On 10/06/2015 18:46, ARW wrote:
"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold
and dulled.

Then I noticed "Bottom" was airing again on Netflix so I watched the
first series. I laughed by bum off nearly as hard as I used to in the
70's and 80's when watching Blackadder, Benny Hill and Paul Hogan.


You missed Porridge and Dad's Army (although that was sometimes not funny).

The only thing unfunnier than Benny Hill was Last of the Summer Wine.

As for later comedies I rated Gavin and Stacey and the Royale Family
quite highly.

The truth is that some men will always find knob gags funny - they are
the ones that never grow up (like you and me).



I find "Early Doors" to be a very funny, sometimes sad, observational
comedy. Now running on Gold I believe. You will be very lucky to find
pubs like that now.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

"critcher" wrote in message
...


The truth is that some men will always find knob gags funny - they are
the ones that never grow up (like you and me).



I find "Early Doors" to be a very funny, sometimes sad, observational
comedy. Now running on Gold I believe. You will be very lucky to find pubs
like that now.



Due to the smoking ban IMHO.


--
Adam

On 10/06/2015 08:39, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.


It's guaranteed that if a TV program or film is billed as a hilarious
comedy the one ting it won't be is funny.

I get annoyed these days by the (rare) event that when I find something
funny on TV they then spoil the joke by explaining at length it to the
thick (usually USA) part of the audience.

While I do/did find parts of Bottom, Monty Python, Two Ronnies, Morecome
and Wise etc. etc. funny much of their content was tediously unfunny.
Don't we all remember the best bits and forget the rest.

--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 10/06/2015 08:39, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold and
dulled.


Not sure about 'rip roaring', but Veep makes me laugh. This week's
episode is hilarious.

--
Cheers, Rob

Wouldn't spend a minute on Eight Out Of Ten Cats ... yet Eight Out Of
Ten Cats Does Countdown is real laugh out loud.

Going further back, all of these are properly funny

W1A
Twenty Twelve
The Trip
Gavin and Stacey
Marion and Keith
The IT Crowd

Naa, you're just old

On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 01:38:53 +0100, Jim Newman wrote:

Wouldn't spend a minute on Eight Out Of Ten Cats ... yet Eight Out Of
Ten Cats Does Countdown is real laugh out loud.

Going further back, all of these are properly funny

W1A Twenty Twelve The Trip Gavin and Stacey Marion and Keith The IT
Crowd

Naa, you're just old

The only one in that list that I enjoyed watching was "The IT Crowd".
The rest were just a little too humdrum, 'fly-on-the-wall', or soap opera-
ish styled for my liking. Too much effort for so little return imho.

--
Johnny B Good

On 12/06/15 18:51, Johnny B Good wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 01:38:53 +0100, Jim Newman wrote:

Wouldn't spend a minute on Eight Out Of Ten Cats ... yet Eight Out Of
Ten Cats Does Countdown is real laugh out loud.

Going further back, all of these are properly funny

W1A Twenty Twelve The Trip Gavin and Stacey Marion and Keith The IT
Crowd

Naa, you're just old

The only one in that list that I enjoyed watching was "The IT Crowd".
The rest were just a little too humdrum, 'fly-on-the-wall', or soap opera-
ish styled for my liking. Too much effort for so little return imho.


It's weird, I hated The Office (UK version) but I really liked the US
version. Partly because Steve Carrel is quite good at playing "straight
but loopy" and partly because the other characters were quite likeable,
even when they were generally cast to be "evil".

It's the sort of place I would like to work (well, attend work, I doubt
much work would happen). Whereas the UK version just reminds me too much
of places I have worked (in a not good way).

On 12/06/2015 19:57, Tim Watts wrote:
On 12/06/15 18:51, Johnny B Good wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 01:38:53 +0100, Jim Newman wrote:

Wouldn't spend a minute on Eight Out Of Ten Cats ... yet Eight Out Of
Ten Cats Does Countdown is real laugh out loud.

Going further back, all of these are properly funny

W1A Twenty Twelve The Trip Gavin and Stacey Marion and Keith The IT
Crowd

Naa, you're just old

The only one in that list that I enjoyed watching was "The IT Crowd".
The rest were just a little too humdrum, 'fly-on-the-wall', or soap
opera-
ish styled for my liking. Too much effort for so little return imho.


It's weird, I hated The Office (UK version) but I really liked the US
version. Partly because Steve Carrel is quite good at playing "straight
but loopy" and partly because the other characters were quite likeable,
even when they were generally cast to be "evil".

It's the sort of place I would like to work (well, attend work, I doubt
much work would happen). Whereas the UK version just reminds me too much
of places I have worked (in a not good way).


Although a spin-off from The Office, I really enjoyed Parks and Rec.
Series 1 was a bit tentative but, once it got going, some good
characters emerged. Ron Swanson has rightly become a legend, not least
because of his d-i-y skills.

On 12/06/2015 20:25, stuart noble wrote:


... Ron Swanson has rightly become a legend, not least
because of his d-i-y skills.

Not just the character but the actor who played him too:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Offerman#Woodworking

--
Reentrant

On 10/06/2015 08:39, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold and
dulled.

Then I noticed "Bottom" was airing again on Netflix so I watched the
first series. I laughed by bum off nearly as hard as I used to in the
70's and 80's when watching Blackadder, Benny Hill and Paul Hogan.

So I did start wondering why noone makes good rip roaring comedy any more?

Another Ade quote which perhaps sheds some light on the situation:

"There is a lot of rubbish written about toilet humor - people saying it
is childish and pretending it is beneath them - but there is no doubting
the effectiveness of a really good willy gag."

Half of Shakespeare consists of willy jokes. I did Henry V for English
Lit O-Level. George Paxton our teacher spent the entire first lesson
pointing them out.



Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in parts.
It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing the viewer
between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to indicate
to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need to be shown the
funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it.

For the modern stuff there's some good stand up and some dross - very
taste dependent of course. I enjoyed Rich Hall's contribution on Live
at the Apollo recently.

Phil

On 11/06/2015 10:27, thescullster wrote:
....
Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in parts.
It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing the viewer
between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to indicate
to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need to be shown the
funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it...

It is a while since I had the DVDs out, but ISTR they have an option to
play with or without the laughter track.


--
Colin Bignell

On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:42:51 +0100
Nightjar "cpb"@ insert my surname here.me.uk wrote:

On 11/06/2015 10:27, thescullster wrote:
...
Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in
parts. It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing
the viewer between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to
indicate to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need to
be shown the funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it...

It is a while since I had the DVDs out, but ISTR they have an option
to play with or without the laughter track.



A shame that was not available when they were broadcast!

--
Davey.

On 11/06/2015 11:23, Davey wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:42:51 +0100
Nightjar "cpb"@ insert my surname here.me.uk wrote:

On 11/06/2015 10:27, thescullster wrote:
...
Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in
parts. It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing
the viewer between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to
indicate to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need to
be shown the funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it...

It is a while since I had the DVDs out, but ISTR they have an option
to play with or without the laughter track.



A shame that was not available when they were broadcast!

I would like an option to kill or at least have a volume control on the
music on many modern TV productions. Far too often the music drowns the
speech.

--
Colin Bignell

On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:51:59 +0100
Nightjar "cpb"@ insert my surname here.me.uk wrote:

On 11/06/2015 11:23, Davey wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:42:51 +0100
Nightjar "cpb"@ insert my surname here.me.uk wrote:

On 11/06/2015 10:27, thescullster wrote:
...
Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in
parts. It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing
the viewer between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to
indicate to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need
to be shown the funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it...

It is a while since I had the DVDs out, but ISTR they have an
option to play with or without the laughter track.



A shame that was not available when they were broadcast!

I would like an option to kill or at least have a volume control on
the music on many modern TV productions. Far too often the music
drowns the speech.


Hear, hear.

--
Davey.

In article ,
Nightjar cpb@ insert my surname here.me.uk wrote:
I would like an option to kill or at least have a volume control on the
music on many modern TV productions. Far too often the music drowns the
speech.

Very often, it's down to poor dialogue quality. A mixture of rubbish
microphones and mumbling actors. Apparently what the public want.

--
*i souport publik edekashun.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 11:23:39 +0100, Davey wrote:

On Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:42:51 +0100 Nightjar "cpb"@ insert my surname
here.me.uk wrote:

On 11/06/2015 10:27, thescullster wrote:
...
Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in
parts. It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing
the viewer between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to
indicate to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need to
be shown the funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it...

It is a while since I had the DVDs out, but ISTR they have an option to
play with or without the laughter track.



A shame that was not available when they were broadcast!

ISTR that the BBC opted to suppress the laughter track (as per the
creators' original desire) when they broadcast the series.

Interesting enough the box set of the show (11 seasons on 36 disks!) has
the option to turn the laugh track on or off.

--
Johnny B Good

On 11/06/2015 10:42, Nightjar cpb@ wrote:
On 11/06/2015 10:27, thescullster wrote:
...
Not modern by any means, but I used to enjoy MASH.
For American humour this was remarkably subtle and understated in parts.
It also used the setting to mix comedy and tragedy to swing the viewer
between emotions - again a sign of good writing.

Most comedy from the USA seems to need pointers and pauses to indicate
to the audience when to laugh (suggesting that you need to be shown the
funny bits).

About half way through the filming of the many MASH series, canned
laughter was introduced which all but killed it...

It is a while since I had the DVDs out, but ISTR they have an option to
play with or without the laughter track.


I've been watching these as repeats on an obscure (but free) Sky
channel, so a laughter filter isn't an option unfortunately.

Phil

On Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at 8:39:44 AM UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold and
dulled.

Then I noticed "Bottom" was airing again on Netflix so I watched the
first series. I laughed by bum off nearly as hard as I used to in the
70's and 80's when watching Blackadder, Benny Hill and Paul Hogan.

So I did start wondering why noone makes good rip roaring comedy any more?

Another Ade quote which perhaps sheds some light on the situation:

"There is a lot of rubbish written about toilet humor - people saying it
is childish and pretending it is beneath them - but there is no doubting
the effectiveness of a really good willy gag."

Half of Shakespeare consists of willy jokes. I did Henry V for English
Lit O-Level. George Paxton our teacher spent the entire first lesson
pointing them out.

A lot of subjects are taboo these days due to the various political correctitudes in vogue.
Eg race (Irish jokes).
Woman (The loony harpies/women drivers).
We have so many fragile little egos these days.
All part of government attempts at thought control.

On 10/06/2015 10:10, Huge wrote:
On 2015-06-10, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold and
dulled.

Then I noticed "Bottom" was airing again on Netflix so I watched the
first series. I laughed by bum off nearly as hard as I used to in the
70's and 80's when watching Blackadder, Benny Hill and Paul Hogan.

So I did start wondering why noone makes good rip roaring comedy any more?

I think we're getting old.

I suspect you like the comedy you grew up with (and indeed, music ditto). I
love Billy Connelly, but nearly all modern comedy leaves me completely
cold...

First time I saw him, he was a minor support act, so I may be getting a
little bit old.


--
Colin Bignell

On 6/11/2015 12:41 AM, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 10/06/2015 10:10, Huge wrote:

love Billy Connelly, but nearly all modern comedy leaves me completely
cold...

First time I saw him, he was a minor support act, so I may be getting a
little bit old.


The first time I saw him, he was a folksinger.

On 11/06/2015 08:42, S Viemeister wrote:
On 6/11/2015 12:41 AM, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 10/06/2015 10:10, Huge wrote:

love Billy Connelly, but nearly all modern comedy leaves me completely
cold...

First time I saw him, he was a minor support act, so I may be getting a
little bit old.


The first time I saw him, he was a folksinger.

The only thing I recall of his performance was him playing the Celtic
Drum, which I had never seen before, so that is probably what he was
doing when I saw him.

--
Colin Bignell

On 11/06/2015 08:48, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:

The only thing I recall of his performance was him playing the Celtic
Drum,


Bodhrán ?

On 6/11/2015 8:48 AM, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 11/06/2015 08:42, S Viemeister wrote:
On 6/11/2015 12:41 AM, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 10/06/2015 10:10, Huge wrote:
love Billy Connelly, but nearly all modern comedy leaves me completely
cold...
First time I saw him, he was a minor support act, so I may be getting a
little bit old.
The first time I saw him, he was a folksinger.

The only thing I recall of his performance was him playing the Celtic
Drum, which I had never seen before, so that is probably what he was
doing when I saw him.

He was a decent banjo player.

On 11/06/2015 08:42, S Viemeister wrote:

The first time I saw him, he was a folksinger.

The Humblebums with Ralph MacTell ?

On 6/11/2015 5:08 PM, soup wrote:
On 11/06/2015 08:42, S Viemeister wrote:

The first time I saw him, he was a folksinger.

The Humblebums with Ralph MacTell ?

No, the Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty.

On 11/06/2015 17:32, S Viemeister wrote:
On 6/11/2015 5:08 PM, soup wrote:
On 11/06/2015 08:42, S Viemeister wrote:

The first time I saw him, he was a folksinger.

The Humblebums with Ralph MacTell ?

No, the Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty.

Knew it was one of them.


I remember now, he was on the lash with RM in London and RM asked him
were they were and Billy said something about the chap who wrote "the
streets of London" not knowing anything about the streets of London.

"Nightjar.me.uk" "cpb"@ insert my surname here wrote in message
...
On 10/06/2015 10:10, Huge wrote:
On 2015-06-10, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold and
dulled.

Then I noticed "Bottom" was airing again on Netflix so I watched the
first series. I laughed by bum off nearly as hard as I used to in the
70's and 80's when watching Blackadder, Benny Hill and Paul Hogan.

So I did start wondering why noone makes good rip roaring comedy any
more?

I think we're getting old.

I suspect you like the comedy you grew up with (and indeed, music ditto).
I
love Billy Connelly, but nearly all modern comedy leaves me completely
cold...

First time I saw him, he was a minor support act, so I may be getting a
little bit old.

First time I saw him, I couldn't understand a damned word he said :-(

tim

On 11/06/2015 20:32, tim..... wrote:

"Nightjar.me.uk" "cpb"@ insert my surname here wrote in message
...
On 10/06/2015 10:10, Huge wrote:
On 2015-06-10, Tim Watts wrote:
Which is a quote from Ade Edmonson noted on his IMDB page.

I realised that I seldom laugh very hard at modern comedies - perhaps
just an amused chuckle. I assumed it was because I was getting oold and
dulled.

Then I noticed "Bottom" was airing again on Netflix so I watched the
first series. I laughed by bum off nearly as hard as I used to in the
70's and 80's when watching Blackadder, Benny Hill and Paul Hogan.

So I did start wondering why noone makes good rip roaring comedy any
more?

I think we're getting old.

I suspect you like the comedy you grew up with (and indeed, music
ditto). I
love Billy Connelly, but nearly all modern comedy leaves me completely
cold...

First time I saw him, he was a minor support act, so I may be getting
a little bit old.

First time I saw him, I couldn't understand a damned word he said :-(

I had to give up watching Rab C Nesbitt because it annoyed my partner so
much that I was laughing at things she had not even understood.


--
Colin Bignell