The Death of British Comedy Page 9

Quote: beaky @ 13th February 2022, 5:16 PM

As this is meant to be a comedy thread, how about a sitcom about a far right fanatic who sees reds under every bed and fantasises about being mates with Nigel Farage. Every episode he tilts like Don Quijote at woke windmills, and every episode sees him crashing down to earth. He'd have a wife who takes his eccentricities with a pinch of salt - she's long stopped listening to him - and a gay son who daren't come out to his Dad in case it gives him a heart attack. We could call it Back to Nutwood.

Fantastic.
Get writing.
If you want a co-writer....don't ask Rupert.

Quote: Rupert Bear @ 13th February 2022, 5:17 PM

Teddy, give up. You are not a comedian. Odd really, because the scousers I've known are usually funny and witty. You unfortunately are the exception.

You've got him on the run, Teddy.

I don't even think he's Rupert I reckon its Bingo the Brainy Pup.

Hold on ...just thought ...Teddy...Rupert the BEAR.
If this is a massive wind up, Paddalack...

No chance Kelvin McKenzie is pure toxicity after Hillsborough and remember this guy thinks gays are against god, that's not a wind up its a radical.

Quote: Rupert Bear @ 13th February 2022, 3:18 PM

Censorship is not humour, it's the complete opposite. It's why you can't make money out of it because writing under speech censorship is not a skill and the end product is not humour. Comedy is a skill; writing about two men sitting in a pub talking and worrying if you've offended someone by what you've written is not a skill.

Sorry, Rupert, but this statement doesn't stand up to any sort of scrutiny. Comedy is not "the opposite of censorship" - there is some correlation between humour and the testing of taboos or the exploration of complex issues, but that's not what you've said, you've said something far more blunt, and effectively meaningless. You just continue to throw absolutes past us and into an ever-growing pot (I see the EU is now in there, along with pinkoes, queers, climate scientists and a virus). You say you have an academic background, but I cannot find any rigour behind your thought, and I still maintain you don't really know what your argument is, or how 21st century politics relates to Eric Morecambe. If I'm wrong, I invite you to explain it to me - forget all the arguments with Teddy, or whatever, and explain your thesis about why nothing nowadays is as funny as Mr Bean (spoiler - loads of things are)

Also the idea that writing under a censorious regime takes no skill is risible, but we'll leave that aside for now.

He's right about the Fabians though.

Quote: gappy @ 13th February 2022, 5:34 PM

Sorry, Rupert, but this statement doesn't stand up to any sort of scrutiny. Comedy is not "the opposite of censorship" - there is some correlation between humour and the testing of taboos or the exploration of complex issues, but that's not what you've said, you've said something far more blunt, and effectively meaningless. You just continue to throw absolutes past us and into an ever-growing pot (I see the EU is now in there, along with pinkoes, queers, climate scientists and a virus). You say you have an academic background, but I cannot find any rigour behind your thought, and I still maintain you don't really know what your argument is, or how 21st century politics relates to Eric Morecambe. If I'm wrong, I invite you to explain it to me - forget all the arguments with Teddy, or whatever, and explain your thesis about why nothing nowadays is as funny as Mr Bean (spoiler - loads of things are)

Also the idea that writing under a censorious regime takes no skill is risible, but we'll leave that aside for now.

Remember when comedy was comedy? Probably not, but people were getting Knighthoods for their contributions, I'm thinking Billy Connelly, Ken Dodd, Lenny Henry ... These people were household names on the level of pop-stars. They had a talent that couldn't be copied and that's because they were left alone to get on with it without political interference.

And now? Obviously those of us here are nowhere near that level, but I'm looking at the Critique thread and among the dozen I've read I haven't found one that even made me smile. To each his own, but if you have to be careful what you say it's not going to work. My opinion is my own, feel free to disagree but please don't equate today's comedians with the greats that went before them.

Your personal thoughts towards me are of no interest to me. Below this thread is another one I've just started. Maybe you find it funny, maybe not, but honestly, I couldn't care less.

Now a question for you. Find me one world famous comedian that hails from a society where free speech is restricted.

How angry are you? How do you even get that angry? I bet the ice cream van goes right past your house.

Further thoughts on my new sitcom: our hero's neighbours call him Rupert Bare, from the time he ran out into the road in his pyjamas to berate a lesbian couple for holding hands, and lost his trousers in a rose bush.

Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ 13th February 2022, 5:57 PM

How angry are you? How do you even get that angry? I bet the ice cream van goes right past your house.

Was that a joke? And you wonder why no one wants to touch your scripts?

I see Steve Coogan in a bald wig as the lead.

The family have a white cat called Snowflake.

It's writing itself!

Good God, is the the level of this forum?

Quote: Rupert Bear @ 13th February 2022, 6:09 PM

Good God, is the the level of this forum?

I know daunting isn't it.
Hang in there, though, you'll soon get up to speed.
Might even crack a joke, eventually.

How do you feel about Steve Coogan playing the lead, Rupert? Unfortunately Laurence Fox is too young.

My my you are upset, turns out that you're a bit of a Snowflake, there's a shock.