#what ho jeeves

[cantsayidont]

Video Killed the Radio Star

If you don't already feel sufficiently alienated from the culture of your generation, consider getting into old time radio. It's pretty easy to do: Radio was mainstream media from the 1930s well into the 1950s, and it hung on for quite a while after it started losing ground to television. There's a huge amount of programming in various genres, and a surprising amount of it survives; there was a cottage industry in OTR cassettes and CDs for many years, a lot of shows can be found in MP3 format without much effort, and some of it pops up regularly on streaming platforms.

The easiest way to get into it is if you're already got a fondness for some older Hollywood star: If they were a movie star between 1930 and 1960, there's a good chance they guest-starred in various radio shows, and they might even have had their own show for a while. For instance, do you like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall? Around 1950, they had their own syndicated radio adventure series, BOLD VENTURE, which was essentially an extended riff on their characters in the 1944 film version of TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT. Orson Welles, of course, was a big radio star, playing the lead on THE SHADOW in 1937–38 and then bringing his Mercury Theatre company to a number of different one-hour and half-hour radio series. Vincent Price starred for several seasons as Leslie Charteris's Simon Templar on THE SAINT. And almost everyone who was anyone showed up now and again on SUSPENSE or LUX RADIO THEATRE (which produced all-star one-hour adaptations of popular movies). If you're a Superman or Sherlock Holmes fan, the radio versions of those characters are a must — Holmes was a perennial presence on English-language radio for decades.

If you want something more modern, the British kept producing generally high-quality radio dramas in surprising volume until relatively recently, including a range of both adaptations and originals. Unlike American radio, the survival rate for older British programs from the '40s and '50s is poor, but the BBC has continued periodically airing its better material from the '70s through the '00s, a lot of which has been offered on cassette and CD. For instance, there were excellent BBC radio series dramatizing the Wodehouse Jeeves and Wooster stories (with Michael Hordern and Richard Briers); Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey series (with Ian Carmichael); and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot mysteries (with John Moffat), along with standalone plays on programs like SATURDAY-NIGHT THEATRE. The big limitation with British radio dramas is that the number of British radio actors who can do convincing American accents is not high (and is definitely lower than the number who mistakenly think they can), and the availability of American actors who know how to act for radio is clearly even more limited, which can become a grating problem when dramatizing American material.

One of the reasons that listening to older (and/or British) radio shows will contribute to your cultural alienation is that it will make a lot of modern dramatic podcast series and audio dramatizations excruciating, because it will reveal to you how bad a lot of modern audio dramatists and performers are at this once commonplace art. (If you are or are contemplating doing a dramatic podcast or audio drama, please, for the love of dog, make a close study of radio shows created before you were born, and diversify enough to recognize the mediocrity of hacks like Dirk Maggs, who's been stinking up audio drama on two continents for four decades now.)

[drumlincountry]

Us "adopts the speech pattern of the whatever we're reading" girlies really take our lives into our own hands reading Jeeves & Wooster

[ineffablesheets]

Bertie, after one of Jeeves' brilliant saves: Jeeves, you’re wasted as a valet. You should run the country!

Jeeves: A kind sentiment, sir. However, I find the management of your affairs quite sufficient.

[noandnooneelse]

So about that thing where Jeeves will just not bring up that he's related to someone way past the point where it'd be normal. because we go the entirety of The Mating Season without Jeeves bringing up that since Silversmith is his uncle and Queenie is his daughter, she has to be his cousin.

‘Yes, sir, in the servants’ hall. He was helping Queenie, the parlourmaid, with her crossword puzzle.

On one hand, why on earth wouldn't he mention here that that's his cousin? On the other, if Jeeves had mentioned it Bertie couldn't be surprised about it when Silversmith talks about how his daughter has gotten engaged to Catsmeat - and if Bertie had known, he might have told Catsmeat to stay away from her, so he wouldn't have ended up engaged to her, which might have made for less entanglement, and entanglement is what the entirety of The Mating Season is about. But realistically, would he even have told Catsmeat? Bertie-knows-Silversmith-is-Queenie's-father-and-doesn't-tell-Catsmeat isn't really any more contrived than Jeeves-doesn't-mention-that-he's related-to-her, though of course, it's a very Jeeves thing to do. (so is the reason why Jeeves never talks about family in detail because of all the times he has tried to tell someone and also Bertie something about some of his aunts and gotten the answer that actually no, We Do Not Care About Your Family and he's taking it to heart?)

(and it isn't that Jeeves never talks about his affiliances with other servants - way past the point where he regularly brings up his friendships with other servants, in Tie that Binds, Seppings talks about how Jeevs is "comforting the parlourmaid" after she got struck by a potato.)

Same with Egbert - he doesn't mention the cousin until he absolutely has to. And also Mabel, who he only tells Bertie is his niece when he genuinely can't avoid it. To the point where the fact that in order to have a niece he has to have a sibling - side note, it has to be Mabel's mother who is his sister instead of her father being his brother, right? Since, when reminded of the address of his hotel, Biffy recognizes it, but Bertie mentions that he'd left the address with Jeeves - and if Biffy, who can be reminded of and then recognize things he's forgotten, is thinking about how he's forgotten Mabel's last name, wouldn't he have noticed that oh actually, her last name was Jeeves? Which opens up the option of her being dead, this being the reason why Jeeves never mentions his sister, despite the fact that the common ground between a milk-walk in Clapham or a boot-shop in Crinklewood is that it's located in London, so Jeeves should have family he never mentions basically next door. But seeing as how he never mentions family either, she could be perfectly alive and well and Bertie wouldn't know.

The same being true for Charlie Silversmith's wife - he has a daughter, so chances that he has a wife are quite good, actually. She might be dead, but then, she doesn't have to be. Given that Uncle Charlie is in service as well, it could be that Jeeves just doesn't know her as well, since Uncle Charlie married her at some point after becoming a butler, and that that happened at some point after all of Jeeves' childhood visits, but extrapolating from Jeeves' reticence to talk about his family, she might be attending the village concert and spending her time catching up with Jeeves.

Which would work out to the three aunts Jeeves claims to have in Tie that Binds - Aunt Emily who is interested in psychical research, Aunt P.B. Pigott with the cat, and the third aunt who is married to Uncle Charlie. (out of all the mentions of aunts Jeeves has, that'd mean that there is at least one that is clearly assignable to a specific aunt - Jeeves has "an aunt [...] who resides in the south-east portion of London. Their temperaments are much alike. My aunt has the same taste for the pleasures of the great city. It is a passion with her to ride in hansom cabs", which would then have to be Aunt Emily with the psychical research, since Aunt P.B. Pigott lives in Maiden Eggesford and Aunt Silversmith would likely live in Deverill Hall in Hampshire)

[dathen]

I don’t know if I ever told you about it, but the reason why I left England was because I was sent over by my Aunt Agatha to try to stop young Gussie marrying a girl on the vaudeville stage, and I got the whole thing so mixed up that I decided that it would be a sound scheme for me to stop on in America for a bit instead of going back and having long cosy chats about the thing with aunt. So I sent Jeeves out to find a decent apartment, and settled down for a bit of exile.

Bertie failing the mission from his aunt and then just going “¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I guess I live here now” is HYSTERICAL. can’t dare to be in the same hemisphere as the Scary Aunt

[what-ho-internet]

My dear Mr. Wooster,

In a previous correspondence you asked if the phrase “do it jiggle” was a command. If in fact it were a command, would you jiggle your posterior (your gluteus maximus) for the viewing pleasure of all your fans here on tumblr. Would Jeeves jiggle for us? I am eagerly awaiting your reply.

Best!

Beetle-goth

My dear Beetle-goth (do you mean as-in Visigoth or a beetle overfond of eye-makeup? I am enormously curious,)

I shall give you the answer you ask for as it is my due diligence: I daresay, buy a fellow dinner first! I would need some incentive were I to jiggle my posterior, even for my fine loyal viewership. I am reluctant to say that on so public a platform any incentive may be enough. If only there were perhaps a private platform on which you might access –but I digress. I shall not, much as I regret to disappoint. 

I have asked Jeeves. He does not let much slip past that calm exterior but this did encourage just a little disdain about the eyebrows. Nonetheless, I feel that the young master’s smile has somewhat encouraged him to answer. ‘Certainly not in the public eye sir,’ he said, ‘Though I cannot say definitively I would not for love nor money.’

There we have it. Do with this information what you will.

[yeah-thats-probably-it]

The man Jeeves works for in Ring For Jeeves is just What If Bertie Wooster Were Heterosexual. Jeeves has a Type

[deweydecimalduck]

I can't believe what I just found on YouTube

[incohorace]

it turns out rereading the inimitable jeeves and highlighting all of bertie’s little mannerisms (so that my book which i’m setting in the 20s sounds 20s enough) may not be the best idea because half of said mannerisms are now going to be absorbed into my everyday speech…

[cfffrk]

@weast-of-eden BROO!!!!😭😭

I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS YOU WHO WROTE SUCH GREAT FANFICS!!!!

I found “What Ho, Wooster” on May 24th when I decided to read some short fanfic in English

At that time it didn't have a note that it was based a little bit on my reverse!au sketches, so I was upset that like

oh

people get the same ideas as me

I'm so unoriginal🥀🥀🥲

Like, that fanfic is literally the cutest thing I've read in a while, especially the end where Jeeves decides to wear that ugly tie to thank Wooster!!!! It's adorable really!!!✨️✨️

And then recently I was browsing on tumblr and I saw your link to the second fanfic in this collection-

AND THAT'S HOW I KNEW YOU ARE THE AUTHOR!!!✨️✨️

AND THEN I SAW THAT NOTE IN THE “What Ho, Wooster”!!!1!

BRO I'M JUST---

I LOVE YOU BRO!!!!!!!💝💗💝💓💝💓💞💝💝💓💘

I WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE FANFICS LIKE THIS, YOU DESCRIBE THEIR CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIP PERFECTLY IN REVERSE!!!!!❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56311507

[sandwichsapphic]

this is a wee bit old now but what ho what ho heres a sketchy thing for carry on jeeves!! ie jeeves takes charge cause thats when bertie wears the godawful yellow suit

idk what the yellow suit looks like in the show i hope its TERRIBLE i hope it literally breaks the camera with how eyestraining it is

[ineffablesheets]

Oh nothing just soldiers and their super model boyfriends

[lettersregardingjeeves]

Letters Regarding Jeeves Is Now Live!

What ho, general public! In the vein of Letters From Watson, which sends you the Sherlock Holmes stories, and Letters From Bunny, which sends you the A. J. Raffles stories, I've started up a Substack that will do the very same! Starting February 14th, 2024, Letters Regarding Jeeves will send all the public domain Jeeves stories by P. G. Wodehouse to your email inbox in comfortable slices, with a bit of flavor text added by your good pal Bertie Wooster. And you can now officially subscribe!

If there's anything you'd like to know not covered by the on-site About page, then feel free to send an ask to this Tumblr, where it will be quickly answered by Mr. Wooster's secretary, A. C. (that's me!). Cheerio for now!

[what-ho-internet]

Dear Bertie,

I am absolutely dotty for a girl I met at the races just two weeks ago. I met her father last week and he’s bally excited for our future engagement — although not as much as I.

I, however, need your help. Upon speaking to her tete and tete only yesterday, she took umbrage with my suggestion that, were we to wed, she should wear a black dress to match with my own soup and fish (which shall, no doubt, be a black affair).

Is it so wrong to hope for a co-ordinated wedding? Help!

Ah! A gentleman who speaks my language. Hullo, old fruit, and know that you have asked advice of the finest possible quality.

I am extraordinarily glad to hear of your engagement to this girl, and her father’s willing blessing –trust a fellow avec experience, this will make the pill go down far easier, so to speak. 

Now, my rummy friend, for the problem. I do not consider your hope for a co-ordinated wedding so much a cardinal sin as peccadillo. However, your wish for the bride to wear black, I fear, has given Jeeves heartburn. I have had to fetch him bicarbonate of soda in order to calm his stomach. (He is not a cove physically oversensitive, but when it comds to what he considers crimes against tradition –especially those involving fashion– he can be quite overwrought.) I find that although it is a minor crime, I must agree that it would be quite unusual and –if you allow me to be frank– entirely unnecessary.

The boone you have craved from us here at the Wooster household is thus a resounding wish that you will allow your wife’s word to be final in this instance. I am all for a little break with tradition –Jeeves is not– but upon this, we must agree. If you will not take this from a man with so much of his heart in fashion as Jeeves, then perhaps you will from me –being one of the Cognoscenti who has been (un)fortunate enough to anticipate many weddings without any coming to harvest.

I have asservate-d thus, but do nevertheless wish you the best upon your nuptials. Perhaps at the races I shall spot you and your girl as dark spots amidst the glittering crowd!

P.S Jeeves did not find this very funny.

[yeah-thats-probably-it]

February 13, or as I like to call it, Letters Regarding Jeeves Eve,

[dathen]

“All right, Jeeves. Monte Carlo ho, then.”

“Very good, sir.”

“It’s lucky, as things have turned out, that you forgot to cancel that booking.”

“Very fortunate indeed, sir.”

AND THE GAY LITTLE GAMBLING TRIP IS BACK ON THE MENU

The number of birds Jeeves managed to kill with one stone is truly remarkable. Showing Bertie Bobbie’s true colors, undermining Aunt Agatha’s scheme to push Bertie and Honoria back together, sabotaging Tuppy’s prank, teaching Bertie a lesson about cancelling their vacations, and orchestrating the escape to said vacation all in one night! Preventing two engagements in one swing has to be a new record.

I have to pity whoever ends up at a gambling table with him at Monte Carlo because you KNOW this bitch doesn’t play fair to get what he wants.