British Comedy Guide

Writing for Newsjack (aka 7 on 7) Page 64

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 10 2009, 1:24 PM BST

Listening to last night's broadcast, something else also struck me, we have a deadline of Monday and at least half the jokes were from events that happened on Tuesday and Wednesday.

How can you compete with that without a Tardis, wormhole, sling shot around the sun?

Well, you can't. What you CAN do is make a note of events that are due to take place in the near future (for example, the unveiling of the fourth plinth) and write generic sketches about them. I mean, Gordon Brown being on the plinth wasn't a nod to something that actually happened, was it?

Same as the Tiny Tears: The Movie trailer. That's a parody of a film that's been out a good few weeks now. Again, pretty generic.

Or you pick something that's on the cusp of being important, and just hope that a story breaks in the week that raises the level of interest. Again, you have to keep it generic.

Your best bet for getting anything on are still one liners, and since the cut off for them is 5pm Tuesday, you've got a lot more chance of them being more up to the minute.

But yes, if a massive story breaks on Wednesday morning, there's nothing you can do and it will be covered by the in-house writers. That's the way it goes with a topical show.

I was listening, but then fell asleep. I woke up during the next show thinking 'is this *still* going on???'.

:)

Dan

Ha!

There was a Bond/Facebook sketch on 'The Now Show' too!

Jimmy Carr just did a one-liner on 8 Out Of 10 Cats that I sent into to Newsjack this week. So the joke wasn't good enough for digital radio but good enough for Channel4, eh! ;)

Wow! Dolly. I just got my first on Newsjack that I was feeling pretty pleased about but now I'm just insanely jealous. I think Jimmy Carr's just about the best stand-up for one-liners.

Can you tell us which one it was and who who you sent it to?

Quote: Beelzebozo @ July 10 2009, 10:55 PM BST

Wow! Dolly. I just got my first on Newsjack that I was feeling pretty pleased about but now I'm just insanely jealous. I think Jimmy Carr's just about the best stand-up for one-liners.

Can you tell us which one it was and who who you sent it to?

Unfortunately I didn't send it to them - it was just coincidently the same joke!

You wrote if for him?

Quote: sootyj @ July 10 2009, 11:07 PM BST

You wrote if for him?

No, it was just the same joke as I'd sent into Newsjack. Obviously one of the brilliant writers on 8 Out Of 10 Cats had the same idea...

I did catch the name Holly Hagger on the credits :)

What was the joke?

What if you don't like topical humour? What's the point? I sent in a couple of efforts but, if the truth be told, my heart wasn't in it.

What outlets is there for non topical stuff on the wireless?

Recorded For Training Purposes has a non-topical remit, that took open submissions last year. Also BBC Scotland / The Comedy Unit come up with non-topical opportunities occasionally.

RFTP when it comes round again? Or picking on individual producers.
Or writing for NewsRevue and wathcing the show with your eyes shut so you can pretend it's on the radio.

Quote: Griff @ July 10 2009, 11:32 PM BST

Recorded For Training Purposes has a non-topical remit, that took open submissions last year. Also BBC Scotland / The Comedy Unit come up with non-topical opportunities occasionally.

Ok, thanks Griff.

I think though there's very few open remit things that don't turn up in BSG eventually.

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