The pioneer days of the BCG certainly seemed more fun, although even back then we had self-absorbed incestous threads like this where we endlessly examined our own excreta. Hell, I even started a few.
When/Why did the BCG become so dull & lifeless? Page 4
It's like reality TV or monkeys watching videos of monkeys.
The only story we're interested in.
Is the story of us.
Quote: sootyj @ October 5 2013, 9:51 AM BSTYes sexism seems never too truly vanish. I think it went through a brief and rather surreal high point, but there's a lot less of it now isn't there?
Quote: sootyj @ October 5 2013, 8:37 AM BST(so long RCP)
Quote: sootyj @ October 5 2013, 9:59 AM BSTDoes that chat up line ever work?
kidding, neat response.
I do miss the old "worst idea...." threads even if I started most of them. There was something cool about knowing there was a bunch of other people sneakily, competitively dicking about on line. And sometimes having to explain why they'd burst out laughing.
I miss them as well, but it was only a few of us who kept them going for a while.
Quote: JohnnyD @ October 5 2013, 9:54 AM BSTI might have pointed out to Harridan that her 'there are suddenly lots more women on the site' in a thread about how dull the site has become ...
Well spotted. Tho I'll be kind and say not so much dull as soapy, gossipy and drivelly. See you later, off to find my helmet.
Sexism, racism etc. are legitimate topics for a comedy forum. A huge amount comedy is based around reinforcing stereotypes. Eliminate that entirely and the baby is lost with the bathwater. So there is a lot to debate about what is acceptable and what is not, and opinions will differ. Also what is acceptable will change over time, and that will not necessarily be one way traffic. It could be argued that the huge progress that has been made by women, at least in western society, means that they have become no more of a victim group than say gingers or the Welsh. But that still leaves a debate as to where acceptable ribbing ends and where creepy misogyny begins.
I agree though we could do with a few less 'women aren't funny' threads.
Quote: JohnnyD @ October 5 2013, 9:54 AM BSTI might have pointed out to Harridan that her 'there are suddenly lots more women on the site' in a thread about how dull the site has become ...
And I might point out that correlation is not causation; it is our monstrous regiment that is keeping the site afloat at the moment.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 5 2013, 10:39 AM BST
Jesus. Sorry if half of the human race is not to your liking, but you can always head over to the menshealth forums if you really don't want to have to talk to women.
Quote: Harridan @ October 5 2013, 10:54 AM BSTJesus. Sorry if half of the human race is not to your liking, but you can always head over to the menshealth forums if you really don't want to have to talk to women.
Don't see why I should, got a perfectly good chat site here about Comedy, which is obviously meant for men.
But what happens as with every good thing man created, women get moody about it and then try and take it over and change it into girly love in.
*Polishes helmet furiously*
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 5 2013, 11:02 AM BST*Polishes helmet furiously*
You said it.
Things will no doubt pick up when Doctor Who airs again.
Quote: Harridan @ October 5 2013, 11:02 AM BSTYou said it.
Yeah I know.
The problem with Critique is that most of those who had a genuine interest in comedy have either become too grand to post, or, perhaps rather more often, simply given up. So standards have slipped rather. We recently had a simple set-up/punchline gag posted, where there was unanimous agreement that the punchline did not work, but we still ran to five pages on how to fix the sketch. Half of those posting in Critique simply have zero understanding of sketch writing.
This has serious implications for the health of the site. For myself, and I suspect many others, it was Critique that lured me in: the quality of some of the material and the insight of the criticism. If I was coming to the site today and looked at Critique, I am not sure I would bother, and I am sure others don't.
And while I came for Critique, I stayed for the Comedy threads, and as I began to feel at home, began to participate in General Discussion.
And it is important to have active writers posting in the Comedy threads, preferably good ones (not the 'I could have written better than that' brigade), because they are interested in how comedy works, and why it doesn't, and are therefore prepared to put in the effort to deconstruct it, rather than just posting "it's crap".
Also they are funny, which was what made General Discussion such a joy. Of course it is clique-y: half the humour comes from the fact that posters become established as characters, at whose expense, and with whose connivance, fun can be had. Insular humour is still humour, and threads like 100 Greatest BCG Moments made me laugh like a drain.
But yeah, it is mainly Horseradish's record collection that keeps me on the site these days.
Quote: Marc P @ October 5 2013, 11:04 AM BSTThings will no doubt pick up when Doctor Who airs again.
please don't encourage them. Oh no...
Quote: Tursiops @ October 5 2013, 10:45 AM BSTBut that still leaves a debate as to where acceptable ribbing ends and where creepy misogyny begins.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 5 2013, 11:02 AM BSTBut what happens as with every good thing man created, women get moody about it and then try and take it over and change it into girly love in.
Always helpful to have Alfred around as a case study.