Quote: Jack Massey @ July 11 2009, 10:00 AM BST

And as for Whose Line is it Anyway, that surely must be one of the worst 'comedy' shows ever.

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A lot of it is cringe-worthy in retrospect, even the early series. But (hating to concur with David Brent) in the early days John Sessions was really superb and there were more than enough genuinely funny moments. As a rule I cannot stand improv because once you discount the fact that it's diffficult to do (though a lot of improv is so formulaic it might as well be scripted) then it's basically not very funny (and improv comedy songs should just simply be made illegal). I never completely trust people who like improv comedy. I suspect them of having a "juggler's sense of humour".

Quote: Tim Walker @ July 11 2009, 11:18 AM BST

(and improv comedy songs should just simply be made illegal)

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Yes, with the exception (which proves the rule) being those by Wayne Brady, which, if not any funnier than the rest, were at least always imbued with an extraordinary degree of sheer performing talent.

Greg Proops is a comedy God on Whose Line Is It Anyway. I don't think he was prepared for Mock The Week though when he appeared on that.

There's an interesting comment piece about Mock The Week in The Guardian which talks about the 'bear pit' it is increasingly becoming. Apparently one of them (it doesn't say who) threw a strop at O'Briain after he didn't get enough time in a segment.

Quote: Mark @ July 11 2009, 12:49 PM BST

Apparently one of them (it doesn't say who) threw a strop at O'Briain after he didn't get enough time in a segment.

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No big surprise. Most of these stand-ups are emotionally-retarded, philandering, coke-fuelled egos, craving laughs like a drugged-and-trafficked Albanian sex worker craves a kindly word from her pimp.

I've seen Greg Proops live doing improv and I've listened to some of his stand up. Personally, I prefer his stand up. But then, when I've seen him doing improv it's with the comedy store players and he's a little more exuberant than them so doesn't quite fit in. I like seeing live improvisation a lot more than anything on the telly - it's a totally different experience and a much better one. Whose Line is alright, but they restrict it so much for the TV, the games have to be so short and instantly funny that it is very formulaic. What I love about seeing improv is the insanity and chaos that they can provoke. You don't get that on TV.
I'm sorry if it means you think I've got a jugglers sense of humour, but I love it. Partly I think it's the friendly atmosphere and the way the group get on together and take the piss out of each other. Although, when it's not done well, it can be one of the worst things to watch. It bothers me when they say that Mock the Week is improvised - the only way it is improvised is the way any panel show is, but they don't listen to one another and react from each other. And the bit where they do a bit of stand up is so cringingly scripted - they all just reel off bits that they've performed a hundred times.
I don't think all panel shows have to be as fiercely competitive - as Mark Watson said "You may have seen me numerous times on Mock the Week. Next time I'm going to try and speak". I think it's very possible to have really funny gags without being as brutal as Mock the Week. I think that's the reason I really don't like it - I like to think people are enjoying what they are doing (or at least not having to protect himself from pigtail pulling!)
The other reason I don't like it is because I really can't stand Frankie Boyle - which wasn't helped by a friend telling me that he refused to go back on stage after someone heckled him!

Quote: SillyBry @ July 11 2009, 3:05 PM BST

The other reason I don't like it is because I really can't stand Frankie Boyle - which wasn't helped by a friend telling me that he refused to go back on stage after someone heckled him!

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Ha! If that's true then what a hypocritical c**t!

It was at a gig in Lincoln and basically some bloke in the audience heckled Frankie for saying that Lincoln was a town when it's a city. Frankie told the bloke to f**k off. The bloke then said something about it having a cathedral, so it's a city. So Frankie told him to shut the f**k up or he'd have security throw him out. So the bloke shut up.
Then a bit later in the set, Frankie was in the middle of telling one of his well used repeated ad nauseum jokes from Mock the Week and someone heckled saying don't you write any new material? Frankie told the bloke to f**k off and walked offstage. He then refused to go back on until they had been removed. They were kicked out and then his warm up bloke came on stage and said that Frankie would only come back out if everyone calmed down.
I mean for god's sake... down at the comedy store, people throw things at the stage, one of the big things of being a comedian is being able to deal with hecklers, put them down quickly and move on. Not walk off!

Were you the heckler?

Quote: Magnus D @ July 11 2009, 12:31 AM BST

matching wits with Clive Anderson.

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A retarded alsatian could match wits with Clive Anderson.

Quote: Magnus D @ July 11 2009, 12:31 AM BST

If you've seen his best stuff and don't like him, then I do understand, but you shouldn't judge him based on Mock The Week, because the format hasn't let him show how talented a performer he really is.

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Fair point. If I see him in something else, perhaps I'd think differently.

[quote name=\"Badge\" post=\"445946\" date=\"July 11 2009, 1:12 AM BST\"]I watch Mock the Week, I laugh, and then at the end I feel a bit dirty. Part of it is this macho feeding frenzy, but part is also because the format is so contrived. Nobody can actually believe any of the rounds they do is anything other than a way of breaking up the show, can they?[/quote]
Surely a panel show is inherently the most contrived form of television? Isn\'t any round in any point-awarding programme not with the purpose of breaking up the show?

Besides, who really gives a shit? If it makes you laugh, it makes you laugh. Is there anything more to this format than trying to do so?

Quote: Aaron @ July 11 2009, 4:02 PM BST

Surely a panel show is inherently the most contrived form of television? Isn\'t any round in any point-awarding programme not with the purpose of breaking up the show?

Besides, who really gives a shit? If it makes you laugh, it makes you laugh. Is there anything more to this format than trying to do so?

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Well, there are scales of contrivance. And yeah, if it's funny it doesn't really matter. But there is something about MTW that makes it "funny, but...", and it isn't just the bearpit. I dunno.

My daughter watches this crappity tween girls show that Proops stars on and it is painful to watch. So now he's been on Bob the Builder (our version), Tru Jackson, VP, and Star Wars Episode 1. Makes me sad.

They may be cringe-worthy. But I think his stand up is very sharp.

I'll have to try and find some.

I can't really comment on Greg Proops outside of WLIIA, but I still think he ruled on that show (along with Ryan and Colin, obviously). I loved it when he'd have one of his little digs at Clive Anderson (who, incidently, I think is possibily the most useless panel show host this country has ever seen).

Anyway, here he is Greg having fun with Eddie Izzard on Whose Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4lB09mHSd8

Oops, we're going a bit off-topic here. Mock The Week...