Britainology 53: Blue Peter
For this month's first Britainology, Nate and Milo examine a BBC children's show that has been running since the 1950s, despite no one watching it. The show is called Blue Peter, it's extremely boring, it feels like it's been taken out of a different era, and yes, there are allegations of adultery and drug use (it's Britain after all!) Hope you enjoy.
Comments (22)
my flatmate whos a little older than i am, theyre like 23-24 and they told me they loved blue peter growing up, so there was at least 1 person watching
Luton is also the hometown of conflict journalist and war Baz Jake Hanarahan. He's mentioned how much fighting goes on there simply because there's little else to do.
I'm surprised the Dutch Peter of color didn't come up even once
A 2FA system for establishing British identity killed me
I feel Milo neglected to mention that other abiding contribution to British culture that Blue Peter has made: the number of British men who imprinted on whichever woman presenter was on the show in their childhood, & who are still powerfully horny for her years, & even decades, later
Milo is a bit of a wee one, the Tracy Island craft was because it was *the* Christmas toy that year and toy companies being what they are you couldn't find it anywhere. Not that an impossible craft substitute was much of a substitute... (This comes from my partner who listens to the show and watched Blue Peter.)
I actually built one of those Tracy Island models. I mean, it only looked vaguely like the model on TV but I was 5 so it didn't matter very much.
Oh my fucking God the -Ayden names. My mom is a preschool teacher in Ohio and she'll be like "so Brayden was fighting with Jayden and Kayden tried to break them up"
On the next free episode of the pod, everyone should make fun of Nate for confusing Dick Clark for Dick van Dyke.
hilarious that this is the shortest ep in weeks and Riley isn't on it
Was the "Blue Peter Annual" a thing or is my brain making that up? I seem to remember there was a book in my childhood house in the '80s that was the "Blue Peter Annual". I think it had Jimmy Saville in it. I grew up and still live in Australia, so I had no idea what Blue Peter was, and no idea why we had the book or how we came into possession of it. But I'm almost certain it existed.
That was definitely a thing. And Australia used to import a lot of BBC bullshit back then right?
My dad once drove me early morning into work with the sun just peeking up over the horizon, when a leap across the road, smashed into the front of my dad's van, and we had to stop for sec while he carefully dragged the body to the side of the road. He now still curses himself that he didn't keep it for himself (despite having no idea how to strip an animal carcass. He's a builder) or selling it to the local pub.
Attentive listeners of the show and its various imprints will note this is at least the second time Nate has referenced Kundera's musings on kitsch.
100% most Americans would pronounce ceili/ceilidh "seelai/seeliduh" prove me wrong - we are idiots
bluey is legit just a great program
I leave voice notes in the TransAtlantic accent sometimes for a laugh
This American appreciates all this Britain being injected into my veins, so thanks.
In the Milton Keynes plans in the 1970s, there were concerns among the planners about the potential influx of population from Luton, that might deter their “city of the future” plan.
The thing I love about Andrew Tate is that he does all these horrible crimes and openly just talks about it and then goes on podcasts saying shit like, "The government is trying to take me down. The matrix is trying to get me bro." Yeah, no shit dude you are literally doing crimes. Like really bad ones. You should be in jail for that. Incredible stuff.
"I'll tell you an anecdote! In 1975 I was catching the London train from Crewe station. It was very crowded, I found myself in a last-minute rush for the one remaining seat with a tall, good-looking man with collar-length hair, it was the seventies - buckaroo! When I sat down on the chair, I looked up and realised it was none other than Peter Purves! It was at the height of his Blue Peter fame! He said "You jammy bastard!" and quick as a flash, I replied, "Don't be blue, Peter!" Needless to say, I had the last laugh, now fuck off!"
Sorry Patrick O'Brian books have taught me that "blue peter" is a naval signal flag that means "get your ass to the ship, we're leaving."