msc 18,479 Posted October 24, 2020 There's really no point comparing kids entertainers on that blog either. Do mallet and glaze seem weak to adult eyes? Probably. But they weren't making the show for them, it was for an audience aged 7 or even younger. Judging how stuff which entertains weans with how it stands up now misses the point IMO. Oh and the nature of rod hull death has given me many many laughs over the years! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
torbrexbones 717 Posted October 24, 2020 I hate the way the Yanks don't show the highlights of a game in sequence. Watching the World Series on MLB.com it jumps back and forth all over the place and the losing team barely gets anything shown unless it is really spectacular. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,588 Posted October 24, 2020 53 minutes ago, msc said: Les Dawson is very funny. His family gags seem more of the communal "what're families like?" rather than anything nasty. Dave Allen, Tommy Cooper, Peter Cook all dated well, still hilarious. Morecambe and Wise have huge fail to success sketch ratios but the good ones hold up the entire rest of it. Ditto Python, ntnocn, fast show and French and Saunders. When I was growing up Harry Enfield made me laugh myself hoarse but with few exceptions Reeves and Mortimer left me cold. Same with Victoria Wood, whereas I was dying with laughter the first time I heard the much missed Linda Smith's show. Not everything dates at the same speed. Michael McIntyre for example is dated ten weeks before he speaks... I remember watching Vic Reeves' Big Night Out and I couldn't work out if it was very clever or very stupid Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lard Bazaar 3,799 Posted October 24, 2020 I have appreciated the likes of the Two Ronnies (very clever) and Morecambe and Wise much more now I’m old, but I do also really enjoy a lot of the newer i.e James Acaster, Ed Gamble, Romesh Ranganathan, Phil Wang, Rob Beckett, Greg Davies, Rhys James, Russell Howard, Angela Barnes - and still think Vic and Bob are geniuses/genii - Bob Mortimer’s Athletico Mince podcast makes me bellow when I stick it on while doing Saturday housework. And the Fast Show/Paul Whitehouse has not been beaten for a sketch show since. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,148 Posted October 24, 2020 1 hour ago, msc said: Les Dawson is very funny. His family gags seem more of the communal "what're families like?" rather than anything nasty. Dave Allen, Tommy Cooper, Peter Cook all dated well, still hilarious. Morecambe and Wise have huge fail to success sketch ratios but the good ones hold up the entire rest of it. Ditto Python, ntnocn, fast show and French and Saunders. When I was growing up Harry Enfield made me laugh myself hoarse but with few exceptions Reeves and Mortimer left me cold. Same with Victoria Wood, whereas I was dying with laughter the first time I heard the much missed Linda Smith's show. I don't know how you classify the "good" M&W sketches, but it struck me that the ones people always talked about relied on bringing in incongruous guests, like André Previn, and taking the piss out of them. Or getting them to do something unexpected (Angela Rippon et al). I enjoyed almost all of the sketch shows, but I never really got Vic and Bob either. Conversely while I loved Dave Allen and his monologues, I wasn't so keen on his sketches. Victoria Wood was clever, but a bit too smug about it. It was the supporting characters who made her shows worth watching for me, the wonderful Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Susie Blake ... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handrejka 1,904 Posted October 24, 2020 2 hours ago, msc said: Les Dawson is very funny. His family gags seem more of the communal "what're families like?" rather than anything nasty. Dave Allen, Tommy Cooper, Peter Cook all dated well, still hilarious. Morecambe and Wise have huge fail to success sketch ratios but the good ones hold up the entire rest of it. Ditto Python, ntnocn, fast show and French and Saunders. When I was growing up Harry Enfield made me laugh myself hoarse but with few exceptions Reeves and Mortimer left me cold. Same with Victoria Wood, whereas I was dying with laughter the first time I heard the much missed Linda Smith's show. Not everything dates at the same speed. Michael McIntyre for example is dated ten weeks before he speaks... I like Marty Feldman, Dave Allen, Les Dawson and Harry Enfield, but French and Saunders have never made me laugh and I haven't liked any of Jennifer Saunders' solo stuff either. I did like Murder Most Horrid though. I can't make my mind up on Victoria Wood. I didn't like dinnerladies or Acorn Antiques but I have always thought I enjoyed her other stuff, however watching it again I'm not really sure that I do. I agree with you on Linda Smith, very much missed. Of the newer ones, I like Angela Barnes and Phil Wang too. I've been put off by Vic and Bob because I had a housemate at university who was obsessed with them and would spend almost the whole weekend watching and re-watching Shooting Stars and I found the whole thing a bit irritating. I do find Bob funny on Would I Lie to You? so maybe I should give them another go. I enjoyed The Fast Show a lot. Roy and Renee remind me of me and mum [ I'm Roy] 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msc 18,479 Posted October 24, 2020 Mostly the guest sketches, Toast, true but some others. Singing in the rain comes to mind, although not a patch on Paddington Bear of course. Oddly I enjoy Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse fishing show more than Vic and Bob. I must be getting old... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
En Passant 3,742 Posted October 24, 2020 I've liked everything I've ever seen from Rich Hall. Linda Smith was somehow underrated particularly when compared to Victoria Wood who did seem exactly that, Toasty, a little too smug. Concur with MSC completely about Morecambe and Wise, Andrew Preview is magical, but didn't and still doesn't make me laugh out loud. Also about..... Michael McIntyre - I've had dentistry sessions that were funnier than him. And in the same vein, Peter Kay, who fills vast auditoria and spends 20 minutes banging on about his biscuit falling apart when he dunks it. Must be me. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,148 Posted October 24, 2020 22 minutes ago, En Passant said: And in the same vein, Peter Kay, who fills vast auditoria and spends 20 minutes banging on about his biscuit falling apart when he dunks it. Must be me. No, I've always felt that Peter Kay, although he can be funny, often recycles material from 50 years ago. We were all laughing about the way dads dance at weddings decades ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
time 8,618 Posted October 24, 2020 1 hour ago, En Passant said: I've liked everything I've ever seen from Rich Hall. Linda Smith was somehow underrated particularly when compared to Victoria Wood who did seem exactly that, Toasty, a little too smug. Concur with MSC completely about Morecambe and Wise, Andrew Preview is magical, but didn't and still doesn't make me laugh out loud. Also about..... Michael McIntyre - I've had dentistry sessions that were funnier than him. And in the same vein, Peter Kay, who fills vast auditoria and spends 20 minutes banging on about his biscuit falling apart when he dunks it. Must be me. Not just you though, I've never found him remotely funny. Nor Kevin Bridges, Jason Manford, Michael MacIntyre, and many many more. I think its my age. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,588 Posted October 24, 2020 I actually think Victoria Wood is very funny and clever and as a writer she is very generous most of her best stuff was written for the rest of her cast Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Susie Blake & Patricia Routledge. It is not lots of quick gags but it is warm and observational in some ways like a modern Jane Austen. I also adored Linda Smith not quite sure why she didn't break through. She may have been too political. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lard Bazaar 3,799 Posted October 24, 2020 Absolutely agree about Peter Kay, massively over-rated, based his whole career on garlic bread. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handrejka 1,904 Posted October 24, 2020 I enjoyed Car Share, but never had much time for his other stuff. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,219 Posted October 24, 2020 I used to love Phoenix Nights but hated the Max and Paddy Road To Nowhere series. M&W were very good but, yeah, a bit hit and miss at times though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torva Messor 279 Posted October 24, 2020 This is the greatest English funnyman to make me laugh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
torbrexbones 717 Posted November 11, 2020 Was anyone actually sad not being able to watch the summer Olympics from Tokyo this year? I was kind of glad that it was cancelled. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,148 Posted November 11, 2020 8 minutes ago, torbrexbones said: Was anyone actually sad not being able to watch the summer Olympics from Tokyo this year? I was kind of glad that it was cancelled. I had forgotten all about it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,219 Posted December 6, 2020 I fucking hate people. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Bearer 6,102 Posted December 6, 2020 30 minutes ago, Lord Fellatio Nelson said: I fucking hate people. Join the gang. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
torbrexbones 717 Posted December 7, 2020 11 hours ago, Lord Fellatio Nelson said: I fucking hate people. You are not alone. We could form a club but as we all hate people, it would be pointless. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charles De Gaulle 484 Posted December 10, 2020 9 minutes ago, Joey Russ said: They are preparing for war with Iran. Scary shit really Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlotte's Controller 195 Posted December 10, 2020 On 07/12/2020 at 07:29, torbrexbones said: You are not alone. We could form a club but as we all hate people, it would be pointless. Which is why lockdown is so attractive, those who do the social bit and mingle are not doing anyone any favours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
