And Chris Langham as a guest.
DAMN YOU, TOP OF A NEW PAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HIGNFY - Series 44 Page 5
I thought that the mention of Margaret Thatcher was unacceptable. The rest of it was just meh.
Quote: Jinky @ October 15 2012, 2:54 PM BSTAnd Chris Langham as a guest.
DAMN YOU, TOP OF A NEW PAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote: Nick @ October 15 2012, 4:17 PM BSTI thought that the mention of Margaret Thatcher was unacceptable. The rest of it was just meh.
Is she praised in Japan, then?
I watched the episode in question and how very sad. This was a show that used to be a ruthless rotweiller savaging the buttocks of the great and the good without regard. And when one of its presenters was considered too morally tainted to be seen as being above approach. He was slung out, and Angus Deaton was in his time bloody excellent. Instead we saw a vague mumbling apology that would have shamed a junior minister caught sucking a Russian oligarchs cock for donations. The joke about ramming a stake through the coffin, came out a squeak akin to a fart from a malnourished hamster. The BBC really needs to raise its game and atleast reshow the Saville episode.
But even that paled before the palid grilling of Ken Livingstone, who gto make an entirely reasonable defence of his tax status. When he should have been monstered as a hypocrite and at least questioned, precisely which cities he advised? And if anyof them had death squads?
Quote: sootyj @ October 16 2012, 3:03 PM BSTThis was a show that used to be a ruthless rotweiller savaging the buttocks of the great and the good without regard.
I agree with you matey, but do you think this is the fault of the show or have Hislop and Merton just given up?
Having a guest host each week, usually from the world of 'ennertainment' isn't helping, especially if they're also on the BBC gravy train.
Why is there such a dearth of satirists at the moment? You'd think with a Tory government in power again, they'd come crawling out of the woodwork, but it seems mortgage payments and private school educations are more important to the conformist comics.
Went to see it being filmed for the first time last night. Really enjoyed it, spent pretty much the whole time staring at Paul Merton who is one of my favourite comics.
The edge of this went a long long time ago. Merton was never a satirist more of an absurdist. Hislop was never as cutting edge or as cavalier as Richard Ingrams. It has gone on too long, is too easily contained and as a BBC One programme would never be allowed to be truly satirical. The conveyor belt of hosts means it can never really settle and be as corrosive as it should be.
Quote: Pingl @ October 19 2012, 6:15 PM BSTThe conveyor belt of hosts means it can never really settle and be as corrosive as it should be.
But always having the same host doesn't make it settled, does it? ISIHAC was always unsettled with Humph, fr'instance.
Quote: Pingl @ October 19 2012, 6:15 PM BSTThe conveyor belt of hosts means it can never really settle and be as corrosive as it should be.
Quote: Tim Azure @ October 20 2012, 9:07 AM BSTBut always having the same host doesn't make it settled, does it? ISIHAC was always unsettled with Humph, fr'instance.
But ISIHAC is not a satirical show. I think with a change of host comes a change of tone and that means they can't be as precise or as well targeted as they should be.
So, last night's show included -
Jo Brand - with a current BBC series
Will Smith (not the good black one) - with a current BBC Series
Ian Hislop - with a current BBC series
Richard Bacon - BBC radio DJ
Paul Merton - various BBC radio and television projects
It's a recipe for shameless self promotion satirical comedy gold. I must admit, watching them laugh at their own lame jokes last night and touching upon 'topical' news stories from over a month ago bored me absolutely shitless.
I keep tuning in on the off chance that one episode might recapture the lightning in the bottle from previous series, but as long as they keep choosing guests who are nothing more then walking adverts for the Beeb, it will remain terrible.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ October 20 2012, 12:48 PM BSTSo, last night's show included -
Jo Brand - with a current BBC series
Will Smith (not the good black one) - with a current BBC Series
Ian Hislop - with a current BBC series
Richard Bacon - BBC radio DJ
Paul Merton - various BBC radio and television projectsIt's a recipe for shameless self promotion satirical comedy gold. I must admit, watching them laugh at their own lame jokes last night and touching upon 'topical' news stories from over a month ago bored me absolutely shitless.
I keep tuning in on the off chance that one episode might recapture the lightning in the bottle from previous series, but as long as they keep choosing guests who are nothing more then walking adverts for the Beeb, it will remain terrible.
And the stories they don't cover tend to be more telling than the ones they do.
Quote: Pingl @ October 20 2012, 1:29 PM BSTAnd the stories they don't cover tend to be more telling than the ones they do.
But as with News Quiz, you are dealing with fun stories. This isn't Any Questions or Question Time, you're not coming up with answers. You're just constructing comedy material.
And stuff about Savile and Justin Lee Collins can't be sold on BBC One. This stuff appears Fringe-y.
8 Out of 10 Cats barely covered it either.
Quote: Tim Azure @ October 23 2012, 9:54 AM BSTBut as with News Quiz, you are dealing with fun stories. This isn't Any Questions or Question Time, you're not coming up with answers. You're just constructing comedy material.
And stuff about Savile and Justin Lee Collins can't be sold on BBC One. This stuff appears Fringe-y.
8 Out of 10 Cats barely covered it either.
Their remit is to cover the news satirically, I was unaware they could only cover fun stories. These programmes do and should cover some quite big stories, they never shyed away from Maxwell or Leveson etc. I believe you either cover the news satirically or you don't.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ October 16 2012, 4:00 PM BSTI agree with you matey, but do you think this is the fault of the show or have Hislop and Merton just given up?
Having a guest host each week, usually from the world of 'ennertainment' isn't helping, especially if they're also on the BBC gravy train.
Why is there such a dearth of satirists at the moment? You'd think with a Tory government in power again, they'd come crawling out of the woodwork, but it seems mortgage payments and private school educations are more important to the conformist comics.
No idea satire is the domain of the passionate and the angry. Charlie Brooker lost all his bite when he got all the funding he wanted for prime time TV and full time access to Konnie Huq's she-wee. It's weird both Merton and Hislop are huge talents, the idea that without HIGNFY they'd be stacking shelves at Morrison is ridiculous. But there they are filling the chairs for no appreciable reason.
And Angus Deyton was the host par excellence. The idea that he can be just replaced by some nobody is ridiuclous.
Being a straight man is a real job.
But I suppose another feature is the same torpor over the lack of diference between the 2 parties. There is something unbelievably beyond satire about Millerband adressing an anti cuts demo. Saying actually he's anti tory cuts, Labor will make the same cuts. They'll just feel bad about it.