Legends Of Stand-Up and Bernard Righton

I'm not really sure that this format really works, although it must have been cheap to make? I found Righton's strained links a little bit painful to be honest and began to FF through them from the third advert break onwards.

As for the archive inserts, well Frank Carson was the worst IMHO, he just annoys me. Joan Rivers was sharp and witty; Jackie Mason's material about the Reagan administration was hugely topical!? The Alexei Sayle clip, despite its grainy quality, was still pretty relevant though. Doddy performed well. As for Larry Grayson, well he looked like Steve Pemberton doing an impression of him.

I liked it overall. An eclectic bunch of performers. I enjoyed the conceit that they were all performing on the same bill in a pub. I find Steven Wright very funny indeed.

I like the Bernard Righton character. I read an interview with John Thompson who said he tried doing some warm up gigs and they didn't go well. After he's said the set up he was being heckled for being too un-PC. Clearly people weren't smart enough to recognize a parody and allow him to finish (where they would be rewarded with a very PC joke). Perhaps a Bernard Manning style character is too old a reference for people in their 20s to get.

I don't think the Green Tapas and Houmous pun is close enough to be funny though.

I liked the show overall.

I felt there were too many Bernard Righton links and the one-note joke became exhausting and it's the only thing putting me off watching the other episodes, knowing I'd have to sit through a similar amount of them.

Ken Dodd was bloody awful. Maybe he was funnier when I was a kid.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 13th October 2015, 2:44 PM BST

I liked it overall. An eclectic bunch of performers. I enjoyed the conceit that they were all performing on the same bill in a pub. I find Steven Wright very funny indeed.

I like the Bernard Righton character. I read an interview with John Thompson who said he tried doing some warm up gigs and they didn't go well. After he's said the set up he was being heckled for being too un-PC. Clearly people weren't smart enough to recognize a parody and allow him to finish (where they would be rewarded with a very PC joke). Perhaps a Bernard Manning style character is too old a reference for people in their 20s to get.

I don't think the Green Tapas and Houmous pun is close enough to be funny though.

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I found Bernard Righton funny when he was a support act on Steve Coogan's show, but it just didn't chime with me. Maybe he should have resurrected Ray Beesley and Cheeky Monkey instead?

Doh! I've just got the joke too. My late FIL was a shunter too.

Quote: Woozie @ 13th October 2015, 4:34 PM BST

I liked the show overall.

I felt there were too many Bernard Righton links and the one-note joke became exhausting and it's the only thing putting me off watching the other episodes, knowing I'd have to sit through a similar amount of them.

Ken Dodd was bloody awful. Maybe he was funnier when I was a kid.

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Agree totally about the links.

Victoria Wood will feature in the following weeks, so I'll tune in for that and keep my finger on the FF button for some of the other stuff.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 13th October 2015, 6:44 PM BST

Doh! I've just got the joke too. My late FIL was a shunter too.

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Bit homophobic Blue.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 13th October 2015, 6:44 PM BST

Maybe he should have resurrected Ray Beesley and Cheeky Monkey instead?

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Abbadabbadooooo! I'd love to see more Ray and Cheeky. But Cheeky Monkey left him for Nina Conti (can't say I blame him).

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 13th October 2015, 11:00 PM BST

Bit homophobic Blue.

Abbadabbadooooo! I'd love to see more Ray and Cheeky. But Cheeky Monkey left him for Nina Conti (can't say I blame him).

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Absolutely brilliant. No, me neither, Nina is fantastic. I read somewhere that her parents were once NW3 swingers.

...and on that bombshell, The Radio Times reckoned that this show was good.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 13th October 2015, 11:09 PM BST

Absolutely brilliant. No, me neither, Nina is fantastic. I read somewhere that her parents were once NW3 swingers.

...and on that bombshell, The Radio Times reckoned that this show was good.

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I don't want to imagine Tom Conti having sex. But I have imagined Nina Conti having sex (with me).

The Radio Times was right. But when you go for such a diverse mix, you're always going to like some and not the rest.

Bernard had the best gag though (I'll have to paraphrase):

Why does it matter if four black men drive off a cliff?

Because they were my friends.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 13th October 2015, 11:15 PM BST

I don't want to imagine Tom Conti having sex. But I have imagined Nina Conti having sex (with me).

The Radio Times was right. But when you go for such a diverse mix, you're always going to like some and not the rest.

Bernard had the best gag though (I'll have to paraphrase):

Why does it matter if four black men drive off a cliff?

Because they were my friends.

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I still can't get over the sight of Tom Conti kissing Pauline Collins' stretchmarks in Shirley Valentine.

Would Monkey and Gran be watching you Roger their mistress?

Ahem, back to the show. I'm looking forward to some more comedy greats in the next few weeks such as Tom O'Connor, Jethro, Roy 'Chubby' Brown, Bob Carolgees, Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear, Mike Reid and Michael Barrymore.

I am currently sewing my sides together in readiness.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 14th October 2015, 8:58 AM BST

Ahem, back to the show. I'm looking forward to some more comedy greats in the next few weeks such as Tom O'Connor, Jethro, Roy 'Chubby' Brown, Bob Carolgees, Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear, Mike Reid and Michael Barrymore.

I am currently sewing my sides together in readiness.

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I can't tell if that's an ironic list or a genuine one.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 14th October 2015, 8:58 AM BST

Would Monkey and Gran be watching you Roger their mistress?

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I would insist she do the voices at least.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 14th October 2015, 11:21 PM BST

I can't tell if that's an ironic list or a genuine one.

I would insist she do the voices at least.

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Oh, it's genuine. Since reading this thread I have become rather obsessed with Tom O'Connor: https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/28027/

You're a dirty boy Mr Wonnacott! What would your father Tim say eh? Would he disallow you the wearing of the family crest on your blazer?

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 15th October 2015, 5:02 PM BST

Oh, it's genuine. Since reading this thread I have become rather obsessed with Tom O'Connor: https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/28027/

You're a dirty boy Mr Wonnacott! What would your father Tim say eh? Would he disallow you the wearing of the family crest on your blazer?

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I may have said this elsewhere, but Ton O'Connor is the father in law of one of my favourite women ever, Denise Lewis.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 15th October 2015, 5:18 PM BST

I may have said this elsewhere, but Ton O'Connor is the father in law of one of my favourite women ever, Denise Lewis.

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Ah yes, you admire a strong, fit and healthy lass don't you Doug? Good for you - I'm glad all blokes aren't obsessed with whippet thin modally types.

I used to think that Tom and Des O'Connor were related when I was younger. Did they both used to host 'Name That Tune' or was it just Tom?

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 13th October 2015, 11:09 PM BST

Absolutely brilliant. No, me neither, Nina is fantastic. I read somewhere that her parents were once NW3 swingers.

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Yes, she's said they have an open marriage. He's rumoured to have had an affair with Princess Diana.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 13th October 2015, 2:44 PM BST

I don't think the Green Tapas and Houmous pun is close enough to be funny though.

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It's escaped me?!

Quote: Aaron @ 15th October 2015, 7:29 PM BST

It's escaped me?!

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Green Tapas and Houmous = Wheeltappers & Shunters.

Stand up show from the 70s

Gosh. I know (of) Wheeltappers - unless it's a reference from within the show that I'm not aware of, that really is an awkward pun!