"Desmonds" is almost 20 years old!

[JTG]

yeah but you've spent 20 years thinking Desmond comes from Trinidad

I do not pretend to know anything about the odd types you get in south London (apart from when I did up there obviously )

I am far more knowledgeable about normal Bristolian immigrant community type people. There's even someone from Kent living quite close to me

 

[tarannau]

Every one just sees a West Indian and then thinks Jamaican. Bloody big islander stereotypes.



Far more Guyanese people over here than most credit, but generally Guyanese folks have punched well above their weight for years, particularly in entertainment and politically - higest rate of literacy in the Windies and all.

Sadly, Guyana also lays claim to Trevor & Mike Phillips, Baroness Amos and Raj Persaud, but you can't have everything can you.

 

[Melinda]

What did the cast get up to after the series finished?

The best mate Louise turned up in The Bill I remember- as Polly?

And I remember shouting "Malcolm!" when I saw the first episode of 'Enterprise!'

Short of seeing Sean around Lewisham shopping centre and Porkpie as the black grandad in some Nick Berry Lighthouse keeper vehicle, I dont think Ive seen anyone else.

 

[foo]

Every one just sees a West Indian and then thinks Jamaican.

yeh, i've noticed that a lot over the years.

as for Desmonds - i remember really liking Norman Beaton.

 

[wiskey]

yeah i guess south London scores quite well in cultural diversity.

it was Desmond's which really showed me the different styles African and Carribean people had and the banter that went between them.

then i got to secondary school and the cultural difference became very apparent as they kicked the shit out of each other. up until then i presumed racism meant white v black.

 

[tarannau]

I bet most of the people of caribbean origin here come from Jamaica

though it's true, there are lots of Poles and Somalis as well

Loads of Guyanese in St Pauls and Bristol. I once got picked up by an excitable Guyanese driver after Thekla, who insisted on driving me around St Pauls to score at a local pirate radio station before taking us to one of the most superbly shady drinking dens for a late night rum. Quite a night that one - I think I've still the guy's number on my phone

 

[JTG]

Far more Guyanese people over here than most credit, but generally Guyanese folks have punched well above their weight for years, particularly in entertainment and politically - higest rate of literacy in the Windies and all.

this is true, the actor Norman Beaton (who you may remember as the star of Desmond's) was Guyanese

 

[wiskey]

and he lived in bristol

 

[Melinda]

Sadly, Guyana also lays claim to Trevor & Mike Phillips, Baroness Amos and Raj Persaud, but you can't have everything can you.

See you say that, but ime most of the older people from the Carribean I know ARE 'small c' conservative. They operate from a place of strict duty and responsibility and honour and always expect the highest of personal standards. Theres nothing wrong with that necessarily?

 

[JTG]

Loads of Guyanese in St Pauls and Bristol. I once got picked up by an excitable Guyanese driver after Thekla, who insisted on driving me around St Pauls to score at a local pirate radio station before taking us to one of the most superbly shady drinking dens for a late night rum. Quite a night that one - I think I've still the guy's number on my phone

I'm sure that's true - you also see the flags of Barbados and T&T as well as the smaller islands around here, which is the most visible indication of many people's roots to an outsider like me - but Bristol has the largest concentration of Jamaican people outside of Jamaica and Canada. Most of the original wave of immigrants came from Clarendon and St Thomas, makes sense really, people wanted to live near people they already knew and could relate to.

 

[kained&able]

I realised the desmonds wasn't funny about 4 epsiodes in when the accents comedic value wore off for me.

Desmonds was shit.


dave

 

[Melinda]

I realised the desmonds wasn't funny about 4 epsiodes in when the accents comedic value wore off for me.

Desmonds was shit.


dave

There's an old African saying......However long a log stays in the water it will never become a crocodile.

 

[tarannau]

I realised the desmonds wasn't funny about 4 epsiodes in when the accents comedic value wore off for me.

Desmonds was shit.


dave

Right. So when the 'novelty' of their genuine accents wore out then you didn't find it funny anymore. You do realise that doesn't put you in the best light Dave. Bet you love that bacon/beer can joke too!


Thankfully fella, judging by your taste in music and football teams, then receiving the Dave thumbs down is a positive sign of quality.

 

[JTG]

I realised the desmonds wasn't funny about 4 epsiodes in when the accents comedic value wore off for me.

Desmonds was shit.


dave

I don't think they were putting on the accents for comic effect tbh