Lee Evans and I know he's not British but Kevin Hart. He more than deserves a mention, he is something else in my opinion.
Who are the most genuinely talented comedians? Page 3
Not British but Bill Burr and Norm Macdonald.
In Britain, we have Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr, Kevin Bridges, Stewart Lee, Harry Hill, Frank Skinner and Jo Brand.
There may be a few others whose names don't immediately occur to me but that's about it.
Quote: Tommyc94 @ 14th October 2018, 7:52 PMLee Evans and I know he's not British but Kevin Hart. He more than deserves a mention, he is something else in my opinion.
If he's something else what exactly is he?
Quote: Rood Eye @ 22nd December 2018, 6:35 AMIn Britain, we have Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr, Kevin Bridges, Stewart Lee, Harry Hill, Frank Skinner and Jo Brand.
There may be a few others whose names don't immediately occur to me but that's about it.
I like that you included Harry Hill, who's vastly underrated. Peter Kay and Jo Brand are great at combining careers in stand up comedy and acting/writing/directing their own shows. People who don't like their stand up forget how influential Phoenix Nights and Getting On were.
My problem with Carr (and Boyle) is that he so clearly grew up watching Jerry Sadowitz, and took the risks out of JS's act in order to appeal to the mainstream.
My favourite new British comedian of the last 10 years is Jamali Maddix.
My all-time favourite comedians are American - Emo Philips, Jack Benny, George and Gracie, Marc Maron (during his 1997-2003 years he was an amazing political commentator, some of his panel appearances with Conan O'Brien show how ahead of his time he was), Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Joan Rivers, Steve Martin and writers like Jack Handey (Deep Thoughts, Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer).
I can tell you what makes a poor quality of stand-up, in my view that is. It's comedians who let out a 'ermmmm' post-punchline. In order to signal that they've just made a joke.
See Dara Obrien.
Absolute 'cringe' as the kids say.
Surely that's what canned laugher is all about?
Erm...
I watched Stuart Lee's Carpet Remnant World last night and was struggling to breath from laughing so much. He has a very unique style of humor.
Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 12th February 2019, 11:08 AMSurely that's what canned laugher is all about?
Erm...
The fake pause ( "erm . . . ", "and er . . .", etc) is a device intended to pause the dialogue, let the audience catch up and realise that a funny thing has just been said. It also sends a message to the audience that a funny thing is just been said and that a laugh is now expected. Audience members will laugh if the "thing" was genuinely funny but very often they'll also laugh out of politeness even if it wasn't.
Canned laughter, any laughter added during the editing process, or indeed genuine contemporaneous studio laughter serves to tell viewers that lots of people think what has just been said or done was funny. It encourages the viewer to join in with the laughter partly because laughter is infectious and partly because human beings (and many other creatures) like to conform to group norms because evidence gathered from thousands of years of history shows that being the odd one out can very much reduce one's chances of survival.
Quote: Tommy Griff @ 12th February 2019, 8:45 AMI can tell you what makes a poor quality of stand-up, in my view that is. It's comedians who let out a 'ermmmm' post-punchline. In order to signal that they've just made a joke.
See Dara Obrien.
Absolute 'cringe' as the kids say.
You know what...I'd never thought about this. Now I'm going to be looking out for it ALL THE TIME! For me, though, when Dara O'Briain does it, it's usually after giving someone stick in a joke etc. and I feel it's more of a cheeky 'I'll just leave that there...' type of noise. It works for me, I guess.
My pet hate is when some comedians just stand there waiting for the laughter to die down after a joke...like they're waiting to gauge how funny the joke was by the time it takes for the chuckles to stop. That's an eternity for me.
There area so many comedians I love. A few non-brits have already been mentioned, but I have a special place for Paula Bel. Great to watch if you're feeling life is getting just a little too sane for words. Nothing brings me out of a 'stare-on' like Paula Bel.
Brit comedians who have kept me coming back for more over the years are Jo Brand, Mirand Hart, Lee Evans, Peter Kay, Russell Kane, Russell Howard, Ricky Gervais and Micky Flanagan (who is my absolute fave). All time favourite, though, has to be KEN DODD! I felt he needed capslock, there. :-)
Sean Lock isn't bad and Stewart Lee is different , I like any stand ups if they have the material. Ken Dodd was a legend , he was from another time were you sometimes had to be able to hold the crowd there even if the theatre was on fire.
Here's an interesting question (I think):
Can a stand-up comedian who is competent (or better) onstage but who, when offstage, is no funnier than the average man or woman in the street be a naturally talented comedian?
Yes its down to the delivery a lot of comedians never admit it but many are merely 'Actors' reading lines in the desired tempo. Take Morecombe & Wise and Eddie Braben. What those two did was all from the head of a scouser who use to sell fruit and veg. But the delivery is a skill in itself as is having the bottle to stand up and do it. I couldn't do it but I'd love to write for one .
Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ 14th February 2019, 10:05 PMKen Dodd was a legend , ......
Amen to that.
I think that Doddy was the Scouse equivalent of a Vaudeville kid , he knew every aspect of the theatre and could cover for anyone from the ticket office to painting the scenery. He was at home on the stage and his like will never be seen again. His brother Arthur was coalman in our area when we where kids and it was like looking at Ken only covered in soot. They lived in the same house with the coal yard at the side their entire lives and he was always around the area , a really nice man.