In this timeless clip, Prime Minister, Jim Hacker explains to Sir Humphrey and Bernard the importance of the papers and who reads which one. Hilarious BBC British comedy at its best.
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Still relevant decades later. Painfully, painfully, painfully relevant.
Yes... I'd even add scarefully and hideously relevant...
+AFGuidesHD Wait... Did the communists burn down the Reichstag again?
+GardEngebretsen I hope not, the Reichstag is a fantastic piece architecture.
Zoë Castillo That was a reference to how Hitler seized power permanently. Blamed the actions of a mentally unstable person on the Communists (he tried setting the Reichstag ablaze) and socialists, outlawed their parties - and then was unopposed in parliament where he made everyone confirm him as Führer.
GardEngebretsen I know :> I was just joking.
I think Bernard's punchline is possibly the single funniest one-liner in the series.
ArcaneAzmadi You’ll get no argument from me on that!
And maybe the most accurate...
It was funny becouse this is such an uncharacteristic joke to the series. It was so surprising.
And some time we can see Sir.Humphrey with Sun in his hand make it even funnier XDDD
ZATennisFan So funny I had tears in my eyes! 😅😂🤣Almost spot on but not entirely accurate as you think: I read the Times, the ‘I’ and the FT but neither own nor run the country.😜
The other day, I saw a Sun article that said "silly millennials argue Frankenstein's monster was not a monster, but a sympathetic character with feelings". Apparently no one told them that this is the actual point of Mary Shelley's book.
TheRenaissanceman65 I think They just watched van helsing and got simpsthy offence
Did the article by any chance mention the OSP channel? It's very good and the people who run it actually read the books they discuss, unlike, apparently, the journalists who work at The Sun.
@Scooby Doo That's because it has big tits... Dont't forget the big tits.
If I made Frankensteins monster I'd give it big tits.
But does the monster have big tits?
Paul Eddington should have gotten an award just for this scene. He not only nailed the delivery, he also did the best job of staying in character. The other two both nearly lost it. It makes sense that his character would know the most about the press. Hacker was an editor or publisher before going into politics. I believe the fictional publication was "Reform". You know just how timeless and lasting a series is when the humor is still relevant over thirty years after it was produced.
And he had advanced cancer at the time - hence the layers of make up. Incredible.
He had cancer throughout most of his career, I believe. He was initially diagnosed in his early 20s. He just carried on regardless without treatment (I think). After all, they do say that sometimes it's the treatment that kills you.
It looks like he may have been reading his speech from notes on his desk, but if so, who could blame him?
John Cronin He got nominated for several BAFTAs for this... but Nigel kept winning!
@@mattpollard86 He was starting to lose his hair, because one of the last times I saw him on tv in an interview, he'd lost his hair & his skin was 'patchy' for want of a better word!
I learned so much about British society from this 108 second clip. Admittedly I already knew that Sun readers were, well, like that.
I like how they put some balance into the characters so Hacker wasn't always a bumbling fool and Sir Humphrey the savvy one. Of course a politician knows the newspapers better!
Indeed, one episode has Sir Humphrey say something unwise to a journalist --- and then Hacker has to pull him out of it.
Hacker was a journalist himself, before his political career.
Humphrey's home field was the bureaucracy, Hacker's was the media. Challenging either of them there rarely went well for the challenger.
Also, everybody has had a new boss at work with a 100 brilliant ideas for fixing everything that everybody knows isn't broken. I can definitely relate to both of them. That's great writing.
@@ThomasHenryHoran I'm pretty sure Humphrey knows everything is broken and wrong but just "frightfully well carried out"
I love it when Bernard gets the punch line. Derek Fowlds always pulled that deadpan off brilliantly. This trio are one of the finest comic teams of all time. Never a missed note.
I love his "grief did I just say that aloud" expression in the reaction shot.
Bernard's irregular verbs are classics
Derek Fowlds will forever line in my memory for two things: One: this great punchline in Yes Minister. Two: Hissing the word ‘Greengrass!’ through gritted teeth in absolute contempt.
The pm OWNING that scene all the way till the end......until Bernard stole the whole thing away.
Wooley always got the best lines
@@Sylvander1911 Given he had the fewest lines, it was sort of his job to be the straight man delivering the exclamation point at the end of a scene.
... and lowering his head to avoid being seen as about to laugh aloud himself! 😂
@@christinevickers1457 Every one of the actors was on the verge of laughter throughout the whole scene. They knew exactly how funny it was. XD
@@schroecat1 Give credit to Paul Eddington for staying in character throughout the whole exchange, even Bernard's punchline.
I know Bernard's line is coming, but it still cracks me up every time.
And the look on his face right is one of the great "Oh, my God-Did I just say that out _loud?_ " moments of all time
Perfect delivery.
One of the best-written (and delivered) bits in British sitcom history. Nigel Hawthorn obviously enjoyed it - you can see him desperately trying not to corpse after Paul Eddington delivers his lines.
Paul's the only one not to break. Bernard looking down at his papers looks a lot like Derek trying to hide a laugh
@@michaelinlofiagreed. As far as I can remember this is the only instance when both Bernard and Sir Humphrey lose it.
When Fowlds delivers his punchline, you can see the reflection in the brass on the door of Hawthorn tossing his papers away. I guess he couldn't hold it in any longer. 😆
Nigel Hawthorne almost losing it there... :D Cracking series and STILL as relevant...
+Chris Addison And Derek Fowlds does lose it, supposing from how he lowers his head.
I wonder if he didn't ad-lib that line, then a few tenths of a second later, realized what he'd said.
@@RexKarrs No it was scripted, but the lines were just so classic that both of them almost couldn't help themselves. The timing was perfect and they all knew it.
@@Cynwidion I wonder how many times they had to rehearse/shoot that bit before they could get reasonably close to getting through without completely breaking up (I think you're right, that Hawthorne is starting to break in anticipation, probably of both the line itself and what he could predict would be the audience reaction).
@@insertclevername4123 And uses the brush of his nose to pull himself back into the scene, as a true professional.
This is the kind of output that the BBC used to excel at. Brilliant at every level.
The professors used to show clips of this series to us when we studied Political Science in University to illustrate concepts taught in the classroom. As relevent and hilarious now as ever. Total gem of a show.
This series presented some of the best dialog every written for tv and was beautifully delivered by a great cast.
The ‘who reads which British newspaper’ joke has been around since the 1960s. It was posted up on a lot of office noticeboards, and when fax machines arrived, it was one of the most-faxed inter-office memos. (Faxed humour was a precursor to social media.) The satirical comment wasn’t written for this show, but it has never been better delivered for a laugh.
Oh, it’s much older than that. Joseph Clayton Clark did a series of cartoons in the late 19th century that was typical readers of various newspapers. The Daily Mail reader, for instance, is a man in a padded cell.
@@GolumTR An accurate depiction to this day
People used to fax each other memes?! That's incredible! There really is nothing new under the sun
@@cartertheunstoppablefaxmac902 In the early 1500s, the Spanish emperor Carlos Quinto (Carlos V), who lived in the Flemish city of Mechelen, exchanged memes/cartoons/jokes with a friend in the French royal family at the palace in Paris. I know this from a PhD thesis about mail delivery because the fastest mail delivery between Mechelen and Paris (315 kms) took three days in 1518 and longer than that by 2018.
@@cartertheunstoppablefaxmac902 Except new pair of tits every day.
I can confirm. I read The Guardian and I think I ought to run the country.
Morning Star reader here and I can confirm that I think the government of New Zealand should take control of the UK.
@@BethB90 and back then they thought it ought to be run by Russia!
@@si-5814 I'm fairly sure the previous comment was a joke.
@@clairenoon4070 I’m fairly sure it was a joke. I’m also fairly sure mine wasn’t.
@@si-5814 wasnt that the daily telegraph readers thinking Russia was actually the ruler.
Bernard's "Did I really just say that?" look is the best.
Bernard's line finishes a wonderful build with an exquisite punchline. Still one of the highlights of such an underrated series.
I can't imagine anyone underrating it, unless they've never heard of it at all.
The look on Derek Fowldes' face: "Did I really just say that?!!"
This is just so good.
yea i found it interesting how he himself doesn't believe what came out of his mouth
@@ariavachier-lagravech.6910 Dude they are actors
Basil would never believe it of Mr Derek.
"In my out-loud voice?"
Yes minister and yes prime minister have to be one of the best satires ever broadcasted on British TV.
*on TV
David Wilson-Holmes Considering what I know of politics it sometimes comes across as a documentary more than a satire.
Or any other global tv for that matter!
Best writing of any show anytime ant place.
What makes you think they're satires?
I absolutely love it how Sir Nigel Hawthorne almost cracks up after the newspaper monologue.
every sitcom always hopes for a moment or episode where a routine is scripted and performed so perfectly that everyone remembers it even 40 years on. This is arguably the funniest and best remembered bit from Yes (Prime) Minister. For good reason.
Probably the finest political satire sitcom ever written and we Brits have written a few.
The other one for me is the reinforcements of good will line.
Just like the why Britain was in the common market episode
If you watch carefully you can see a certain Sir Humphrey trying not to crack up in anticipation of the punchline.
RIP Derek; this show was a masterpiece and you were magnificent.
Basil read a poem at his funeral.
That right there is pure British humor. Very reserved and understated like its an airplane flying below the radar and then out of nowhere ....amusing, amusing, amusing, bam zinger
Whenever I see this show I'm quite fascinated how well the role of Bernard Woolley is written. As a supporting actor his time on this show is limited. But when his time comes, his sentences are the cherry on the cake.
I don't think it's fair to characterize Bernard as a supporting character. Yes, the primary conflict is between Hacker and Humphrey, but Bernard is the their go-between, the one often caught in he middle, and the substitute for the audience in questioning what they say and do. His total screen time rivals the other two.
What writing ✍. What a cast. The 80's. What a decade for British comedy. RIP Paul Eddington, Derek Fowlds and Nigel Hawthorne. 💐. You are missed 😢 but never forgotten.
'Sun reader' that famous oxymoron.
Sun looker-at-er.
It’s actually a contradictio in terminis since it consists of 2 words.
I didn't know you read photos.
@Shahid Khan Bit like Guardian and Daily Mirror then , bigger morons they are Love the Sun and they were right about Sniverpool Anything that winds lefties and Labour voters up is good with me #thesun
@Shahid Khan seems you are ok with being racist then ? is it cos im white
As a Daily Telegraph reader, the writers got it spot on.
I love the way Nigel Hawthorne stops from laughing (just) but repeats the word "Prime" twice near the end before crossing it for Derek Fowlds to bang the punchline joyously into the net.
What was so good about Yes, Minister and subsequently Yes, Prime Minister was the writing and acting was so spectacularly good. All three actors clearly thoroughly enjoyed working with each other, and also crucially all 3 actors really enjoyed playing their respective given characters.
It was that rare entertainment alchemy, the perfect conjunction of premise, writing, and cast.
The calibre of dry wit here is brilliant, splendid scene gentlemen, simply splendid!
Wonderful comedy. List still relevant today. You can see Nigel and Derek trying to hold back the laughter. Nigel even says prime twice, before the killer joke by Derek. They don't make this standard of comedy's anymore. May these three legends rest in peace. Never forgotten.
My favorite part is at 1:33 when Paul talks about the Daily Telegraph. Nigel tries not to laugh, but gives a smile like "that was funny."
A precious moment indeed
Notice in the last few seconds there’s a reflective pushbar on the door behind Bernard. See the script falling after his punchline? That’s one of the other two laughing his rear end off because that’s the first time he’s heard it delivered - they always did things in one take
The genius that was Hawthorn and Eddington may have done the heavy lifting in YM/YPM but Fowlds held it together with so many beautifully delivered punchlines, some of the best ever in British Comedy . RIP Mr Derek.
Even the great Nigel Hawthorne almost corpses during this scene.
I think Bernard is the most relatable, most identifiable, and also the most underrated character of the three. He is the sort of chap who genuinely means well but is also either unable, or unwilling to do something about it. His predicament as exclaimed by him in his own words, the exact line escapes me, but related, to grabbing the bull by its horns. Like someone genuinely stuck between a rock and a har d place.
That exchange was bordeline autistic, better Sheldon Cooper :D
I love how they spread the good lines around on this show.
Only just heard, Derek Fowlds has passed away! Now all these three talented Gentlemen have been taken from us. Thank you Bernard.👏👏😥
Derek Fowlds.
@@thecommission6662 Yes, I know. I'll blame auto-correct.
"Only a Civil Servant could have made that remark." Priceless! The best comedy/documentary series ever, in the English language (Who knows what other countries have produced? The French have some hilarious series). It's timeless.
A classic sketch made even funnier because Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds were both on the absolute edge of corpsing.
At that time, Maggie Thatcher ran the country. Gives that punchline a little more of a twist. Naughty Bernard.
The punchline had nothing to do with Margaret Thatcher. It was simply about The Sun having 'page 3' which always featured a topless woman.
@@clairenoon4070 that's your limited interpretation. Live with it.
@@mizzyroro No, it really isn't! I watched this series when it was first aired, I am university educated and reasonably intelligent, I am British and therefore understand British humour and British politics (including in the 1980s at the time of the programme), and the workings of the UK civil service. I have also worked for the civil service. I can assure you that neither I, nor anyone I know, would at the time have understood that joke to relate to Mrs Thatcher; it relates to the nature of The Sun newspaper. The joke would have been used if a man were PM at the time, and would have worked exactly the same, because it has nothing to do with who was actually PM. It is quite clear to me, reading so many of these comments, that much of the programme is now misunderstood or misinterpreted, for any combination of the following reasons: commenters aren't British and don't fully grasp British humour, or class (which is very relevant here in terms of language used and the type of humour), commenters aren't old enough to remember this period and are applying modern interpretations (crass ones) totally out of context. I just thank God I was able to watch and enjoy this programme the way it was intended to be, and within the context it was intended to be, pre-internet and without modern vulgarians who think they know it all (and know nothing) spoiling everything they touch.
@@clairenoon4070 Respectfully, sir. Get over yourself.
@@olefredrikskjegstad5972 Do, by all means, explain to me how a person might 'get over themselves'? Yet another millennial-style meaningless statement. Exactly the kind of vacuity I was talking about.
meanwhile the daily express readers want to resurrect Dianna so she can run the country.
The Independent readers have no official political bias, i readers are young and Metro readers are bored on train and bus journeys.
When they can't get a diana story there's always the latest weather scare story to fall back on. The weather will always be with us!
+ejcmoorhouse The Independent is read by people who don't know who runs the country but are sure they're doing it wrong.
JESK1985 I like that.
@@JESK-lx4js And let us not forget the independent is owned by KGB officer Alexander Lebedev.
And that, that’s how you do comedy.
Decades later, this show teaches all of us the understanding of government dealings without boring us to sleep. May Sir humphrey and PM Hacker Rest In Peace
As well as Bernard!
I always go back to this video when I'm trying to figure out which British newspapers are which.
I love the way Bernard looks so abashed.
Nothing has changed in 40 years...Amazing.
We're leaving the EU/EEC. Now THAT's progress.
RIP Derek Fowlds. I loved you when I was a child watching Basil Brush and really enjoyed you in Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
Bernard is the quintessential comedy straight-man, done to perfection.
No-one reads The Sun, they just look at the pictures.
Just the funniest but absolutely cuttingly true analysis of the British media
When I was in law school, an Oxford-educated friend introduced me to this show. It was the highlight of my day to go home with him, grab a ruby and a pint, go to the flat, fire up the box, and watch Yes PM on the telly. Well, this is how he put it. I discovered that this show is perhaps the best written show I ever saw. It hold so true to the US, as well. Thank you, UK, for giving the world this show.
The overlooked gem here I think is ' _The Guardian_ is read by people who think they ought to run the country'. So many chips, so many shoulders.
@TheSmithersy I don't think there are many of them. Most elites in this country own amounts of wealth you couldn't imagine. And the disparity is too high. There are many rich people in London. But those people aren't Liberal left voters. They're conservatives. I have a privately educated friend, he's a working class guy got in on a scholarship - all his rich friends are conservative. In short - You've been lied to by the Murdoch press/ Right-wing media.
@TheSmithersy "metropolitan liberal elites" is such a meaningless phrase now, it gets thrown around as a buzzphrase to make a point which doesn't exist...
TheSmithersy then say something to that effect, instead of a phrase which was distorted and biased from the start, and has lost much of its meaning
TheSmithersy anyway, that’s wonderfully ironic, since the Tory mantra seems to be wealthy upper middle class (conservative) elites forcing the more left wing working class to do what they want
TheSmithersy oh god, ‘SJW’ another meaningless buzzword. Can you point out how vicious Tory austerity was ‘shouted down’? Or are these ‘left leaning SJWs’ the UN, when they criticised the thousands of poor and disabled people who died on Universal Credit due to Tory cuts? I’m not sure if you think criticising human rights abuses is a bit lefty...
My late father's favourite show. He knew people in politics and they said the series was spot on about pretty much everything from the characters to the situations.
You could watch that scene over and over again and it never fades. Wonderful.
"The Scots are grumbling about their independance". " EVERYONE wants their independance minister.......until they run out of money!" As relevant today as it was then.
More so today.
randomguy8196 4 months and waiting
@ Randomguy, no. Why? Because lots of History and political science journals, books, and papers that's why.
The UK has actually always been unstable. For God's sake man, a huge chunk of it doesn't even want to BE in the UK, it's very polarized over Brexit etc. I could go on.
There's half of NI, 23% of wales(according to a uGov poll), at this point over 50% of scots...that must add up to around 5 million yes which is a lot. It's not just people: it's a lot of land and natural resources too.
It's sad that the BBC's official clip of this iconic scene suffers from such poor audio and visual quality.
Bernard's actor was about to break character and burst out laughing at the end xD
Can't blame him at all.
I actually remember when this series run on TV. Sadly it's still relevant. And, of course hysterical funny.
As a 14 year old I had a crush on Bernard. As a 19 year old I had a crush on Humphrey. As a 25 year old I can only hope that I have acquired some sense. But it seems unlikely.
It's good to find a fellow mid-20-something actually watches these. Paul Eddington was such a distinguished chap.
I watched them as a teen too. Sir Nigel, you will be happy to know, was either outed or came out a good ten-plus years ago. So there's hope for you.
Both...he was outed (pretty much against his will, he was a VERY private person) and then he came out publicly when he couldn't avoid it.
I always felt that was most unfair - what does his sexuality matter? He was paid to act, not sleep with anyone in particular. He was a great actor and played a blinding role in things such as "The Madness of King George", as well as Yes, Minister. And Demolition man, of course.
I met the man the character Sir Humphreys was satirizing. He is actually even smarter in real life.
Wow...30 years latter and it is still accurate and topical comedy...
Now almost 40 years on it still holds true, but the sun no longer has page 3.
@@nathanparry8315that was the only bit I read. I just wish it had been in braille
Best par about this joke is, that if you understand the language, you can create your country's own version even knowing nothing about these newspaper of the day...
“The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country”, so bloody true
Notice how the BBC has pandered to everyone’s prejudice by pushing this joke on mainstream programming
Sadly these days Guardian readers more or less *do*. Modern British Police arresting people for mild insults is straight out of The Guardians' tyrannical wish list.
Still relevant in 2021!
This writing is pure gold😂
RIP Mr Derek Fowlds, lovely man and brilliant actor, thank you for all the happy memories.
Yes Minister/Prime Minister was always a sitcom with 3 main characters. Bernard was essential as the buffer between Jim and Sir Humphrey as well as a conduit of knowledge, whether received or given. Derek had so many good lines, and this may be the best of them. And to think, he used to work with his hand up a foxes arse!
A perfect description of today's news shows in america.
Fowlds was able to provide one of the greatest punchlines in television history. He shall be missed.
RIP Derek Fowld’s. Thanks for one of the greatest lines ever.
And the Express is read by people who think that the EU runs the country, but would prefer to let Princess Diana do it.
The daily Star is read by people who can't understand what the EU is and The metro is neither read by anyone but by people who do the crossword bored on a Bus or Train
This is still fresh and relevant comedy. Still better than most comedies on TV today, no contest.
I love Bernard's delivery of that line. Brilliant :-D
I just love the way Bernard occasionally butts in with some (maybe inappropriate!) but utterly hysterical quip.
If anyone's curious, the political leanings of each newspaper are as follows: left, centre-left, centre-right, right, right, far left, far right and The Sun.
OMG, laughing out so loud.."the only way to understand the press is to remember they pander to their readers prejudices.."
Spectacular from Nigel Hawthorne. He is on the very edge of corpsing there and holds it together at the last second.
I bought the whole set of all the series. Brilliant script, brilliant acting.
I guess the present day equivalent would be 'who uses social media?'.
In my opinion the best tv sitcom
Bernard you excel yourself!
SIMPLY ONE OF THE VERY BEST SATIRE/COMEDY SERIES EVER MADE. MY FAVOURITE SCENE IS WHEN THE PM IS MADE TO CHOOSE A BISHOP AND MEETS A VERY CYNICAL ANGLICAN ADVISER.
This show hasn't aged, even after all these years. Comedy at its finest.
I'd say it's aged, it's just aged extremely well like a fine wine or cheese.
@@jesseberg3271 Absolutely it's aged. A modern comedy series couldn't get away with telling the truth *and* poking fun at people the way this show does. All of the best comedy was made between the 60s and 90s, everyone becomes too precious after that.
Absolute full on unstoppable genius!
RIP, Derek. Now, all three of you are gone, yet you'll be with us forever.
I like how Humphrey says "and cons"
As a Guardian reader, this scene is too true. :P
I wasn't exactly bragging per se. Either way, why out of interest? I can give a guess, being familiar with some of its flaws but I'm still curious.
@@KingOfTheInterWebs It's run by neo Marxists intersectional ideologues
@@hitlerssecondcoming2523 I take it you read the Mail then?
@@montymf7429 No, the daily fail are nothing but dirty dirty smear merchants
@@susanneyuk-pingpong8705 I think a free market with suitable regulation to stop abuses is the ideal economic system with monopolies being broken up and the private owners being reimbursed for any losses it is their business that is broken up. The intersectional types take marx's teachings, but instead of dividing people up by class they do it by race/gender/sex ect... I don't see how my description is any way contradictory. I am a social libertarian, I think a free market is the ideal system but needs a little regulation to stop abuses, I also don't mind certain social programs to help people into the work force or those who legitimately can't work. Edit: I actually now agree with you more than I did then. 19/06/2019
Love how Derek Fowlds couldn't keep a straight face at the end! :D
That has to be difficult in a comedy.
Awesome humor of the Brits.
It is sad to think that all three of these great actors are gone now.
And in true fashion, Bernard got the last line
The reason why this joke works so well is because this show was G-rated, family-friendly viewing for the most part, so when you hear something that makes you do a double-take it works incredibly well. Same goes for the episode about the English channel tunnel where Hacker says "The president is not to bring that bitch with him!" It's actually a trick more tv writers should be aware of while they're writing scripts with overt crude humour.
Nearly 40 years later and it’s still as relevant today as it was then, astonishing.
What do you mean by relevant, if I may?
@@trollop_7 Thank God someone said it! If I see another comment about 'relevant' or (shudder, even worse) 'relatable', I think I might scream. There are some people who just suck the joy and fun out of everything.
What a classic one liner.
Oh how painfully but brilliantly relevant this segment is 30+ years on!
Even the masterful Sir Nigel Hawthorne can't keep from corpsing.
Masterful timing, Bernard was always underrated in Yes, all three were comic geniuses.
The only thing that's changed is that today there would be a fourth person in the room making Hacker's statement: the Political Advisor (an overglorified Public Relations Officer)
This show was spot on, I wish I saw more of it when I lived in the UK.