The Right To Know | Yes, Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

[@jitendrakulkarni69]

Acting is just immense! Every episode. How does Humphrey remember all these long sentences without even slightest pause or hesitation?!

[@johnking5174]

Sir Nigel Hawthorne was a classically trained actor, who was used to Shakespeare, so learning very long sentences was the norm for him. The writers actually felt sorry for Nigel, cluttering his talented brain with so much rubbish speeches, speeches which Nigel said he could still remember 5 years after the series ended.

[@GodwynDi]

@@johnking5174 I've seen that interview. Talking about how wonderful his mind was, and they were filling it with rubbish.

[@johnking5174]

@@GodwynDi Nigel was a very sweet, kind and talented man. He had a superb English RP accent which suited Yes Minister along with stage work. Nigel was born to play Sir Humphrey don't you agree?

[@GodwynDi]

@@johnking5174 He did an excellent job. Can't see anyone else doing it.

[@johnking5174]

@@GodwynDi Nigel was truly a wonderful man. Kind heart in real life.

[@Your.Uncle.AngMoh]

Bernard's giggle at the end. Love it!

[@harishnunkoo509]

In my humble opinion, just by being present there, Bernard makes the show what it is. His laughter here for example is worth a thousand words.

[@Mustard1987]

To quote a documentary about the show... Bernard quite often only had one line in a scene but it was often the funniest line in the entire exchange

[@harishnunkoo509]

@@Mustard1987 absolutely. These were genuine artists using their body language, voice tone and talent to give us something very rich, unlike today’s celebrity for whom image is everything

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

It's the trio that makes this show go 😂🤗🥃

[@anfonzeac]

'Minister, the traditional allocation of executive responsibilities has always been so determined as to liberate the Ministerial incumbent from the administrative minutiae by devolving the managerial functions to those whose experience and qualifications have better formed them for the performance of such humble offices, thereby releasing their political overlords for the more onerous duties and profound deliberations which are the inevitable concomitant of their exalted position.’

[@ianchapman6254]

After all, it's of supreme importance that the illusion that the people's representatives run things be be maintained, so that the real work can by done by those humble underlings that actually run things.

[@shaunrogers2256]

That's what he said, your point is. ?

[@Misteribel]

This must be one of the most beautiful "non-saying" sentences ever, even on this show. Should put it up the wall :)

[@guguigugu]

@@Misteribel it is hardly a non-saying, for it does advance a concrete position, albeit in a rather circumvent fashion.

[@harishnunkoo509]

Overloads

[@brucewilliams8714]

Oh dear, that circuitous speech of Humphrey's: i understood every word of it. Woe is me!

[@Ikonicre_Moonshield]

Bernard laughing at the end kills me.

[@capollyon]

Absolute GOLD! Ohh... i just melt with pleasure over these dialogues. Hard to see such performance in today's entertainment.

[@RasPutintheGreat]

Purchased this series years ago, best decision.

[@nealcleary8876]

there is a book that goes along with it.

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

Humphrey is really a bloody bloodhound but he is very slick in that role 😂

[@aaquibaqn]

Treating cabinet ministers as they were irresponsible 10 year olds 😂 3:38

[@greengrey1750]

It’s only the urban middle class who worry about the preservation of the countryside because they don’t have to live there 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@coalitionofrob436]

green grey I live in the country, this is 100pc true

[@guguigugu]

40 years later and still holds very true

[@generaladvance5812]

I pride myself on my knowledge on the English language, then I watch this show and realise how much I don't know.

[@guguigugu]

on the other hand, to quote Sir Humphrey: "What's the use of [my academic education], when I cant even call upon it in a conversation with the prime minister of Great Britain?"

[@SamvedIyer]

On devoting close attention to Sir Humphrey's expertly phrased orotundity, it does in fact make sense.

[@borutotheorist1016]

Perhaps it's because Sir Humphrey speaks Polity and Administration and not English as is used. For example, what he explained is the definition of " Delegated Legislation".

[@borutotheorist1016]

@@SamvedIyer Does it sound Orotund ?

[@AttilatheNun-xv6kc]

And when he explained to Jim that he (Jim) had told a lie in the House: "The precise correlation between the utterance under scrutiny and the facts insofar as they can be ascertained and demonstrated is of such insufficient exactitude as to place upon the lexical and semantic resources of the English language a greater epistemological burden than they may otherwise be reasonably expected to sustain." ​@borutotheorist1016

[@nnannakalu9423]

"Minister, I have something to say to you which you may not like to hear." "Why should today be any different?" 😂😂😂😂

[@roohamm2456]

Absolutely love it!! ENCORE 🌹

[@stevenwebb3634]

Treating cabinet ministers as though they were irresponsible ten year olds, in my experience they are.

[@stephenhunter70]

For some of them 10 would be over doing it.

[@SmokedChips]

Don’t insult the 10-year olds

[@royfearn4345]

Well, they are these days...

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

Especially in Britain, France and Germany 😂

[@burgundian-peanuts]

This is an unusually direct power struggle between Humprey and his (alleged) boss!

[@latenightlogic]

That scene really needed the next little part to show why hacker was incorrect in saying he needed to know everything.

[@annawright4545]

Today's English is absolutely and narrowly emphasis on solid, short sentences and short words. I didn't know that THIS kind of English exists. It might be complicated but oh, boy! - it does certainly worth it.

[@SuprSaiyanRockr]

Very clever way of touching upon the issues of oligarchy in representative democracy. Fact is, there are plenty of people behind the scenes pulling the strings while they put some figurehead up front.

[@0xCAFEF00D]

That's more Humphrey Appleby in general. In this instance he's actually right. Except for the initial dispute.

[@Mourtzouphlos240]

And most of the Elected Officials welcome it without understanding that they are doing it. That's why Kissinger keeps getting into the White House. I mean why wouldn't a new guy in Washington or Westminster listen to a 40 year veteran of the CIA or MI6? Besides the ocean of blood they have spilled and the fact that they have seen 8 presidents come and go in their time has numbed them from any kind of respect for elected officials.

[@dheerajdadhich7756]

Ah. A fellow Curtis Yarvin enjoyer

[@stefanelzenga2584]

I love humphrey he is the kind of civil cervant you know we have in dutch government nowadays who cheats manipulates and lies to maintain his career😂😂😂😂😂 wonderfully played by nigel hawthorne

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

Only today they do it with more shabbiness! I prefer 70s corruption- today the lie in your face, deny your rights and send you the bill.

[@murielbarker4311]

Wish today's comedy writers would look at why years after yes minister/Prime minster was shown when shown on KZbin they make viewers it still makes them laugh out loud yet what they are coming out with they dont

[@abdimaddar9840]

I presume this is what is happening between Boris and Dominic😂

[@simonbrown4164]

I imagine Dominic is a bit more like Malcolm Tucker

[@89Keith]

More like Frank Weisel

[@leftcoaster67]

Dorothy was right. The political will vs. the Administrative won't.

[@SamvedIyer]

Indeed.

[@MajorJJH]

When you are young you understand Bernard; When you get older, you start to understand Hackett; When you are older still, you realise that Humphrey was right all along.

[@borutotheorist1016]

Stumbled on it once again, and I must say, it's such a good explanation of Parliamentary Democracies having weak separation of power.

[@crenshawik]

beautiful :)

[@elizabetharmada5335]

I don't understand too... better not to know 😲😁

[@stephenphillip5656]

The point Sir Humphrey was making is that if Hacker had no knowledge of the facts in question, he (Hacker) could deny knowledge with impunity and not be held to account if the facts were subsequently revealed publicly.

[@elizabetharmada5335]

@@stephenphillip5656 by accidentally announcing the real situation?

[@Adam-k8v]

Imagine an argument between Sir Humphrey and Christopher Hitchens

[@JPLOWMAN2]

I’d love to see an American version of this show called ‘Yes, Mr. President’, where a Donald Trump-like character keeps getting outwitted by career politicians - so much funnier than the reality

[@Chris-hx3om]

No, it'd be just like Absolutely Fabulous, or Life on Mars. We all remember had much of a pig's ass the yanks made of those...

[@BicyclesMayUseFullLane]

Well, the difference is that US civil service haven't got nearly as much as clout as UK civil service of the 1980s. Hell, even today's UK civil service don't have this much power (probably because of this show). The resulting product would be a completely boring, with civil servants blindly implementing the policy du jour of the government. Come think of it, maybe that's why both US and UK are complete shitshows nowadays.

[@joyghosh8610]

Known Unknowns !

[@stephenhunter70]

For some of them 10 would be over doing it a but, intellectually speaking.

[@magnalucian8]

he is of the intellectual calibre of Winnie the Pooh. On his day.

[@geirjohannessen8132]

very bad day at the office.

[@GodwynDi]

Why should today be any different

[@captainsirjackchucklebutty6147]

I sometimes find myself sidling into overly polysyllabic Sir Humphrey speak. When trying to dictate my desires to peons ,or simply get my toast marmaladed to perfection !

[@olafsrensen9578]

orsom funny.The bedst satire ever !

[@kagekun1198]

When people say who they are, believe them.

[@christopherwilson7092]

No wonder he built a better world in demolition man

[@nwadtrah]

Rest assured - You didn’t need to know there was a party.

[@5tanne5on5ea]

Yet another series the BBC would NEVER make today, but why not???!!!

[@victoriousrufus6747]

Because commies have taken over trying to be politically correct!

[@tolep]

They would, with only one white man - sir Humphrey, played by gay sir Nigel.

[@Jack-he8jv]

women rights

[@MonaMarMag]

He has not idea what the other one is talking about . That is the problem .

[@stephenhunter70]

Lets have an inquiry

[@Nameless-tp8np]

I am glad that I am living in democracy =freedom and capitalist. ahhhhhh

[@jamesboulger8705]

Lol i think this video cuts Humphrey just before he opens a folder and starts rambling meaningless minutia.

[@pengolodh]

That folder with minutiae is in a different episode, from Yes, Prime Minister - see the clip "Yes, Prime Minister - The need to know" at watch?v=NX45hc0aZt0 (inlcuding some very brilliant lines with Bernard Woolley on the need to know). I wonder if in this episode Hacker simply ends up with so much information stuffed into his red boxes that he is overwhelmed by it.

[@jamesboulger8705]

@@pengolodh Thx that sounds about right. Man, I was overwhelming when I found this show, because everything feels so right. As an American, I am more in favor of the Westminster system because it favors minority parties. The show is a good laugh.

[@brockbayley5279]

first

[@bobslater3936]

I was 3 years too late, not bad for me!