NJ: Vince Cable Sketch

Here's a sketch that failed to get into Newsjack. I have to admit, I thought this had a better chance than most of my submissions, so I'd be interested to see where everyone thinks I could improve it.

In retrospect, the only big mistake I can see was not including an introduction to contextualise things a bit (for reference, the sketch is predicated on Vince Cable's recent defence of the coalition governments budget/immigration policies that appear to conflict with the Lib Dem's campaign positions). Alternatively, it may be too short (though it comes out at a minute plus if you read it aloud, which I thought was just long enough for the joke to make its point and get out, so I'm unsure if length is a huge concern)

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VOICEOVER: Have you recently been involved in an accident in Parliament? Found yourself voting for measures you campaigned vigorously against? If so, you might want to consider ...Vince Cable.

VINCE:I know we campaigned against a VAT rise, but frankly, we changed our minds when we got a good look at how much money we'd make.

VOICEOVER:The New Improved Vince Cable will defend any policy position on a no-win, no-fee basis. After all, as a Lib Dem propping up Conservative ideologies, he can't possibly win, and in the long run, he's the one who's going pay.

VINCE:At this point in the recession there simply aren't enough rich people left to tax, which is why we've decided to go after those mooching, lazy poor people.

VOICEOVER:Vince Cable comes with a unique, non-stick surface from which any criticism will simply wipe clean, leaving you - and your party - free to betray any principle you like.

VINCE:I think you'll find that the Liberal Democrats have had a long-standing and open support for an immigration cap, dating as far back as last month when we were all given our own offices.

VOICEOVER:Vince Cable is a well-respected and much-beloved politician that works straight out of the box. Simply place in a cabinet position, wind up and watch him go! Vince Cable! Now available in blue.

I like it. It's better than my Vince Cable sketch, which I submitted to the first show in the series. Probably suffered, like so many other sketches, because that partcular story got swept away by other events.

Isn't this just party-political point scoring without any actual jokes?

Quote: Timbo @ July 2 2010, 6:35 PM BST

Isn't this just party-political point scoring without any actual jokes?

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Aren't most political sketches just that?
And it's short. That's always welcome.

To me, this seems a bit confused between Vince Cable the service and Vince Cable the product. You have to go one way or the other and at the moment it's neither.

I did like the 'wipe-clean surface' bit though. That made me .

The product one is probably the way to go (as the accident thing has been done enough) like one of those Rap-Tou things they used to sell mid-afternoon on Channel 4. Once you think it's finished, you'd then get an 'order now and get this free. And this. And this and this and this', which could be 'Nick Clegg. And Danny Alexander. And that fella Danny Alexander replaced who was out so fast we can't even remember his name. And order right now and get these free Houses of Parliament totally free'.

And so on.

Dan

@timbo: Call it that if you like, but I disagree. I actually voted Lib Dem in the general election but I think Cable's bare-faced defence of policies he campaigned against was a point worth satirising.

@chipolata: Cheers for the encouragement! There was actually a Vince Cable sketch in the episode as it was - although no-one did his voice, so I'm wondering if the reason they didn't use mine was just because they haven't nailed down an impression of him yet! I'll console myself with that idea, anyway ;-)

@swerytd: Excellent and valid points, all of them, and you're right, that probably would have solidified the joke a bit more compared to how it turned out. Thanks for your feedback!

Quote: chipolata @ July 2 2010, 6:48 PM BST

Aren't most political sketches just that?

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If they are to be funny and thought-provoking I would suggest political sketches need to be subtler than that; the most effective ones tend to expose the thinking by taking the viewpoint of the object of the satire, as In Rory Bremner's Blair and Campbell exchanges, or in the George Parr sketches.

It is the job of the politician to point the finger at his opponent for being duplicitous; the job of the satirist is to make him ludicrous.

And it's short. That's always welcome.

There is that.

Quote: urthworm @ July 3 2010, 12:01 AM BST

@swerytd: Excellent and valid points, all of them, and you're right, that probably would have solidified the joke a bit more compared to how it turned out. Thanks for your feedback!

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Yes, I think if you had worked the conceit through properly if would have comes across better.

Anyhow, I suck at satirical sketches, so I am not in a strong position to be commenting.

There was alreay a Vince Cable sketch in last week's Newsjack. The one with the Springwatch guy.