I’ve been a fan of British entertainment, especially comedy, since I was a little kid. The first time I saw Benny Hill on Channel 9 at a past-my-bedtime hour, I knew it was something special. Not because it was particularly funny (which at the time I thought it was), but because it was unlike anything that the U.S. was making. Then I discovered Paul Hogan (true, an Aussie, but still under the UK banner). Then came the Comedy Holy Grail of Monty Python’s Flying Circus . I couldn’t get enough of Monty Python and of course, Fawlty Towers. This led to more contemporary works like The Young Ones and Black Adder and Red Dwarf, and I’m still hooked.
One thing that has been in the back of my mind for quite some time is the Brits’ constant use of World War II in their entertainment. Comedians, writers and musicians of a certain age tend to use WWII as a component of their work. This came up again in Bruce Robinson’s book. It is a constant in Richard Thompson’s work. It is essential to latter Roger Waters work, both in and out of Pink Floyd. Monty Python plays around with it, and many other comedians do too.
I think Americans lazily think of the British as pretty much like us. And this has been even more prevalent with the recent Bush/Blair relationship. And despite my love of British entertainment, I am guilty of imagining the Brits to have similar shared experiences (common language can do that I suppose). So, it made me wonder why we in the U.S. don’t seem to have WWII so ingrained in our cultural entertainment. Sure, we have our swing bands, and the iconic photographs and even Saving Private Ryan. But it seems like we have a “Mission Accomplished (for Real)” checkmark next to it, and we’re happy it’s over and that’s that. Even in my family, my dad was in WWII, and yet it wasn’t really a big deal when I was growing up, or even in his personal history. Weird.
It was then that my wife reminded me that the British were bombed in the war, that it really hit home for them in a way that it never did here. Even though Pearl Harbor was American soil, and we did experience air raid drills and blackouts, we didn’t have the impending threat and fear as directly as the British did. All of this is of course common knowledge, and I feel foolish for not thinking about it before. And yet, somehow I never put these pieces together. Of course, British artists were impacted by WWII because it directly impacted their lives, their towns, their families.
There really isn’t a point to any of this other than to stop wondering how come there’s another British song/story/joke about WWII. I’ll just go back to enjoying it.
I Just Read About That... 
Paul,
I’ve been thinking about this post today and the difference in the American and British experience of WW II. It does seem worlds apart. Although we experienced deprivation, loss of our loved ones, and fear, it was never truly brought into our country in the same way. It was the bombing sure, but every aspect of their lives changed and children from a very early age were well aware. I think that never goes away. It informs your whole life and I believe thats why it is included so often in comedy, music, writing, etc.I don’t know if you have ever seen the movie “Hope and Glory”. It certainly speaks to the whole experience of a young boy growing up in England during the war. Its a beautiful film, funny and horrible and touching. I think even more heartbreaking is the thought of all the children of the world now who are experiencing the horror and fear of war.
Thanks for the thoughts! I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who noticed/thought about this. I have not seen “Hope and Glory” but it sounds very good.
I totally agree with your last sentence. Every time I think about a war ending, I realize that all of the children who have grown up with it have no reason to think that war is abnormal. It’s just what they know. So, it must be even harder to convince them to try to avoid it in the future.