I have just realised I have the same taste in TV comedy as an elderly British white man. Sitting around a table full of pints after a recent football match (we lost), the conversation turned to our favourite comedy shows. There I was, extolling the humour of Blackadder II and the joys of a Morecambe and Wise skit when my teammates started talking with glee about the loudly humourless It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and, eugh, The Big Bang Theory.
It’s not that my tastes are morally superior, but my relationship with TV comedy is an odd one. For much of my childhood, despite allowing me unfettered access to the internet, my parents did not own a TV set. What they did have was a projector and a VHS player, which meant much of my screen time was spent playing old tapes, on a loop. By the age of 11, my comedies of choice were Rising Damp, a bit of Only Fools and Horses (early seasons only) and some relatively modern Father Ted.
