[Humour] Is comedy in crisis?

Pavilionaire · Mar 18, 2021

What can you make jokes about any more?

1.We live at a time when stories of racism and sexism dominate the news.

2. We have lived through 4 years of Brexit that has divided the country.

3. Covid has killed tens of thousands, while waiting lists for medical treatment is at record levels and damage to people's mental health is rife.

4. The proliferation of social media and TV channels mean there are fewer points of cultural reference we can all identify with.

5. People don't read as much as they used to.

6. Celebrities who exercise strong or controversial opinions are ridiculed, silenced or sacked.

It is my personal view that the quality of comedy on our screens has plummeted. I'll give two examples:

Spitting Image - a pale shadow of its former glory.
Zapped - A half-hour sitcom with an excellent cast (James Buckley, Paul Kaye, Steve Coogan, Tim Key, Phil Daniels, Sally Phillips) but a woefully bland script.

Where does comedy go from this point?

schmunk · Mar 18, 2021

Your mum.

Green Cross Code Man · Mar 18, 2021

With so much not being able to be broadcast under the idea that it may prove offensive, then it's no wonder comedy is so bland and sterile.

The Fish · Mar 18, 2021

Comedy is fine, there are left and right wing comedians by the bucketload all producing stuff that their audience will enjoy. Go to gigs, listen to podcasts, watch youtube, watch their specials on Netflix or wherever.

The issue is a government who don't want dissenting voices on tv (so you'd get no contemporary Spitting Image equivalent) and plump for Mrs Brown's Boys instead. TV producers are scared of pissing anybody off so sanitise a show beyond reason.

Stat Brother · Mar 18, 2021

I guess it depends on how good the comedian is.

If you're schtick is a lowest common denominator, punching down type thing, then you might (hopefully) be in trouble.

Smart and funny ALWAYS wins.

Failing that:-

"Do you remember when you were a kid, white dog pooh, what was that all about?".

Harry Wilson's tackle · Mar 18, 2021

Is this an Old Man thread? If so, it is as surprising as it is delightful that it actually makes me feel young.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Mar 18, 2021

Is comedy in crisis?

Judging by the quality of Joke Du Jour, one would have the reach the conclusion that that is indeed the case. Comedy IS dead :moo:

thedonkeycentrehalf · Mar 18, 2021

Mainstream TV comedy has always been a sanitised version of what you will find in the live environment. Dave does a pretty decent job of giving comedians more of a free reign.

However, if you want good comedy then you have to go and see it live and it is always worth taking a chance on a cheap night out at a comedy club.

keaton · Mar 18, 2021

Stand up is a bit difficult to evaluate as there hasn't really been any for a year. But in 2020 Ghosts series 2 was excellent, long runners like Have I Got News, Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster, The Trip, I'm Sorry and Unbelievable Truth were all excellent.
Lots of other new TV comedy got good reviews it appears.

I'm not sure any of the points will lead to issues on comedy and people have been complaining about "what you can't say any more" for decades and not a lot seems to have changed

Lots of excellent comedy podcasts as well.

RossyG · Mar 18, 2021

TV comedy is lame because its gatekeepers are usually from a very narrow demographic with a very narrow worldview and the people they commission and the programmes they make reflect that.

As a Doctor Who writer said recently, you can only pour out of a jug what’s already in the jug.

But then broadcast television itself is dying as a medium, really. Younger people don’t seem to watch it that much.

Psychobilly freakout · Mar 18, 2021

Pavilionaire said:
What can you make jokes about any more?

1.We live at a time when stories of racism and sexism dominate the news.

2. We have lived through 4 years of Brexit that has divided the country.

3. Covid has killed tens of thousands, while waiting lists for medical treatment is at record levels and damage to people's mental health is rife.

4. The proliferation of social media and TV channels mean there are fewer points of cultural reference we can all identify with.

5. People don't read as much as they used to.

I can see why, and this is where I will stop reading...

SockMonster · Mar 18, 2021

schmunk said:
Your mum.

Comedy Gold! Right there!

zefarelly · Mar 18, 2021

satire is dead, reality has taken over.

Acker79 · Mar 18, 2021

Nah. Not comedy. TV or TV comedy maybe.

TV ratings are in decline as more people move to delayed viewing, streaming services, youtube and other free video sites. TV in general is falling behind as technology and society moves toward on demand, on the go entertainment options. TV is limited in what it can offer because it can only show you what is airing, netflix, prime, rakuten, youtube, tiktok, facebook, twitter, daily motion etc, all have gigantic libraries with a wide range of options. BBC has to make sure their one programme appeals to as many people as possible to get the biggest number of people tuning in. Netflix can offer 9000 programmes each appealing to a different group, allowing them to draw in more people.

A few weeks ago I was watching a documentary about the Comedy Store in Hollywood where some big name comedians made their names. They were all talking about how so many comedians were moving into podcasts as a way to have more freedom and control and make more money than in the clubs.

The question isn't 'where does comedy go?' but 'where should you now go for your comedy?'

Pavilionaire · Mar 18, 2021

keaton said:
Stand up is a bit difficult to evaluate as there hasn't really been any for a year. But in 2020 Ghosts series 2 was excellent, long runners like Have I Got News, Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster, The Trip, I'm Sorry and Unbelievable Truth were all excellent.
Lots of other new TV comedy got good reviews it appears.

I'm not sure any of the points will lead to issues on comedy and people have been complaining about "what you can't say any more" for decades and not a lot seems to have changed

Lots of excellent comedy podcasts as well.

I'm not saying there is no decent comedy anymore. I'm saying there is less of it.

An analogy I would draw is you have 100 polar bears on an ice sheet, and global warming is shrinking that ice sheet so each bear gets closer to the other with less space to operate in.

I would argue that HIGNFY and Taskmaster are both stale, drawing their 'comedians' from a narrow pool dominated by a couple of all-powerful agencies. You see the same people rotated on the same shows (Live at the Apollo, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Taskmaster, Mock The Week) - all shows I used to watch but just got bored with the homogeneity of it all.

I agree that if you want to find what you're after you need to find it away from mainstream telly. The fact that K*nt and the Gang can be vying for the Xmas No. 1 with LadBaby says it all.

essbee1 · Mar 18, 2021

Tom Hark said:
Is comedy in crisis?

Judging by the quality of Joke Du Jour, one would have the reach the conclusion that that is indeed the case. Comedy IS dead

How very bloody dare you THPP. My joke du jour gags are class. But I do have to admit, some of the joke du jours are a pile of dog's excrement.

PILTDOWN MAN · Mar 18, 2021

It is in crisis just look at Southgate's England squad

Stat Brother · Mar 18, 2021

Acker79 said:
A few weeks ago I was watching a documentary about the Comedy Store in Hollywood where some big name comedians made their names. They were all talking about how so many comedians were moving into podcasts as a way to have more freedom and control and make more money than in the clubs.

The question isn't 'where does comedy go?' but 'where should you now go for your comedy?'

I don't listen to many comedy podcasts, but at least half the pods I do listen too are comedians.

Frank Skinner, Elis James (The Social Distant Sports Bar is one of the greatest ever), The Bugle, James Acaster & Ed Gamble, Romesh and Tom Davis, The Fish team, Rhys Darby and so on.

None are actually comedy shows, in the traditional sense, but they are all very funny many of which have introduced me to other comedians.

clapham_gull · Mar 18, 2021

Pavilionaire said:
What can you make jokes about any more?

1.We live at a time when stories of racism and sexism dominate the news.

2. We have lived through 4 years of Brexit that has divided the country.

3. Covid has killed tens of thousands, while waiting lists for medical treatment is at record levels and damage to people's mental health is rife.

4. The proliferation of social media and TV channels mean there are fewer points of cultural reference we can all identify with.

5. People don't read as much as they used to.

6. Celebrities who exercise strong or controversial opinions are ridiculed, silenced or sacked.

It is my personal view that the quality of comedy on our screens has plummeted. I'll give two examples:

Spitting Image - a pale shadow of its former glory.
Zapped - A half-hour sitcom with an excellent cast (James Buckley, Paul Kaye, Steve Coogan, Tim Key, Phil Daniels, Sally Phillips) but a woefully bland script.

Where does comedy go from this point?

Spitting Image was very nearly pulled after the first series. It got terrible viewing figures (for the time) and the first episode had canned laughter.

They pulled in the future writers of Red Dwarf who saved it and the rest is history.

Swansman · Mar 18, 2021

Ive always had troubles with written comedy... people ****ing up is fun, quick oneliners is also fun... stand-up comedy? Comedy TV-series? Generally meh.

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