'Green Wing' - Real Comedy Alert!

Posted by: J.N. on 09 September 2004

Bloody hilarious.

Thank goodness for the lack of 'canned laughter' thus treating the viewing audience with a bit of respect.

Friday evenings Channel 4. (Repeated on Saturday evening).
Posted on: 13 September 2004 by sideshowbob
Comedians who say fuck a lot and get drunk are the best, no question. Lenny Bruce, for example.

On the Johnny Vegas question, yes, he's brilliant. One of the funniest standups I've ever seen.

-- Ian
Posted on: 13 September 2004 by matthewr
I saw Johnny Vegas very early on in the City Life Young Comedian of the Year Gala final. He was very pissed, said fuck a lot and was indeed very funny (he was still doing his growing up in Salford with an interest in pottery schtick).

Surprisingly though he didn't win and came a narrow second to Peter Kay (who's a much better comic actor and but not half as good a stand up as people seem to think IMHO).

Matthew
Posted on: 14 September 2004 by Mike Hughes
Mathew,

Well said. I should add that I have a friend who is a stand-up and we went to see him some time ago at the Buzz in Chorlton. Dylan Moran was headlining and turned up 2 and a half hours late as he was drunk and had missed his first train from London. When he arrived (after my mate had covered for him by doing extra time for no extra money) he was incomprehensible and died a death. The stand-up circuit was drying up for him as a result when he got into TV writing and performing and he has cleaned up his act to the point where he's unfunny when sober sadly.

More pointedly my friend did another gig where he had to cover for Bill Bailey (who was late through no fault of his own). Bill donated half his gig fee to my mate to say thanks.

Stephen,

I am sorry you know people who's lives have been ruined by drink and I have no intent to offend you but you kind of assume that no-one else here has been blighted in the same way and that is somehow offensive to you if we react differently. My life has been touched in the same way. I have retained the ability to laugh at such things. It's a double-edged sword and sometimes it feels awfully pointed but laughter is indeed the best medicine.

Mike
Posted on: 14 September 2004 by Stephen Bennett
quote:
Originally posted by Mike Hughes:

I am sorry you know people who's lives have been ruined by drink and I have no intent to offend you but you kind of assume that no-one else here has been blighted in the same way and that is somehow offensive to you if we react differently.

Mike


I don't offend easily Mike (with my face I can't afford to.) I was mainly wishing comedians could stop taking the easy way out and actually try something new. I don't find being drunk funny in itself, just sad - sad for the people who need to be drunk to perform and kinda sad for the people who are laughing at them. IMHO, of course!

Regards

Stephen
Posted on: 14 September 2004 by Mike Hughes
Stephen,

Apologies. Now I understand where you were coming from and I totally agree.

Mike.
Posted on: 14 September 2004 by Berlin Fritz
I agree pissed comedians both on stage and in life are very very sad, innit, if they cannie control their passion.