British Comedy Guide

'The others'

Are we comedy fans and writers just a minuscule minority in the grand scheme of things?

Today I had an interview and the CV I submitted had my writing credits on to make it look a teeny weeny bit more impressive.

They didn't recognise any of the shows (perfectly understandable), but when I explained that one was 'kind of like Dead Ringers but Scottish and on the radio', they looked at me with those collective blank expressions that only interview panels do before one of them asked 'is Dead Ringers a comedy?'. The interview was for a television production company.

It reminded me of several other moments where I've noticed that more people then you would think have little or no interest in comedy, like the time I saw Armando Iannucci (I didn't speak to him or wave in his general direction as he looked like he needed to be somewhere) but no one I was with had a clue who he was. Or even the time I read a magazine (Zoo or Nuts) a couple of years ago and it proudly referred to Lee Mack as 'Britain's Best New Comic'

Has anyone else got any accounts of this happening?

You just love a particular genre of performance more than other people, Armando Iannucci isn't very high profile so it's understandable no one recognised him.

It's personal taste really. I've quickly realised I haven't seen half the shows lauded by people on this forum. This would class me as, potentially, one of 'the others'. However I'm willing to bet that the roles would be reversed if we discussed music.

Also Zoo and Nuts are pointless magazines. It's essentially the distillation of several areas of human male culture to it's simplest conclusion. Those areas being sports, comedy, T.V. and boobs. If anything Lee Mack should take there endorsement of him as a slur.

Quote: PhQnix @ May 16 2008, 5:25 PM BST

However I'm willing to bet that the roles would be reversed if we discussed music.

I'm alright with my music but as soon as somebody mentions film, I glaze over completely. In that respect I am one of 'the others', even though films and Hollywood are generally more popular.

Quote: Splodge @ May 16 2008, 5:35 PM BST

I'm alright with my music but as soon as somebody mentions film, I glaze over completely. In that respect I am one of 'the others', even though films and Hollywood are generally more popular.

Films are the worst, I always end up arguing that it's terribly immodest to title your film M. Night Shylamalamalaman's 'The Village.' Movie aficionados don't tolerate that sort of argument lightly. Plus my knowledge of film is so limited that I end up spouting incoherent babble D:

Yeah, Splodge, since moving in with my girlfriend (about 18 months ago), I've realised she has no interest in comedy. Something which makes me think 'What???' Previously, I've always house-shared with people who have similar TV interests to me so this was quite a shock.

Millions of people sit there and watch soap. I don't get it at *all*. It seems the most pointless, depressing waste of time and I don't understand people who wouldn't rather be laughing...

Dan

I don't think Dead Ringers is particularly funny.

Clever yes but not laugh out loud.

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