Readers reply: Is sarcasm the lowest form of wit? If not, what is?
Send new questions to nq@theguardian.com.
I've always wondered why only the first half of the quote by Oscar Wilde is being discussed. The full quote is: 'Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence.' Ffesterr
Sarcasm is quite complex and can facilitate exceptional sophistication in humour. I think the lowest form of wit is that thing where you repeat the last thing a person said back to them. For example: 'The weather looks a bit wet and windy.' 'You look a bit wet and windy.' Porthos
Miners' jokes: they're the pits. bricklayersoption
I distanced myself from sarcasm when I realised those I used it with had no idea I was being sarcastic. So, as with the adage that if you have to explain a joke, it isn't a joke; if you have to explain you are being sarcastic, then it isn't wit. dallastxhollywood
Not all puns, but the sort of awful puns people come up with when any semblance of cleverness or double meaning is gone from the wordplay and it's just an awkward forcing of words that barely sound right. Say, if people were trying to pun about cheese and someone said: 'That would be a gouda time.' Jebedee
Dunno – I thought that was edam good joke. PeteTheBeat
A man went into a baker's shop and asked: 'Do you have any buns?' The baker replied: 'We no longer bake buns.' 'Why ever not?' asked the man. The baker replied: 'Because the bun is the lowest form of wheat.' Scotford Lawrence
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The Sun
a minute ago
- The Sun
The £5 street pills wreaking havoc in seaside town voted happiest place to live as pubs replaced by bedsits for addicts
WITH its long sandy beach and iconic historic 'Spanish City' complex offering up first class dining and a champagne bar, it doesn't seem absurd that this north east town was dubbed one of the UK's happiest places to live. But baffled locals have branded the accolade "a load of rubbish", claiming the 'Jekyll and Hyde' seaside resort is overrun with drug addicts and alcoholics. 17 17 17 17 Whitley Bay, in North Tyneside, was ranked third out of 70 areas in 2024 in an online survey which cited its impressive coastline and independent shops and bars. But locals say there is a stark divide between its hipster high street lined with boutiques and fancy restaurants, and scruffy rundown terraces full of bedsits. Residents who live in the east of the town - also named best place to live in the North of England in 2023 by The Sunday Times - told The Sun they're sick of being woken up by drunks in the middle of the night. They also claim the streets have been flooded with pregabalin - a highly addictive prescription-only medication which can induce feelings of euphoria and relaxation, being flogged illegally for £5 a pill - earning the town the nickname 'Pregab City'. While the famous Spanish City Plaza complex, immortalised in the Dire Straits song Tunnel of Love, underwent an impressive renovation in 2018 and is now home to a fine dining restaurant and champagne bar, other areas of the town are struggling. Residents believe many are unable to afford the expensive offerings at the iconic domed building, which housed a down-to-earth funfair, amusement arcade and bingo hall up until the 2000s. Now a cod and chips at the venue will set you back £13.95. South Parade, which leads from the town down to the seafront, used to be lined with bars and nightclubs and was a hive of activity on bank holidays and weekends. But now the street is a shadow of its former self and has just one club - the rundown-looking Havana. Other nightlife hotspots have been replaced by halfway houses, bedsits and B&Bs, many of which are reportedly occupied by alcoholics and drug addicts. We live in UK's 'worst' seaside town – tourists say it's rundown and crime is a problem but here's why locals love it Meanwhile the crime rate in the immediate area is three times as high as the national average. Victoria Knibbs lives in a flat in the area with her boyfriend and dog Sunny. The 29-year-old team manager said: "Whitley Bay has the potential to be a lovely place. There are really nice cafes and bars on one side of the town, but it's still very run-down on the other. "We look out onto our street and there is always shouting. People shout up and down from the windows and there's a constant police presence at one of the B&Bs. We've been woken up at 4am with people shouting drunk in the street and on stuff Victoria Knibbs "Every weekend there are police or ambulances down there. Every day you'll have people on the street corners rolling around. "I was walking to the Metro station the other day and there was a guy trying to pick up his friend off the floor. "They had both fallen over and were moving at the slowest pace. It doesn't bother me, but you will see this as soon as you leave the house. "We've been woken up at 4am with people shouting drunk in the street and on stuff." 'Jekyll and Hyde' town 17 17 Just around the corner from Victoria, one couple are seen hurrying down a back alley, as the man downs a can of lager before 11am. The woman with him is still in her pyjamas as they wander out of sight. Victoria, who says the town is divided in two, added: "Whitley Bay was voted as this lovely place to live, but if people want to visit there's no good hotels to stay at. "There are nice spots, but that's the seafront, it isn't Whitley Bay itself. "I love my flat and the landlord is fine, but the pubs around here bring in a certain clientele. "The places in this town are either run-down and cheap, or they charge you £20 for a glass of water. It's split into two halves." Victoria claimed there is "no reason" for her to go to Spanish City as there's "nothing for families with kids and dogs". "It was built to make it look, how amazing is this place, but you go and there's not much there. In my whole life I've probably been inside three or four times," she said. "Since we've been living here there have been lots of places we wanted to try but they end up closing down. "I would love to shop independent and go local, but there's not the investment." High accolades 17 17 Army veteran Dave Kelly is originally from Northampton but has lived in Whitley Bay for over 20 years. The 52-year-old is fed up of what he sees on a daily basis, telling The Sun: "You see homeless people and alcoholics all of the time. "It's mainly young adults who are off their faces on Pregabalin. Whitley Bay is known to be 'Pregab City'. "The town looks great on paper, especially with all of the investment that got put into the seaside. "It sounds great when you talk about lovely beaches etc., but it's only that part. There is nothing spoken about regarding the town centre. You see homeless people and alcoholics all of the time. It's mainly young adults who are off their faces on Pregabalin. Whitley Bay is known to be 'Pregab City' Dave Kelly "I live opposite Spanish City and you get travellers coming down there. Just the other week the travellers cut the gates off a park but they just got moved on. "You get lots of p***heads in the centre, too. The other day we got a group who came along and took the leftover tobacco from ashtrays on the outside tables of pubs and were making roll-ups in front of everyone." In the 2024 survey from FurnitureBox of the happiest places to live in the UK, only Stratford-upon-Avon and Harrogate were ranked higher than Whitley Bay. The town was also named Best Place to Live in the North and Northeast in the 2023 Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide. The paper described the town's high street, Park View, as "one of the best independent shopping streets in the country, with its artisan bakery, brunch spots and microbrewery, as well as more traditional outlets such as the shoe-repairer and the butcher." What is Pregabalin? Pregabalin is a prescription-only medicine which has flooded the black market, selling for up to £5 a pill. The white or orange tablets induce feelings of euphoria and relaxation, but can be highly addictive and even deadly when consumed alongside other drugs, such as opioids. Dan Brocksopp works as a young persons team leader at PROPS, a recovery service which aims to improve the lives of families affected by alcohol and drug use in Newcastle and North Tyneside. He said: "Substance misuse, alcohol and drugs, is becoming an ever- increasing problem. With pregabalin, people who are using it should only be getting it through their GP or hospitals. "It's finding its way into the wrong hands, and then it's getting distributed through the local communities. "Not a lot of people know the risks associated with pregabs as they've bought it off the street. When a drug is prescribed, the doctor takes into account the patient's age and size and tolerance. "That obviously doesn't happen when it's taken illegally. "We are concerned that pregabs are becoming an ever-growing issue alongside other drugs including alcohol. "Pregabs are being intercepted as they travel through hospitals and GP surgeries. People are getting them prescribed and then selling them on to make a little bit of money. "They are mainly used to treat epilepsy, anxiety and nerve pain. If someone is presenting themselves to a GP with those conditions, they can be prescribed them. "With any drug there is a street value. People can make money from them. With epilepsy you'd have to be diagnosed, there would have to be proof of that. "But high levels of anxiety are hard to prove, so people are presenting with these issues, and realising they can get pregabs. They then distribute them and sell them. "Like any drug it Pregabs can suppress thoughts and feelings and reduce anxiety. It can also suppress physical pain, and that's what it is prescribed for in terms of nerve damage." Dan added: "Mixed with other drugs, pregabs become highly dangerous. "In terms of anti-social behaviour, what we do find is that people tend to act erratically when they are taking illicit substances. "When the effects of the drug wear off, it can increase insomnia, pain and anxiety. You might be in discomfort which could cause you to make decisions you otherwise wouldn't when out in the community. "Because pregabs are prescription-only drugs you can sell them for up to £5 tablet, and a lot more inside prisons. "But also vulnerable people who are actually prescribed pregabs for a genuine medical problem are exploited and the drugs are taken from these people to sell." 'Misspent millions' 17 17 One man, who wanted to remain anonymous, added: "Being named as one of the best places to live is a load of rubbish. It's definitely going downhill. "This place is all second-hand shops and all of the banks are closing down. "You see loads of homeless people unfortunately. "Even little things like the roads. If you look at them you will see lots of potholes. "They've spent millions on the seafront and the Spanish City, but the investment should have been spread. "That investment hasn't exactly brought lots of jobs here, only for council workers and contractors from down south. "If you look at South Shields, you can cycle from there to Newcastle on the new cycle paths they put in. "But you couldn't do that on this side of the river, and we're closer to the city than South Shields." Rising crime rates 17 17 According to Street Check data, the crime rate in and around North Parade is classed as high, with 288 reported crimes per 1,000 people. The national average is 88. In Whitley Bay as a whole the figure is much lower, at 89 crimes per 1,000 people. Leslie, 70, who didn't want to give her surname, said: "There are a lot of druggies in the guesthouses. "They have changed a lot of the accommodation to halfway houses where the people are coming off drugs or drink. "But they're not clean because I know people who live on them. There are a lot of druggies in the guesthouses. They have changed a lot of the accommodation to halfway houses where the people are coming off drugs or drink Leslie "There's no way of policing people using drugs, so it's an issue. Who looks after these people?" She added: "There are nice parts. Park View, the high street, is good, but there are parts that let the place down. "Even the pavements are bad. I saw an old lady fall over the other day because it's all uneven and she stumbled and fell. "There needs to be better investment for things like that." Around the corner three young men in tracksuits holding a crate of lager are seen hurrying across the street and into a flat, locking the door behind them. Hotel hell Brian Place found himself begging on the streets after his benefits were stopped. The 45-year-old, who lives in a nearby residential home, said: "It is a bit bad around here. The people who get put in the hotels cause trouble. "It was voted as the best place to live but those people haven't seen the streets or the shopping bits. "I do think it has started to clam down with the drunks, but it has been bad." One woman walking her dog through the town who didn't want to be named added: "The people in the hotels gather in clusters. "You often see them outside Home Bargains with the police outside. "We used to have lots of pubs and clubs, but at least they were making money. "We have the Dome, which do good meals, but it's very expensive. "The stuff they have spent the money on doesn't appeal to everyone. "If you walk along the streets you can tell where the nice stuff is, for the people with money. "Then you come into the centre and it's Home Bargains and charity shops." Tackling anti-social behaviour 17 Northumbria Police's Chief Inspector David Morrison, of North Tyneside Area Command, said: "We take every crime reported to us seriously and carry out a number of initiatives across the year to ensure Whitley Bay remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone. "During the summer months this includes Operation Coastwatch, which involves extra patrols, preventative work on the transport network to disrupt and stop any disorder before it reaches communities, and beach wardens to monitor coastal activity. "In the first six months of this year alone we saw a 19 per cent fall in the number of reported anti-social behaviour incidents in the town, compared with the same period in 2024. "We are not complacent, however, and are aiming to build on these excellent results. "Alongside our partner organisations, including North Tyneside Council, we carry out regular high-visibility patrols to identify any issues and act upon them. "We remain absolutely committed to tackling all forms of criminality in the community and anyone living in the area who has concerns should contact us so that we take the appropriate action. "Anyone found responsible for criminal behaviour will be dealt with to the full extent of the law." Rejuvenation hopes 17 17 Peter Mennell, Director of Housing at North Tyneside Council, said: "Whitley Bay has undergone a major transformation in recent years, with significant investment from the Council and private sector partners helping to breathe new life into the town. "The seafront has been revitalised, local businesses are thriving, and the town consistently ranks among the best places to shop — a real sign of the pride and happiness people feel here. "In the first six months of this year, reports of anti-social behaviour in Whitley Bay have fallen by 19 per cent, reflecting the positive impact of regular patrols and joint initiatives such as Operation Coastwatch. "Our work with Northumbria Police and partners ensures a strong, visible presence throughout the town, and we're committed to building on this success. "Our Community Protection Team and Northumbria Police work closely with residents and businesses to keep Whitley Bay safe and welcoming. "We encourage people to come and talk to us at community consultations and events — because working together is how we'll continue to tackle any issues and make the town an even better place to live, work and visit." 17
Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Why did we ignore this glorious classic musical for 35 years?
If there is to be a revival of Lerner and Loewe's unrepentantly whimsical 1947 musical – and there hasn't been one in London for 35 years – then Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is the place to do it. Known primarily through the 1954 film starring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, Brigadoon has enchantment in its bones, demanding its audience buy into the idea of a magical Highland village that emerges from the mist for just one day every 100 years. That is considerably easier to do with an outdoor venue in which the falling dusk during evening performances is an inbuilt part of the scenery. And if Drew McOnie's effervescent yet punchy production – the first he has directed since taking over the venue this year – relies on admittedly flimsy source material, then so be it. This show is delightful. There's a hint of Powell and Pressburger's 1946 film A Matter of Life and Death to Rona Munro 's new adaptation, which accentuates the musical's Second World War setting by changing the two American men who find themselves lost in rural Scotland on May Day, 1945, from hunters to shot-down pilots. Is the idyllic village that suddenly appears to them, with its indefatigably happy residents blissfully unaware of the war (indeed, they have no concept of modernity at all), the hallucination of Tommy and Jeff, who are badly damaged by the horrors they have witnessed on the battlefield? Or have the pilots willed the village into being as an alternative to the prospect of dying on the hills before they can be saved? Either way, Munro subtly reinforces the idea of fantasy as a self-protective mechanism by suggesting the village itself originally 'disappeared' in order to escape the 1745 Jacobite uprising. Reality and dream co-exist in both uneasy and bewitching ways in this sensitive update, even as it unapologetically rests on Lerner's undeniably barmy book in which the wounded Tommy falls in love with local girl Fiona (a winning Danielle Fiamanya; she shares the role with Georgina Onuorah) whom he is to lose at midnight when the village vanishes, unless he commits himself to living in Brigadoon forever. McOnie's production retains Brigadoon's old-fashioned MGM musical quality with beautifully choreographed Oklahoma! -style scenes of swirling village women in full skirts and lace-up boots, and men merrily loading wagons with milk churns, images that knowingly lean into the idea of the art form itself as escapism incarnate. Loewe's score is pure romance, too, with its swooning harmonies led by filigree fiddles, the melodies unashamedly pretty. Basia Binkowska's set, with its sloping wood-clad walls and inclines, bears an unfortunate resemblance to a provincial ecology centre, but the pink and blue hue of the lights and the abundance of gorse and heather provide twinkling compensation, as does powerful use of a couple of pipers, particularly during a desolate funeral scene. There are some fine performances – notably from Gilli Jones as a puppyish Charlie and Jasmine Jules Andrews as Fiona's spirted sister Jean, whose marriage the villagers are celebrating. There is darkness, too, in the subsumed violence of an en pointe sword dance, and in Danny Nattrass's performance as the embittered Harry, desperately, unhappily in love with Jean. He provides a haunting counterfoil to the utopian happiness the village supposedly embodies. And as that dusk falls, Munro's ending neatly resolves the plot, while leaving a few unsettling questions lingering in the night air. At Regent's Park Open Air Theatre until Sept 20
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Harry and Meghan's £75m Netflix deal has been an 'expensive failure' for streaming giant, admit insiders - and miffed bosses feel 'undercut' by Duke's memoir Spare
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are said to be 'absolutely over the moon' with their new Netflix deal - but behind the scenes there are claims the couple have been an 'expensive failure' for the streamer. The Duke of Sussex's biography 'Spare' is said to have 'upset' Netflix executives who felt it was 'undercutting' the docu-series that they had paid a fortune for, it has also been claimed by insiders. 'The $100million deal has been an expensive failure for Netflix, however they want to dress it up', one source told the Daily Mail today. An insider with knowledge of the deal told The New York Times the Sussexes' new deal is less lucrative and 'a sign that the high-profile 2020 deal may not have met expectations'. Archewell Productions, Meghan and Harry's media company, had said it would make 'inspirational family programming' in documentaries, docu-series, films, scripted shows and children's television when the $100million (£75million) deal was announced in 2020. But in those five years, Archewell has not made any children's television, feature films or scripted shows at all. Pearl, the working title for the Markle-created animated show about a 12-year-old, was cancelled in 2022. The Sussexes then announced in August 2023 that they would be producing a film of romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake - but two years on Archewell is reportedly yet to hire a director or pick a cast. Sources have claimed 'it may never happen'. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are said to be 'absolutely over the moon' with their new Netflix deal Meghan said in a statement that she and Harry are 'proud' and 'inspired' to extend their 'creative partnership' - but experts have said their relationship has been 'downgraded' because it is a 'first look' deal - meaning Netflix will have first refusal on Sussex projects but is not compelled to make them. The Duchess of Sussex in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan which came out in March. Season 2 is on the way The couple yesterday signed a new 'multi-year' contract with the streaming giant, however, it is understood to be worth much less for the pair than their previous contract. Experts have pointed out that their relationship has been 'downgraded' deal because it is a 'first look' - meaning Netflix will have first refusal on Sussex projects but is not compelled to make them. Meghan said in a statement that she and Harry are 'proud' and 'inspired' to extend their 'creative partnership'. Bela Bajaria, Netflix's Chief Content Officer, insisted: 'Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere. But three sources at the streaming giant have told the New York Times of 'tensions' over the years. There were similar reports of tensions between the Sussexes and Spotify before their deal ended, with one executive branding them 'grifters'. The NYT has claimed that Netflix bosses were upset when they only found out about the release date of Harry's bestselling memoir 'Spare' a matter of months before the docu-series come out over consecutive weekends in December 2022. Spare came out on January 2023 but this 'upset some Netflix executives because the book covered some of the same ground as the series, undercutting the exclusive nature of the show', the newspaper said. Spokesmen for Archewell and Netflix have said there 'was no tension between the two companies', calling the notion 'false'. The 'first-look' arrangement announced yesterday means Netflix can say yes or no to new film or television projects before anyone else - allowing them to pick and choose what they invest in. PR expert Mark Borkowski described the new deal as a 'downgrade', claiming it falls a long way from the jackpot figure of Harry and Meghan's original contract in 2020. He told the Daily Mail: 'I think Netflix has done a very neat job of pivoting away from two very expensive people who didn't deliver, and they've taken that deal off the table, and they've given them a modest one. 'It's not like they're gradually uncoupling – it's a downgrade. Netflix are not going to expose themselves to those budgets again. It's Netflix saying, 'Let's have a look at your content, but we'll pick and choose, mate'.' He believes the pair will be paid for each production selected by Netflix rather than receiving an overall fee, such as the reported $100million of their first deal. 'I would be surprised if it's not pay-as-you-go and it's well, well below that first mark,' he added. The couple's new output will include a second season of the Duchess's 'With Love, Meghan' lifestyle show later this month, as well as a Christmas special in December. The Sussexes are also working on 'Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within' - a documentary about orphaned children in Uganda, where the 'shadows of the HIV/Aids crisis linger'. There is also 'active development' on other projects with Netflix which 'span a variety of content genres', including an adaptation of romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake. But Mr Borkowski said the couple will not be granted the same budget as they were under their previous contract with the streaming service. 'They have shot the golden goose of 2020 - more of a 'we'll call you' than 'here's the chequebook',' he said. 'It's a first-look deal, which means Netflix gets first dibs but no obligation to bankroll every semi-royal whim. 'I reckon Netflix is trimming fat industry-wide, so this is less carte blanche, more curated cameo. 'They're still in business together - Meghan's. As ever brand and seasonal specials keep them in the Netflix shop window but make no mistake, this is a slimmed-down sequel to the blockbuster original. So Harry and Meghan's new Netflix chapter [is] less champagne budget, more Prosecco by the glass.' The couple's new output will include a second season of the Duchess's 'With Love, Meghan' lifestyle show later this month, as well as a Christmas special in December Netflix has already released the first series of With Love, Meghan as well as Polo, Heart of Invictus, Live to Lead and the couple's bombshell documentary Harry & Meghan as well as being a business partner on Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever. Five years ago, Harry and Meghan secured a lucrative contract thought to be worth $100million (£74million) with Netflix after quitting as senior working royals in 2020. The renewed deal was described by the Sussexes - who made the announcement with Netflix - as 'extending their creative partnership' through Archewell Productions. But the new terms are understood to be worth less for Harry and Meghan than their previous contract, according to a person familiar with the deal, and represent Netflix loosening its ties with the couple. In a statement, Meghan said: 'We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand.' Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria said: 'We're excited to continue our partnership.'
