Britain’s Radio Times (via the BBC), has performed a truly valuable service to mankind: chronicled the 25 greatest TV insults of all time. The list is understandably Brit-heavy–lots of references to knickers and such–but there are a few American shows represented. (How do you pick just one insult from Cheers’ Carla or Scrubs’ Dr. Cox?)
Still, we’re not going to let a bunch of tea-sippers beat us when it comes to insult comedy, are we? Looking down the list, there are entire untapped resources of American putdowns ignored: No M*A*S*H, no CPO Sharkey, and stunningly, no Married with Children, which is the undisputed brand leader in insult comedy. (Just one selection from the vast trove of quotables at its IMDB page: “Bud, look at yourself. Face the ugly truth. They don’t have woods deep enough to grow the kind of girls that would be willing to date you.”) They do include House, admirably–but of course, the Brits do love their Hugh Laurie.
Stand up for your country, Tuned Inlanders! Or for somebody else’s country! What are your all-time fave TV putdowns, American, British or otherwise? (Australia and Denmark, I’m looking at you!)