Who's Shakespeare?
By no name
@Zmugzy (773)
June 28, 2007 5:31am CST
Brian is one of the contestants on Big Brother 8, currently showing on British TV. During a discussion with other housemates the subject of Shakespeare came up. One housemate, Liam, quoted the famous line from Romeo and Juliet: "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?"
Brian on hearing this said, "what's that?".
"It's from Romeo and Juliet", replied Liam.
"What's that"? asked Brian.
"It's a play by Shakspeare", replied Liam.
"Who's Shakspeare? Ive never heard of him!" replied Brian.
At first I thought he was joking but he wasn't. This guy had no idea who Shakespeare was!
I was amazed that a British 19 year old man can live 19 years of his life and not know who Shakespeare is. How is that possible? How is it possible to avoid knowing that?
4 people like this
5 responses
@Vixx06 (162)
•
28 Jun 07
I was shocked at first as well. I thought he was putting it on but after listening to him for a while now, I am not so sure. If he really did not know about Shakespeare then schools in the london area need a really good looking at. I cant believe that they woud be that bad. I have a 5 year old daughter who has heard of Shakespeare (she is not sure what he did but she does know the name). Despite him seeming to be the thickest man in the Uk I still think he is a really nice guy.
@abroji (3247)
• India
28 Jun 07
Whom can we blame for this? The man himself? or his parents? his teachers? How come this man got an entrance to this prestegious show? I think William Shakespear is well known among the commen men in Kerala. The stories of Romeo amd Juliet, Othello, Macbeth and king Lear are all known to the people here. We have a lot of translations of his works in Malayalam, our native langage. It is ridiculous to have a participant without this knowledge in that so called popular show. Shame upon him is my only comment.
Thank you zmugzy.
1 person likes this
@Zmugzy (773)
•
28 Jun 07
You're right, it is shameful but also kind of sad.
I know too that Shakespeare is known all over the world.
I just find it remarkable how someone growing up in the UK can avoid having this knowledge about a national figure who is so part of British culture. Even if you never went to school it would still be hard to avoid the name Shakespeare. It's incredible!
2 people like this
@anonymili (3138)
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30 Jun 07
Seriously, how many English classes did this idiot skip during his school life to have missed out on knowing who Shakespeare is? Come on now, everyone who goes to school in the UK has to attend various compulsory lessons including Maths, English Literature and English Language. How many years of classes did he bunk off to not have learnt who Shakespeare was or was he sleeping through those classes and the teachers were just so apathetic to teaching that they just didn't notice? This whole thing about him not knowing who Shakespeare is made me laugh but also made me feel sorry for him. The guy is a laughing stock now and they are saying that there hasn't been a thicker housemate since Jade Goody (remember she thought Saddam Hussein was a boxer) and that he is ever more stupid than she was! Ho hum! x
@anonymili (3138)
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30 Jun 07
Oh and this is the same guy who didn't think that women did poo! And now he knows that we do, he said it's like rabbit poo! Crikey, what a muppet!
When he was asked of these three, Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Babe: Pig in the City, which one wasn't by Shakespeare, he again repeated that he didn't know who this guy was and he had seen Babe and it was a really good film so it couldn't be by this Shakespeare guy! Give me strength. Seriously I'm now wondering if he's putting it all on...
@anonymili (3138)
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28 Jul 07
Thanks for the BR hun. I have to admit that dopey Brian (or should we say "pretending to be dopey Brian") really impressed me last week when he argued with that troll Charley but then I was disappointed when he got so upset over it that he cried! I might have to accept that he is, in fact, that dopey and wimpy! Come on Bri, toughen up now, the witch has gone LOL! x
