British Comedy Guide

Michael McIntyre! Page 6

Sounds familiar. Didn't their mothers tell them that if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all?

Exactly. They need a good stiff talking to!

Quote: AJGO @ July 17 2011, 11:23 PM BST

Sounds familiar. Didn't their mothers tell them that if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all?

Unfortunately if you follow the logic through you really shouldn't have said this.

Quote: zooo @ July 17 2011, 11:24 PM BST

Exactly. They need a good stiff talking to!

Quite right. To be honest, it really puts me off comedians when they slag someone else off, even if I agree. Just makes me think of someone who got bullied at school and instead of being more understanding to others, they get a kick out of doing it to someone else. Poor show!

I was surprised to hear other comedians do it openly on panel and award shows.
Is a bit of it a class thing? Because he's well spoken or a macho thing because he's a bit effeminate?
Or was it just funny because other people were doing the same?

Quote: Badge @ July 17 2011, 11:27 PM BST

Unfortunately if you follow the logic through you really shouldn't have said this.

I will endeavour to never stick up for anyone in the politest way possible ever again

Quote: Tim Walker @ October 21 2010, 4:15 PM BST

For me, it's nothing to do with high brow/low brow comedy (whatever that actually means, frankly). I just don't find him funny. I can see why others might, but I've seen pretty much all his material done (as well if not better) by jobbing stand-ups around the UK, over the last 20 years. I can only see him as something of a compilation album, a Now That's What I Call... Observational Comedy if you will.

His material is well-written and delivered, but has no soul. He's somewhat the comedy equivalent of Alan Partridge's comment that his favourite Beatles album would have to be "The Best Of The Beatles".

Beyond that, he has no unique comedy voice, no depth to his material and no personality either on or off-stage which makes me warm to him. He just follows in a long tradition of "cheeky chappie" comedians, going right back to music hall days, for whom comedy is more a business than an art. I'm afraid that type of comedian leaves me cold. With truly great comics, the ultimate butt of their jokes is themselves. MM may appear to occasionally be self-depreciating, but - much like ice cold joke cyborg Jimmy Carr - he's one of those comics who are actually incredibly narcissist in their work - far too scared to show vulnerability in front of an audience. Yes, they fulfil the basic requirements of a stand-up - to be funny - but they only want to be laughed with, and from a position of ultimate authority. The audience is there to flatter them, first and foremost.

Still, MM's star will be transient, simply because that type of comedy and comedian doesn't tend to leave an enduring legacy. Fair play to him, he'll be incredibly successful for a few years and make a lot of money out of it. But as his style of act is replaceable as a machine part, once it shows any signs of wear-and-tear, it will be replaced by something new and shinier.

Was trying to say I agree with Tim but could'nt fit it in.

P.S. He is a bit of a toff, public school, wealthy family as per Desert Island Discs.

It's nothing new to hear jokes made at the expense of the MoR comics at the top; 30 years ago, it was Terry & June, now it's McIntyre. Instead of criticising those who mock him, he should be wondering just what it is about his act that makes him such an easy target. From what he says (he never felt he fitted in, never had friends, feels happiest alone on stage), he's not so much motivated by wealth as by adoration, but he needs to realise that he can't please everyone; maybe counselling is a better way to deal with his insecurities rather than performing at sold-out stadiums.

Having said that, sneering at him at the awards is poor form.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ July 17 2011, 11:31 PM BST

I was surprised to hear other comedians do it openly on panel & award shows. Is a bit of it a class thing? because he's well spoken or a Macho thing because he's a bit effeminate? Or was it just funny because other people were doing the same?

All of the above.

Quote: Nogget @ July 18 2011, 5:14 AM BST

Instead of criticising those who mock him, he should be wondering just what it is about his act that makes him such an easy target.

He should do nothing of the sort; he should carry on performing exactly how he wants to, and people who don't like it should just ignore him.

Quote: zooo @ July 17 2011, 11:15 PM BST

Well I can't remember specifics. But it seemed every other person on stage made some pointed remark about him being shit.
I expect is was only actually 2 or 3 instances, but I found it a bit uncomfortable. It wasn't comics taking the piss out of their comic friends (which happens all the time at those things) it was a bit more pointed and cruel. And they kept showing his little baffled face. Aw.

Yes but that's just understandable envy Zooo, simple deep seated professional envy that gets ignited when a relative outsider wins what you've all been slaving away albeit in a nonchalent and cool fashion, to achieve yourseleves. You can't really blame them.

Imagine being a male comedian, having been to all the right gigs year on year, having followed all the right trends, having nicked all the right material, having made all the right friends; just think of all the time you've spent growing that long girly hair with just the right amount of scruffiness; think of all the tee shirts you've got through; all the many pairs of trainers you've tried out to give you that perfect balance of springiness for your bouncing up and down while still looking cool; all the carefully rehearsed arm wavy movements so you don't smack yourself in the face when you're on one; and all those naughty words you've thrown in at just the right time to get people's attention.

Imagine all this Zooo, you've scraped your way to the top tier of your profession, just waiting for the awards and sitcoms and panel shows and commercials to come flooding in, and in waltzes the uncoolest looking tosser you've ever seen, in a suit, speaking a load of twaddle in a posh voice, and he doesn't even swear, and he nabs it all from under your noses! Of course you'd be a bit baity with him, come on now.

I think it's more complex than envy, Alfred. There are lots of succesful comedians who don't attract anywhere near the amount of vitriol as McIntyre.

Well envy, I feel, is a part of it. He gets more laughs than they do, especially from the women. They do not like this, something smoulders deep within their male psyches. I think it's a great laugh, I'm not a particular fan of his, though I thought he was sharp and funny on that Apprentice after show thing, and he seems to be free of anger and bitterness and hang ups. A nice, happy, talented, funny young man. Understandable he's hated by some then. :(

Quote: Matthew Stott @ July 18 2011, 9:45 AM BST

people who don't like it should just ignore him.

Do you think that's going to happen though?
He 'should' examine what he does that makes some people hate him so much if he is bothered by their reaction, otherwise they will keep hating him and he'll be unhappy.

No, he should stay true to his own voice, not change in the hope that a few other comics like him.

Share this page