@EmperorBeef]

Oddly prescient Benedict Cumberbatch impression considering the date of this sketch.

[@danahaljulaibi3628]

i thought of him too!

[@donnie8032]

+KrakenJack You mean in Sherlock, with Molly?

[@derangedband]

if only the librarian was shooting holes into a wall when he shouts "BORED" xD

[@NotoriousLightning]

Bennie would never be this cruel.

[@PenneySounds]

The best part is Robert Webb used to be on Bruiser with Martin Freeman.

[@cmoor8616]

Did I just see a prototype formation of every abusive relationship EVER?

[@Azrael__]

This is what the voices in my head are like.

[@obi501]

Those voices are right, I've had an idea. would you like to go on a little date with me?

[@TheCyberDead]

So is this how dating works in england?

[@minch333]

...Sort of actually.

[@PaintKyZR]

The men of South England are the smoothest, most charismatic, passionate conversation artists in the world. Hate to break it to you, but the stereotype that we're cold, pale, boring weaklings was created by American men to turn your women off us, but it really, really didn't work. I'm hitting the states for a few months this summer, and i'm going to show them exactly what they're missing..

[@Grant500]

Apathy Yeah... Nothing turns American women on like a nice big British smile coupled with some really pale skin. Kidding aside, good luck I guess.

[@TC27127]

Hmmm...British people get free or heavily subsidized dental care so are likely to have decent teeth probaly better than the 85 million Americans without any dental care at all. Secondly alot of Americans live in similar climatic conditions to the UK so unless tanning saloons are rife the skin may well be of a similar hue.

[@Grant500]

Easy there brother, Americans have better teeth because the gene pool is more diverse. Also, if you look at any map of the earth you will find that the people living in the southernmost portion of Britain would be considered northerners in the US. As a Californian living in the midwest, I can assure you that there is a big difference between people from the south/west and midwesterners/northerners, at least in terms of skin tone.

[@rockoperajon]

What makes you such a genius all of a sudden, Jez? The only book you've ever read is Mr. Nice!

[@clemteetonball1250]

Three times.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

He begged Mark to teach him to read, and then couldn't even defend himself against Big Ben, Ben 10, the Bento Box master of merch.

[@Hobbyrepubliken]

This is what readers of The Game actually believe

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

No! But it is a VERY well done satire of what most uninlightened people THINK it is.

[@clement592]

@@ulrikschackmeyer848 shut up

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

@@clement592 about what? Please enlighten me. That is IF you want a sober, enlightening discussion.

[@clement592]

@@ulrikschackmeyer848there are many synonyms for enlightened

[@edwardheaney3641]

@@clement592 Guess your answer is no

[@TonkarzOfSolSystem]

So this sketch must be why David Mitchell was able to recall "Top Sante" as a women's magazine for "Would I Lie to You". In fact the only one he could recall and yet couldn't explain how or why.

[@cm.design]

Hah, just posted the same thought and scrolled down to find I was not alone!

[@generalpublic3744]

Nice part for an actress, she was really good and deserves a credit.

[@dmh872]

Jo Neary, available for weddings bar and bat mitzvahs, and laundry. She was born in Cov hence the Warwick Uni reference.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

How about a tissue, a biscuit, and a little date?

[@UKgamer87]

This is why people get their books online now

[@nunyabusiness7858]

wouldn't be surprised if Google books started to do this whenever you googled something stupid in order to neg you into getting Google plus

[@verysilly8883]

Feck the snobs here (they're just as bad!), I'm answering literally. There's nothing like a printed book, the atmosphere in a library or bookstore.... even if the clerks can see what you're checking out. It's well illustrated, at least, you should buy or borrow whatever YOU want & the hell with abusive control freaks.

[@nathanadler1452]

Ah negging, truly a sketch ahead of its time.

[@harrympharrison]

2:55 where on earth does the clip-on tie come from? Great little detail

[@daveybernard1056]

Used to work in a university library. While I never saw this sort of thing, I absolutely WOULD NOT be surprised if this ever happened.

[@michaelccozens]

I really can't. Every librarian I've ever met is just glad when people read anything.

[@Sundog1985]

I worked in a copyright library in Edinburgh for 7 years. This kind of person, while a minority in the library, were also the people with lots of power and shouted the loudest. There is a disproportionate amount of absolute bawbags that worked in my library and they are encouraged by a culture of similar thinking people or those that are easily intimidated and just want to work without hassle. Librarians are often extremely sheltered and the library is their safe space.

[@juliawirch2454]

I did as well, but many patrons were much better educated than me! This is a "I resent that I work at a public library instead of an academic library" person...😄

[@michaelsetiawan2746]

This is the roughest smooth pickup I've ever seen.

[@fTripleSharp]

Still a better love story than Twilight.

[@Person1865]

Which she has definitely read

[@stewmott3763]

01:08 It's the attention to detail I appreciate. Refusing to split an infinitive is exactly the sort of thing someone like him would do (even though the rest of us are happy to carelessly split infinitives all the time because it makes the sentence flow better and doesn't actually affect the meaning anyway so who gives a shit?).

[@ja-qk4vd]

See what you did there.

[@tomlangron2532]

I'm more of a Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy kind of guy, I dare to boldly split infinitives that have never been split before.

[@walterzamalis4846]

So this is why we have self-service issuing at libraries now.

[@SpotlessLeopard]

Yes and last week, one of the machines called me a shaven headed, knuckle dragging bastard. I'm marrying it on Thursday.

[@sm-yu7dt]

I remember this being one of the first youtube videos I ever watched, so around 2008/2009. I'm back now at 23, and felt called out when she said she went to Warwick..

[@sm-yu7dt]

oh I did my geography coursework in leatherhead..what is going on

[@PlasmaMongoose]

I'm guessing that this librarian's favourite book must be "The Game" since that is a textbook example of negging at work.

[@nehmanator333]

...This is just human behavior. people have been doing this since the dawn of man, lowering others self-esteem to then get something from them (including them)

[@federicobau8651]

haha yhea...just read that book!!

[@anonymousxaela761]

Or he's just an avid learner of the DENNIS system.

[@verysilly8883]

Even funnier, he's a clerk, not a librarian.

[@baalzebullordofhell6967]

Yeah, these people are shit.

[@randomaccessfemale]

This is like the most overdrawn neg ever.

[@borismuller86]

Jane Doe TEXTBOOK.

[@olly311]

I was thinking that, is that meant to be the point?

[@quasarsphere]

Olly Yes, it's absolutely the point.

[@randomaccessfemale]

@Random Number I learned about that when I read the Game by Neil Strauss.

[@sunkintree]

@Random Number negging has been around since before your time kid

[@GeekRemix]

Negging master

[@silencionomus]

It absolutely was an unexpected twist. I’m not sure anyone could pull that off in real life.

[@DeathnoteBB]

Geek Remix!!

[@DakanMisty]

Neg em till you peg em innit

[@Flackon]

@@silencionomus probably not

[@RealityCheck6T9]

The purpose of negging is to bring down a woman with an overly inflated opinion of herself. This woman had little self-esteem to begin with.

[@fastertrackcreative]

Yep, I had that experience at an interview... for an internship or something I think. Very upsetting. Most of it had nothing to do with the actual role, which I didn't know the details of. Luckily ones since then have been better.

[@georgefrost1176]

It's Philip Larkin!

[@bustercrimes7379]

This is how psychopaths operate...more subtly of course

[@DeathnoteBB]

No plenty of creeps are this upfront about it (also psychopath isn’t a medically recognized term, it’s just an ableist word for creep)

[@michaelesposito2629]

@@DeathnoteBB LOL “ableist”. God. You SJW’s are such pathetic people. I can’t even imagine ever using that word seriously.

[@jeefpeef5983]

@@michaelesposito2629 David Mitchell hates you

[@DeathnoteBB]

@@jeefpeef5983 I read this in David Mitchell’s voice. Also this made me feel a lot better after seeing the first jerk’s reply. 🥰

[@mrgazpacho3316]

@@DeathnoteBB you are right it isn't a medical term, it is a psychiatric term for someone at the extreme end of anti social personality disorder. You know what else isn't a medical term? Virtue signalling nincompoop.

[@hossesarse]

I miss buying CDs in music stores. It was always a delight, buying a Weird Al Yankovic CD from a music PhD who disdainfully blows his bangs off his forehead at my selection: "I may be making minimum wage, but at least I don't listen to this drek." Sigh... god how I miss music stores.

[@NowhereBeats]

Calamari Chris Where are you from? As in what part of the world doesn't have music stores?

[@hossesarse]

Southern California, down by San Diego. We still have Lou's Records, but all the Tower Records, Warehouse Records, Ameoba Records, etc. are gone. I don't really miss them, was just having fun. :)

[@SuperSquishface]

+Calamari Chris I wouldn't work in a place that sold Weird Al.

[@Burguois]

+Calamari Chris I don't know anyone who genuinely likes music who doesn't think Weird Al is a genius. Regardless of what you feel about his music, he's an amazingly talented guy. It's quite hard to think of any other musician that has the skills he does. Even other musicians respect him. it's a mark of honour to have Weird Al do a parody of your song: It's a sign that you've 'made it'

[@SuperSquishface]

Christopher Janes I am genuinely a music fan/musician & I do not think he is a genius. i mean, I respect his accomplishments but genius? No.

[@LHyoutube]

This clip perfectly predicted the invention of 'negging' by pickup artists.

[@barbados3592]

they call it "negging" b/c they are nerds. The actual normal term is "teasing".

[@dangerouslytalented]

how romantic... They have been together ever since. You could tell that he had been observing her for so very very long, and that everything that he was saying about her, was also kind of true for him. Because he knew all his foibles were hers, too, he knew theirs was a match made in heaven. I mean, he works in a library and has no life.

[@GodotOfficial]

How single men on Reddit think dating works

[@petitnicollas]

So you're telling me that's not how it works? Fuck, I spend thousands of dollars on sketchy dating courses.

[@Thunar7]

but it does work do you know how many ppl nowadays pay to be verbally abused?

[@kjeldorantv]

@@Thunar7 Yes, are you here for your argument sir? Oh abuse, that's down the hall.

[@mikitz]

@@Thunar7 Those retards obviously don't know they could get that for absolutely free online.

[@solouno2280]

@@Thunar7 it works on submissive men, not on human beings

[@Shaqstheman000]

/lit/

[@Ghosthacker94]

Shaqstheman000 I've been lucky, I mostly lurk looking for book recommends and the few times I've asked a question, it hasn't been flooded with assholes. :D

[@niallreid7664]

God so fucking true.

[@TomasRepArg]

This.

[@anselmschueler]

It's actually /ˈlɪt/

[@ThatMadCat]

Jesus Christ this was brutal, I know it's fake but I still felt bad for that woman.

[@samus2205]

Now she’s got a date!

[@jocramkrispy305]

She played it well

[@lyadmilo]

The incredibly narcissistic and condescending people who are still, unaccountably, librarians.

[@owlowl1884]

I'm 68 and have only encountered one mean librarian and she wasn't intellectually condescending (didn't seem bright). Have you really found so many? Nine years later, your comment gets a question.

[@mariondiabolito4054]

@@owlowl1884 lyadmilo was not talking about actual librarians - they were referring to a series of connected sketches [vicars, mainly but also things like travel agents, etc.] where David Mitchell played the rude, insulting person, and Webb and a female cast member - sometimes this one??? - played the victims. But I think the connection's only peripheral. There's a lot going on here. The humour is FAR darker, and there's a heavy overtone of American pickup-artist book culture. What he starts doing out of sadism he ends up leveraging into what the American PUAs call "negging." It's the opposite of "simping" or "being a nice guy." You not only show indifference to make yourself look valuable, you erode their ego and self-worth to make it seem like you're the best they can do. Webb wasn't a bad-looking guy, but his character is clearly super bitter, atop his narcissism and sadism. Shane Ritchie is a signifier of sorts - the very sort of person the Librarian would hate with every fibre of his being while envying him.

[@owlowl1884]

@@mariondiabolito4054 This is why I shouldn't comment. I'm often like SNL's Emily L. Thanks for taking the time to enlighten me.

[@Sundog1985]

@@owlowl1884 I worked in a copyright Library in Scotland for 7 years. This type of person is extremely common in such a setting. The best people were the visitors, much of the staff had absolutely zero grace or other notable skillset.

[@lordprotector3367]

@@owlowl1884 kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2rGgWBnoKhmidE&ab_channel=RobertLarsen

[@whiners131]

Really shocking that there are many youtube channels by self proclaimed "pick up artists" who employ essentially the same tactic from this sketch.

[@michaelccozens]

PUAs basically just scattershot until they find a woman who's, unfortunately, been subjected to a sufficient degree of this common type of psychological damage in which she's been convinced by a misogynistic society that the only source of personal worth for a woman must come from without, a vulnerability the sexual predator then ruthlessly and dishonestly exploits for personal gain. And for some reason they think that's clever, rather than just immensely unethical and disgusting. It's like the way Cult45 thinks theft is sophisticated, rather than a short-sighted trading of short-term gain for greater long-term pain by clawing at the very social fabric that keeps twits like them, who would last about 30 seconds on their own, no matter what their overinflated egos tell them, alive.

[@Niobesnuppa]

What a charming and not at all abusive way to ask someone on a date. xD

[@cnj67]

I was going to say I had never met a horrible librarian like that, but I did meet one, once. And I wasn't even borrowing celebrity self help books. All the rest of the librarians I've met have been on a range from nice to awesome.

[@usedforks]

Wow, that was some dark stuff lmao

[@kobathedread]

He's gonna make her do some nasty stuff.

[@Nickelodeon81]

@@kobathedread Yep. Two words: Anàl Sex.

[@wailer27]

Origin story for all symbiotic abusive relationships. Humour almost always seems to come from a place where dark truths exist.

[@rexmundi1570]

Infinitely funnier than any of the old bollocks seen on Little Britain. Walliams and Lucas - the most overrated comedy duo in the history of British television - except for Little and Large, and then only by the tiniest margin.

[@johnmilhuisen2607]

Reminds me of Harry Enfield’s I Saw You Coming sketches.

[@JeremyScoggins12]

This is like the sober version of Black Books lol

[@alexscott1257]

When I was at university I knew a librarian that was somewhat like this. She would sometimes scoff and laugh at me and actually told me that a book I was getting out would be too complicated for me whilst giving me a patronising smile. I told her that I was coming back after graduation to do a Masters and she laughed and said "You? A Masters? I hardly think that would be suitable for someone like you!" A couple of years later I got a job creating a digital archive and this library owned all of the original material that was to be digitised and this lady made it as hard for me to access the library as she possibly could. She wrote a long string of emails about my conduct because I had suggested that as an alumni of the university it seemed excessive to have me bring two forms of ID and fill out a form every single day. My friend who was supervising the project asked if I couldn't just be a bit more agreeable with the staff at the library. A few days later he had to come to the library with another member of the project team and when he finally got through the access gate he said "I'm sorry, I see what you mean about them now! She seems to really enjoy all of this!"

[@jamesmcinnis208]

"Alumni" is plural (or "alumnae" for multiple female-only graduates). You were an alumnus (or alumna, if female).

[@FlyingFox86]

Okay, two questions: 1) How on Earth could she possibly think that a book in a university library would be too hard for a student from that university? What was she basing that on? That precisely who the library is there for. 2) Did she ask you out on a little date?

[@GregOrCreg]

@@jamesmcinnis208 LOL. Are you the librarian alex is referring to?

[@jamesmcinnis208]

@@GregOrCreg Yawn.

[@ionia2376]

​@@FlyingFox86She may have just assumed it was a Mickey mouse degree

[@Vesnicie]

He was definitely channeling David Walliams in this one!

[@artyfhartie2269]

I have been so courteous and nice with women and I have got nowhere. Thank you for the how to talk to women video.

[@jimmorrison4291]

THAT'S where David got the women's magazine reference on WILTY. If you understand that sentence you watch too much youtube.

[@TriploGoofus]

I watch too much David Mitchell on KZbin. Which is not enough KZbin.

[@jimmorrison4291]

@@TriploGoofus Which is why you, too, are an overbearing pedant?

[@TriploGoofus]

@@jimmorrison4291 if it's good enough for Mitchell it's good enough for me.

[@galexeqe]

Anyone else expecting him to say "Right, *you* can pick me up around 7pm. And don't be late"

[@Stuart267]

Anyone else think Sherlock the moment he shouted "BORED"?

[@halesrubie8604]

Stewart Damien Oh goodness, yes

[@Dragonair08]

Stewart Damien I was thinking it the whole time he was talking, but him yelling "Bored!" really drove it home. I've only just found these videos, I've been missing out.

[@borismuller86]

If Sherlock ran out of cases he’d definitely become a librarian.

[@tristunalekzander5608]

Shhh, it's a library.

[@briipaiva]

he is the libarian hahahaha >u

[@Boborbot]

Ever since I started working in a book store this is my favorite Mitch & Webb sketch.

[@theDingbat]

This is so sinister. And I thought Mitchell was the one who usually played the sadists

[@乙-f1s]

I was faintly horrified. Very illuminating.

[@sixdsix5028]

His voice reminds me of Benedict Cumberbatch's voice.

[@frh6668]

Michael D they have a very similar accent

[@dansaunders1655]

Michael D Jude Law was Watson in the newer Sherlock Holmes film series. This librarian sounds like Benedict Cumberbatch, aka. Sherlock in the TV series. Mitchell and Webb are the Illuminati.

[@Metal-Possum]

Benadryl Cucumberpatch?

[@Shannmeister]

I don't normally quote from clips but "soporific dullard" is such a quality put down.

[@MarkChimes]

I know that this is the kind of thing I fear whenever I check out or return books at the library. "Whatever will the librarian think of me?"

[@rightwingreactionary]

Get an e-reader.

[@nathanr5737]

Genuinely one if not of my favourite sketches

[@ltotheop7512]

Wow I don’t remember this scene from BBC Sherlock!

[@Weissmenchland]

"Are you still here you soporific dullard?" Class stuff.

[@engletinaknickerbocker5380]

What's so funny is that it's totally unexpected. I started in a library putting books away when I knew the alphabet and numbers. My father was a schoolteacher and he and the librarian/English teacher carpooled, so I got a ride to school early (if I was ready to leave when the vehicle was ready to go). Ever since, I've had an affinity for libraries and knew the people that worked in them. I don't think I could've imagined anyone so brazenly rude.

[@mokisan]

Its a comedy show mate😐

[@engletinaknickerbocker5380]

@@mokisan There's this Japanese saying, "Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki". 'mushi' means bugs, and 'sukizuki' means 'sense of taste' and the saying is translated, "Even some bugs find knotwood tasty," or 'There's no accounting for taste'. I don't find that sort of comedy tasteful, nor even 'funny' but maybe some folks do.

[@mokisan]

@@engletinaknickerbocker5380 ya that's alright, if you dont find it funny. Got no problems with that as everyone different taste

[@engletinaknickerbocker5380]

@@mokisan Thanks for your reply.

[@equalsql7508]

This is alarmingly accurate going by many libraries I've visited recently. I put it down to them being so pissed off with their jobs being at threat all the time they no longer give a toss about the job or the customers.

[@amandaostaszewski8520]

They enter the field already like that.

[@pissfarts9532]

I like to out-snob librarians.

[@david552]

I thought this was just going to be another version of the "Bad" sketches... but this is really scary! It walks that fine line between comedy and a drama about psychological abuse.... so so creepy and horrible at the end when he asks her out....

[@Maussiegamer]

wow this shows an insight of how people commented 11 years ago

[@becominghero9754]

@@Maussiegamer what, intelligently?

[@Sundog1985]

Sadly, not far from the truth as to how many in the profession actually behave too.

[@fulltimestudent1]

@@Sundog1985 This could not be farther from truth. I've never been asked out by any librarian I've encountered.

[@Sundog1985]

@@fulltimestudent1 the personality, the belittling. It's often there. I obviously didn't mean that they all beat a person down for a date.

[@Murrangurk2]

Geelong Public Library, Geelong, Victroria, Australia, 1990's. Why I stopped going to public libraries.

[@ericcartmansh]

OMG that was beautifully done

[@C.D.J.Burton]

Webb is so good at this

[@slothfromthegoonies8201]

Best pick-up technique *ever*.

[@PlatoonGoon]

This hits different 12 years later lol I doubt it would be done now

[@templebrown7179]

I hate "negging" but it seems to work for some guys. I believe I would badly hurt anyone caught doing it to my nieces.

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

In the mean time see it you can make sure that they are bought up with enough selfseem and spine to just say NO to some thing like this

[@ghjkltyu]

As a librarian, I can't help but laugh.

[@escapegoat3472]

Quietly I hope.

[@MrBenHaynes]

Is it funny because it's true?

[@alexvaughan5269]

"I can't help, but I can laugh"..?

[@Sundog1985]

@@MrBenHaynes as a former librarian, this kind of tool is someone I am sadly familiar with. The librarian in the sketch

[@michaelkoznarsky7911]

Dude, I lived in Leatherhead for 3 years! lol

[@wanderlustwarrior]

You've somehow managed to piece together a representative sentence on a youtube comment. Though, your initial and ending words betray your incompetent, childish diction. So... join my football club?

[@michaelkoznarsky7911]

I like the excellent Mitchell and Webb style response to the Insulting Librarian skit. It's refreshing to see someone who knows the difference between your and you're. I'm sure, with your vast knowledge, you know the difference between a sentence and a sentence fragment. Did your invitation refer to soccer/football or American football?!

[@PMS1950]

I've always found librarians extremely helpful - from a distance or providing I don't ask for the 'Which' index or 'Amateur Photographer'.

[@Articuno76]

Wow. Hilarious in a really mean, awkward kinda way. It's both painful to watch and yet you can't stop watching it. We really need a word for that.

[@final_animal]

Schadenfreude

[@australiananarchist480]

@@final_animal well that's kinda cheating, cause it's literally just a German word. Most of the time it's even pronounced correctly, so can't even be considered a loan word.

[@tisaname8490]

@@australiananarchist480 Maybe, but the word is in many English dictionaries, including Cambridge dictionary, so I guess it is not cheating

[@MrDylanHole]

@@australiananarchist480 wait till you find out about all the other english words

[@australiananarchist480]

@@MrDylanHole the vast majority English words are not directly plucked from other languages, they are usually warped and had their pronunciations and spellings changed, or otherwise anglicised. "Boef" for instance, is the Old Norman word for "beef", but that's obviously been changed, both in pronunciation and spelling, to the current English form, and so is an English word, not just an Old Norman word. One day schadenfreude might evolve into a more anglicised form, say "shadenfroid" or something, then it will be a unique English word, but until then, it's a German word used by English speakers

[@CatLady999]

I think I'm going to employ this librarian's technique!

[@markseb2003]

Yup, the "neg" in action. That guy's got game!

[@kashmir87]

yep, "he's got game," also known as "he is an abuser."

[@markseb2003]

Yup

[@TheGamblingApocalyps]

kashmir87 Game... abuse... Same difference.

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

Hell, if it what the Lady wants?

[@TheZapan99]

I feel like the one time David Mitchell mentioned Top Santé in WILTY was a call-back to that sketch.

[@noelmajers6369]

"I went to Warwick" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheSocratesofAthens]

How romantic...

[@bjornflokison7443]

she's so effortlessly pretty

[@ВладимирКруглов-к9о]

Yes, a good-looking lady!

[@mikestrong325]

You with your grey face and our dead eyes!!! Just so cruel it's sweet

[@Madcapredcap]

Librarians used to be like this.

[@williamfoy599]

I live not too far from Leatherhead (three railway stations) and there is nothing wrong with it. Nice leisure centre, nice shopping centre, have a pretty walk along the River Mole. Good theatre. Nearest cinema is Epsom Odeon, two railway stations away. Leatherhead also has a decent selection of pubs and restaurants.

[@hadlee73]

I ended up spending the entire sketch feeling sorry for her!

[@hekatoncheiros208]

I ended up feeling sorry for all the decent guys who would treat her with respect, but are just too ‘boring’ to be worthy of her company.

[@limerence8365]

@@hekatoncheiros208 Nah this relationship is doomed to fail. Toxic as fuck but also began on a horrendous manipulation and lowering of esteem. Meanwhile people don't have sympathy for nice guys because what they feel like they are "owed" for not being total dicks aint so nice.

[@GreatFlamingEyebrows_]

Best impersonation of Sherlock ever

[@Abroadhawk]

Reminds me of the Stanley Parable narrator.

[@HardlySamie]

Oof, can you imagine what those wedding vows would look like?

[@JohnGreasyGamer]

I love these kind of sketches - the sadistic and everinsulting shopkeeper endlessly harassing the pitiful customer. Ah, they're so blissful and the comedy is simply genius. ^^

[@seanhammond6708]

Best sketch show of the past 2 decades

[@mickypure]

Wow this guy sounds like Benedict Cumberbatch!

[@Zmunk19]

+mickypure ye amazing, they both have english accents!

[@libertariantiger]

zmunk There is no such thing as an English accent. England has a patchwork of different regional accents.

[@Hunter-sx9uj]

+Hugo Of course there's such a such thing as "an English accent" and "English accents". There's just no such thing as " _the_ English accent" which zmunk never said.

[@pushpadesilva655]

Just the stuff he says sounds like Sherlock omfg

[@doctorjshj]

i'm unbelievably tempted to actually try this lol

[@PRmoustache88]

He reminds me of Melvin Udall, when he is asked, "How do you understand women so well?" Melvin: "I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability."

[@omyyer]

***** which basically means everyone apart from me

[@DrZaius3141]

Spot the MRAron incel.^^

[@power9k470]

@Evi1M4chine Man,you are a prophet.

[@yellowblanka6058]

Evi1M4chine - bingo, nearly everybody is always trying to pass the buck, extremely resistant to owning their mistakes/weaknesses etc. - this isn't gender specific.

[@yellowblanka6058]

Cornflakes - so you're telling me there are no women's prisons, and no woman has ever been tried and convicted for murdering her husband/children etc.?

[@peterfitzpatrick7032]

He's smooooth... 😏 More of a chop up line than a chat up line... but what matters is it worked 😂

[@SpectralKnight]

The fuck, mayor plot twist

[@theothertonydutch]

Mayor plot twist? What year was he elected?

[@IoEstasCedonta]

This is what I feel like every time I look through my Audible history.

[@ahowson1342]

I can vouch for the accusations thrown at Leatherhead

[@lusteraliaszero]

Probably their best sketch bar none.

[@pauldog]

One of the most genius mitchel and webb moments if you ask me hahaha