Chris Morris as ever a total genius
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Quote: David Bussell @ April 1 2008, 1:43 PM BSTHere's a joke that also makes light of child abduction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJP4dr_mioA
It's absurd and it's funny, as is yours. The difference is that this joke is about no one in particular.
So my question is, if you wrote this knowing you couldn't send it anywhere because (presumably) it's a 'sick' Maddy joke, why have it be about the McCanns at all? Why not de-personalise it and have it be a 'gallows humour' gag?
PS. and the expression is, 'cut to the CHASE'
That's a good point. The honest answer is that i thought of it on the tube this morning and wrote it up instantly, thinking it was quite funny, but wouldn't ever be good enough to get sent off. However, given some of the feedback and also useful advice I now think it might be worth tweaking as you suggest, making it no less funny, but more performable.
That said, does it only work because it's Maddie? Any other missing kid and it looks nastier and more pointless IMO. The thing with Maddie is that, if nothing else, it has been turned into a huge media circus and the McCanns have actively played a large part in that. look at the stream of stories churned out by their PR (including a sotry about Gerry having a photo nicked while walking down the street). Probably not even true, but it raise the profile of the case again. (Not that any parent wouldn't try to raise the profile).
IMO, this case is more ripe for sketches than any other simply because it mhas already attracted so much attention.
Quote: sootyj @ April 1 2008, 2:19 PM BSTChris Morris as ever a total genius
Not quite total. I shot a TV ad with a director who'd worked with Morris on a number of his shows, and in this director's opinion, Morris has a tendency to overwrite his ideas. Apparently, Morris' stuff is usually even sharper and funnier before he starts tinkering with it - something he tends to do even after filming has begun.
Quite.
Quote: Barbs @ April 1 2008, 2:36 PM BSTI now think it might be worth tweaking as you suggest, making it no less funny, but more performable.
I wasn't suggesting watering it down.
The whole Maddy thing is just so tired. As soon as I read any reference to the McCanns I feel my heart sink. Same goes for Heather Mills jokes and cracks about chavs. You talk about the Maddy circus, but the more you go on about her, the more you start looking like one of the clowns.