British Comedy Guide

Newsjack - Series 5 Page 26

Quote: Burnt Out Hack

Two one liners. Pathetic. (stares at BBC website again. Fails to find anything funny in "Huhne vows action on energy bills").

Ha! Phew, that's a relief, a few people seem to have mentioned that it's been a slow news week this week. That makes me feel a bit better, I thought I was just being a bit shit. Unless of course we're all just being a bit shit.Laughing out loud

If it makes you feel any better, your Katia line was my favourite bit of last week's show. It's quality, not quantity, that matters in the end dear boy.

Quote: blahblah

I don't think riots or the cuts are touchy subjects either. I meant touchy subjects as in natural disasters etc - although such tragedies could be described better than "touchy" I must admit.

Yeah, they mentioned this in the livechat thingy I think. I guess it's probably best to avoid sending in jokes about a news story that also involves a tragic element even if the joke has nothing to do with the tragic part.

Quote: frantically

To be honest they were all more or less worked out by last friday so they're not exactly cutting edge of topical satire.

This is a big problem for me aswell: The earlier in the week you start your sketches and oneliners, the more time you'll have to craft and polish them, but the more irrelevent(less topical) they'll be aswell. But leave it late and topical, and the quality suffers because they are rushed out(in my case at least). It's tough to hit that nice balance.

Anyhoo, I managed to knock out 2 sketches and around 5 or 6 one-liners before the door slammed shut, but I did feel very rushed when I was typing them up, which ain't a great sign, baybee!

Good luck for thursday folks!

anyone going to the recording tonight?

massively appreciated John Kelly's comprehensive heads up last time - it's a lot to ask though!

Quote: Nigel Kelly @ September 20 2011, 10:51 PM BST

After listening I liked the Strictly/rioting sketch the best. I'm not as keen on politics/finance related stuff.

Thanks Nigel!

Quote: comedyoflife @ September 21 2011, 3:30 PM BST

massively appreciated John Kelly's comprehensive heads up last time - it's a lot to ask though!

Second that.

Quote: comedyoflife @ September 21 2011, 3:30 PM BST

anyone going to the recording tonight?

massively appreciated John Kelly's comprehensive heads up last time - it's a lot to ask though!

Thanks. Unfortunately childcare issues mean I'm not allowed to go tonight.

Was anyone at last night's recording?

Got confirmation of two tickets for 12th Oct but they've moved it to Greenwich which is a mission for me. If anyone wants the tickets pm me

Quote: comedyoflife @ September 20 2011, 1:49 PM BST

are there any Newsjack alumni's that have gone on to loftier heights?

After a fairly dramatic summer it has been an odd week for news, lots of little stories and few big ones. Only really big week long stories were economy and Lib Dem conference.

In terms of Newsjack Alumni five series in the list is getting longer and longer. They keep mentioning names on the webchat so look for them on there but off the top of my head:
- James Kettle as mentioned earlier
- Tom Neenan has written for some other Radio 4 stuff and is now a commissioned writer for NJ
- Andrea Mann has written for the News Quiz (where is Andrea this series? Guess she's too successful for us all now on BCG)

On the webchat last Friday they said all four commisioned writers started as non-comms on one of BBC Radio's open submission shows. And Dan Tetsell has said all his recent projects have used people from NJ.

So it would appear there is scope for getting noticed. If not right away over a number of series of shows.

Except of course there now is only one open submission show on the BBC...

Some Newsjackers on this show: https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/the_headset_set/

new writers list for episode two is up - didn't make it this time. oh well!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014twfk

Congrats to Jon Hunter, Andy Wolton, Ben Partridge, Eddie Robson & Matt Oakley for getting in two weeks on the trot!! I'm not jealous of those bastard covered bastards with a bastard filling in the slightest!

None for me - congrats to those who did get in

I can only see five names the same as last week. Four I think from the webchat are comms (Andy Wolton, Eddie Robson, Jon Hunter & Ben / Benjamin Partridge) and the other Matt Oakley.

More importantly I can't see my name on the list. <Shakes fist at sky>

Quote: blahblah @ September 22 2011, 4:52 PM BST

None for me - congrats to those who did get in

Ditto for me

Matt Oakley is the Head of Radio Comedy at the BBC, it's a position he's held for over 30 seconds in my head so I can blame endemic nepotism at the beeb and not my lack of writing ability!

So only 17 non-coms made it on tonight's show - hope at least a couple hang about these parts! Failing that, anyone got a 'close but no cigar' email this week?

Will be interesting to hear what contribution was like this week compared to last (so can someone ask in the webchat, as I won't be able to view it live this week? Cheers!)

Huzzah - got something in! Not sure what yet, but it'll add a bit of spice to my thursday evening.

I think using Justin's name instead of Miles' this week swung it for me.

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