After reading John Cleese's recent comments about the state of modern British comedy I was at first a little annoyed that the man who has Rat Race and the Pink Panther remakes on his recent CV deems himself qualified to judge modern comedy so harshly. Then, of course, I reassessed and decided that someone with a career as amazing and influential as his can say what the hell he likes.

Which got me thinking...

Which comedy legend do you guys think has had the biggest nose-dive, career-wise, and for how long can we forgive their recent 'hiccups' because they were so amazing in the past?

Ben Elton is the most interesting case to me. The Young Ones, Blackadder and his 1980s stand-up make him a comedy hero, but everything since (especially the Queen musical and that godawful thing with Alexa Chung) seems designed to taste my patience to its limits.

Any more?

Chris Langham.

Langham is a good example, yes. Terrible waste.

Adrian Edmondson hasn't exactly done his comedy CV the world of good over the past 6 or 7 years either.

Quote: Aaron @ May 7 2009, 1:21 PM BST

Adrian Edmondson hasn't exactly done his comedy CV the world of good over the past 6 or 7 years either.

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None of the Comic Strip gang have really.

Quote: chipolata @ May 7 2009, 1:16 PM BST

Chris Langham.

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So can Langham's work be forgiven his misdemeanors?

I never watched People Like Us or Help and would certainly feel awkward watching them now.

However, I recently watched In The Loop and now am very keen to watch The Thick Of It. The reservation is still there, but I am going to try and ignore it.

Quote: Griff @ May 7 2009, 1:24 PM BST

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None of the Seinfeld Four have done much of note, although poor Michael Richards has obviously had the biggest fall from grace.

Quote: Griff @ May 7 2009, 1:14 PM BST

Well, Richard Curtis has churned out some terrible shit in recent years.

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Such as?

Quote: glaikit @ May 7 2009, 1:26 PM BST

So can Langham's work be forgiven his misdemeanors?

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In my eyes, yes. But please lets not have that particular discussion again.

Quote: Griff @ May 7 2009, 1:30 PM BST

The Vicar Of Dibley. Love, Actually.

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Although not my favourite Curtis work, neither is too bad. You should have said Comic Relief.

Quote: chipolata @ May 7 2009, 1:23 PM BST

None of the Comic Strip gang have really.

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Good reason for that. With a couple of exceptions, they were a motley crew of overhyped, overrated, one-trick (at best) ponies.

Quote: Griff @ May 7 2009, 1:33 PM BST

Well, each to his own. I personally can't think of a single programme I like less than the cloying, predictable, unfunny Dibley.

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It is cloying and predictable, and not really my thing, but it was a big mainstream show that a lot of people enjoyed. A lot of people who perhaps aren't best served by modern comedy.

Quote: Aaron @ May 7 2009, 1:35 PM BST

Good reason for that. With a couple of exceptions, they were a motley crew of overhyped, overrated, one-trick (at best) ponies.

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I wouldn't disagree.

There's a certain 'mainstreamness' that always seems to occur in the careers of once-anarchic writers. It always seems to go anarchic comedy -> mainstream sitcom -> novels.

Richard Curtis I don't mind so much, cos his movies are generally pretty good and The Vicar Of Dibley is funny enough for that kind of 'BBC1 family viewing'-type of thing. And he's always been quite quiet, pottering away with Comic Relief and stuff.

Ben Elton, on the other hand, was always really in-your-face and opinionated, which makes his recent CV all the more deplorable.

Quote: glaikit @ May 7 2009, 1:26 PM BST

So can Langham's work be forgiven his misdemeanors?

I never watched People Like Us or Help and would certainly feel awkward watching them now.

However, I recently watched In The Loop and now am very keen to watch The Thick Of It. The reservation is still there, but I am going to try and ignore it.

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Help is absolutely superb. Possibly the best sitcom of the first half of the decade. I really couldn't care less about what he's done in his private life.

Quote: Griff @ May 7 2009, 1:33 PM BST

Well, each to his own. I personally can't think of a single programme I like less than the cloying, predictable, unfunny Dibley.

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Unsurprisingly, I enjoy it.

Quote: Aaron @ May 7 2009, 1:39 PM BST

Help I really couldn't care less about what he's done in his private life.

Unsurprisingly, I enjoy it.

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Quote: Griff @ May 7 2009, 1:37 PM BST

But by the same argument, we should be letting Ben Elton off the hook because his shitty Queen musical is raking in big dollars.

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As a massive Queen fan I've seen the show three times - but the story is bloody awful. People go to see the songs performed live.