Served Well

Sad news for those familiar with the British television comedy Are You Being Served? Mollie Sugden, who played the brightly haired Mrs. Slocumbe on the show, passed away July 1. I used to watch the show regularly on KOCE here in Southern California, thanks to Partner at the Time, who is English and was familiar with the show from his days there. It's allegedly a take on the huge department store Harrod's and featured some memorable characters like Mrs. Slocumbe and Mr. Humphries (John Inman), one of the most outrageously gay men on television.

One of the running jokes on the show was about Mrs. Slocumbe's cat. Of course, that's not the word she used to describe her pet. Someone has edited together a lot of funny moments related to her "pussy." I know this is more scandalous than you might expect from me, but I couldn't resist having a chuckle, especially when she's on the phone with her neighbor Mr. Akbar. Enjoy, in particular, the one featuring her with a bright pink hairdo near the end of this collection.


Sadly, Inman and Wendy Richard (who played Miss Brahms) have also passed away in recent years. Everyone in the cast brought so much joy to people familiar with the show. If you've never watched an episode, put one in your Netflix queue and prepare to laugh.