Lady Cynthia Fitzmilton == The Queen

The Boatman

New Member
Hi,

I wish I could listen to Corey's classes in real time and participate in the discussions. The poscasts have been a Very Splendid and Worthwhile part of my long daily commute, but it's frustrating to have something to contribute and realize that the discussion took place months or years ago!

But during the last class on HHGG, Corey discussed at length the speech by Lady Cynthia Fitzmilton over the noble prow of the yellow bulldozer which was about to knock down Arthur's house. This is second-hand from 37 years ago when I first heard the series; but a friend who followed the Royal family told me that the speech was an imitation of Queen Elizabeth. She is/was often forced to preside over drab events like mall openings and building dedications, and "very splendid and worthwhile" was apparently one of her tag lines. Doubtless it was humorous to imagine her giving a characteristic but vastly inappropriate speech in a muddy field next to a cruddy cottage, and to hear her audience booing her rather than suffering in silence as they would do ordinarily. This was before even the marriage of Diana and Charles, when Elizabeth was less of a venerated patriotic icon, but seen by many as the figurehead of a dreadfully antiquated political institution.

This is pure speculation on my part; but I would bet that this bit was dropped from the book because the joke would not translate readily to print without the recognizable voice; or possibly the British didn't find it so darned funny to make fun of their monarch after all!

FWIW,
Boatman
 
I wish I could listen to Corey's classes in real time and participate in the discussions. The poscasts have been a Very Splendid and Worthwhile part of my long daily commute, but it's frustrating to have something to contribute and realize that the discussion took place months or years ago!
I am in 100% sympathy and agreement with you here. I often speak out loud in the car in answer to questions Corey poses to the class. It's really frustrating when I think my answer is a better one than anyone else offers!
 
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