Research spike and see if he did any staged comedy at all prior to more mainstream broadcast? 
who is S and G? writing good broadcastable material is certainly a large part of it. Being able to deliver and repeat is a huge part too. Is what you have submitted so far on spec been immediately broadcastable as is?
THE LADDER CLIMBING INTERVIEW:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interviewer: So why do you want this job as a ladder climber?
Applicant: Well sir, I think I would be good at it and will serve the ladder
climbing industry well.
Interviewer: I see. Have you ever climbed ladders before?
Applicant: Yes, I have done at home many times.
Interviewer: But have you climbed any professional ladders?
Applicant: Well not exactly; I have tried over a hundred times, but every time I get on
the first step; existing professional ladder climbers and the men in white coats
who support the ladders, pull me off, throw me on the floor and stamp on my hands.
Interviewer: Really? Well any other experience?
Applicant: Yes, one of the white coats, climbed up my body onto my shoulders once and then
stepped off me onto the ladder
Interviewer: I see, so in all honesty you have never really climbed a professional ladder?
Applicant: Yes, that is correct.
Interviewer: Sorry young man, we can't give you the job sas you have no experience.
Quote: Marc P @ 23rd August 2014, 11:02 AM BSTResearch spike and see if he did any staged comedy at all prior to more mainstream broadcast?
No, but as I said, this was many years ago AND when I gave up. It's all history now. Basically, I wanted to say the best of luck to those people on this site who feel grieved about it all - i.e. presently, Boomers.
S&G? Oh dear, didn't mean to be vague - Simpson and Galton.
What does WR mean? Kipper hasn't replied.
Quote: billwill @ 23rd August 2014, 12:00 PM BSTTHE LADDER CLIMBING INTERVIEW:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Interviewer: So why do you want this job as a ladder climber?
Applicant: Well sir, I think I would be good at it and will serve the ladder
climbing industry well.Interviewer: I see. Have you ever climbed ladders before?
Applicant: Yes, I have done at home many times.
Interviewer: But have you climbed any professional ladders?
Applicant: Well not exactly; I have tried over a hundred times, but every time I get on
the first step; existing professional ladder climbers and the men in white coats
who support the ladders, pull me off, throw me on the floor and stamp on my hands.Interviewer: Really? Well any other experience?
Applicant: Yes, one of the white coats, climbed up my body onto my shoulders once and then
stepped off me onto the ladderInterviewer: I see, so in all honesty you have never really climbed a professional ladder?
Applicant: Yes, that is correct.
Interviewer: Sorry young man, we can't give you the job sas you have no experience.
Very good Point taken. 
WR probably means the BBC's Writers' Room.
From my experience, little though it is, of the industry is that it is indeed a very closed Oxbridge shop. I used to toddle along to London Comedy Writers a while back and although quite a few of the scripts were funny, I doubt that any of them saw the light of day on stage or screen. There do seem to be quite a few 'learn how to write' courses though which will take your money, teach you a few things and then leave you to it.
I personally keep it as a hobby and retain my day job. It's a shame though because when I read sentences uttered by Katherine Parkinson in The Radio Times a few weeks ago that 'women on panel shows aren't as spiky as men' I despair 
Spike did entertainment shows while in the Army did he not?
Anyway things were easier in those days, less people, less competition ?
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 23rd August 2014, 12:08 PM BSTNo, but as I said, this was many years ago AND when I gave up. It's all history now. Basically, I wanted to say the best of luck to those people on this site who feel grieved about it all - i.e. presently, Boomers.
S&G? Oh dear, didn't mean to be vague - Simpson and Galton.
What does WR mean? Kipper hasn't replied.
Very good
WR writers room. Usually it is Galton and Simpson. So Bill has to take the piss for you to get the point I am making lol 
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 23rd August 2014, 12:14 PM BSTFrom my experience, little though it is, of the industry is that it is indeed a very closed Oxbridge shop. I used to toddle along to London Comedy Writers a while back and although quite a few of the scripts were funny, I doubt that any of them saw the light of day on stage or screen. There do seem to be quite a few 'learn how to write' courses though which will take your money, teach you a few things and then leave you to it.
I personally keep it as a hobby and retain my day job. It's a shame though because when I read sentences uttered by Katherine Parkinson in The Radio Times a few weeks ago that 'women on panel shows aren't as spiky as men' I despair
Can you name me then seven Oxbridge writers with currently popular sitcoms on or very recently.
Ps Hercules just Googled g ans s, wrote material for their own fifteen minutes show the staged at hospital and later wrote their own comedy for performance at a local am dram before going on et etc
Quote: Marc P @ 23rd August 2014, 12:20 PM BSTWR writers room. Usually it is Galton and Simpson. So Bill has to take the piss for you to get the point I am making lol
Can you name me then seven Oxbridge writers with currently popular sitcoms on or very recently.
Not sure about seven, but Simon Bird, Sarah Solemeni, Emma Kennedy, Jimmy Carr, Josie Long, Sue Perkins, Hugh Dennis et al are all jumping out of me from the pages of the BCG.
What are the sitcoms they have written?
Quote: Marc P @ 23rd August 2014, 12:32 PM BSTWhat are the sitcoms they have written?
Why are you being so pedantic? I realise that Sue Perkins' sitcom about a vet bombed last year. Apologies for saying that most people in the comedy world tend to emerge from the Cambridge Footlights, The Oxford Union or Bristol University's school of drama, but I truly believe, that in the majority of cases, that's pretty much on the money. In fact, I'd be really interested to know whether sketch shows either on radio or TV ever accepted unsolicited scripts, but I doubt that they do?
In an ideal world it'd be great to be a comedy writer, but I think the OP made a very valid point that, however hard you try, it's pretty much a closed shop.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 23rd August 2014, 12:08 PM BSTBasically, I wanted to say the best of luck to those people on this site who feel grieved about it all - i.e. presently, Boomers.
Also a serious question aside from hobby writing or for therapy - is encoraging some people really helpful for them?
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 23rd August 2014, 12:36 PM BSTWhy are you being so pedantic? I realise that Sue Perkins' sitcom about a vet bombed last year. Apologies for saying that most people in the comedy world tend to emerge from the Cambridge Footlights, The Oxford Union or Bristol University's school of drama, but I truly believe, that in the majority of cases, that's pretty much on the money. In fact, I'd be really interested to know whether sketch shows either on radio or TV ever accepted unsolicited scripts, but I doubt that they do?
In an ideal world it'd be great to be a comedy writer, but I think the OP made a very valid point that, however hard you try, it's pretty much a closed shop.
Wasn't pedantic just a simple question to back up your statement? I guess we know the answer. And yes unsolicited scripts are taken up for both development in both radio and TV. Stranglely having your tutor at an Oxbridge college writing a letter of recommendation isn't required. Closed shop... Or closed mind?
Oh and apology accepted in the manner it was given.
Another serious question for you Bluenun, from a poor catholic sinner. What are your top three favourite sitcoms?
Of course comedy is dominated by Oxbridge! As is Law, Politics, anything that's enjoyable or makes lots of money. That's the whole point of it.
What are your top three fave sitcoms Beaky?
Quote: Marc P @ 23rd August 2014, 12:28 PM BSTWR writers room. Usually it is Galton and Simpson. So Bill has to take the piss for you to get the point I am making lol
Oh dear, and I thought I was getting on quite well with you, but you've turned into yet another "big poster" who looks down their nose at relative "newbies" and then uses the situation to set people up. Why do you feel the need to do that?
Instead of being constructive you feel the need to bait and then fish like an angler by going around the houses just so you can score cheap points. YES! I thought billwill's analogy was a good one and got the point over very well, so how you thought it was a piss-take is beyond me. He was clear and succinct, whereas you seemingly felt the need to milk the situation - well, if you makes you happy and you got a lol out of it, then so be it.
S&G/G&S I have seen it written both ways, and taking the tone of you replies on this matter I feel sure that if I had put G&S you would have come back with Gilbert & Sullivan? What have they got to do with modern comedy script writing?
As pointed out - pedantic, and I would add contrary and perverse.
How sad, as when you are not trying to be too clever your posts make good reading and are informative.
"but I think the OP made a very valid point that, however hard you try, it's pretty much a closed shop."
Thank you Blue Nun.
Oh dear indeed . I did not think Bill was taking the piss at all and was just being jokey. We were playing the game of as If I was interviewing you as you knew. No trolling at all as you suggest. Sorry if I misled you in someway the point I am trying to make is that it is not a closed shop which seems to me to be the negative stance. Most sitcom writers are not from Oxbridge that is just a simple fact. As to modern TV sitcom Galton and Simpson are seen by some as the forefathers if you like of it. And no it was a genuine question as to who S and G are/were. Sun is shining in this part of EA I hope it is in yours too and good luck with your projects... Just please don't let Oxbridge conspirators closed ranks notions put you off. I am a failed sitcom writer but I honestly don't put that down to not going to Oxbridge.