British Comedy Guide

Commercial Sketch Page 2

Quote: David Bussell @ January 6, 2008, 9:11 PM

Perhaps you could have thought more carefully before bandying the word 'pretentious' about.

There are far too many people on this site who seem to be interested in nothing more than name-calling and bickering, then act all wounded when somebody calls them on their behaviour. I'm not saying you're one of them, but when you open a comment with "Don't be a knob" then tell me you're not picking an argument, I have to wonder.

I'm as bored of rising to this as everyone else is of reading it, but I need to make clear I never used the word pretentious!!!

I even provided a link to the definition of 'pretension' - a different word - for your perusal. While 'pretension' can mean 'pretentious', it was not this definition I had in mind (and that is not the primary or most used definition anyway).

Here's one definition:

Pretension
~noun (C usually plural)
a claim or belief that you can succeed or that you are important or have serious value:
The Chronicle has pretensions to being a serious newspaper.

*
*http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=62717&dict=CALD

So I was saying: 'If you're going to have the belief that what you're writing is valuable enough for you to have to assert copyright, at least spell it correctly, as your misspelling somewhat undermines that assertion and may make you look foolish.'

Again may I point out that copyright is automatic and there is no need, certainly in this arena, to write 'copyright me' on anything.

I made no insult or slur, rather a quite literal comment... Your own argument works against you... *you* should have thought more carefully before bandying about the word 'pretentious', because I never used it. I don't know if you're even dyslexic or anything, or if it's just a misunderstanding, but I was only chummily asking you to 'stop being a knob' as I really don't think it's fair to put words into my mouth and then criticise me for it ... it's f**king unfair, in fact. Doubly so to carry this on when I provided a link to the definition of the word.

I might make comments forcefully but as I say, they're generally considered ones, and I don't appreciate being lumped into a category of 'name-callers and bickerers'; neither do I think I need to be 'called on' my behaviour in this inappropriate manner. If there's one unlikely John Wayne character in this forum, it's Aaron! :P

And talking of Aaron, all my edits have been trying to get the bloody quote thing to work for the definition, why will it not?

A verbal contract aint worth the paper it's written on

Let's chalk this up to a misunderstanding then shall we. I guess I didn't interpret a stranger calling me a 'knob' as being friendly.

Thing is, I wholeheartedly agree with you as far as labelling your fledgling sketches with copyright notices, I just didn't appreciate the way you went about making your point. It's one thing to have 'forceful' opinions but another to be ill-mannered.

As you say though, this can't be much fun for others to read, so I hope we can let bygones be bygones, especially seeing as the author of the thread doesn't seem to have taken offense at your comment in the first place!

OK.
I shan't go on.

Quote: Jerf Roberwitz @ January 7, 2008, 2:35 PM

A verbal contract aint worth the paper it's written on

Undoubtedly Jerf will though. Mumbling into his Ovaltine.

Quote: James Williams @ January 7, 2008, 2:22 PM

Again may I point out that copyright is automatic and there is no need, certainly in this arena, to write 'copyright me' on anything.

Aha! ! detect a fellow lawyer *secret handshake* Lets count our money :D

can anybody say something constructive about my sketch please??????????

Anyway....

I liked the sketch cos it made me laugh. I liked the idea above about mentioning that they are manufactured using child labour (like the *comedy* idea, not the idea as such).

Needs a bit of polishing and could do with a couple more unexpected 'throwaway' gags in there just to keep the interest, but in my opinion, job well done.

Dan

For me this type of sketch has to have an extra element to make it stand out. There were no lines that you couldn't use for any other product you could think of and it has been done many times. Most recently on the Peter Serefinowitz (spelt wrong) show.

Quote: ajp29 @ January 8, 2008, 2:45 AM

Aha! ! detect a fellow lawyer *secret handshake* Lets count our money :D

Well, not quite - I know a bit of law but it's mostly media law connected with being a hack. So no money for me at all then... not until I hit the Big Time...!!

Quote: CJ-PW @ January 8, 2008, 1:49 PM

can anybody say something constructive about my sketch please??????????

Well, I can reiterate what I've already said. As I said, better to hang the 'advert' idea on something either more original, or topical, or even something that winds you up a bit. It won't stand on the 'ad' format alone bacause it's been done many, many times before. It needs to be bigger and better and funnier and sillier. I still think the Gillette adverts are ripe for the piss-taking, but actually I suspect they've been mocked recently too.

Not bad writing though.

Quote: James Williams @ January 8, 2008, 4:36 PM

Well, not quite - I know a bit of law but it's mostly media law connected with being a hack. So no money for me at all then... not until I hit the Big Time...!!

*Goes and counts money on his own* Teary

thanks for the feedback, i'll have a re think bout the sketch and see what i can come up with.

may even record this one.

I've just read all the comments.You should all be hearing from Slag

Well anyway - yes - I thought it was funny and original. Didn't go further than it needed to.

thanks for the feedback.

Not sure if anyone else has suggested it (which I doubt) as I've just skipped to reply.

Good, would be funnier if the baby ended up sufficating in a bag...

...But my sense of humour is weird.

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