Quote: Tribale @ 5th February 2014, 10:06 PM GMT

I thought it was interesting that you said "suburban Jewish Mike Leigh" as Leigh himself is Jewish (I don't know how well known that fact is in Britain and Leigh himself isn't widely known here in the US obviously).

Are there any other unconventional series you might recommend as well?

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Mike Leigh was a big deal to me when I was younger, so I know a fair amount about him. There's a great in-depth interview with him in one of the Faber & Faber books of his screenplays - probably Naked, I think. There's a lot more published stuff about him and interview books these days. But, you're right - unless I've missed something in the last few years - probably most people wouldn't be aware of his Jewish background.

Another comedy series that I think owes a big debt to Leigh, and that you therefore might find interesting is Him & Her.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/him_and_her/

In my opinion, it's got some of the best writing, characters and performances over here in recent years, though I'm sure I'm in the minority in preferring the first two series. In the last two, I felt the Laura character became too nasty and unsympathetic which made the whole thing a bit broader, and less believable, and her character too dominant.

On the political front, check out The Revolution Will Be Televised. It's a satirical prank/hidden-camera show that I really like, though it never raises much attention/discussion here.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/revolution_will_be_televised/

I don't know if the clips play in the US, or get blocked for copyright?

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/revolution_will_be_televised/videos/

If they play okay, then check out the third one, World's Most Wanted.

Or YouTube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9D4LxZs6Ho

As for unconventional series - unless you specifically mean political again - there are quite a few, and other threads here already worth searching in the Sitcom Forum, or maybe in General Comedy, or maybe start a new thread? If it doesn't need to be something political, then I'd recommend Green Wing as something very quirky, but fun.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/green_wing/

I agree. The Revolution will be Televised is excellent, very sharp.

Quote: beaky @ 6th February 2014, 4:21 PM GMT

I agree. The Revolution will be Televised is excellent, very sharp.

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Cool!

Might be hard for them to stay incognito much longer though.

Good to see you posting a lot more, Your Beakness.

The guys from TRWBT
Did one of the seminars at the BCG conference

#almostinterestingfacts

Were you there, Steve?

Quote: George Kaplan @ 6th February 2014, 4:33 PM GMT

Cool!

Might be hard for them to stay incognito much longer though.

Good to see you posting a lot more, Your Beakness.

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Thanks, George. It's addictive, isn't it?

Yes! But then you should try Fantasy Football!!!

I have my pride!

Quote: George Kaplan @ 6th February 2014, 5:01 PM GMT

Were you there, Steve?

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Yes, I went to their seminar thingy

I had a Ciggie with one of them outside
& he followed me on Twitter
Which reminds me I need some new jokes.

Quote: beaky @ 6th February 2014, 5:50 PM GMT

I have my pride!

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Well, in that case, avoid it all costs, as you justifiably feel like an idiotic loser 110% of the time. Unless you happen to be Steve (the Power) Sunshine, that is.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ 6th February 2014, 6:16 PM GMT

Yes, I went to their seminar thingy

I had a Ciggie with one of them outside
& he followed me on Twitter
Which reminds me I need some new jokes.

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Note to self - must take up smoking again!

Apologies to Tribale for temporary inadvertent hijacking of thread.

Quote: Tribale @ 5th February 2014, 10:06 PM GMT

I didn't say he was randomly contrarian but I think that someone like Norris who takes special pleasure in mocking Michael Moore or Mark Thomas for example (rather low down the priority list of "establishment" problems needing mocking by any standard) and has not taken many (or any?) clear public positions on the left through the years is probably best described as a contrarian rather than left-leaning per se.

Mocking societal conventions in and of itself doesn't strike me as particularly left-leaning (most comedians do this in one shape or form) and in this he reminds me more of someone like Iannucci than he does someone like Robert Newman or even Stewart Lee.

I hope you understand what my preferences are in this thread a little bit more clearly and my apologies if I haven't been clear. Thank you for your comment and if you can think of other comics I might check out, I would greatly appreciate it.

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I think I should have been a bit clearer at the level we're talking about when it comes to Morris. Things like pedophilla, terrorism, the machinations of the news itself... it's just a one step beyond most people in comedy do. Maybe I see him as left leaning because he seems to want to get to the truth of things and mock the BS... and I see the right as clinging more to things like religion, patriotism, racism, xenophobia etc.

Michael Moore is just low hanging fruit that Morris could get his hands on with the radio I would assume. I don't know what you mean by "special pleasure", but Moore is a bit of a sanctimonious dbag and in that radio bit I just listened to on YouTube... he made himself look bad.

Alexei Sayle used to be really funny and in this particular genre.
God forbid I mention Ben Elton (when he used to be funny years ago).

Sorry. BEN ELTON FFS.

Daniel Kitson. I believe Stewart Lee is a fan of his

Probably late to the party as always but for clever left-leaning political comedians you can't overlook Andy Zalzman. He works on The Bugle podcast with John Oliver (ex Daily Show, now on the John Oliver show (Last Week Tonight? something like that) and it blows any other satirical/topical comedy out of the water. It gets embarrassing listening to other stuff in the same area now.