Editing Cross-dressing (section)

====British pantomime, television and comedy====
[[Image:1896 DanLeno-WidowTwankey.jpg|thumb|upright|Comedian [[Dan Leno]] as [[Widow Twankey]] in the 1896 [[pantomime]] ''Aladdin'' at [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]], London]]
Cross-dressing is a traditional popular trope in [[British comedy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Brits and Cross-Dressing: A History |url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2014/11/brits-cross-dressing-history |access-date=26 April 2019 |agency=BBC America |archive-date=26 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426175832/http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2014/11/brits-cross-dressing-history |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[pantomime dame]] in British [[pantomime]] dates from the 19th century, which is part of the theatrical tradition of female characters portrayed by male actors in drag. [[Widow Twankey]] (Aladdin's mother) is a popular pantomime dame: in 2004 [[Ian McKellen]] played the role.

The [[Monty Python]] comedy troupe donned frocks and makeup, playing female roles while speaking in [[falsetto]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Cross-Dressing and Fish-Slapping, One Python at a Time |newspaper=The New York Times |date=22 February 2006 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/arts/television/crossdressing-and-fishslapping-one-python-at-a-time.html |access-date=26 April 2019 |agency=The New York Times |last1=Martel |first1=Ned |archive-date=18 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718121109/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/arts/television/crossdressing-and-fishslapping-one-python-at-a-time.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Character comics such as [[Benny Hill]] and [[Dick Emery]] drew upon several female identities. In the BBC's long-running sketch show ''[[The Dick Emery Show]]'' (broadcast from 1963 to 1981), Emery played Mandy, a busty peroxide blonde whose catchphrase, "Ooh, you are awful ... but I like you!", was given in response to a seemingly innocent remark made by her interviewer, but perceived by her as ribald double entendre.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Dick Emery Show |url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/ooh-you-are-awful-but-i-like-you |access-date=26 April 2019 |agency=British classic comedy}}</ref> The popular tradition of cross dressing in British comedy extended to the 1984 music video for [[Queen (band)|Queen]]'s "[[I Want to Break Free]]" where the band parody several female characters from the soap opera ''[[Coronation Street]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=10 things you may not know about Queen's biggest 80s hits |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C6GqGSRcDydqhJNh5xpgyZ/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-queens-biggest-80s-hits |first=Fraser |last=McAlpine |date=29 November 2018 |agency=BBC |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=18 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718121446/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C6GqGSRcDydqhJNh5xpgyZ/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-queens-biggest-80s-hits |url-status=live }}</ref>