Stand-up Comedians

Cormeh

Cormeh

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Right, so this may be because I'm a right grumpy fucker these days, but I was just watching Michael McIntyre on BBC 1 tonight (who's a rather popular comedian in Britain right now) and HE'S NOT IN THE LEAST BIT FUUUCKING FUUUNNY.

Fecks sake. What I realise though, it's not his jokes being unfunny, it's that as a supposed comedian he doesn't seem to carry any material in a funny way at all. He's all over the place, frantic, switching from bit to bit without any decent bridging or reason. I don't know whether that's the fact this is a televised act, but even if it's cut down from a proper two hour show it really doesn't do the comedy any justice.

ANYWAY, watered down, frantic, predictable comedy from these new stand up guys doesn't slay me at all. I like to see comedians that can take their time to deliver their stories, keep the audience waiting with a massive grin whilst not relying on prancing about on stage.

I think to Bill Hicks, that guy was so laid back he was horizontal, he had the best timing for a comedian to have, calm, deliberate and purposeful. Stupidly enough, some of Lee Evans stuff cracks me up, but his energy is all about the physicality of his material, and that's what made him.l

You know, before this horrible rant gets out of control, what's your favourite comedy style in stand-up? Do you like the story tellers? The observationalist? The crude? The political? The punch-line?

I think I bring this up because comedy just doesn't seem as funny to me these days. The last truly BRILLIANT comedian I ever saw was Steve Hughes. A big stoner Aussie rocker.
 
I'm currently a huge fan of Zach Galifianakis. His style is a sort of anti-comedy, but it's quite good. If you're disillusioned with "regular" stand-up acts, he might be what you're looking for.
 
Right, so this may be because I'm a right grumpy ****er these days, but I was just watching Michael McIntyre on BBC 1 tonight (who's a rather popular comedian in Britain right now) and HE'S NOT IN THE LEAST BIT FUUUCKING FUUUNNY.
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OMG I thought I was alone in this. Thank god someone thinks so cos everyone I know loves the idiot :hmph: I also HATE Jimmy Carr and Ricky Gervais.

Yeah I hate Ricky Gervais come get me :dozey:

You know, before this horrible rant gets out of control, what's your favourite comedy style in stand-up? Do you like the story tellers? The observationalist? The crude? The political? The punch-line?
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Got to say I can't pick, as long as I am in tears laughing I'm not fussy :)

One of my favs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAOLOGGftTY
 
The UK is in a strange way at the moment. Stand-up comedians are everywhere, and there are panel-shows leaking from every orifice of the television industry. I'm not a massive fan of McIntyre, but the problem is more that he simply won't go away. Can still make me laugh though. Likewise, shows like Mock the Week could be done without, but they're still kind of funny, because expletives and crude jokes usually are. I've been watching that and Charlie Brooker vehicle You've Been Watching every week, even if on iPlayer/4od and been feeling a little bad. It's not especially intelligent humour, and I've enjoyed it because I've not felt like being especially intelligent when watching them. Though I suppose I love Brooker no matter how stupid he gets ('HE DUN FELL IN THE WATER!') or how much he reuses material (how many more times are we going to see Glenn Beck breaking down on Fox?).

I think the only comedian that springs to mind, that I actually actively dislike is probably Andy Parsons. The smug delivery is something you can take or leave (I leave it), but he has a very limited repertoire and a vein of rather banal observational humour.

Comedians that I consistently like? I'm going to be lame and say Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey, the answers everyone had to this question five years ago, and will immediately roll-eyes to for their sheer mainstream-ness. Last comedy gig I saw was Ross Noble. Actually, I wasn't that impressed. There's being zany and there's tedious babbling.
 
The UK is in a strange way at the moment. Stand-up comedians are everywhere, and there are panel-shows leaking from every orifice of the television industry. I'm not a massive fan of McIntyre, but the problem is more that he simply won't go away. Can still make me laugh though. Likewise, shows like Mock the Week could be done without, but they're still kind of funny, because expletives and crude jokes usually are. I've been watching that and Charlie Brooker vehicle You've Been Watching every week, even if on iPlayer/4od and been feeling a little bad. It's not especially intelligent humour, and I've enjoyed it because I've not felt like being especially intelligent when watching them. Though I suppose I love Brooker no matter how stupid he gets ('HE DUN FELL IN THE WATER!') or how much he reuses material (how many more times are we going to see Glenn Beck breaking down on Fox?).
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You've got a good point but I do love Brooker :D (but I prefer his screenwipe/newswipe stuff to you have been watching).
 
Brooker is great, got a couple of his books. Compilations of his newspaper articles, good stuff.
 
i like a few. Jim Gaffigan and Demitri Martin are the first to come to mind.
 
I like all comedy that isn't political.

Michael McIntyre is one of the funniest comedians around period, nevermind just in Britain. His Apollo routine was classic - Scottish money, getting on the train, non-laughs, mini sick, arms while walking etc.

Lee Evans was funny when I was 5 and he was on the Des O'Connor show. I watched his show a few weeks ago on C4 and it was cringe-worthy.

Bill Hicks has a lot of funny stuff but a lot of it's just moaning that's not laugh out loud funny.

Last comedy gig I saw was Ross Noble. Actually, I wasn't that impressed. There's being zany and there's tedious babbling.
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Ross Noble's Unrealtime DVD is a must own. I saw him at the Playhouse and he was funny as hell. He was good on Live at the Apollo a few years ago too.

Here's some I've liked recently:

Brian Regan (legend) - UPS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89frRi8GgGA

Bill Burr - Muffins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnOg01N1u3w

Isaac Witty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWXQJQj-5pw

Jake Johannsen (legend)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHgJqeaj11w

Check the guy's comedy song at 3:27 - PRESSURE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKKIGmTTos0

This guy (in green) has dead baby type jokes - 5:25,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEu7dwyWRxM
 
StardogChampion said:
Ross Noble's Unrealtime DVD is a must own. I saw him at the Playhouse and he was funny as hell. He was good on Live at the Apollo a few years ago too.
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Haven't seen that particular DVD, but I do generally like his work (well, I was paying to go see him after all :p). It's the kind of humour where you get hit and miss shows, but it works especially well in recording since they can always cherry-pick the hilarity from the rambling.
 
Bryan Regan's old stuff is great, but I saw one of his latest specials and found it quite dull.

Dane Cook is incredibly overrated, but he was much funnier live than I expected him to be.

Eddie Izzard is, of course, amazing. As was George Carlin.

My top favourite has got to be Jim Gaffigan. I don't think I've ever laughed as hard in my life as I did when I saw him live.
 
Carlin, Izzard, and I don't know if you'd call Penn and Teller stand up, but they're certainly funnier than many I've seen.
 
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