Some comedians just 'perform' better in certain shows/formats, so I just avoid the worst ones which I know they are poor in. e.g. Id watch Frankie Boyle on Mock the Week, which he's not on anymore , but i cant stand his own show/standup. The comedians who make me switch over immediately regardless of what they are on/in are:
Micky Flanagan
Russell Kane
Leigh Francis (Keith Lemon)
Miranda Hart
French and Saunders and Dawn French in anything is absolutley abysmal.
Victoria Wood- started off good but then lost it.
Michael Mackentire- deserves to be booed off.
This thread should really be called 'this is my opinion and this is your opinion' because comedy is entirely subjective. What people find funny is going to be affected by their age, background, education, family etc etc. I just like 'silly' - and that's fine with me so why should It bother you? I get debate and people being entitled to their opinions but this isn't debate it's just people bashing.
And to add on as an 'opinion' - Russell Howard comes from the next village/town to where I lived for several years and I'd say he gets the affectionate eccentricities of that part of the South West to a tee. But if you (you plural generally that is) DON'T like that it doesn't really bother me so why are you so riled up by comedians you don't like being on tv? There's a remote control for a reason!
This fine line between debate and just bashing will continue to baffle me!!
This thread should really be called 'this is my opinion and this is your opinion' because comedy is entirely subjective. What people find funny is going to be affected by their age, background, education, family etc etc. I just like 'silly' - and that's fine with me so why should It bother you? I get debate and people being entitled to their opinions but this isn't debate it's just people bashing.
And to add on as an 'opinion' - Russell Howard comes from the next village/town to where I lived for several years and I'd say he gets the affectionate eccentricities of that part of the South West to a tee. But if you (you plural generally that is) DON'T like that it doesn't really bother me so why are you so riled up by comedians you don't like being on tv? There's a remote control for a reason!
This fine line between debate and just bashing will continue to baffle me!!
BEST post of this thread by a country mile! I get that there are comedians who irritate me and who I find as funny as root canal surgery - so I don't usually bother watching them. I don't catch many panel shows but I wouldn't let one or two particular guests put me off completely - sometimes I've had my expectations of who would make me laugh and who would annoy me completely confounded.
Bottom line though - humour is totally subjective and ranting / stressing about what entertains or makes other people laugh is a complete waste of time and energy. Cripes, some people even laugh at Paddy McGuinness & Patrick Kielty's 'jokes' more than they do themselves! :eek:
The problem with comedians on TV is the same problem with concerts on TV. They don't work for me. No amount of suround sound, digital audio etc can replace being at the concert live. Even if the crowd roar it sounds like it's been dubbed on.
If you saw that awful jubilee concert a couple of months ago outside Buckingham Palace how flat did that feel on TV?
It's the same thing with comedians. Without the atmosphere in the room to help fuel the humour it falld flat or doesn't hit the mark.
Earlier this year I went to see Jimmy Tarbuck. Not a comedian that has ever made me laugh. It was a free ticket so a free night out, so what the hell. He wasn't blue and did a lot of jokes that he has done on TV, yet I found myself laughing. Were the jokes really funny? Nope, but the atmosphere in the theatre was the deciding factor. I've seen other comedians there that haven't gone down as well as Taby did. As I was watching him I found myself admiring him as I could see a "Master" at work.
He would sing "Dooby, dooby doo" and then point at the crowd who did the same. He would do it one or two times and that was it and on with jokes. No songs, nothing. That was brilliant! He did it a couple of times in the show. What he was doing was getting the audience who had been working all day, or getting the kids sorted before going out so are all a bit stress, or tense from the day to loosen up.
I could watch him today on TV and he would do the same jokes and I wouldn't laugh
Other modern comedians I have seen have really struggled to get the audience on side, usually the second half goes better than the first half as people have by then had time to unwind through the first half and have a drink in the interval.
I've seen comedians at the O2 and have decided never to bother again. The venue is too big for comedians. They get laughs which is great but it's the size of an aircraft hanger. Even with 20,000 people laughing the sound isn't bouncing off the walls creating that correct atmosphere. Comedians are notoriously crap at open air gigs for the same reason. people laugh the sound goes up into the sky. Yes, there is a noise, but zero atmosphere.
I've been to the cinema and seen comedies that have barely got a titter from the people watching the film. Bridesmaids, terrible film and only got one laugh out loud from the people when I saw it rather than a mildy chuckle. Had lots of people laughed out loud the film may have played better but because there wasn't a jovial atmosphere in the room it died as a comedy.
And, comedy plays/farces have had the same problem. Nobody laughs so even if you do find it funny you hold the laugh in to save the awkwardness of being the only person laughing.
I watch comedians on TV and get the jokes, but they don't make me laugh, it's all too sterile.
Jimmy Carr. Apart from his forced weird laugh I don't find him funny. I don't know if he even cares about calling himself a comedian anymore.
I like natural comedians. Bob Monkhouse, Benny Hill, Frank Carsons, Eric Morecambe, Marty Feldman all sadly deceased.
My favourite current comedians at the moment are Michael McIntyre, Harry Hill, Miranda Hart and Peter Kay.
Some comedians just 'perform' better in certain shows/formats, so I just avoid the worst ones which I know they are poor in. e.g. Id watch Frankie Boyle on Mock the Week, which he's not on anymore , but i cant stand his own show/standup. The comedians who make me switch over immediately regardless of what they are on/in are:
Micky Flanagan
Russell Kane
Leigh Francis (Keith Lemon)
Miranda Hart
My favourites are:
Lee Mack
Sean Lock
I do wonder how many people actually know that Keith Lemon is an over the top character created by Leigh Francis. I see his name has been listed on here a lot. Not that I particularly find him funny anyway, but think people may have missed the intended 'joke' here.
All these comedians are funny...some just do not appeal to some people's sense of humour.
Mention of MIlton Jones as unfunny pretty much sums it up...he really is a comedians comedian and close to being a comic genius...but his humour is very surreal which some people just do not get.
Hes certainly an "ideas" man, I find his material a bit cheesy at times, as theres a lot of wordplay. I find it clever rather than v funny.
He did a sitcom pilot though, it was similar to Spaced and I was surprised at how good it was, so it made me see a different side to him.
But my point is very few people know who Bill Hicks is and even less champion him aside from actual comedians. He's a cult icon but he's not like Chris Rock who lost his edge once he started starring in movies or Martin Lawrence who turned into a serial molester and drug addict and forgot he was meant to be funny, not creepy with bugging out eyes all the time. Daniel Kitson and Mark Thompson are more like modern day Bill Hicks in as much as all the comedians in the know like them but they have never broke the mainstream successfully or done arena tours.
Doug Stanhope is often compared to Bill Hicks, he has his same cynicism & anger. Although I found Bill Hicks kinda "cuddlier", Doug Stanhope strikes me as quite cold and tough as a person. He doesnt exude any warmth, although he says really pertinent things.
One of the comments I loved from Doug Stanhope was his ripping apart of Bill Hicks worship:
Two I don`t like for the fact that they are one dimensional and the main part of their act is about their nationality.Shappi khorsandi and Omid Djalili.Actually make that 3 people,Gina Yashere.
Gina Yashere is horrendous for that!:rolleyes:
Scottish & Welsh comedians are bad for doing that too!
He might actually be brilliant, but I can't get past two seconds of THAT voice
Like nails down a chalkboard to me
I think his voice is an acquired taste,but once you get past that, I think hes very sharp and funny. Hes good at ad libbing, which shows his comedic strengths.
He seems like a nice enough bloke but Dara O'Briain I just don't find funny at all.
My fave stand up remains Lee Mack. Amazingly in this comedian-friendly recession when even someone as unfunny as Peter Kay's professional mate has somehow gravitated to playing areans, Mack remains in the theatres. Bizarre world.
Comments
Micky Flanagan
Russell Kane
Leigh Francis (Keith Lemon)
Miranda Hart
My favourites are:
Lee Mack
Sean Lock
Victoria Wood- started off good but then lost it.
Michael Mackentire- deserves to be booed off.
And to add on as an 'opinion' - Russell Howard comes from the next village/town to where I lived for several years and I'd say he gets the affectionate eccentricities of that part of the South West to a tee. But if you (you plural generally that is) DON'T like that it doesn't really bother me so why are you so riled up by comedians you don't like being on tv? There's a remote control for a reason!
This fine line between debate and just bashing will continue to baffle me!!
You must have a terrible sense of humour.
Jack Whitehall
Michael McIntyre
Miranda Hart
Sarah Millican
Russell Howard
keith lemon
miranda hart
BEST post of this thread by a country mile! I get that there are comedians who irritate me and who I find as funny as root canal surgery - so I don't usually bother watching them. I don't catch many panel shows but I wouldn't let one or two particular guests put me off completely - sometimes I've had my expectations of who would make me laugh and who would annoy me completely confounded.
Bottom line though - humour is totally subjective and ranting / stressing about what entertains or makes other people laugh is a complete waste of time and energy. Cripes, some people even laugh at Paddy McGuinness & Patrick Kielty's 'jokes' more than they do themselves! :eek:
Really? Why?
The problem with comedians on TV is the same problem with concerts on TV. They don't work for me. No amount of suround sound, digital audio etc can replace being at the concert live. Even if the crowd roar it sounds like it's been dubbed on.
If you saw that awful jubilee concert a couple of months ago outside Buckingham Palace how flat did that feel on TV?
It's the same thing with comedians. Without the atmosphere in the room to help fuel the humour it falld flat or doesn't hit the mark.
Earlier this year I went to see Jimmy Tarbuck. Not a comedian that has ever made me laugh. It was a free ticket so a free night out, so what the hell. He wasn't blue and did a lot of jokes that he has done on TV, yet I found myself laughing. Were the jokes really funny? Nope, but the atmosphere in the theatre was the deciding factor. I've seen other comedians there that haven't gone down as well as Taby did. As I was watching him I found myself admiring him as I could see a "Master" at work.
He would sing "Dooby, dooby doo" and then point at the crowd who did the same. He would do it one or two times and that was it and on with jokes. No songs, nothing. That was brilliant! He did it a couple of times in the show. What he was doing was getting the audience who had been working all day, or getting the kids sorted before going out so are all a bit stress, or tense from the day to loosen up.
I could watch him today on TV and he would do the same jokes and I wouldn't laugh
Other modern comedians I have seen have really struggled to get the audience on side, usually the second half goes better than the first half as people have by then had time to unwind through the first half and have a drink in the interval.
I've seen comedians at the O2 and have decided never to bother again. The venue is too big for comedians. They get laughs which is great but it's the size of an aircraft hanger. Even with 20,000 people laughing the sound isn't bouncing off the walls creating that correct atmosphere. Comedians are notoriously crap at open air gigs for the same reason. people laugh the sound goes up into the sky. Yes, there is a noise, but zero atmosphere.
I've been to the cinema and seen comedies that have barely got a titter from the people watching the film. Bridesmaids, terrible film and only got one laugh out loud from the people when I saw it rather than a mildy chuckle. Had lots of people laughed out loud the film may have played better but because there wasn't a jovial atmosphere in the room it died as a comedy.
And, comedy plays/farces have had the same problem. Nobody laughs so even if you do find it funny you hold the laugh in to save the awkwardness of being the only person laughing.
I watch comedians on TV and get the jokes, but they don't make me laugh, it's all too sterile.
I like natural comedians. Bob Monkhouse, Benny Hill, Frank Carsons, Eric Morecambe, Marty Feldman all sadly deceased.
My favourite current comedians at the moment are Michael McIntyre, Harry Hill, Miranda Hart and Peter Kay.
I am finding it really hard to avoid Susan Calman at the moment. Is it because she's a girl comedian that has to be EVERYWHERE.
I really hate her.
I do wonder how many people actually know that Keith Lemon is an over the top character created by Leigh Francis. I see his name has been listed on here a lot. Not that I particularly find him funny anyway, but think people may have missed the intended 'joke' here.
when others have gone on to better things this "one trick pony" still lumbers on in Never mind the buzzcocks, with his loud put on laugh
fat a$$hole can't stand him
Girl comedian?
Saw Rhod Gilbert on Live at the Apollo last week... JEEZ!!
How did he land that gig???:eek::rolleyes:
His material was utterly bland, safe and unfunny.
For some reason people thought he was the bees knees on Twitter!
Hes certainly an "ideas" man, I find his material a bit cheesy at times, as theres a lot of wordplay. I find it clever rather than v funny.
He did a sitcom pilot though, it was similar to Spaced and I was surprised at how good it was, so it made me see a different side to him.
Hes from the Emo Phillips school of comedy...
Doug Stanhope is often compared to Bill Hicks, he has his same cynicism & anger. Although I found Bill Hicks kinda "cuddlier", Doug Stanhope strikes me as quite cold and tough as a person. He doesnt exude any warmth, although he says really pertinent things.
One of the comments I loved from Doug Stanhope was his ripping apart of Bill Hicks worship:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwP94n49Y7o
THis shows hes his heir ironically...
Gina Yashere is horrendous for that!:rolleyes:
Scottish & Welsh comedians are bad for doing that too!
I think his voice is an acquired taste,but once you get past that, I think hes very sharp and funny. Hes good at ad libbing, which shows his comedic strengths.
I always find him funny personally
My fave stand up remains Lee Mack. Amazingly in this comedian-friendly recession when even someone as unfunny as Peter Kay's professional mate has somehow gravitated to playing areans, Mack remains in the theatres. Bizarre world.
I used to love Frankie Boyle, but now I think it comes across as trying too hard to be controversial
Totally overrated and up there with McIntyre and Millican