Harry & Paul - Series 3 Page 7

Strange that most gags are only funny the first time you hear them, but something like 'shut it' is only funny through repetition.

Well, that's because it's not a gag, is it? Its humour is derived from the ridiculous situation of the dog continuing to bark whilst the owner yells at him to shut it, as if it's suddenly going to have some effect on the monster's behaviour.

Quote: Aaron @ October 7 2010, 9:31 AM BST

Its humour is derived from the ridiculous situation of the dog continuing to bark whilst the owner yells at him to shut it, as if it's suddenly going to have some effect on the monster's behaviour.

Whilst that might be a factor in this case, I think that in general it's the effect of the repetition itself which can seem funny. We know what's going to happen, he's going to say 'shut it' again and again, so when he does, people laugh.

I almost laughed myself, but I'd turned the sound down a lot by then because it was uncomfortably noisy.

Quote: Nogget @ October 7 2010, 9:50 AM BST

Whilst that might be a factor in this case, I think that in general it's the effect of the repetition itself which can seem funny. We know what's going to happen, he's going to say 'shut it' again and again, so when he does, people laugh.

I almost laughed myself, but I'd turned the sound down a lot by then because it was uncomfortably noisy.

I think that's part of the point of it though... they're blissfully unaware of how freakin annoying they are!

They are one of my fav sketches of this show and reminiscent of Harry in his heyday...

Bleedin' superb stuff, ep 2. Top of their game. Highlights - Ian Hislop's a queer and the Writer and the Landlady. Stupid, surreal, inspired.

Uh, wow. Maybe I just wasn't quite in the mood tonight, but that was miss after miss after miss for me in episode 3. I think I may have chuckled once toward the beginning of the show. The rest just failed to make any impression on me at all.

I hate to agree with Aaron for the second time, but I felt exactly the same. I even fast-forwarded through two sketches.

Some (most?) ideas that were hilarious first time around have passed their sell-by date already.

Only "I saw you coming" was up to scratch this week. And what was the point of that song at the end?

Still, 2 good shows out of 3 ain't bad.

Quote: Badge @ October 13 2010, 12:37 AM BST

what was the point of that song at the end?

Personally, I feel that the vilification of the white van man is one of the few prejudices with which society is still comfortable. It's literally 'colour-prejudice', yet no-one cares. Contrast that to Postman Pataweyo, which seems a bit racist to many I've spoken to.

Quote: Nogget @ October 13 2010, 6:21 AM BST

Personally, I feel that the vilification of the white van man is one of the few prejudices with which society is still comfortable. It's literally 'colour-prejudice', yet no-one cares.

Coming over here, stealing our diesel...

Quote: Nogget @ October 13 2010, 6:21 AM BST

Personally, I feel that the vilification of the white van man is one of the few prejudices with which society is still comfortable. It's literally 'colour-prejudice', yet no-one cares.

I certainly don't care.

The Northerner sketch was predictable. How many kids movies have you seen that setup angle used in?

The cultured fisherman one was interesting, since it's a bit open ended to if the new guy is as scared as him or simply baiting him as blokes often do.

The chavs...I had a headache last night so this didn't help. I still say that just reminding us that chavs are self-righteous, anti-social spongers isn't comedy in of itself.

Noughts and Crosses is going to be boring if the only variation is what bind the elderly mother has found herself in.

I think as a general thought, it's still murky as to what's satire and what is two ageing men embarrassingly showing themselves up on TV. The van man song struck me as something they put on the end hoping van drivers would be singing it the next day.

The 'Parking Pataweyo' sketches would be racist if the message was 'All black people are despicable c**ts' but that's not the message.

The message is "All over-zealous parking attendants are despicable c**ts and, in the capital, non-Caucasians seem to be significantly over-represesented among such attendants".

Quote: Nogget @ October 13 2010, 6:21 AM BST

Personally, I feel that the vilification of the white van man is one of the few prejudices with which society is still comfortable. It's literally 'colour-prejudice', yet no-one cares. Contrast that to Postman Pataweyo, which seems a bit racist to many I've spoken to.

We are a nation of van-owners. In fact nothing so clearly shows how much society has degenerated in the last few years as the presence of vans in the drives of every other house. A white van is of course a hired van - hence the appalling driving - but vans in general are the problem - or rather the symptom. They say: "I'm open to any semi-legal, untaxed activity. I am owned by a self-helping 'entrepreneur' and tory-voting twat."

Essentially Enfield and Whitehouse are these people's patron saint, if unwittingly. The behaviour of the 'Shut it ghostface' characters is re-enforced and made acceptable by being on TV. Enfield had similar problem with Loadsamoney whom he presumably despised. The obvious love and attention that goes into creating the character ends up conferring an air of approval on it as does showing it on TV.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ October 13 2010, 5:33 PM BST

Essentially Enfield and Whitehouse are these people's patron saint, if unwittingly. The behaviour of the 'Shut it ghostface' characters is re-enforced and made acceptable by being on TV. Enfield had similar problem with Loadsamoney whom he presumably despised. The obvious love and attention that goes into creating the character ends up conferring an air of approval on it as does showing it on TV.

Isn't that always a danger with satire? Alf Garnett had an awful lot of racist fans.