Quote: ToddB @ February 17 2011, 6:26 PM GMT

No, but if I had to pick a comedian to have a tattoo of, I'd have Jennifer. Barry Humphries is my other favourite, but I think Jennifer Saunders would look better as a tattoo.
Jennifer Saunders is one of a handful of British comedians who helped bring British comedy out of the seventies - she also appears to be one of the handful who do not want to go back there.
I agree with your two types of comedy - I just think funny is a mercurial term.

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Maybe you and the other Jennifer Saunders disciples should get together and set up a commune, along the lines of 'Jonestown'? Followers could sit in plain white dust-cover-ed living rooms, with towels on their heads and bemoan the crassness of non-Saunders comedy in mock-outraged upper-class accents (for hours on end and with no discernable punchlines).

*waits with baited breath in anticipation of long diatribe about the cretins who never appreciated Let Them Eat Cake*

I am sorry for seeming arch in that assumption - but you must agree that a more innocuous and happily ribald kind of humour seems to gain more favour - the boards here show it to be true. More alternative programmes, however, are still funny and well made.
What I find disturbing is that newer kinds of comedy, particularly those written by women, come in for such a beating. I'd happily watch them over repeats of Dad's Army any day.
I just enjoy the debate - no hard feelings.

Quote: Tim Walker @ February 17 2011, 8:24 PM GMT

Maybe you and the other Jennifer Saunders disciples should get together and set up a commune, along the lines of 'Jonestown'? Followers could sit in plain white dust-cover-ed living rooms, with towels on their heads and bemoan the crassness of non-Saunders comedy in mock-outraged upper-class accents (for hours on end and with no discernable punchlines).

*waits with baited breath in anticipation of long diatribe about the cretins who never appreciated Let Them Eat Cake*

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The Jennifer Saunders commune idea sounds like a fun weekend to me. I understand why people didn't get Let Them Eat Cake - it's not a long answer - it had female protagonists. At least French and Saunders can't be blamed for the writing on that one.

Is this still coming back for a second series?

Well, I think the creators are keen to do one and I haven't heard the BBC officially say no - but there has not been word for a long time.

Quote: ToddB @ February 17 2011, 8:37 PM GMT

The Jennifer Saunders commune idea sounds like a fun weekend to me. I understand why people didn't get Let Them Eat Cake - it's not a long answer - it had female protagonists. At least French and Saunders can't be blamed for the writing on that one.

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I see, so shit sitcoms are a feminist issue, are they? I suggest that before judging myself and other members you take a look at the Roger & Val Have Just Got In (written by two women) and Miranda threads.

Quote: Mike88 @ February 17 2011, 8:56 PM GMT

Is this still coming back for a second series?

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Very much doubt it, as the Beeb are no longer contractually obliged to give JS one series per year (which was a ridiculous deal in the first place).

Quote: ToddB @ February 17 2011, 8:37 PM GMT

I am sorry for seeming arch in that assumption - but you must agree that a more innocuous and happily ribald kind of humour seems to gain more favour - the boards here show it to be true. More alternative programmes, however, are still funny and well made.

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Sure. But do the people who love them, love them more than the amount by which people such as yourself love shows like Vyle? No. There are just more individuals who enjoy them because that's the nature of broader comedy.

Quote: ToddB @ February 17 2011, 8:37 PM GMT

I understand why people didn't get Let Them Eat Cake - it's not a long answer - it had female protagonists. At least French and Saunders can't be blamed for the writing on that one.

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Oh, they can. I actually quite enjoyed Let Them Eat Cake when I watched it, but it really is not some work of underappreciated genius. Dismissing criticism of programmes because they have female stars is ludicrous.

I agree - I don't think "Let Them Eat Cake" is a work of genius - I think it is a broad comedy written with the ingredients that have broad appeal.
Perhaps I should clarify my "feminist" statement. I think that, perhaps, people do not expect to see women taking on this kind of rougher comedy. Usually in this kind of thing women have been old ladies, nagging wives or the bimbo someone is trying to bed - not active protagonists, particularly unsympathetic ones.
People are more comfortable seeing female protagonists in showssuch as "Roger and Val Have Just Got In" and "Miranda", that are a little warmer.
Just a theory.
I hope that clears up what I mean.
I do, however, think that female comedians do, in general, find it a bit harder and have to tread very carefully while men don't. I mean, there is a whole thread on here discussing whether or not women can be funny - of course thay can!

Quote: Aaron @ February 17 2011, 8:10 PM GMT

Todd, you are disturbingly insistent in this belief that anyone who doesn't appreciate Absolutely Fabulous, The Life And Times Of Vivienne Vyle or Jam & Jerusalem is just because they don't include enough poos and bums and wees. Not so. Vyle in particular was just really, really unfunny - evidently not to you, but to many, if not most; and particularly perhaps, to the commissioners.

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I think Vivienne Vyle was the most interesting thing Jennifer Saunders had done in at least 15 years. I don't like it, but at least it showed some thought.

Good for you, Badge. I'm always for keeping an open mind in spite of one's personal opinion.

Quote: Tim Walker @ February 17 2011, 10:24 PM BST

Very much doubt it, as the Beeb are no longer contractually obliged to give JS one series per year (which was a ridiculous deal in the first place).

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At least when Jen had a series a year we knew that we'd have one good sitcom series per annum.

It seems that now, however, that she is moving on to more "Ab Fab" - the happiest outcome. <3

Quote: Badge @ February 18 2011, 1:56 AM BST

I think Vivienne Vyle was the most interesting thing Jennifer Saunders had done in at least 15 years. I don't like it, but at least it showed some thought.

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Was it really that interesting? Confrontational talkshows are manipulative and bad - yes, if Saunders hadn't made a sitcom about it we might never have realised.

Quote: chipolata @ May 22 2011, 2:27 PM BST

Was it really that interesting? Confrontational talkshows are manipulative and bad - yes, if Saunders hadn't made a sitcom about it we might never have realised.

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I think that the drama comes from peeking into the motivations and inner lives of the key people behind the scenes. It's interesting to investigate how they feel about the programme that they're making.

Quote: ToddB @ May 22 2011, 2:34 PM BST

It's interesting to investigate how they feel about the programme that they're making.

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Not in the programme I saw!

Quote: chipolata @ May 22 2011, 2:27 PM BST

Was it really that interesting? Confrontational talkshows are manipulative and bad - yes, if Saunders hadn't made a sitcom about it we might never have realised.

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Well, no, it wasn't that interesting, but it was the most interesting thing she's done in 15 years. The most interesting parts were the non-talkshow bits revolving around her personal life.