Quote: Lee Henman @ June 21 2012, 12:27 PM BST

But they're not "cool" like Stewart Lee for instance, hence they must be shit. And what's wrong with appealing to the masses? Surely a performer's raison d'etre is to make as many people as possible love them and laugh at them.

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I have no idea how old you are Lee, but when I was growing up, all the McIntyre-style acts of the day (Tarby, Brucie, Wilmot, etc.) were swept aside by the 'alternative' comics.

We've now gone full circle and I am once again waiting for a brave comedy commissioner to herald in the next wave of dangerous, entertaining and original performers.*

That's not snobbery, it's taste.

*(like a new Alexei Sayle would last 5 minutes these days - Frankie Boyle can't tell a joke without everyone and their Mummy having a spaz fit of hypocritical mock outrage and complaining to the BBC - bunch o pussies)

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 21 2012, 3:31 PM BST

We've now gone full circle and I am once again waiting for a brave comedy commissioner to herald in the next wave of dangerous, entertaining and original performers.*

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But this is what the commissioners seem obsessed with trying to do.

There is plenty of "dangerous" or "edgy" comedy on telly, just not on primetime BBC One or ITV1, but then again when was Alexei Sayle even on those channels? I think you'll find that even during the height of the "alternative comedy" explosion the main channels were still full of people like Russ Abbott, Jim Davison, Cannon and Ball, etc.

Quote: Tony Cowards @ June 21 2012, 5:16 PM BST

There is plenty of "dangerous" or "edgy" comedy on telly

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There is? The BCG Newsletter leaked details of Channel 4's new Comedy Spunkfest or whatever the hell they're calling it and it is all the same stuff, from the same people.

If you can please point me in the direction of this dangerous and edgy comedy, then I would be very grateful.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 21 2012, 6:44 PM BST

There is? The BCG Newsletter leaked details of Channel 4's new Comedy Spunkfest or whatever the hell they're calling it and it is all the same stuff, from the same people.

If you can please point me in the direction of this dangerous and edgy comedy, then I would be very grateful.

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That's why I put it in "quotes", you or I may not think it's dangerous and edgy but TV commissioners seem to think it is.

Let me ask you RC, what exactly is it you want to see on TV and why is Michael McIntyre stopping this from happening?

Why anyone who reckons they enjoy stand-up would rely on waiting for whatever the BBC decide to repeat until the end of time, to keep its stable of stars in exposure, is beyond me.

Comedy is live entertainment, the stuff on tele isn't even real comedy with swooping crane shots and -applause- cues flashing. There's no adrenelin or spark it's just televsion. People should just go to clubs, and venues with live acts because that's where anything original is happening.

Good point television is a naturally sterile medium.

And performers who can't change their style between stage and screen stick out a mile.

That said I'd still view Chris Rock et al as being able to cover both.

And the old Friday Night Live with its static characters and brutal audience was a lot like live stand-up.

Quote: Tony Cowards @ June 21 2012, 7:34 PM BST

Let me ask you RC, what exactly is it you want to see on TV and why is Michael McIntyre stopping this from happening?

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I want to see the next generation of truly funny, intelligent, original and risk taking comedians. Michael McIntyre is only a major symptom of a wider disease - like the pneumonia that eventually kills the Aids patient.

My gut feeling - no proof mind - is that certain agents representing certain stars have far too much power over the comedy commissioning process. The commissioners on the other hand, are so shit scared of backing something unknown in case it fails, that they are more than happy to join in with this blatant collusion.

I wish it was just a case of personal prejudice, but when you stack up Chris Morris or Stewart Lee against Rhod Gilbert or Michael McIntyre, there really is a massive gulf in terms of quality, humour and intelligence.

We live in a media world where Frankie Boyle gets kicked off Mock The Week to make way for people like Holly Walsh.

I don't really follow comedy much these days, but I can't remember the last time I watched a comic and thought wow that guy's ace.
Or what a funny on the ball comic.

Tell a lie, Stewart Lee but not much else.

Quote: sootyj @ June 21 2012, 9:42 PM BST

I don't really follow comedy much these days, but I can't remember the last time I watched a comic and thought wow that guy's ace.

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You'll probably see loads when you go up to Edinburgh, but because they don't have the connections, they won't get the Perrier (or whatever) nominations and the commissioners and agents won't see them.

It doesn't help that up and coming comics see which ones are making it and adopt the exact same uncontroversial, telly friendly style of humour and delivery.

Yeh I'm bloody ace but I'm not on the telly or shit.

Quote: sootyj @ June 21 2012, 9:53 PM BST

Yeh I'm bloody ace but I'm not on the telly or shit.

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McIntyre strikes again! Grrr!

Frankie Boyle wasn't kicked off Mock The Week. I thought he left to concentrate on his Channel 4 show.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 21 2012, 9:46 PM BST

You'll probably see loads when you go up to Edinburgh, but because they don't have the connections, they won't get the Perrier (or whatever) nominations and the commissioners and agents won't see them.

It doesn't help that up and coming comics see which ones are making it and adopt the exact same uncontroversial, telly friendly style of humour and delivery.

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Don't know why but that reminded me of one time when Max Miller was on the Royal Variety Show.

Furious that Jack Benny had 20 minutes when he, a homegrown comic, only had 6 he over ran and did 12 minutes. As he came of the stage Val Parnell stormed at him "you'll never work again in one of my theatres!" To which Miller replied, "Val, you're about four hundred thousand pounds too late!"

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 21 2012, 9:56 PM BST

McIntyre strikes again! Grrr!

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I don't mind, it's the nation I feel sorry for.

Quote: zooo @ June 18 2012, 12:50 PM BST

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Don't watch him with your mum! You might be in for an awkward moment or two.

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I'm not into voyeurism - and she is 84 so I think that would be a bit distasteful. David Walliams maybe......