Comedy - when is it unfunny

[Phlox]

When it's Sarah Millican.

[Otta]

What I find interesting is when comedians just aren't funny anymore.

Izzard's absolute peak for me was "Dress to kill" (show he did in San Francisco around 1998/99) it was perfect, and still makes me laugh lots today. I saw him around 2003, and just felt that he wasn't funny anymore.

Jack Dee used to crack me up with his dry grumpy act. Then that got old.

I think stand ups have a shelf life.

I even think Lenny Henry was very funny at one time, but it was very much of it's time (Live & Unleashed was great).

[Huggers]

jah lush you are thinking of Chris Neill, gay and bearded and local.

Emma and Ron have now moved to Kent near Herne Bay.

[PeckhamRose]

What happens to young and visiting comedians later in life:

There was a wonderful comedian from New Zealand who did a lot of ranting comedy poetry called Little Dave, and he came over in the mid-1980s and did a lot of gigs with the likes of Attila The Stockbroker and Nick Toczek. Well this year he won a literature prize back in his homeland.

[Jah Lush]

Huggers Wrote:

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> jah lush you are thinking of Chris Neill, gay and

> bearded and local.

> Emma and Ron have now moved to Kent near Herne

> Bay.

Yes! That's the fella. Very funny man.

[Jah Lush]

Phlox Wrote:

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> When it's Sarah Millican.

Indeed. Or Miranda Hart or Mel & Sue.

[Mick Mac]

I went to the Comedy Store recently and was surprised that a strong majority of the audience were in the 40+ age bracket.

It made me think that the comedy purple patch of the 80/90s dragged its audience with it and it possibly hasn't been popular with younger age groups.

[uncleglen]

definitely when it's Jimmy Carr

[malumbu]

Some great reminiscing (Sea Monster is of course Jo Brand) and similarly not a fan of Jimmy Carr. Remember being fortunate to have conversations with the likes of Arthur Smith.

Two favourite stories at EDC were once when a scream went up due to a spider and the act said that this was the first time he'd been heckled by an aracnid. And another time when some act was getting grief so my mate turns on the member of the audience. "great the heckler is being heckled". You had to be there of course.

But was the poo that I saw on Friday night dreadful or do I not understand 2010s comedy? I reckon it was dreadful but surprised that people just didn't walk out but seemed to thing ranting expletives was hilarious.

[Salsaboy]

Or that fat fcuk Gervais.

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Phlox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > When it's Sarah Millican.

>

>

> Indeed. Or Miranda Hart or Mel & Sue.

[Otta]

I remember back in (I think) 2002 (I am sure it was the same time that the big sinkhole opened on Blackheath Hill. Why I remember that I don't know) I went to the ED Comedy when it was at The Mag (when Ron's brother had it). There was this skinny bloke doing the stand up, he may have been Irish but I can't remember.

Anyway, there was a pissed up bloke heckling, to the point where it got aggressive. The comedian basically told him to seriously feck off. Pissed bloke then stands up and makes towards the stage. Stand up says "sir if you try to get on this stage I will kick you in the head". Pissed bloke made his way to get on stage, and comedian, true to his word, kicked bloke in the head. It was the funniest thing that happened all night. The comedian seemed genuinely surprised with himself and told us he'd never kicked anyone in the head before.

Pissed bloke was removed from the venue.

[malumbu]

Salsaboy - why do you seem to have to revert to the language of the street? Gervais is in deed over rated and not funny. Do insult him for that but not his size.

You should organise a one to one with aforementioned Nick Helm (a fat and bearded fcuk to use your terminology) where you can fcuk and cant at each other to your hearts content. Preferably in a sealed room without any connection to the outside world where nobody can hear you or read about it. The last one alive wins.

Now that is what I call funny.

[titch juicy]

In answer to the original question. Nearly all comedy is unfunny.

Of those i'd consider mainstream, i think the only ones that make me laugh consistently are Stewart Lee, Eddie Izzard (his latest is good after a long lull), Sean Lock, Tim Vine and Louis CK.

The likes of Peter Kay, Michael McIntyre, Russell Howard, Russell Brand, Ricky Gervais etc. are deeply unfunny. Even Mickey Flanagan (funny first time you see him, then rinse/repeat) doesn't cut it.

Other than the five mentioned above, I really like Daniel Kitson (my favourite by a distance), Brendon Burns, Doug Stanhope, Simon Amstell, Matt Berry, Paul Foot.

[titch juicy]

Oh dear- that's all men :(

I quite like Josie Long too and Katherine Ryan.

You can add Miranda Hart to the deeply unfunny mainstream list.

[Otta]

titch juicy Wrote:

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> Eddie Izzard (his latest is good after a long lull)

Do you know what it's called? I would love to see him back on form again, loved his early stuff, and as I said earlier, "Dress to kill" is stand up perfection.

> Doug Stanhope

I need to see more of him. What I have seen was brilliant.

[Phlox]

Salsaboy Wrote:

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> Or that fat fcuk Gervais.

>

> Jah Lush Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Phlox Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > When it's Sarah Millican.

> >

> >

> > Indeed. Or Miranda Hart or Mel & Sue.

Yes I agree with Miranda Hart, couldn't ever get into her TV programmes, except I did like her in Call the Midwife, but she was doing straight acting there.

I wouldn't class Mel and Sue as comedians at all. I didn't mind Sue when she paired up with Giles Coren for those food programmes, but he irritates me.

Ricky Gervais is way past his sell by date.

[titch juicy]

Otta Wrote:

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> titch juicy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Eddie Izzard (his latest is good after a long

> lull)

>

>

> Do you know what it's called? I would love to see

> him back on form again, loved his early stuff, and

> as I said earlier, "Dress to kill" is stand up

> perfection.

>

>

> > Doug Stanhope

>

> I need to see more of him. What I have seen was

> brilliant.

Doug Stanhope's 'Beer Hall Putsch' set on netflix is excellent.

The Eddie Izzard latest release was Force Majeure from a couple of years ago. I thought it was a real return to form.

[Pickle]

Two of the worst comedy gigs I've been to were Eddie Izzard (about 14 years ago, granted) and Jimmy Carr. Both were long and just cringeworthy.

I used to go regularly to open mic type nights, as a friend was an aspiring standup comedian. Saw some genuinely funny people, but none of them have gone on to do anything of note which is a shame.

Randomly saw Ed Byrne in Catford a few years ago, he was very funny, but I think it was because his comedy rang true to my situation at the time (life with young kids).

Another very good random gig was Tim Michin at the Edinburgh Fringe. It was one of the late night gigs, he was a complete unknown, we bought tickets at the door just before it started. 90 minutes of him with a child sized Casio keyboard, haven't laughed so much in years. Was in a small room, probably only 50 people there. I've enjoyed watching his career progress.

[steveo]

Bernard Manning, Jimmy Tarbuck, Frank Carson

[uncleglen]

That 'comedy' program hosted by Daragh O'Braian is mainly unfunny- where they all go on and do a few jokes on a topic- I know it's supposed to be spontaneous but it shouldn't be...they need to rehearse just like everyone else. Matthew Wright tries to be funny but he is just rubbish

[titch juicy]

Don't get me started on Improv.

I used to HATE Whose Line Is it Anyway, and the newest incarnation is just as unfunny.

Improv comedy is occasionally clever but rarely funny. Also, so so smug.

[Sue]

The people on The Last Leg make me laugh.

Though a lot of it must be scripted I guess.

I can't understand how anybody could find Miranda Hart funny.

It's weird how some people succeed and others who seem (to me) to be much funnier don't.

[adonirum]

steveo Wrote:

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> Bernard Manning, Jimmy Tarbuck, Frank Carson

Add to that Chubby Brown.

Got talked into going to one of his gigs a few years back.

F*** this, f*** that f*** f*** f*** all the time. Act consisted of nothing else. I knew he was that type of comedian, but......

Went to the bar after about 20 mins and stayed there!!!

[Otta]

I think perhaps the best modern day example of marmite comedy is Mrs Brown's Boys.

My parents think it is hilarious. Some people I know who are my age think it's hilarious. It's ratings show that many many people watch it, so presumably think it's hilarious.

I am missing the joke.

[Jah Lush]

Mediocrity sells.