On Hogmanay (ok New Year’s Eve for the Sassenachs) Channel 5 did a programme on the Top 50 British Comedy characters. I was pleased to see some old favourites at the top – Basil Fawlty, Blackadder, Delboy, Eddie and Patsy – but horrified when I saw some of the so-called comedy I had never watched. Many of them, TR, would definitely come into your “overrated” category. There seemed to be too many whose idea of comedy consisted of shouting obscenities as loudly as possible. Interspersed with clips from programmes, we had some pretentious thespians explaining why this was funny. The more modern, “edgy” comics seem to have no idea of timing. They should watch Hancock or Captain Mainwaring in “Dad’s Army”. I gather that some current comedians have now been accused of making obscene jokes about the Royal family and other well-known people on live TV. The Royle Family, about a bunch of unemployed and probably unemployable Scousers living on my taxes, seemed to consist of the word “arse” used over and over again. They should follow the example of Roy Barraclough and the late Les Dawson in their double act as Cissy and Ada, where any words considered unsuitable were simply mouthed. It’s much funnier. The good news is that a new series of “Yes Minister” is being planned. But what I’d find really entertaining is to see people like Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr and others of their ilk being put in the stocks and pelted with rotten vegetables. I’d enjoy doing the pelting too. We could probably start a list of those eligible, beginning with Chris Patten, the heads of ITV, Channel 4, etc.
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Hello Sheona, having read this I’m delighted that I don’t watch TV (other than Sport, News, Sport, selected doccies and have I mentioned Sport?)
I could however nominate a fair few sports commentators and pundits for your stocks once you run out of comedians!
Sheona, crass vulgarity is the modern substitute for entertainment. Pass the rotten tomatoes.
Soutie, like you I enjoy sport and documentaries, though just watching Ski Sunday makes my legs ache. Can’t wait for the Australian Open to start the tennis season, followed by the first F1 Grand Prix. It has just been announced here that another two men are “helping police with their enquiries” in the Savile abuse case, so it may be a while before I need to call on your list of commentators and pundits.
I’ve just been watching a documentary on the Kalahari and the Namib. Seems to me the animals are a good deal more intelligent than their human neighbours in that they do not use what little water there is as a latrine.
Janus, rotten potatoes are even worse!
If you think the British lot are ghastly, which they are, try them here!
Positively throat cutting in their inanity, about as funny as tramping dog muck into the carpet!!!
We NEVER watch ANY comedy any more damages the stomach lining.
Happy New Year, Sheona.
The type of programmes you are talking about- end of the year lists- are frustrating. Selected snippets of ones you like make you want to see more and then there are the ones you hate that you are forced to endure, even for a moment. Humour is subjective and I agree with you that today’s crop of comedians and comedy shows (especially Kevin Bridges) would be in the Overated list.
Happy New Year to you too, TR. Even Billy Connolly, whose language would not always gain the approval of the Kirk Session, is criticising the current crop of “comics”
Happy New Year, Christina. I used to like Bob Hope and George Burns, but I’m not at all au fait with the current bunch.
The funniest one on British TV at the moment is Reginald D. Hunter, IMHO. He hails from Atlanta, GA!!