British Comedy Guide

Ideas and Inspiration

A lot of my ideas seem to come to me when out taking my collie cross dog Benjamin for a walk, my mind just wanders and stuff like Badger Flavoured Ice-Cream is born. (I now carry a voice recorder as I have forgotten so many ideas over the years.

Any other users find the best ideas come at the oddest unexpected moments? Or just me?

Quote: dannyjb1 @ August 29, 2007, 8:42 AM

stuff like Badger Flavoured Ice-Cream is born. (I now carry a voice recorder as I have forgotten so many ideas over the years).

That's probably a very funny scene for any other dog walkers you encounter - you standing there muttering things like "Badger Ice-Cream" into a tape recorder. :)

It depends on when you expect to get your ideas. I certainly don't get many staring at a blank word document, so you need triggers to inspire you or just a relaxing environment.

I always carry a note pad as I know real life is what I draw a lot my humour from and its where I get a lot of ideas.

I too carry a note pad around with me, but that's to record the number of hedgehog and other mammalian deaths i see on the roads! It's a morbid hobby of mine.

However, yes, the note book and pen/pencil is perhaps the most powerful tool for a writer wich i do use v. often. Only problem is to decipher my writing. My teacher's didn't call me spider-boy at school becuase i was related to Peter Parker!

Of course observation is another skill and as well as seeing/hearing it on the streets, the newspapers are good for 'brief' news stories. That's where i pick up the basis for many good ideas.

For instance, similar to your badger flavour ice cream, i came up with a list of different cheeses made from mammals other than the traditional sheep, goat and cow, such as monkey cheese, rat cheese and skunk cheese. Imagine my delight thinking up names for them!

Quote: dannyjb1 @ August 29, 2007, 8:42 AM

A lot of my ideas seem to come to me when out taking my collie cross dog Benjamin for a walk, my mind just wanders and stuff like Badger Flavoured Ice-Cream is born. (I now carry a voice recorder as I have forgotten so many ideas over the years.

Any other users find the best ideas come at the oddest unexpected moments? Or just me?

So Danny, do you credit your dog on your sketches?

I'm not sure that means the dog comes up with the actual sketches, but if it does - sorted!

I've met the dog, he's barking...

Quote: dannyjb1 @ August 29, 2007, 8:42 AM

Badger Flavoured Ice-Cream is born.

I'm sorry to point this out, but that really is monkey whimsy of the very worst kind.

That really embarrassing 'RANDOM LOL!!!!111' stuff doesn't hold up outside of students laughing at it.

Quote: Seefacts @ August 29, 2007, 10:46 AM

I'm sorry to point this out, but that really is monkey whimsy of the very worst kind.

That really embarrassing 'RANDOM LOL!!!!111' stuff doesn't hold up outside of students laughing at it.

Maybe I'm showing my age here or something but there really is not one part of that reply that I understood.

I find that parties or some random unplanned "Drink a Thon" are brill for getting inspiration from... I just sit there looking cool and just listen to the conversations... also people watching whilst having a CHAP-a-CHINO is ex..
I play a game called "Giving it the look" i'll see a person and try and work out his whole lifestyle... by the way he dresses...his stance and his general attitude in his conversation... people you dont know are amazing for ideas... try people watching and make a story in your head about them... or just watch DVD's and steal an idea... but honestly try people watching.

Quote: dannyjb1 @ August 29, 2007, 10:51 AM

Maybe I'm showing my age here or something but there really is not one part of that reply that I understood.

Sorry too much geeky comedy net stuff going on.

Monkey whimsy is use of animals for comedic effect. Ross Noble's worst material basically - you know, monkeys with Breville toasters on their legs. Badgers whimsy is another comedy crime. The Boosh use various animal whimsy all the time.

I dislike 'RANDOM LOL!!!!!111' comedy intensely. An example is I overheard a conversation at college many moons ago where someone said something along the lines of 'And then he text me and it just said POTATOES! He's so RANDOM!' It's really irritates me to the point of not being able to explain rationally.

Anything with badgers, monkeys, cheese, turnips (bar Blackadder obviously, as that was a character thing) or potatoes should be a comedy no-go area. Shameless whimsy.

Hope I explained myself a bit more human-like there.

You may want to read the sketch before dismissing it

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/2857

Quote: Seefacts @ August 29, 2007, 10:59 AM

Anything with badgers, monkeys, cheese, turnips (bar Blackadder obviously, as that was a character thing) or potatoes should be a comedy no-go area. Shameless whimsy.

Hope I explained myself a bit more human-like there.

Ah so you don't like it because it's been done before, damn that's all comedy out then Laughing out loud

Think that it ALWAYS depends on context and you can never be as dismissive as saying it's a 'no-go area'.

That being said these are your opinions and no more or less valid than anyone elses.

And yes, it made a lot more sense. :)

I quite enjoyed that. Especially the medals joke near the end.

Accept my apologies, that wasn't the animal whimsy the original reference suggested.

Does anyone else agree with me on the whimsy though?

Quote: ajp29 @ August 29, 2007, 11:04 AM

You may want to read the sketch before dismissing it

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/2857

I'm not going to start reading sketches before doing them down, I just don't have the time...

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