“It turns out he was AC and I was DC”

👚🧦🧣👒🩲👞⬇️ 

Mrs. Slocombe Pride post! Wiggle Wednesday! Lots of social stuff!

We welcome special guest co-host Mr. Alvin! He watched AYBS with his sister when he was a kid (like most of our #Unanimous listeners too).

We talk about the series 8 Christmas finale, “Roots?”, the semi-banned controversial blackface episode (and we unpack a LOT).

Grace Brothers is in the dark with a maintenance crew strike!

“I cried all the way to the bank” was an original quote from Liberace and how was he related to Mr. Humphries?

“AC/DC” is a 70s bisexual joke.

Titfer = Cockney rhyming slang for “hat” (tit-for-tat/hat).

Professor Mr. Jeff teaches about the Welsh word: “eisteddfod”.

The staff look up Mr. Grace’s culture to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Welsh coal miners would remind 1981 AYBS fans of the Thatcher coal strikes on the news.

Mr. Humphries’ white jumpsuit!

That insane (and true) coal disaster at Aberfan in Wales depicted in “The Crown”.

Another Welsh word: “hiraeth” = longing (or saudade in Portuguese)

A return from Madame Berryl for Mr. Alvin.

Thank you to the nurses!

The “traveling matte” technique to film the same actor as two people in a scene (like Mr. Rumbold and his brother).

The staff perform a cool Scottish dance with Humphries dancing around crossed swords.

“Walkieeeeeees!”.

The super old-school use of using rabbits feet to apply makeup (like Humphries used from his sporran).

A new rule on Rupaul’s Drag Race that will prevent a Mrs. Slocombe portrayal? (say it ain’t so).

Now the Graces are from Somerset (a farming area in western England near the Wales border).

Why pirates have the “yeh-arrrrr” voice.

We have to (sadly) say goodbye to Young Mr. Grace (Arthur Bennett) who was 82. The episode was recorded in May 1981 but was only aired in December. Bennett died in September so the episode aired after he died.

The podcast debated whether “Roots?” should have been covered at all because of the blackface scene.

Mr. Grace’s family is then discovered to be from Africa (vaguely).

The staff comes out in full blackface, singing a minstrel song called “Waiting for the Robert E. Lee”.

Turner Classic Movies produced a great video all about the history of blackface and minstrels and its context.

Britbox has removed this episode from its available AYBS collection (because of the blackface).

Mr. Alvin shares about growing up and watching African Americans being depicted on TV and film.

What messages does blackface really give to both black and white audiences?

Being disappointed with a show that you love.

The exception: Wendy Richard, as Miss. Brahams, refused to dress in blackface and the BBC threatened to fire her. She insisted and performed the scene without blackface.

Should media companies edit out racist scenes from old TV shows or remove the episode entirely? It’s a debate.

And should John Inman, a gay man, have been more aware of blackface’s hurtfulness?

Blackface was started in New York City in the 1830s by white comedians to portray black enslaved people as comical, stupid, and happy to be controlled for white audiences’ amusement.

A long-lost pilot podcast episode?

Special thanks to special co-host Mr. Alvin!

Treat yourself to some That Does Suit Madame merch at our Bargain Basement podcast shop at imfree.threadless.com for t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more! Leave the show a voicemail at the Peacock Hotline: (662)-PEACOCK (662-732-2625) and find us on Facebook at fb.me/ThatDoesSuitMadame and Twitter @DoesSuitMadame #AYBS #AreYouBeingServed #ImFree #Britcom #comedy #MrHumphries #ThatDoesSuitMadame #GraceBros #podcast #LGBTQ #LGBT #BlackLivesMatter #WearAmask #BBC