Profile

servermonkey: (Default)
servermonkey

January 2020

S M T W T F S
    1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
servermonkey: (Goofy Grin)
[personal profile] servermonkey
Recently, Rachel told me that she thought the British "cock-up" expression used for when things get all fouled (you thought I was going to use the other F word, didn't you?) up was great. Hearing Helen Mirren say it all the time must have had some effect on her. A couple of my favorites originate from The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, a little seen show that I was fortunate enough to catch on WPBT a long time ago. C.J. (the boss) would always go around saying such classics as:

  • I didn't get where I am today by having green frogs thrust down my crotch.

  • I didn't get where I am today by thinking.

  • I didn't get where I am today by biting people in the changing room.

  • I didn't get where I am today by wearing underpants decorated with Beethoven.

  • I didn't get where I am today by everything smelling of Bolivian unicyclist's jockstraps!

  • I didn't get where I am today by sleeping with sweaty, Caledonian chefs!

  • I didn't get where I am today by drinking a liquid that's only been tested on pencils!


He also butchered other expressions as only his character could. An example, "It's the early bird that catches the quick brown fox." A spoonerism variation, I guess? Another guy on the show went around saying "Super!" (sounded more like soo-pa!). I loved watching PBS in my youth, I tell ya! I mean, where else would I have seen Dave Allen at Large, Doctor in the House, Fawlty Towers, Dr. Who, Red Dwarf, Topper (don't ask, but yeah, I watched it from time to time), et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

[Poll #313852]
Date: 2004-06-28 07:56 am (UTC)

Topper

From: [identity profile] syreene.livejournal.com
Wasn't that a Carey Grant movie about a ghost? :/
Date: 2004-06-28 12:06 pm (UTC)

Re: Topper

From: [identity profile] servermonkey.livejournal.com
Yeah, I think it was. I watched the series based on it, I believe. A lot.
Date: 2004-06-28 12:07 pm (UTC)

Re: Topper

From: [identity profile] syreene.livejournal.com
Huh...never knew there was a series. :/
Date: 2004-06-28 12:14 pm (UTC)

Re: Topper

From: [identity profile] servermonkey.livejournal.com
Oh, I found it to be very entertaining. I really thought Anne Jeffreys (http://www.fiftiesweb.com/tv/topper-2.jpg) was good looking when I was younger, too.
Date: 2004-06-28 12:17 pm (UTC)

Re: Topper

From: [identity profile] syreene.livejournal.com
Not bad in that 50s elegance kind of way. ;)
(deleted comment)
Date: 2004-06-29 05:35 am (UTC)

From: [identity profile] servermonkey.livejournal.com
Howdy. Pretty cool about the origin of the phrase, I'll have to tell Rachel about that.
Page generated Aug. 12th, 2025 03:13 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios