Odd things in the TV series which are explained by the books

[John Hoare]

Future Echoes:

RIMMER: You can’t whack death on the head!
LISTER: If he comes near me I’m gonna rip his nipples off!

Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers:

‘You can’t whack death on the head.’
‘If he comes near me, I’ll rip his tits off.’

I always thought the nipples line was odd, so when I read Infinity, I thought “Ah, so *that’s* what the joke is!”

Was this censorship – self or otherwise – as the line is written in The End? The word ‘tits’ seems an odd thing to censor for a post-watershed sitcom, if so, although I suppose the line – with the violent aspect – could be interpreted as misogynistic…

Topic

[Pete Part Three]

>?Ah, so *that?s* what the joke is!?

Does it make it funnier, though?

>The End?

Future Echoes, dear boy.

[John Hoare]

Does it make it funnier, though?

I prefer the tits line – the rhythm of the it, and the increased violence, make it funnier. It’s hardly a belter in either version, though.

Future Echoes, dear boy.

I’ve had to change that, as it’s just TOO EMBARASSING.

[Pete Part Three]

>I?ve had to change that, as it?s just TOO EMBARASSING.

And as these events never happened, we will have no memory of them. In which case, Mister Hoare, Sir, I should like to take this opportunity of saying that you are the most obnoxious, trumped-up, farty little smeghead it has ever been my misfortune to encounter!

[TheLeen]

I prefer nipples by a long way.

[ChrisM]

Agreed. I think it’s funnier. Something about that extra silliness of aiming for the nubbins…

[John Hoare]

I can see why someone would prefer it – and usually I’d think I agree, as I go for extra silliness wherever possible.

But I just think the line sounds a bit awkward. And it really needs the emphasis of TITS. He *is* going to his expected death. It’s a more angry line, and I think that works better.

[Ian Symes]

I prefer nipples by a long way.

Heheheheh.

[Andrew]

Yep. I prefer Marleen’s nipples, too.

I used to bring this change up in Dwarfy conversations and typically got the same response: “But Death isn’t a woman, so he wouldn’t HAVE tits.”

Thus missing both the point, and a great country mile of further logic.

[John Hoare]

I am right, and you all smell.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

I think…everybody’s right except for me….so…so just forget I spoke..

[Ben Paddon]

I actually prefer “nipples” to “tits” (and I imagine I’ll be quoted on that for some time).

[Somebody]

Future Echoes, dear boy.

I?ve had to change that, as it?s just TOO EMBARASSING.

And yet it still reads…

Was this censorship – self or otherwise – as the line is written in The End?

:)

[Ben Paddon]

I seem to recall hearing that Craig Charles changed it to nipples during rehearsal, but that may well be something my mind concocted in a beautiful dream.

[Dave]

I like tits, I love breasts and I fear boobies.

But I think nipples are funnier.

[Antipodean]

“Nipples” is better. The line flows more with a two-syllable word.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

Yes… “rip his nipples” has a pleasant alliteration about it.

[Danny Stephenson]

I think it’s a majority vote for the nipples then… :)

[John Hoare]

See, I don’t think the line flows at all. I think it sounds really awkward.

Wheras “tits” – spat out vehmently – works far better for me…

[Ben Paddon]

Well that’s just you, isn’t it? Clearly there is something wrong in your head that prevents you from appreciating the beauty of nipples.

[Author]

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