A Comedy Roast - or burnt offerings?
Posted by: Officer DBL on 12 April 2010
Luckily I have managed to miss the bulk of the three programmes aired to date – the Ross one totally and most of the Tarrant one (just saw the really naff bit where Jamie Theakston demonstrated that he couldn’t read a teleprompter)..
Out of morbid curiosity I watched some of the Sharon Osborne one and it just confirmed her as an uncouth, foul mouthed harridan who, come the revolution, will be one of the first against the wall. What is the point of that person?
My other half has recorded the American version with Joan Rivers as the guest, and I saw some of the William Shatner roasting. I do get the feeling that the original American prog works, but the UK variant just seems to be a platform for a bunch of "comedic" egos and lots of gratuitous foul language.
Any views on this nugget of TV entertainment?
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by scottyhammer
Theres always the off switch OR the channel change button
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by Officer DBL
That is true Scotty - do you have any views on the programme?
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by nap-ster
I only saw the Tarrant one and I thought it was rather good. It was also good to see Sally James again but swiftly moving on...............
There's a shortage of good stand up humour on the box at present. The charity concert for Great Ormond Street at the O2 which was on the previous week was a bit patchy but also had its moments.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by Absolute
I was a little bemused at the concept at first, so watched Bruce Forsyth's not knowing what to expect.
It was utterly disappointing. How they managed to fill that much time with jokes about his age and his wife I don't know, I didn't watch it to the end.
It seemed to be a rather strange and dire spin on This Is Your Life. It just wasn't funny, the jokes were crass and completely obvious.
Jimmy Carr, Jason Manford, Sean Lock and Jack Dee are all good comedians. But this was utter rubbish.
Maybe its just not my cup of tea.
Time better spent listening to music.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by shoot6x7
These roasts are the utter pits of TV comedy.
The US versions thrive on the most foul mouthed and depraved comedians.
Very uncomfortable to watch ... go put some tunes on or watch a Family Guy rerun.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by scottyhammer
To answer the question - NO i did not watch the programme as i am selective in what i watch and the "roastings" are not my cup of tea.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by 151
you dont like quality t.v. then.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by scottyhammer
I do but its hard to find these days....would rather listen to my tunes anyways.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by Richard Dane
I accidentally stumbled onto the William Shatner "roasting" on TV last night. I admit I watched transfixed for about 5 minutes. Rather akin to the way one cannot help but look at a car crash.
As soon as I pulled myself together I switched off. No sign of any real wit. Rather crass. Admittedly I didn't watch the entire show, so maybe it improved, although from what I saw, I seriously doubt it. Has TV comedy really run out of new (clever) ideas? On reflection, I think this is a low.
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by shoot6x7
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Dane:
so maybe it improved, although from what I saw, I seriously doubt it.
It didn't ...
The only interesting thing was seeing the true venom which George Takei and Nichelle Nicholls still have for him ...
Posted on: 12 April 2010 by JonR
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Dane:
I accidentally stumbled onto the William Shatner "roasting" on TV last night. I admit I watched transfixed for about 5 minutes. Rather akin to the way one cannot help but look at a car crash.
As soon as I pulled myself together I switched off. No sign of any real wit. Rather crass. Admittedly I didn't watch the entire show, so maybe it improved, although from what I saw, I seriously doubt it. Has TV comedy really run out of new (clever) ideas? On reflection, I think this is a low.
I saw this last night too. I can only surmise that George Takei actually hates Shatner a little
less than usual in actually agreeing to do it. Leonard Nimoy was especially conspicous by his absence. The material was just crude - a real comedown for Jason Alexander from the heights of Seinfeld to have to present a show like that. I've not watched any of the Britsh versions - I think I've seen more than enough as it is.
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by ewemon
Didn't watch it but that old maxim still applys "garbage in garbage out".
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by nap-ster
quote:
Originally posted by ewemon:
Didn't watch it but that old maxim still applys "garbage in garbage out".
A bit like the election coverage then.
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by Adam Meredith
quote:
Originally posted by Officer DBL:
..... Sharon Osborne .... will be one of the first against the wall.
So it's a hate/love relationship?
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by Officer DBL
I was thinking more firing squad than love-in...
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by Diccus62
I really enjoyed the Great Ormond Street prog but saw about 20 minutes of Chris Tarrant being Roasted and it made 'Who lives in a House like this' seem like the 'Culture Show'. As the Queen might say 'frightful'
I will not be tuning in again, don't like the concept.......mind if they put Mugabe on
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by scottyhammer
I personally prefer - a league of their own which is just good banter.
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by Jet Johnson
.....I saw the 2006 Shatner "Roast" repeated on Sunday through gritted fingers .....given what we are led to believe about what Americans are allowed to broadcast on TV I was gobsmacked by the level of obscene jokes made by the participants (although I would certainly defend their right to use such language after the watershed) A "strong language" warning ain't the half of it!
...Is this how Hollywood tells jokes when their tongues are loosened? ...I didn't think I was shockable anymore!!
Posted on: 13 April 2010 by TomK
quote:
Originally posted by JonR:
...Leonard Nimoy was especially conspicous by his absence...
I saw Shatner's chat show a while back where he interviewed Leonard Nimoy in a private one on one situation and it seemed obvious to me there was real warmth and deep friendship between them. No audience, they sat close to each other and discussed each other's families, common experiences, and just appeared to be best buddies. Either that or they're both very good actors and I think we can rule that out.
Posted on: 14 April 2010 by Officer DBL
My wife watched 5 minutes of the Joan Rivers one that she had recorded on Sky+ and deleted it referring to it with disgust as a tawdry swear-fest not worthy of air time.
Posted on: 14 April 2010 by Adam Meredith
quote:
Originally posted by Officer DBL:
... a tawdry swear-fest.
I love it when a woman talks clean.
Posted on: 14 April 2010 by count.d
quote:
Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
quote:
Originally posted by Officer DBL:
..... Sharon Osborne .... will be one of the first against the wall.
So it's a hate/love relationship?
Hahaha, you've got to post more! I haven't laughed out loud on this forum for months.
