Graham Norton's Red Chair

LauraLSLauraLS Posts: 3,661
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Someone else posted this and I have to agree, I'm starting to really dislike the red chair sequence on the show. It's increasingly just celebrities making fun of the public, listening with scornful looks on their faces to what they have to say and pulling the lever because of their names/accents. If anyone in the chair says they have met one of the celebrity guests they must on a pretend worried face like they have a stalker rather than going "Oh really, where did we meet?"

Maybe the people on the chair don't mind, maybe I take it too seriously and maybe they bring it on themselves by going on the show but meh, not keen on it. I'd rather just listen to people's funny stories rather than just keep watching celebrities knocking people over for no reason.

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  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    I think that you are taking it too seriously - the people going on the Red Chair know full well what to expect. Just as those on Tiswas knew that they would be likely to get a custard pie or a bucket of water thrown over them.

    If they don't, then they have not been paying attention or really shouldn't be at the recording (why go on a show that you know little or nothing about?).

    Oh and sometimes, many times even, the stories are just not funny or interesting. Hence the lever.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 465
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    LauraLS wrote: »
    Someone else posted this and I have to agree, I'm starting to really dislike the red chair sequence on the show. It's increasingly just celebrities making fun of the public, listening with scornful looks on their faces to what they have to say and pulling the lever because of their names/accents. If anyone in the chair says they have met one of the celebrity guests they must on a pretend worried face like they have a stalker rather than going "Oh really, where did we meet?"

    Maybe the people on the chair don't mind, maybe I take it too seriously and maybe they bring it on themselves by going on the show but meh, not keen on it. I'd rather just listen to people's funny stories rather than just keep watching celebrities knocking people over for no reason.

    Once, a guest went on to tell an unflattering story about Dawn French. Sometimes they have a right to be a bit worried.

    You shouldn't volunteer to do something on TV unless you know what you're getting yourself into. The guests should know the formula by now.
  • LauraLSLauraLS Posts: 3,661
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    I see your points but I've also seen a couple of times where celebrities have pulled the lever going "Oooh what does this do" and they know full well.

    I suppose people are daft enough to go on there, I never would! : p
  • priscillapriscilla Posts: 34,370
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    I love the red chair bit, I think the people know what they're getting themselves into and they don't take it seriously its just a bit of fun.
    I loved it when Will went on the red chair :D That was a brilliant show, forgot the lady name but her and Will were just brilliant.
  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    It is getting a bit predictable and boring, perhaps could do with a rest.
  • gkmaccagkmacca Posts: 9,386
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    It's no more predictable than the rest of any chat show. Whether it's any more boring depends, like the rest of a chat show, on who's on and what they do and say.
  • Inseriousity.Inseriousity. Posts: 83
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    When that overweight guy came on, Graham pulled the lever and the chair didn't move, should've just cancelled it then, never going to top that one LOL.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    LauraLS wrote: »
    Someone else posted this and I have to agree, I'm starting to really dislike the red chair sequence on the show. It's increasingly just celebrities making fun of the public, listening with scornful looks on their faces to what they have to say and pulling the lever because of their names/accents. If anyone in the chair says they have met one of the celebrity guests they must on a pretend worried face like they have a stalker rather than going "Oh really, where did we meet?"

    Maybe the people on the chair don't mind, maybe I take it too seriously and maybe they bring it on themselves by going on the show but meh, not keen on it. I'd rather just listen to people's funny stories rather than just keep watching celebrities knocking people over for no reason.

    I agree with you, it's got really silly now. There's no point in having the red chair section, if they are not going to give people the chance to tell any of their stories.
  • PizzatheactionPizzatheaction Posts: 20,157
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    I think the guests should be warned to keep away from the lever. Norton knows how to ration use of, and how to time use of the lever for comic effect.

    An American actor or singer saying "Huh, y'all" as they pull it just looks silly.
  • Callum_BrownCallum_Brown Posts: 745
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    Sometimes I'd prefer it if the time they spent on the Red Chair was spent on audience participation instead, it's looking a little tired occasionally. 'Marjorie' with Daniel Craig was genius!
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    I think you know it's past it's prime when people go on there with apocryphal stories
  • BelfastGuy125BelfastGuy125 Posts: 7,515
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    Most of the "You can walk" stories, are probably fake or at least exagerrated tbh.

    Although I hate when one of the celebrities pulls the lever before the person has even said 2 words. Its annoying. Just let them start FFS. The celebrity pulls the lever just for shits and giggles and the audience laughs along and whoops and hollars and im at home just like "WTF! Maybe I wanted to hear what they had to say FFS!".
  • Jason CJason C Posts: 31,152
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    The title of this thread made me think that someone had discovered another name for this...
  • Rich Tea.Rich Tea. Posts: 22,048
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    Jason C wrote: »
    The title of this thread made me think that someone had discovered another name for this...

    Chris Morris, now that is brilliance!


    I used to be a huge fan of Graham Norton, especially his 5 nights a week show on Channel 4 a decade ago, but from being a must watch and fan of his, I've become bored to tears by him and the shows he does on BBC, with the same guests appearing and crude and un-subtle incessant plugging of any piece of latest tat that is going from them. It's a tiresome format of which the faked up red chair and its handle is just a good glaring example of. Whether he really is, he is giving the appearance of being far too smug and self satisfied with himself nowadays which is hugely off putting.

    But so much comedy like his show, and Alan Carr's Chatty Man for that matter has gone very stale. It's coming to something when you can post up a 15 year old or so clip of Chris Morris and it seems more cutting, comedic and relevant than the stupidity now being served up on the "safe".
  • BelfastGuy125BelfastGuy125 Posts: 7,515
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    Yeh id agree. Back in his channel 4 days Norton was a niche guy and it was loveable. He suited the sort of program that was. Like so many others such as Dermot O leary, they get one sniff of mainstream success and fame and suddenly they start getting too big for their boots.

    I like the Graham Norton Show, but there are times when it is so bloody bland. I see people on the thread for it going crazy over these same "stars" we've seen so often plugging more rubbish.
  • TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    Compare the Norton show at the beginning of it's run all those years ago to what it is now.

    The Norton show used to be the antidote to the type of show it's become, an awful luvvy-fest.

    At least when Ross did it he would undermine it with shows of sincere sincerity.
  • mikwmikw Posts: 48,715
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    Tassium wrote: »
    Compare the Norton show at the beginning of it's run all those years ago to what it is now.

    The Norton show used to be the antidote to the type of show it's become, an awful luvvy-fest.

    At least when Ross did it he would undermine it with shows of sincere sincerity.

    I'm not sure i would agree on Ross - he says to everyone "I love your new film/album/show" - it's sychopancy taken from the American chat show handbook.

    Nothing wrong with it as a mechanism to get your guests comfortable, but it's not really "sincere".
  • BelfastGuy125BelfastGuy125 Posts: 7,515
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    I wish they would give us back a chat show of the more serious kind. I mean Friday Night With Jonathan Ross was good (Well IMO anyway. His ITV show is exactly what can go wrong if you load a show with rubbish and blowing smoke up celebs arses). No gimmicks really, just talking with 1 guest at length individually. I dunno why every chatshow these days has to be a gimmick fest and a complete love in. Where are the Parkinson's etc?
  • ratty0ratty0 Posts: 2,720
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    Yeah I find it a bit boring now, I guess it's just overdone. With it getting overdone, the authenticity reduces somewhat (of both the stories and the celebrity or Graham's reaction). I'm sure most times I've seen it they boot off the first 2/3 and keep the final one, or none at all.

    They could do with something else I think, otherwise it gets a bit stale.
  • TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    Graham Norton used to do a really good show on the BBC.

    His guests would be stars of the recent past without much of anything to plug and would be just pleased to be there.

    And carefully chosen to balance out the sofa.


    Contrast that with nowadays and it's close to being against BBC guidelines for undue prominence. The guests are boring and hate each other most of the time.

    And Graham doesn't dare play around with them.
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    Most of the "You can walk" stories, are probably fake or at least exagerrated tbh.

    Although I hate when one of the celebrities pulls the lever before the person has even said 2 words. Its annoying. Just let them start FFS. The celebrity pulls the lever just for shits and giggles and the audience laughs along and whoops and hollars and im at home just like "WTF! Maybe I wanted to hear what they had to say FFS!".

    I love the red chair, but like you it does annoy me when we get a guest who justs pulls it every time without giving the person a chance. Graham tends to pull it before the story finishes only if it's obviously not going anywhere interesting.
  • mikwmikw Posts: 48,715
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    Tassium wrote: »
    Graham Norton used to do a really good show on the BBC.

    His guests would be stars of the recent past without much of anything to plug and would be just pleased to be there.

    And carefully chosen to balance out the sofa.


    Contrast that with nowadays and it's close to being against BBC guidelines for undue prominence. The guests are boring and hate each other most of the time.

    And Graham doesn't dare play around with them.

    Really? Can't say i've noticed much of a difference. He was playing around with Hugh Jackman very recently.
  • RandysbackRandysback Posts: 3,404
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    There are plenty of famous guests that blab on about books and films.. I wish I had a lever for them :rolleyes:
  • IzzySIzzyS Posts: 11,045
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    I wish they would give us back a chat show of the more serious kind. I mean Friday Night With Jonathan Ross was good (Well IMO anyway. His ITV show is exactly what can go wrong if you load a show with rubbish and blowing smoke up celebs arses). No gimmicks really, just talking with 1 guest at length individually. I dunno why every chatshow these days has to be a gimmick fest and a complete love in. Where are the Parkinson's etc?

    I agree, it does seem that way. I suppose the only obvious exceptions are shows about politics, such as Andrew Neils shows.
    Randysback wrote: »
    There are plenty of famous guests that blab on about books and films.. I wish I had a lever for them :rolleyes:

    /\ This :D
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