“That’s you that is!” was the catchphrase that swept across the UK when “The Mary Whitehouse Experience” came onto TV screens – via BBC2 at the beginning of the 90’s. The programme’s second series saw the introduction of ‘History Today’.

 

The sketch starred comedians, David Baddiel and Rob Newman, as two old university professors, discussing important developments throughout world history. With a pleasing and prudent intro of classical music, the pair were seated formally at a table.

 

The two elderly professors, both highly well spoken, with their slightly greying hair and trimmed and fitted three piece suits, are poised to begin their intellectual debates on the show’s chosen topic:

 

Baddiel – “Welcome to History Today. With me, in the chair today, is Professor

F.J. Lewis, Emeritus Professor of History at All Souls College, Oxford. And we will be talking about British History from 1931 to 1937, the austerity years, and principally, the effect that rationing had on changes in Government at that time. Professor Lewis, I wonder what you consider the nexus of cause and effect to be here?”

 

Newman – “Do you see that… Eddie ‘The Eagle Edwards?”

 

Baddiel (now with a puzzled look on his face) – “Yes”

 

Newman – “That’s you that is!”

 

The sketch continues with the two professors going completely out of character and they see how far they can push each other, with such insults as, “Peter Beardsley. That’s your Girlfriend that is!”

 

The two pull out all the stops, throwing pathetic abuse at each other like a pair of teenage school boys, such as being in love with an old woman in the crowd.

 

Professor Lewis reaches the brink by bringing ‘mothers’ into the ‘intellectual’ conversation:

 

Newman – “I saw your mum coming out of the VD clinic.”

 

Baddiel – “I’d like to say that, anyone with AIDS, that’s you that is. That’s your girlfriend. And your mum. And your Dad.” You know like…a pair of pants with some ‘cack’ in it? That’s you that is!”

 

Newman – “Well I didn’t come on this program to be insulted. Goodnight!”

 

What keeps this relatively repetitive sketch going is the manner in which the two comedians deliver the obnoxiously immature lines – with a dry, almost nonchalant monotone accent. The type you could only find in a dusty lecture hall at one of Britain’s ‘respected’ educational institutions.

 

After ‘The Mary Whitehouse Experience’ went off the air, Baddiel and Newman, realising the huge popularity of the two characters, continued to perform the sketch on their own TV show, ‘Baddiel and Skinner in Pieces’. They now had Baddiel’s character apologise at the start of the skit for ‘diverging’ off the topic on the previous show!

 

The ‘History Today’ sketch was also performed at their live shows, but unfortunately, Baddiel and Newman’s huge success became too big for their partnership to handle.

 

After their massive tour across the UK, (they were the first act to sell out the 12,000 seater Wembley Arena) the pair split and went their separate ways and, judging from reports of the state of their relationship at that time, there is very little chance of a reunion!

 

* quoted from The Mary Whitehouse Experience/ History Today sketch