Like many history buffs, I’m a sucker for documentaries. I may even be the only idiot to actually purchase them for my own video collection. That’s why I had a riot listening to Jon Culshaw of the BBC comedy show “Dead Ringers.” In this clip, he spoofs professor Simon Schama as he does his “A History of Britain” series based on his three books. I was a fan of the series, but I can see through the spoof what I couldn’t before: how documentaries can often over-simplify something very complex, or even make connections that simply do not exist.
Either way, for those familiar with Schama’s work, this is too funny. Enjoy. NOTE: The BBC is not allowing this video to be embedded. You can click on the video to see it on another screen.
Jack Roosevelt Robinson (1919-72) was the first African American to "officially" play in Major League Baseball. When he retired from the game, Jackie Robinson went on to champion the cause of civil rights from his position as a prominent executive of the Chock Full o'Nuts Corporation. Jackie Robinson sent this message to Presidential assistant […]
Today’s Document from the National Archives
Mr. D's Neighborhood 
Spoofing History: BBC Spoof of Simon Schama
Like many history buffs, I’m a sucker for documentaries. I may even be the only idiot to actually purchase them for my own video collection. That’s why I had a riot listening to Jon Culshaw of the BBC comedy show “Dead Ringers.” In this clip, he spoofs professor Simon Schama as he does his “A History of Britain” series based on his three books. I was a fan of the series, but I can see through the spoof what I couldn’t before: how documentaries can often over-simplify something very complex, or even make connections that simply do not exist.
Either way, for those familiar with Schama’s work, this is too funny. Enjoy. NOTE: The BBC is not allowing this video to be embedded. You can click on the video to see it on another screen.
Leave a comment
Filed under Uncategorized
Tagged as A History of Britain, BBC, Comedy, Commentary, Cultural Literacy, Dead Ringers, Education, England, European history, Great Britain, History, Humor, Humour, Ireland, Jon Culshaw, Media, Opinion, Scotland, Simon Schama, Social studies, Wales