British Comedy Guide

Cambridge Footlights Page 2

Quote: Chappers @ June 30 2009, 12:33 AM BST

Don't talk rubbish. It has to be Star Wars.

At this risk of hijacking my own thread again - Star Wars exists as The Holy Trilogy above mortal fallible trilogies where BTTF resides.

Re: The Footlights, is there anyone up and coming current and recent to look out for?

Quote: Shakeshaft @ June 30 2009, 5:05 PM BST

At this risk of hijacking my own thread again - Star Wars exists as The Holy Trilogy above mortal fallible trilogies where BTTF resides.

Re: The Footlights, is there anyone up and coming current and recent to look out for?

Star Wars ain't a trilogy, Lucas the fool saw to that.

Besides, 'Jedi' was a pile of shit, anyway.

Star Wars, Star Trek, Stardust, Star Search, Stars In Their Eyes, anything beginning with "Star" is pretty much terrible.

Back on topic...

Some comedians were in the Footlights, many weren't. Less of an influence, in your chances of being handed your own radio/TV comedy, than it was ten or twenty years ago. An Oxbridge degree is always going to help you if you want to work for the Beeb, however. One could make that case for any public institution, of course.

I was just looking at that Footlights page - there are some very very funny pictures on there -
Neil Mullarkey - http://footlights.org/images/h1984NeilMullarkey.jpg
Compared to now - http://image07.webshots.com/7/1/89/0/99418900TiEjcF_ph.jpg

And even funnier - Clive Anderson - http://footlights.org/images/h1974.jpg
His hair has emigrated methinks - http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42190000/jpg/_42190368_clive_anderson_bbc203.jpg

Talking of the influence that Footlights had, I think that the biggest thing it did was get people prepared for the world of light entertainment a lot quicker than anyone else and people seem to come out in batches - if one makes it, he brings all his mates with him.
I think it's got less effect now because people want experience etc etc, but as you have said it's no bad thing to have an Oxbridge degree.

The South Bank/Footlights special was awful - they spent the entire hour worshipping Jimmy Mulville!

Quote: Tim Walker @ July 1 2009, 12:34 AM BST

Star Wars ain't a trilogy, Lucas the fool saw to that.

Besides, 'Jedi' was a pile of shit, anyway.

Star Wars, Star Trek, Stardust, Star Search, Stars In Their Eyes, anything beginning with "Star" is pretty much terrible.

What about the Legendary Stardust Cowboy?

Quote: SillyBry @ July 1 2009, 7:04 AM BST

I
Talking of the influence that Footlights had, I think that the biggest thing it did was get people prepared for the world of light entertainment a lot quicker than anyone else and people seem to come out in batches - if one makes it, he brings all his mates with him.

That I think is about right. No-one gets anywhere without talent, but talent is more likely to succeed when blessed with opportunity. I understand that this no-brainer is the premise of Malcolm Gladwell's latest statement of the bleeding obvious, Outliers.

Starskey And Hutch was nice when I was young.

Quote: Nigel Kelly @ July 1 2009, 8:10 PM BST

Starskey And Hutch was nice when I was young.

Fair enough.

Starter For Ten was bollocks though.

Quote: Tim Walker @ July 1 2009, 12:34 AM BST

Star Wars ain't a trilogy, Lucas the fool saw to that.

Besides, 'Jedi' was a pile of shit, anyway.

Star Wars, Star Trek, Stardust, Star Search, Stars In Their Eyes, anything beginning with "Star" is pretty much terrible.

Staropramen is nice.

Starfish are nice.

St Arian was nice. Governor of Thebes too, doncha know.

Quote: Rob H @ July 2 2009, 2:28 PM BST

Staropramen is nice.

No it's not! It's Lager!

Quote: Tim Walker @ July 1 2009, 12:34 AM BST

Besides, 'Jedi' was a pile of shit, anyway.

:O

Oh, don't act all shocked, Don, you know it was. :)

Quote: Chappers @ July 3 2009, 12:21 AM BST

No it's not! It's Lager!

But a nice one.

Star Trek just out was the bizzo!

:)

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