In radio 2's "Dick Emery: The Comedy of Errors?", Dick was revealed as a greatly troubled person, just like so many other major comedians of that time.
What conclusions can be drawn? That a troubled past can help create a comedy personality? Or perhaps there are legions of well-adjusted comedians worth mentioning?
Well...
Clinical Depression - Spike Milligan, Tony Hancock, Stephen Fry, Paul Merton, Frankie Howerd, Michael Bentine, John Cleese, Hugh Laurie, Kenneth Williams, Richard Pryor, Jim Carrey, Bill Oddie, Caroline Aherne, Catherine Tate, Robin Williams.
Alcoholism - Peter Cook, Tommy Cooper, Frankie Boyle (treated), Graham Chapman, Tony Hancock, Charles Hawtrey, George Carlin.
For starters...
Alan Carr - Chronic Spastication
Michael Palin seems pretty well-adjusted.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ October 5 2009, 9:21 AM BSTMichael Palin seems pretty well-adjusted.
Did Eric Idle or Jones ever have any major problems either? I'm sure there are lots of perfectly 'normal' people involved in comedy. Obviously the 'troubled' ones are more likely to have a TV movie about them broadcast on BBC Four, though.
Julia Davis suffers (or did) from depression too.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ October 5 2009, 9:30 AM BSTJulia Davis suffers (or did) from depression too.
Her husband/boyfriend (are they married?) seems like he might be a touch on the depressive side too. Or at least a little glum.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ October 5 2009, 9:31 AM BSTHer husband/boyfriend (are they married?) seems like he might be a touch on the depressive side too. Or at least a little glum.
Yep. My cousin saw them on a beach this summer with their children and said they seemed to be having anice time.
I can imagine Michael McIntyre suffering...
Maybe that's why he's so bland.
I guess if you're well adjusted you won't have much material. Or feel the need to get up on stage and try to make a room full of people laugh.
Being a depressive can do wonders in helping someone reach legend status. Also, it does seem only the really good ones are depressed like Julia Davis and Caroline Ahern.
Groucho Marx only suffered from the Great Depression, losing most of his early fortune. Though his biographer Stefan Kanfer argues he was a "depressive clown" - largely on the basis of Groucho's inclusion of the Grock story in his autobiography.
In the popular imagination, angst is seen as a great motivator to creative people. I wonder if we were all completely happy and contented, we wouldn't need any of the arts?If we could see so much beauty in the world around us, that we didn't need it in a painting? Nor would we need a troubling image, because we would not empathise with it. If we were free from embarrassment and any trace of malice, would comedy lose it's basis? Are the arts a welcome relief to the ills of the world, and as superfluous to an entirely (and impossibly) healthy mind, as a plaster cast is to an unbroken arm?
Quote: Nogget @ October 5 2009, 10:07 AM BSTIn the popular imagination, angst is seen as a great motivator to creative people. I wonder if we were all completely happy and contented, we wouldn't need any of the arts?If we could see so much beauty in the world around us, that we didn't need it in a painting? Nor would we need a troubling image, because we would not empathise with it. If we were free from embarrassment and any trace of malice, would comedy lose it's basis? Are the arts a welcome relief to the ills of the world, and as superfluous to an entirely (and impossibly) healthy mind, as a plaster cast is to an unbroken arm?
This reminds me of HG Wells' The Time Machine, where the people of the future (Eloi?) live such comfortable lives that they are completely apathetic and lack any curiosity.