"A charlatan indulging in some sort of elitist prank."
Really enjoyed that. Great to have him back and laughed a lot. Chris Morris interview worked well and it was very well structured. The Shilbottle/Crapstone bit and the whole 'telephone conservation' was great, especially the Shilbottle sign's influence on his stand up.
The comedian Stewart Lee has buried dead Bill Hicks in the Guardian today, saying his first 2 albums have dated badly; the Shane metaphor appears to be the only bit of Hicks work Lee likes! :D
Because panel shows are the height of unscripted, improvised, off the cuff wit?
(Aside: they're not, they all work out their jokes and ripostes in advance of the recording )
I love how Stew brings out the hackles of some people.
Personally I don't tend to want too much from my comedy.
It's pretty basic for me as a comedy fan: do I laugh? Yes, I like it.
Am I not laughing? Fine, not for me.
Although my tastes tend not to be for many comedians that are into the mainstream (mainstream comedy seems more about making money off DVD sales and panels shows are just the agreed style of the moment to get the pre-selected "names" out there regardless of actual humour or talent, it seems), anything should be given a go once, if liked should be enjoyed and if not enjoyed, time should not be wasted trying to take down the people who do like it a peg or two for whatever spurious reason.
The more you try to analyse comedy, the less funny it becomes.
Great opening episode tonight, loved the line about twitter (even if I'm one of the most enthusiastic volunteers of the state surveillance program )
Ted Maul has let himself go though!
(Chris Morris was an amazing surprise, I just assumed it'd be Armando again. Brilliant, the show gets better and better )
That was military-grade comic genius right there. I don't tend to actually laugh out loud when I'm on my own (which is a weird thing, I guess) but I barely managed to stop to draw breath in the last ten minutes or so of that. He just keeps getting better.
I'm sort of sad the Baconface idea- where in he wore a Mexican wrestling mask covered in bacon to appear as the "cult 1980s Canadian standup"- appears to have been abandoned as that would have gone to silence from 99% of people.
The comedian Stewart Lee has buried dead Bill Hicks in the Guardian today, saying his first 2 albums have dated badly; the Shane metaphor appears to be the only bit of Hicks work Lee likes! :D
That was military-grade comic genius right there. I don't tend to actually laugh out loud when I'm on my own (which is a weird thing, I guess) but I barely managed to stop to draw breath in the last ten minutes or so of that. He just keeps getting better.
The telephone call bit...he actually told a joke without physically saying anything. He just let the audience construct it themselves, and it worked.
He's said stuff before about doing that, saying that if the audience didn't enjoy it, they only have themselves to blame.
The telephone call bit...he actually told a joke without physically saying anything. He just let the audience construct it themselves, and it worked.
He's said stuff before about doing that, saying that if the audience didn't enjoy it, they only have themselves to blame.
Yeah, brilliant stuff. You could just imagine the lines like "What's to stop me ringing up 3 times and ordering one ton of manure?" and "Well, I'll get my friends to ring you."
Am awaiting the ratings by lurking on the ratings thread, but nothing as yet. Hope it did okay, but it's nice to know a fourth series has already been commissioned.
That was military-grade comic genius right there. I don't tend to actually laugh out loud when I'm on my own (which is a weird thing, I guess) but I barely managed to stop to draw breath in the last ten minutes or so of that. He just keeps getting better.
Agree 100%.
Lee shows how tired and lazy most other comedy is these days.
The hatred for Lee reminds me of that for Chris Morris. They always do shows that the common folk see as smart arse.
Just not a mainstream comedian, hence the low audience figures. I can imagine my mum despising him. She loves Lee Mack though. Tells you everything you need to know really.
Just in case anyone's interested, a kind FM let me know that the overnights were 920k, so should consolidate to over a Million. (no one replied on the Ratings thread cos they're too busy arguing about The Voice and Ant n Dec. Fair enough.) And any fellow Welshos out there who don't do I player, first episode is on BBC2 Wales at 10pm on Tuesday.
Everyone in Wales love Rich and Stew, FACT, so that should raise the figures. ;-)
Lovely to know a fourth series is garunteed whatever.
That was military-grade comic genius right there. I don't tend to actually laugh out loud when I'm on my own (which is a weird thing, I guess) but I barely managed to stop to draw breath in the last ten minutes or so of that. He just keeps getting better.
Agreed. Some of the phone conversation stuff was mind blowing. Loved the way it was all constructed as much by facial expression just as much as talking.
Near the end, I noticed that I was laughing so much I had tears streaming down my face. That's the sort of thing that only happens when I am watching the likes of Blackadder, Partridge or Curb... or maybe comedians such as Pryor or Rock.
Fantastic stuff last night, very funny! As others have said, the fake phone conversation in the last 10 minutes was a masterful bit of stand-up - some of the best stuff I've ever seen from him.
I'm interested to see whether that quote from Lee Mack about Stewart Lee is actually true. It's unintentionally hilarious if so.
As expected, the interviews with Chris Morris were great. They produced some hilarious exchanges too.
Stewart: "It's very easy to use words and logic to make someone look like they're selfish, simply because they've expressed a position that could be interpreted as that."
Man , does he like embarrassing pauses, probably pinched that from Hicks too.
What a wearisome windbag he is, he makes Herring look good.
He tells a naff Michael McIntyre type joke then spends 5 minutes deconstructing it, telling us why the joke is inherently unfunny, [ although we laughed at it ] why such humour is alien to him and his huge intellect, and that we are a bunch of complete c**** for finding it so.
Does he wonder why no Panel Show will have him on ? because he can't ad lib for a start, nor has he a personality , a bad combination for a TV funnyman.
Comments
Really enjoyed that. Great to have him back and laughed a lot. Chris Morris interview worked well and it was very well structured. The Shilbottle/Crapstone bit and the whole 'telephone conservation' was great, especially the Shilbottle sign's influence on his stand up.
Will rematch tomorrow on an actual television!
BTW, maybe Lee Mack's brother is called Geoff?
Mind, I like Lee Mack. As does Stewart, clearly.
Have to say these aren't the biggest reasons I dislike Hicks, but he covers a few.
Commentary: Yes truly the metier of the aspiring light entertainment performer.
Prediction: You will need to look up the meaning of the word metier.
Conclusion: I am 'a pompous little chap' and you will go back to watching Top Gear.
Addendum: Can Stew really be described as 'little' when so many of his critics regard him as 'fat'?
armando was busy in the states doing veep
Really enjoyed it.
I'm sort of sad the Baconface idea- where in he wore a Mexican wrestling mask covered in bacon to appear as the "cult 1980s Canadian standup"- appears to have been abandoned as that would have gone to silence from 99% of people.
https://soundcloud.com/britishcomedyguide/richard-herring-edinburgh-podcast-2013-24 (from 32.25 in)
Well, someone has finally come out and said it, eh.
Some home truths on Richard Prior next please.
The telephone call bit...he actually told a joke without physically saying anything. He just let the audience construct it themselves, and it worked.
He's said stuff before about doing that, saying that if the audience didn't enjoy it, they only have themselves to blame.
Yeah, brilliant stuff. You could just imagine the lines like "What's to stop me ringing up 3 times and ordering one ton of manure?" and "Well, I'll get my friends to ring you."
Am awaiting the ratings by lurking on the ratings thread, but nothing as yet. Hope it did okay, but it's nice to know a fourth series has already been commissioned.
Thanks for the link. Highly recommended if you think Stewart is a smug and arrogant git based on his stand up persona.
Lee shows how tired and lazy most other comedy is these days.
Just not a mainstream comedian, hence the low audience figures. I can imagine my mum despising him. She loves Lee Mack though. Tells you everything you need to know really.
Everyone in Wales love Rich and Stew, FACT, so that should raise the figures. ;-)
Lovely to know a fourth series is garunteed whatever.
Agreed. Some of the phone conversation stuff was mind blowing. Loved the way it was all constructed as much by facial expression just as much as talking.
Near the end, I noticed that I was laughing so much I had tears streaming down my face. That's the sort of thing that only happens when I am watching the likes of Blackadder, Partridge or Curb... or maybe comedians such as Pryor or Rock.
I'm interested to see whether that quote from Lee Mack about Stewart Lee is actually true. It's unintentionally hilarious if so.
As expected, the interviews with Chris Morris were great. They produced some hilarious exchanges too.
Stewart: "It's very easy to use words and logic to make someone look like they're selfish, simply because they've expressed a position that could be interpreted as that."
Chris: "That's what Julian Assange says."
What a wearisome windbag he is, he makes Herring look good.
He tells a naff Michael McIntyre type joke then spends 5 minutes deconstructing it, telling us why the joke is inherently unfunny, [ although we laughed at it ] why such humour is alien to him and his huge intellect, and that we are a bunch of complete c**** for finding it so.
Does he wonder why no Panel Show will have him on ? because he can't ad lib for a start, nor has he a personality , a bad combination for a TV funnyman.
Ahem. From the person who tries to inject his own special brand of wit into every comment they make, that's just a little too pot, kettle, black.