A scene from my comedy Page 2

Quote: Griff @ January 3 2009, 3:40 PM GMT

Yeah that Marc Blake sitcom book is great.

Obviously you've got a lot of work ahead of you since this is the first time you've written anything, and a lot of good points have been made by others.

But I don't agree with Godot that "a comedy featuring a lazy chav and a man who works in a betting office" is unpromising. Everything's in the execution.

View original

Of course ultimately, everything IS in the execution - which explains the success of most novels- many of which record ordinary lives in great detail, however I can't advise someone to spend any amount of time developing a comedy set in a betting office or featuring an unemployed woman who watches the Jeremy Kyle show as no editor will commission this - for the reason that it does accurately reflect the lives of some people - but those whose lifestyle is deemed not to be aspirational.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ January 3 2009, 5:11 PM GMT

- but those whose lifestyle is deemed not to be aspirational.

View original

Unlike say, Rab C. Nesbitt or The Royle Family. Since when has comedy been about aspirational lifestyles?

Odd really, the main channels are haemorrhaging the older viewers who constitute their core audience, yet broadcasters are still fixated on regaining a youth audience that shuns traditional media.

Quote: Timbo @ January 3 2009, 5:22 PM GMT

Unlike say, Rab C. Nesbitt or The Royle Family. Since when has comedy been about aspirational lifestyles?

View original

The two shows that you've trawled very deep for - care to name a dozen? Were both written by established names/writers - not a new writer. Nesbit - which is an excellent show - would never be commissioned by British broadcaster, and reflects the very different cultural assumptions of the Scots and celts in general - a maudlin, self effacing and drink-fed culture. You can assume for the sake of my argument that I'm referring to an English commissioning editor - although of course there's no reason why you should assume this unless I mentioned it.

Regarding your second point, comedy has ALWAYS been 'aspirational' because TV has ALWAYS been 'aspirational' and remains so. Even when the 'underbelly' of society is shown it always wearing a brightly coloured velveteen waistcoat, which is why nobody gets beaten up or glassed in only fools and horses and Johnny Vegas in Ideal sells hash and not heroin, unlike the bloke two doors away from me.

Quote: Timbo @ January 3 2009, 5:22 PM GMT

Unlike say, Rab C. Nesbitt or The Royle Family. Since when has comedy been about aspirational lifestyles?

View original

Don't argue with Godot, he's never, ever wrong. Ever!

Okay, so we are defining aspirational as not being glassed and not living next door to a heroin dealer...

EDIT:

Too late...