TV's top 25 put-downs published

The top 25 put-downs in TV history, as chosen by the Radio Times magazine, from American and British TV, have been published. I particulary like the J R Ewing one. "Ray never was comfortable eating with the family - we do use knives and forks." Brilliant!

I actually watched Caroline Aherne as Mrs Merton on The Mrs Merton Show. She said, without pausing, to Debbie McGee: "So what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?" The poor Debbie wasn't sure how to take it, but smiled professionally, of course!

Put downs have been around for a long time. My sister has a gay friend who is extremely good at such things, but only he could get away with it. I would be perceived as being nasty or clever, so have never really attempted it. Oscar Wilde was good also - "The unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable" was a great line about foxhunting. Winston Churchill once, or infamously, said to Lady Astor, "I may be drunk, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly". That was a bit cruel in my books, but it was a typical Churchill put down.

The list is here.

Posted in: BBC,put downs,Radio Times