I forgot I did this awhile ago, but the distance between Scranton, Pennsylvia and Slough, England is approximately 4,000 miles or 7,400 kilometers. Does anyone have the exact amount?
Name Analysis:
Their names both consist of two first names (David, Brent, Michael, Scott). Michael’s middle name is Gary, so could it be David’s middle name was Larry?
From what we’ve seen, Michael and David don’t seem to actually do any work in the office.
Both pride themselves as “entertainers.” Michael perhaps is more ambitious, attending an occasional acting class.
Brief Analysis:
When the U.S. version first appeared, Michael Scott was David Brent’s long-lost twin. However, as NBC series develops further, obviously to extend their storyline, Michael now has his owm personality, complete with his own irritating quirks and offensive comments. Both seem to have the same level of self-deluding sense of worth, importance and appeal to the ladies.
O f f i c e B a t t l e
Fisticuffs:Although Michael’s shown to be pretty good in the arena [US 206: The Fight], let’s face it. David’s got a few pounds on him. Plus, with all that he’s gone through, I think he’d fight harder, since he doesn’t seem to have that much left. If Michael was at an English Pub, he’d get a bit excited about those beers — even if Mikey Boy had homecourt advantage at Chili’s, he’d probably order a few two many Awesome Blossoms and go into food coma. Plus, didn’t everyone see David’s head butts [UK 105: New Girl] his new secretary? He’s vicious. Just vicious. But in the Battle of Wits? David disappointed us on Quiz Night [UK 103: The Quiz]. And Michael surprised us all with his people skills and sly salesmanship getting a big account [US 207: The Client] at of course, Chili’s - the new golf course, where business happens… as Small Businessman Magazine says (in the Letters to the Editor section).
Telly Addicts: Cheesy BBC television trivia game show hosted by Noel Edmonds. Ironically, Drug addicts like to watch Teletubbies on the Telly. See Noel’s House Party.
Top Trumps: An updated version of the card game War involving different themes and categories such as Star Wars and Monster Trucks (Gareth’s specialty).
Torquay: Town where Basil Fawlty’s hotel is located. A 1971 visit by John Cleese and other Monty Python members to Torquay, Devon was the inspiration for Fawlty Towers when they stayed in the Gleneagles Hotel, managed by an extremely ill-tempered man.
Trousers: The pants. When the Brits say something is “Pants” that means it’s crap. Not to be confused with “Underpants,” which is dirty.
Twat: Twat is UK slang for, literally: vagina, figuratively: dipshit. See Minge.
Two Ronnies: A classic BBC comedy duo from the ’70s and ’80s - Brent borrows from them liberally. See Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.
Uni: University, ie. College
Upstairs Downstairs: A prospective new quiz show devised and to be hosted by David Brent. Can best be described as a cross between Telly Addicts and Noel’s House Party.
Sergio Georgini: Piss take of Sergio Tacchini, an inexpensive sportswear label popular in British estates in the ’80s. Living in “estate” housing in England has a connotation not unlike that of living in the housing projects in America. “Estate” sale is just a fancy term for rummage sale.
Shtum: The Yiddish term for “mute,” not to be confused with the British term for “quiet,” commonly heard in East London, ie. Keep shtum.
Slappers: Tarts, whores, etc.
Snooker: Wildly popular Brit billiards game consisting of 15 red balls and 6 of other colors - is constantly aired on BBC. The Mah-Jong Network tends to get better ratings.
Stitch up: A wind-up or practical joke. Can also signify “dropping someone in it” or tattling, ie. Snitch
Reading: A suburban London town, not unlike Slough. It’s the hometown of Ricky Gervais, star of hit show The Office, as well as Titanical lovebirds Kate Winsley and Sam Mendes. See Courage.
Rob Brydon: Radio DJ and impressionist-cum-television star of popular BBC comedy Marion and Geoff.
Rod Hull: British puppeteer who came to great fame in the ’70s in England for his puppet Emu, an exteremely ugly, ill-tempered bird that attacked people’s crotches. Rod and Emu had limited success in the U.S. with a few appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Emo Philips went on to greater success with his crotch-assaulting bits.
Ronnie Barker: Star, along with Ronnie Corbett, of The Two Ronnies. He most recently appeared as Churchill’s wise-cracking butler in 2002’s The Gathering Storm and previous to that in the beloved and multitundinous 1960s series: Faces of Jim.
Ronnie Corbett: Popular comedian best rememberede for the monologues he delivered and his comic partnership in the ’70s and ’80s with Ronnie Barker. He also appeared in The Ben Elton show and the 1973 No Sex Please, We’re British.
Oggy, oggy, oggy: A British rubgy change, famously shouted by Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta Jones as she accepted her 2003 BAFTA (British Academy Award) for The Mask of Zorro. Literal translation: Whassup?
Orienteering: Cross-country trekking with maps, really only safe for somebody with Territorial Army experience.
Pot my pink: Sexual innuendo based on a snooker term. To ‘pot the pink’ would be to sink the pink ball.
Milkers: Bazompas. Janet Jackson famously bared her star-spangling milker during the Big Game, which earned her the nickname: Breasty McBoobahay.
Minge: Another of the countless British slang terms for vagina. Not to be confused with Madge, the British term of affection for Madonna. See Fanny.
Monkey: The monkey puppet refers to a UK commercial for Satellite TV with an animated monkey voiced by Brit comedian Johnny Vegas - starring in The Sex Lives of the Potato Men alongside Mackenzie Crook (Gareth), with an appearance by Lucy Davis (Dawn). Brent imitates Vegas’ voice when saying “monkey”.
Mullered: Drunk, absolutely pissed.
Noel’s House Party: BBC game show hosted from 1991-1999 by the prolific Noel Edmonds, not to be confused with Kid ‘N Play. Broadcasted live from a fictional town called “Crinkley Bottom,” it included such segments as “The Big Pork Pie” and “Beat Your Neighbour” - wonderful!
Ian Botham: A cricket player known as “Beefy” near the end of his career for his largish frame who did a walk for charity from Land’s End to John O’Groats. He famously saved England’s in a competition against Australia in 1981. We famously saved England’s arse in the war. Jeremy Beadle: UK TV personality who presented such memorable shows as It’s Beadler, Beadle’s About and Beadle’s Box of Tricks. He does have a wanking claw.
John O’Groats: The northernmost point of the British mainland. Is a common destination for bikers and charity-seekers departing from Land’s End - The southernmost point.
Kettle: An electrical device to boil water for tea, a leafy subsatnce most Americans prefer in Boston harbor.
Knackered: Exhausted. Not to be confused with Knackers which is slang for testicles or Knacker - a term for poor Irish trash.
