NJ Ken Dodd Happiness Policy Sketch

Well I am still a NJ virgin:

Miles
Measuring happiness is like taking a peek at the bloke stood next to you at the urinals. Do you measure from their perspective or yours, and do you take into account any baggage. Interesting news this week with David Cameron announcing that all Government policies will be tested for their effect on people's wellbeing. With us is new Happiness Policy advisor, Ken Dodd. Welcome Ken.

Dodd
How tickled I am to be here Miles. What a great day, what a great day for running up to William Hague while he's eating his boiled egg, smearing his eyes with Libyan butter and shouting 'Watch where you're putting your soldiers'.

Miles
How will you measure the happiness individual policies have on the public. (Sarcastic) Will you be fitting chuckle detectors in schools and shopping centres?

Dodd
By Jove Miles, we've utilized the brightest minds in the government and come up with a device that is 99% accurate and has full coalition support.

Miles
Sounds intriguing. Is it a highly advanced computer mainframe that analyses core data from excessive field research?

Dodd
No, it's the Cleggometer.

Miles
(Blackadder like) The Cleggometer!

Dodd
(Excited) By Jove yes. The Prime Minister reads all the policies at bedtime to Nick Clegg adding in a few knock-knock jokes and measures his response.

Miles
let me get this straight. If it makes Nick Clegg happy that is an indication that the rest of the country will be happy?

Dodd
You've got it Miles. It's worked on the Lib-Dems. We taped the first one last night

FXTape Machine turning on

Cameron
(D) (Patronising, in mid flow) On the economy, we have set out a credible plan to tackle the deficit and debt. We will eliminate the structural deficit (beat) Knock-Knock

Clegg
(D) Whose there?

Cameron
(D) Uren.

Clegg
(D) Uren who?

Cameron
(D) Uren my pocket.

Clegg
(Continuous slow deliberate crawly laughter) Ha, ha, ha. Ha, ha ha.

FXtape machine switched off.

Miles
Well what can I say? What a great day, what a great day for running into the Lib Dem Conference dressed as Batman, holding aloft pre-election promises, shouting 'has anyone seen Two-Face'. Thank you, Ken Dodd.

Dodd
(Shouting, fading off) Tatty-bye, tatty-bye.

Miles
To gain quick feedback on his own performance the Prime Minister recently Twittered ' Do I have happiness?'. 'Certainly' re-Twittered @Two-Jags John, 'but I bet it leans to the right and has no balls'.

I liked this Will. Some very good stuff in it and to me it felt very much in keeping with the show's style. Particularly liked the Miles intro.

I liked the Miles - Doddy exchanges, but I felt it was a bit fiddly and lost sharpness in the middle with the taped-in bit and perhaps that could've been lost and the last Miles speech too. A bit shoe horned in maybe? Thought Doddy's Tatty-bye would've been a good out.

To me it shows the lottery-like nature of sending in to this kind of show. This is as good as a lot of what makes the cut. But what do I know? My strike-rate for this programme is possibly the worst on this site.

Thanks Blenky.

You're right, the end was rushed and strained whereas the first half flowed better because I had rewritten it the (didn't have time with the second half).

I think across the BCG there are a lot of posters (old and new) who have found the voice (or part of it) of the show. Like you and the rest of the gang, I'll keep plugging away

This is a lovely idea, but it just starts to lose focus. It should just have been Miles talking to Doddy, and loads more Doddy like gags (but with a nice bit of bite about them).

The Cameron and Clegg stuff just deflects from the core idea (and would also have been hard for Lewis, as he'd have to do three impressions in one sketch).

Again, lovely idea, though.

Yep - it is a great premise and a great opening, but the moment Clegg arrives it goes a bit wrong (like real life). I agree with RJ - bang-bang-bang some Doddy lines in a two-way with Miles and you have a cracking sketch.

Errr... I think that's what I said wasn't it?

Beginning to understand how Arabella Weir's character feels in those Fast Show sketches.

Did someone say something?

Quote: Badge @ March 17 2011, 8:24 PM GMT

Did someone say something?

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Yes me. First.

We're just reiterating your wonderful, lovely, marvellous, fluffy, down right gorgeous advice.

Quote: RJ @ March 17 2011, 8:52 PM GMT

We're just reiterating your wonderful, lovely, marvellous, fluffy, down right gorgeous advice.

View original

Ah, recognition at last. Was beginning to question my very existence.

Badge/RJ

On reflection I should have just stuck with Doddy but tried to keep the reference to the story behind it - government policy tested for happiness etc.

Thanks for the nice comments anyway.

Quote: Will Cam @ March 17 2011, 10:16 PM GMT

Badge/RJ

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Quote: Badge @ March 17 2011, 10:30 PM GMT

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have I made a joke without realising it?

The first Dodd gag was a crackerjack.

I think a simpler idea works best, e.g. Dodd as Dodd frustrating Miles in an interview it works better.

The other stuff was all good but felt a bit like another sketch.

Certainly worth a punt at Newsrevue

Cheers Soot. Never really thought of NR but I might give it a go.