Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 9 2009, 8:50 AM GMTLeague Of Gents, Fast Show, Not Only But Also, Python, Kids In The Hall, Mr Show, Fry And Laurie, The Day Today. For me, with a very few exceptions, Big Train springs to mind, the very best sketch shows have in fact in the main been written by the performers!
Agreed. I'd like to see Suicide Boy give some specific examples of shows he means.
Quote: chipolata @ March 9 2009, 11:17 AM GMTAgreed. I'd like to see Suicide Boy give some specific examples of shows he means.
Presumably The Two Ronnies and classics like that.
Quote: Nick @ March 9 2009, 11:40 AM GMTPresumably The Two Ronnies and classics like that.
You'll get no argument on The Two Ronnies score, although Ronnie Barker also wrote for that. The "and classics like that" bit of your argument is a bit weaker. Name the other classics?
Morecambe and Wise, TW3 and The Frost Report maybe (although the latter featured writer-performers as well obviously). Spitting Image also obviously worked as it had such a great writing team at first as well.
I think it's a shame that shows don't have this style more nowadays but maybe the quality of writers wouldn't be as good anyway.
Not The Nine O'Clock News. David Renwick wrote for that. Whatever happened to him I wonder?
Quote: Nick @ March 9 2009, 12:59 PM GMTI think it's a shame that shows don't have this style more nowadays but maybe the quality of qriters wouldn't be as good anyway.
What do you mean? More shows don't have writing teams writing FOR performers? Because there still are lots of show like that.
Quote: Marc P @ March 9 2009, 1:01 PM GMTNot The Nine O'Clock News. David Renwick wrote for that. Whatever happened to him I wonder?
I don't think the same culture exists of getting together the best writing talent to pen shows for the best performing talent. Not for sketch shows anyway.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, for example, even comedy writers who had created their own very successful series would still come up with sketches for the most famous comedians. Now I would say it happens less.
I enjoyed the one clip I've seen of this, with the pair of them at the burger van.
There's a bit with Corden on Chortle today with him saying how they've been cold shouldered a bit by more established acts, who appear to think they haven't 'paid their dues'. That's a pity. Still, I'm sure there'll be no such bitterness and rancour on this forum. Right kids?!
Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 9 2009, 1:37 PM GMTStill, I'm sure there'll be no such bitterness and rancour on this forum. Right kids?!
Yeah, I think being in Fat Friends and co-writing a sitcom with a friend and being in some Catherine Tate sketches means you must be comedy geniuses able to write and perform a sketch series. 
Seems to me there have been plenty of 'dues paid'. Both have worked on the stage and TV for a long time, and have been involved in the writing of shows. No, they haven't, as a duo, done gigs in tiny shitholes up and down the country, but there's different paths for different people and they got their opportunity in a different way.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 9 2009, 1:43 PM GMTSeems to me there have been plenty of 'dues paid'. Both have worked on the stage and TV for a long time, and have been involved in the writing of shows. No, they haven't, as a duo, done gigs in tiny shitholes up and down the country, but there's different paths for different people and they got their opportunity in a different way.
Just, they're not comedians.... 
Well, Horne arguably is, or was. He started out performing on stage in a comedy double act, and then was picked up by Tate to perform and write bits for her show. And, kick me if you like, you don't have to be a comedian in the Lee Evans sense to write and star in a sketch show.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 9 2009, 1:49 PM GMTWell, Horne arguably is, or was. He started out performing on stage in a comedy double act, and then was picked up by Tate to perform and write bits for her show. And, kick me if you like, you don't have to be a comedian in the Lee Evans sense to write and star in a sketch show.
Okay, maybe I should have said they're not that funny.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ March 9 2009, 1:53 PM GMTOkay, maybe I should have said they're not that funny.
Well Ok then.
