Candid Camera

Nowadays we often see TV shows or YouTube videos with hidden cameras playing jokes on people, and they have become quite extreme and sometimes offensive recently… but going back to a British TV show called Candid Camera in the 60s and 70s, the jokes were much simpler and… strange. Here is one example that I noticed because of its title “Birdman of Basingstoke” – that is my hometown.

(Please note that the automatic subtitles are quite poor on this video, maybe because the sound isn’t so clear)
Can you help a sec? Got fouled up with my undercarriage. I wonder if you could just give me a hand up.
Yeah.
That’s it.
Alright?
Thanks very much. I’m just trying to take off at the moment up that way.
Oh, I see. Better on the hill, aren’t you?
Well, I just… this is what I wondered. I’ve never been, never done it on this common before. I was afraid of the trees further up, because I can only just clear these, I reckon, and er, so I’m a bit worried about where there are more.
Oh, I see, yeah. Well you’d know better about that. It’s quite high.
Is it? I’d like to try this bit. Can you just give me a start so that I get over these?
What do I do?
Well you just, erm, well, we’d better go back here a bit. Take my guide rope.
The rope? Any part, or…
Yeah, just pull it.
Do you want it open?
That’s it. Right now you’ve got to run to get up enough… generate enough speed to get me off the ground, alright? When I go over your head, just let go of it completely. Ok, chocks away, and… I think I’m going… no I’m not, I’ve crashed.

sec=second
fouled up=something went wrong
chocks away= this is a term used in propellor aviation, The chocks are wedges, which are put under the wheels to prevent the plane from accidentally moving. When the pilot is ready to take off, he says “Chocks away!” and then the ground crew remove the chocks. It’s seen nowadays on delivery trucks as a safety precaution. he’s using it to sound like an aviator.

There are several other cases in this video, and everyone seems so willing to help him even though they feel it shouldn’t be possible. I think his rather upper-class accent makes him sound more sincere.