I just saw a posting on another forum where I hang out (business-related, this is the only comedy forum I visit) and there was a posting there about pitch-wars between ice-cream van operators. Apparently the antics they all get up to are "hilarious"(hmmm)and most of them are on the dole anyway.

I thought it might have some mileage as a sitcom subject, although it's maybe been done before. I don't know, how about a Tom Sharpe-type farce? Anyway, it's not the sort of thing I could write about.

Is it worth posting here if we see any ideas that others might make something out of?

(Sorry if this has been done before here. I have spent some time reading earlier posts but obviously haven't read everything.)

Peter Kaye did it in "That Peter Kay thing". Don't know if you saw them (it's where Phoenix Nights came from) but there was a half an hour episode about an ice cream man and his arch rival Senior Whippy

There was also a Bill Forsyth film "Comfort and Joy" about ice cream wars in Glasgow http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087072/

Oh, OK, sorry. That idea's probably not a goer then. But what about the main question which prompted me to start the thread? I just didn't like to do it without an example. Can we/should we post ideas here for others to pick up?

It's a nice idea I think.

Quote: Something @ February 19, 2007, 10:34 PM

Oh, OK, sorry. That idea's probably not a goer then. But what about the main question which prompted me to start the thread? I just didn't like to do it without an example. Can we/should we post ideas here for others to pick up?

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As long as you don't mind people taking them!

BTW i think the worst advice you can get for writing comedy is don't do something that has been done before. There are so many sub-genres in comedy these days that the style of a show can be completely different, plus how many sitcoms are based on family life? Loads, but that doesn't stop them coming out every week.

Well, that's what I was thinking. So what if it's been done before? Anyway it doesn't have to be about ice cream vans, the same thing could be used for burgers, fish and chips, or market stalls.

As for other people taking the ideas - that was the point. If you don't want it for yourself, why not share on the off-chance someone else might?

I have something on Market stalls (steal my idea I cut chu!) yeah I went through a phase of selling games on a market stall, me and a couple of mates did it about 3 times the market stalls are really strange you seem to join a fraternity of marketing people selling crap and they all give you advice, be it right or wrong they all feel they have to throw in there two cents.

Very interesting and I developed the idea a bit for a sitcom but put the idea to one side as I had other projects on that go at the same time, but thanks to this thread I may consider bringing it to life again... could we been seeing "Business as usual" on our screens in the near future?

Probably not.

Quote: paul watson @ February 21, 2007, 3:07 PM

I have something on Market stalls (steal my idea I cut chu!) yeah I went through a phase of selling games on a market stall, me and a couple of mates did it about 3 times the market stalls are really strange you seem to join a fraternity of marketing people selling crap and they all give you advice, be it right or wrong they all feel they have to throw in there two cents.

Very interesting and I developed the idea a bit for a sitcom but put the idea to one side as I had other projects on that go at the same time, but thanks to this thread I may consider bringing it to life again... could we been seeing "Business as usual" on our screens in the near future?

Probably not.

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Isn't that Eastenders?

with less cockneys!