Writers of merit and even gifted ad-libbers get much more respect as creative performers in my book.
One of my pet hates in 'entertainment' was the likes of Johnny Carson, who needed an embarassing stooge to feed him cornball, force-fed, staged quips and comments.
Still, Mr Carson did well enough to purchase a private tropical island out of his earnings. Apparently.
Quote: Rico El Vista @ March 24 2011, 7:08 PM GMTWriters of merit and even gifted ad-libbers get much more respect as creative performers in my book.
One of my pet hates in 'entertainment' was the likes of Johnny Carson, who needed an embarassing stooge to feed him cornball, force-fed, staged quips and comments.
Still, Mr Carson did well enough to purchase a private tropical island out of his earnings. Apparently.
This is about the most ill-informed opinions I've read on these forums.
You haven't been here long then?
Writers probably write the central theme and then the comics add to it.
Don't really see the point in this discussion. Tom Jones doesn't write his song.
And it doesn't prove that writing your own jokes makes the show funny. Harry & Paul is a prime example of stars writing their own show, and failing.
Quote: Charlie Boy @ March 26 2011, 10:21 AM GMTDon't really see the point in this discussion.
Well done Charlie Boy, you have just summed up the strategic objective of the BCG.
Quote: Matt79 @ February 24 2011, 11:11 PM BSTin a similar way to the cast of Not The Nine O'Clock News and Naked Video?
The only two Naked Video cast members who ever wrote material for the show were Helen Lederer and John Sparkes.
What about Morecambe and Wise? I think I am correct in saying that they weren't credited as 'writers', certainly in their later years, but 'additional material provided by'. And yet they were funny, very funny, would liked to have seen more of them. Alas that is a problem with being slightly young, all the best ones have already passed on/moved on or stopped.
In regards to writing and starring in their own sketches being better or worse or whatever, I think that it doesn't matter so long as they perform their parts very well, Morecambe and Wise with Eddie Braben as writer being a good example.