In defense of the Bucket woman

JD Vance doesn’t know how to order donuts like a normal person. Or rather, he went into a donut shop and came across as a self-conscious politician aware that he was campaigning. He didn’t know how to play the part of a normal person, which is, paradoxically, more normal than being suave when ordering food. This is my you-gotta-hand-it-to-him, because otherwise, I’m not handing it to JD Vance.

This whole episode made me think about who else but Hyacinth Bucket-pronounced-Bouquet, who is more Vance-ish than you know. Maybe it’s the upward mobility, as with her Frasierness? But it’s more.

The audience laughs at Hyacinth, but it’s a nervous laughter, because we all wonder deep down if we are Hyacinth. (If you don’t, you’re too cool to be watching Keeping Up Appearances even when it originally aired.) I used to wince when watching it, identifying a bit too much with the what-if-everyone-secretly-hates-me-and-I’m-the-last-to-know, all the while having just enough self-awareness to know I’m more of an Onslow than a Hyacinth.

I am now finding that I admire Hyacinth, and see her as a role model. Here is why:

-She organizes social events.

Oh how dreadful of Hyacinth to insist that people attend her candlelight suppers, right? Wrong! Good on her for putting the work in. Parties don’t just happen. Especially not ones with “riparian entertainments” that involve rowboats carrying materials for a large buffet.

I have had my neighbor over for coffee once. She has hers over daily.

-She volunteers.

Something’s happening in the parish? Hyacinth’s first at the church. Her motivations may not be pure (the Drummonds “from the Grange you know” are said to be coming as well; tf is a Grange, I am picturing the park next to the Art Gallery of Ontario)

-She’s an LGB(T?) ally