Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[pauliewalnuts]

No offence, SE, but what a load of nonsense.

"You're not allowed to judge any comic unless you've seen them live, been in a room with them, except for these ones I've decided are immune from that rule".

That's not what I meant, but I can see why it comes across that way.

Having been a stand-up, you see so many different rooms and so many different comics. The upshot is that you simply can't say that someone 'isn't funny' when they're selling out theatres and getting TV work etc. Especially with female comedians. I'm pretty sure I've read on this very forum that some people 'just don't find women funny'. I mean, what the fuck is that?

In the comedy industry, people obviously get rich from TV work, but nobody respects the opinions of people who only see stand-up on TV.

I'm obviously no longer in that industry, so I have no axe to grind, but that's how it is.

Edit: but Peter Kay is shit.

I get that standing up in front of a lot of people and trying to be funny is immensely complex, there are a massive range of human emotions at play, and there will be - if you are a stand up yourself - comedians who are impressive on a technical level, even if you don't find them funny, ie you do it yourself, you know how difficult it is.

It's like me saying "Leon Bailey is fucking hopeless". If I was a league one player who had experienced trying to get ahead in football and knew how difficult it is, I would have a totally different view on him, I would almost certainly be more respectful of what he's achieved, because he plays for Aston Villa, not some League One no-hopers.

But ultimately, for the end viewer, it's all subjective.

So yes, of course you can say someone isn't funny even though they sell out Wembley or wherever. I don't find Jack Whitehall funny but he sells out the O2. Jimmy Carr, he's another one.

Just like I don't think Leon Bailey is very good, although he's playing in front of 40,000 every Saturday and I'm mooching around Sainsburys.

[Sexual Ealing]

No offence, SE, but what a load of nonsense.

"You're not allowed to judge any comic unless you've seen them live, been in a room with them, except for these ones I've decided are immune from that rule".

You like her, lots of people like her, some people don't like her. That's comedy, it's subjective. One man's Stewart Lee is another man's Michael McIntyre.

It's not anything more complicated than that. Your view isn't any more or less valid because you've seen her in a room.

Sorry again, I hadn't seen the second part of your post Paulie. I actually included those names because I was going to make another point but forgot to! I think those acts work on TV because their act is basically zingers (Rivers, Dawson - and you can add Gary Delaney - Millican's husband, Villa fan and follower of H&V on Twitter - Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle and loads more) or their material is so broad that it couldn't fail if the performance is right (Connolly in particular).

It's not that I'm deciding who's good and who isn't, just that TV gives a warped perception of what stand-up is and isn't.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's not that I'm deciding who's good and who isn't, just that TV gives a warped perception of what stand-up is and isn't.

I think I agree with that.

[Sexual Ealing]

No offence, SE, but what a load of nonsense.

"You're not allowed to judge any comic unless you've seen them live, been in a room with them, except for these ones I've decided are immune from that rule".

That's not what I meant, but I can see why it comes across that way.

Having been a stand-up, you see so many different rooms and so many different comics. The upshot is that you simply can't say that someone 'isn't funny' when they're selling out theatres and getting TV work etc. Especially with female comedians. I'm pretty sure I've read on this very forum that some people 'just don't find women funny'. I mean, what the fuck is that?

In the comedy industry, people obviously get rich from TV work, but nobody respects the opinions of people who only see stand-up on TV.

I'm obviously no longer in that industry, so I have no axe to grind, but that's how it is.

Edit: but Peter Kay is shit.

I get that standing up in front of a lot of people and trying to be funny is immensely complex, there are a massive range of human emotions at play, and there will be - if you are a stand up yourself - comedians who are impressive on a technical level, even if you don't find them funny, ie you do it yourself, you know how difficult it is.

It's like me saying "Leon Bailey is fucking hopeless". If I was a league one player who had experienced trying to get ahead in football and knew how difficult it is, I would have a totally different view on him, I would almost certainly be more respectful of what he's achieved, because he plays for Aston Villa, not some League One no-hopers.

But ultimately, for the end viewer, it's all subjective.

So yes, of course you can say someone isn't funny even though they sell out Wembley or wherever. I don't find Jack Whitehall funny but he sells out the O2. Jimmy Carr, he's another one.

Just like I don't think Leon Bailey is very good, although he's playing in front of 40,000 every Saturday and I'm mooching around Sainsburys.

That's the point. You can say 'I don't find them funny', but saying 'they're not funny' flies in the face of all evidence unless you're talking about Peter Kay.

[PeterWithesShin]

If we all liked the same comedians it would be boring and shit and you'd only need about 6 comedians to entertain the world. I like Jimmy Carr and think Stewart Lee is utter shit. Paulie most likely thinks the exact opposite. So we're actually both happy, I get to watch Jimmy Carr and never watch Stewart Lee, and he gets to watch Stewart Lee and never watch Jimmy Carr. Both of us win.

[Sexual Ealing]

Exactly. It's just that you're wrong. Wink.

[Risso]

I love Stewart Lee and don’t mind Jimmy Carr, although just a string of one liners gets a bit tiring after a while. Gary Delaney was the most ridiculously offensive (and funny) show I’ve ever seen.

[Sexual Ealing]

I love Stewart Lee and don’t mind Jimmy Carr, although just a string of one liners gets a bit tiring after a while. Gary Delaney was the most ridiculously offensive (and funny) show I’ve ever seen.

And I know he thinks Sarah Millican is funny.

Anyway, this has made me remember my favourite Les Dawson joke.

It was seven years ago today that my wife ran off with the next-door neighbour. I do miss him.

[paul_e]

That's the point. You can say 'I don't find them funny', but saying 'they're not funny' flies in the face of all evidence unless you're talking about Peter Kay.

I've seen a fair amount of standup comedians live and there are only 3 I genuinely disliked.

Peter Kay I got dragged to by my missus and even she was fed up about halfway through.

Mark Lamarr who did a tiny place when I was at Uni and I reckon about half the audience had walked out within 20minutes.

The third one was another Uni gig, this time in the SU and she seemed to completely miss the signs of what the audience would be and deliver a show about her menopause, with her my biggest problem was that she at no point seemed to think the topic wouldn't resonate with what I'd guess was a 75% 18-21 male audience.

[pauliewalnuts]

I saw Frankie Boyle live and he was brilliant and disgustingly offensive, but the main thing I came away with was that I would never want front row centre seats at one of his shows as he absolutely tore people apart.

Stewart Lee is probably the best opinion splitter. took the Mrs to see him, she hated it, couldn’t wait to get away. Told her it was just because she wasn’t trying hard enough, still not having it. Not even the Jungle Canyon Rope Bridges routine.

The only time I’ve seen her enjoy herself less* was when I made her come to see Steely Dan with me.



* in a non sexual situation

[pauliewalnuts]

I love Stewart Lee and don’t mind Jimmy Carr, although just a string of one liners gets a bit tiring after a while. Gary Delaney was the most ridiculously offensive (and funny) show I’ve ever seen.

And I know he thinks Sarah Millican is funny.

Anyway, this has made me remember my favourite Les Dawson joke.

It was seven years ago today that my wife ran off with the next-door neighbour. I do miss him.

Randomly BBC4 showed a Les Dawson era episode of blankety blank the other day. I’d forgotten how utterly brilliant he was on that, just effortless.

He was great. “My wife’s cooking’s so bad, even the dustbin’s got ulcers” etc.

[Sexual Ealing]

Stewart Lee is the prime example. I think he's utterly brilliant, my best mate (who is very funny himself) just doesn't get it. He says 'agreeing with someone isn't entertainment'. It's all subjective, but you can't say he isn't funny, as his career proves.

Peter Kay isn't funny.

[pauliewalnuts]

Surely that should be “you can’t say he isn’t funny for a lot of people”.

Funny isn’t a scientific concept.

Funny to me is someone I find funny.

I can’t understand why so many people love Ed Sheeran but they do.

I can say his music is horrific shit because that’s what I feel about it. I can’t say he’s not popular though, because he is.

It’s just that they’re wrong and I’m right.

[Sexual Ealing]

Surely that should be “you can’t say he isn’t funny for a lot of people”.

Funny isn’t a scientific concept.

Funny to me is someone I find funny.

I can’t understand why so many people love Ed Sheeran but they do.

I can say his music is horrific shit because that’s what I feel about it. I can’t say he’s not popular though, because he is.

It’s just that they’re wrong and I’m right.

We're dancing on the head of a pin here. You can say what you want, I can think what I want. Peter Kay is shit.

[PeterWithesShin]

He's funnier than Sarah Millican.