I watched Take That’s most unhinged music video and now understand Britain less

An American experiences Take That’s Do What U Like (Picture: METRO / TAKE THAT)

There are two Britains I know well: the country I thought I was moving to, and the one that actually exists.

The first is a sort of export-ready fantasy: all stately homes, velvet blazers, and men named Oliver speaking softly about literature while holding a glass of red wine. 

The second, my lived experience, is a nation powered by meal deals, damp socks, and a collective willingness to accept dryers that simply do not work.

Somewhere between those two Britains lies the truth. And, increasingly, I am realizing that truth includes…Take That.

For Americans, Take That is one of those cultural blind spots. You know the name Robbie Williams because of his monkey movie, but the band itself never quite crossed the Atlantic in the...