Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Are there any members on the forum who remember the whole 'Lousey' saga?
For those to whom this means absolutely nothing, most of the 'Issues' are online, at: http://imaginator.com/time-out/lousey/index.html
(I notice the link is no longer forbidden on the school network, as in previously years! )

Is this all the sort of humour which only makes sense to those at CH around that time period (mainly mid/late '90s, early '00s), or can the older members of the forum associate with the humour?

Were there any precedents in the way of CH-based satirical writing?

Mark1 wrote:Are there any members on the forum who remember the whole 'Lousey' saga?
For those to whom this means absolutely nothing, most of the 'Issues' are online, at: http://imaginator.com/time-out/lousey/index.html
(I notice the link is no longer forbidden on the school network, as in previously years! )

Is this all the sort of humour which only makes sense to those at CH around that time period (mainly mid/late '90s, early '00s), or can the older members of the forum associate with the humour?

Were there any precedents in the way of CH-based satirical writing?

I think it is a spoof of the unlamented 'Housey' the lifespan of which was roughly the time you describe. Therefore way after my time!

I can't remember any similar satirical writing from my era but others may be able to correct me.

hmmmm..... is this altogether too subversive for open CH forum. Should I risk the wrath of my potential bosun - for indeed Mark that could be you - by moving this to the Divert area where nobody in any official position must ever admit to going?

We will rest awhile.

Well exactly...

Seriously - to those reading this - if you read 'Lousey' and find it too 'distasteful', then feel free to complain and have the topic moved/removed...
I'm interested to see whether 10 years is sufficient water under the bridge for such publications to be revisited, or whether offense is still taken, and we must self-censor.

I do, however, think the important thing to be aware of is the spirit of it - very much the 'Private Eye' approach not a serious attack at the school...
at least I assume so, since this was definitely the attitude with which a short-lived 'copycat' publication was made a few years later.

But some of the material was VERY personal and distressing to those pilloried. I have always been uneasy about Lousey - admiring on the one hand the wit and perscipacity of the publication while feeling for those who were clearly upset by what they regarded as a serious attack on their probity as teachers.

Mark1 wrote:Well exactly...

Seriously - to those reading this - if you read 'Lousey' and find it too 'distasteful', then feel free to complain and have the topic moved/removed...
I'm interested to see whether 10 years is sufficient water under the bridge for such publications to be revisited, or whether offense is still taken, and we must self-censor.

I do, however, think the important thing to be aware of is the spirit of it - very much the 'Private Eye' approach not a serious attack at the school...
at least I assume so, since this was definitely the attitude with which a short-lived 'copycat' publication was made a few years later.

I had actually seen this before - the link was on the Forum previously.
IMHO it is so obviously a send-up that no sensible person would take it seriously - it is good for quite a few belly laughs.
As for the people mentioned -
who was Mr Bocker, the beans and crap dispenser interviewed in the second or third issue? Is the bocker going to complain?
The seriously named people generally were not seriously pilloried and if they can't take a humourous joke why are they in contact with youths?

I place it on par with Viz and the like; you could sinply thange the school name to Eton or Ardingly and have an equally relevenl and irreverend output. Leave as it is

David, I think some of the editions were rather worse than you have intimated - most of the stuff was quite amusing and could be taken with a pinch of salt - but not all.

I've always felt it harmless.

Without knowing who felt hurt by it, I can't comment on whether or not they deserved it. And I'm not sure I'd do a thing like that anyway.

There were a few satirical posters and papers around the early 90s. Lousey is just the best known. Mostly, it was just a bit of fun. There was also no effective, official way to make comments about staff, facilities, and food known to anyone who could do something about them. Or at least it seemed that way at the time. Satire was an outlet: as in the real world, I don't think it changed much, but it made people feel better.

I remember these being posted on the boards in Maine A - much amusement...

When Lousey was banned, NotLousey appeared!

I think this was discussed before...

I think there was an attempt to 'bring back' Lousey by some Grecians a year or two back...

Absolutely priceless, Mark !

Sorry, DBTS, but this is subversive humour at it's very best. I see a glowing future at 'Private Eye' for somebody from CH.

1997 ? WOW ! Ten years ago.

Am I not right in saying there was another CH blog doing the rounds a couple of years ago that caused a bit of a storm, one article alleging a fling between a male and female member of staff ? I seem to remember that disappearing rather rapidly from our screens, and a stronger block being put on the schools IT availability.

As some wag once said, 'The pen is mightier than the sword.'

And as the late great Sir Spike Mulligoon might have replied, 'Have you ever tried to kill someone with a piece of paper ?'