Good afternoon/evening/morning/whatever the time is where you are.
Hello from another comedy fan Page 2
Quote: JuliaC @ April 7 2009, 4:22 PM BSTI have no idea what this means, but I like it!
He sales large Mexican moustaches to keep you lips shaded.
Hello btw.
Quote: flii @ April 7 2009, 4:11 PM BSTAs an American, the concept of comedy radio is very strange to me. We just don't have that here, but I'll give it a go.
Before television there was vaudeville and then radio. Much of today's 'classic' comedy has its roots in radio. You have Howard Stern in the US.
Quote: flii @ April 7 2009, 4:11 PM BSTAs for Rockwell, he tends to do a lot of stuff under the radar. I thought he was great in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. He also made a very funny cameo in Stella, one of my favourite America comedies of all time, in which he played a shady mustache dealer.
I thought Sam Rockwell was excellent in Galaxy Quest (as his character had to be manic), not bad in Confessions, The Green Mile and Matchstick Men, but I didn't like his performance as Zaphod in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (probably because I kept comparing him to Mark Wing-Davey in the original TV series). He's not amazingly great in Picadilly Jim, just too over the top for my liking. Yes, agreed on Wodehouse being best when read, not dramatized.
Quote: Kenneth @ April 7 2009, 6:00 PM BST
I thought Sam Rockwell was excellent in Galaxy Quest (as his character had to be manic), not bad in Confessions, The Green Mile and Matchstick Men, but I didn't like his performance as Zaphod in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (probably because I kept comparing him to Mark Wing-Davey in the original TV series). He's not amazingly great in Picadilly Jim, just too over the top for my liking. Yes, agreed on Wodehouse being best when read, not dramatized.
Always thought his Zaphod was closer to the book, and Davey got it not quite right. He was a bit too laid back in the TV show.
Quote: JuliaC @ April 7 2009, 4:22 PM BSTDo; there's some brilliant stuff on the radio. As you're already a fan, I'd highly recommend That Mitchell and Webb Sound.
Quote: sardines @ April 7 2009, 4:23 PM BSTThe BBC use Radio 4 as a means of testing out some talent quite often so a lot of big names have had shows on radio first.
Chris Morris was arguably a lot better on radio than television, I preferred Knowing Me Knowing You on radio too(but of course I'm Alan Partridge is miles superior to both).
Gervais and Merchant's radio show was pretty similar to the podcast, just miles funnier.
Thanks for the recommendations. It's interesting that most of the big name TV comedy stars also do radio, but as you mentioned that's where many get their start.
Quote: Kenneth @ April 7 2009, 6:00 PM BSTBefore television there was vaudeville and then radio. Much of today's 'classic' comedy has its roots in radio. You have Howard Stern in the US.
I thought Sam Rockwell was excellent in Galaxy Quest (as his character had to be manic), not bad in Confessions, The Green Mile and Matchstick Men, but I didn't like his performance as Zaphod in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (probably because I kept comparing him to Mark Wing-Davey in the original TV series). He's not amazingly great in Picadilly Jim, just too over the top for my liking. Yes, agreed on Wodehouse being best when read, not dramatized.
Good point. Though from what I understand there is somewhat of a distinction between talk radio (which as you point out we do have here) and some of the radio comedy in the UK which is narrative and character based.
Forgot about Matchstick Men, enjoyed that one which surprised me because I usually very much dislike anything with Nicolas Cage (save Con Air). Haven't seen the rest.
And if you are a big Wodehouse fan I recommend a book by one of our eminent humour writers, Jonathan Ames, titled "Wake Up, Sir!" which is a contemporary homage to the Jeeves books. Also, Ames is currently writing a comedy pilot tentatively titled "Bored to Death" for HBO (same network which launched Curb Your Enthusiasm and Flight of the Conchords) which is set to air this fall.
Quote: Balf @ April 7 2009, 7:03 PM BSTAlways thought his Zaphod was closer to the book, and Davey got it not quite right. He was a bit too laid back in the TV show.
I thought Zaphod was meant to appear somewhat laid back because he was (trying to be) so cool. I didn't think he was supposed to be a hyperactive surfer dude doing a George W. Bush impression. Having grown up listening to the radio series, I guess Rockwell's voice/accent also ruined Zaphod for me.
Quote: flii @ April 7 2009, 9:31 PM BSTAnd if you are a big Wodehouse fan I recommend a book by one of our eminent humour writers, Jonathan Ames, titled "Wake Up, Sir!" which is a contemporary homage to the Jeeves books.
Will get a copy, thanks.
Quote: Kenneth @ April 7 2009, 6:00 PM BSTI didn't like his performance as Zaphod in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (probably because I kept comparing him to Mark Wing-Davey in the original TV series).
And because it was a shit film.
Quote: flii @ April 7 2009, 9:31 PM BSTHBO (same network which Flight of the Conchords)
And for that alone it MUST DIE.
Quote: Aaron @ April 8 2009, 12:23 AM BSTAnd because it was a shit film.
Absolutely. I tried to enjoy it, but ended up leaving before it was over (something I usually only do if I'm in the back row of the cinema with a really pretty girl and we're in a hurry to continue our canoodling somewhere more private). Terribly disappointing film.
Quote: Aaron @ April 8 2009, 12:23 AM BSTAnd for that alone it MUST DIE.
Not to mention the second half of Six Feet Under and all of Sex and the City and Entourage. HBO redeems itself for Oz, Deadwood, Rome and The Sopranos (crap ending though).
Quote: Aaron @ April 8 2009, 12:23 AM BSTAnd for that alone it MUST DIE.
Quote: Kenneth @ April 8 2009, 1:25 AM BSTNot to mention the second half of Six Feet Under and all of Sex and the City and Entourage. HBO redeems itself for Oz, Deadwood, Rome and The Sopranos (crap ending though).
Uh-oh. I think I struck a nerve which is somewhat surprising because I don't know anyone over here that didn't enjoy FOTC. Is it a Commonwealth thing? And adding to HBO's defence, they were the ones to bring Extras and Summer Heights High to the US.
Quote: flii @ April 8 2009, 1:45 AM BSTUh-oh. I think I struck a nerve which is somewhat surprising because I don't know anyone over here that didn't enjoy FOTC. Is it a Commonwealth thing?
No, it's a people with a sense of humour thing. 
(To be fair, FOTC would have been good if it didn't have the songs.)
Quote: Aaron @ April 8 2009, 1:06 PM BST(To be fair, FOTC would have been good if it didn't have the songs.)
>_<
Is that the face you make as Ellio- Ahem.
Quote: Aaron @ April 8 2009, 1:06 PM BST(To be fair, FOTC would have been good if it didn't have the songs.)
I am completely agree with you about that. Music as a comedy device always comes off as extremely contrived and not funny to me. Hence my disdain for Weird Al and Tim Minchin. I find frustrating that FOTC has said they won't be doing a third series simply because they don't have any more musical material. Obviously they don't realize that the music is the worst bit.
Tim Minchin is disgracefully unfunny, isn't he.
Don't have any more musical material?! Have they not heard of composing?