I've never heard of Al Bowley. (Am I showing my age?)
Little Richard, though, was a master performer. He had real fire in his belly.
Opposites Creating Explosions Page 4
Ditto that.
P.S.
Although old, I'm open minded, please, somebody, post something that 'pushes boudaries' I don't know what that means, but I'd love to learn how to do it.
I'm not coming the 'old soldier' but it seems that some people on this site have the 'victim genius' mentality.
All the useless wankers like Peter Kay and Catherine Tate are in full employment, but they aint got a pot to piss in.
Quote: Winterlight @ January 2, 2008, 2:01 PMI've never heard of Al Bowley. (Am I showing my age?)
Little Richard, though, was a master performer. He had real fire in his belly.
So did Al Bowlly, but in a different style! 
Quote: Jerf Roberwitz @ January 2, 2008, 2:03 PMAlthough old, I'm open minded, please, somebody, post something that 'pushes boudaries' I don't know what that means, but I'd love to learn how to do it.
I'm not coming the 'old soldier' but it seems that some people on this site have the 'victim genius' mentality.
All the useless wankers like Peter Kay and Catherine Tate are in full employment, but they aint got a pot to piss in.
Winterlight and I posted a couple in a recent 'pushing boundaries' thread in critique, I'd do a link for you but I've never bothered with too much of that jiggery-pokery! I'll bump it up if you'd care to take a look!
Just because Catherine Tate is in full employment doesn't mean I have to laugh - the woman isn't funny to my mind. A clever actress yes, but (for me) not at all funny. Also for me Peter Kay is OK but no more than that.
This is a really interesting thread! For what it's worth, here's my thoughts on the subject. Comedy, like music, is very much down to personal taste. The reason I suspect so many people write 'safe' mainstream comedy is due to the fact that this is the style of comedy they watch and enjoy and are therefore influenced by. If more people watch mainstream comedy, then surely more people are going to be influenced by mainstream comedy. I am of the belief (as I'd imagine many of you are) that just because something is mainstream, doesn't make it good-it does however make it popular.
A great example of this is the music charts. So many dire songs make it to number one each week causing people to grumble but it must be remembered that the song at number one isn't an indication of what is the best song of that week, merely the most popular.
I personally find myself very much in the mainstream as I find this is the type of comedy I enjoy watching. That doesn't mean I don't watch and appreciate comedy that is deemed cult viewing or risky but given the chance, I would, 9 times out of 10, choose mainstream. For example, one programme that I am really enjoying watching at the moment is My Family (please don't hurt me!) but I am under no illusion that there are comedy programmes out there that are much better written and much more unique.
For me, writing is very much a hobby, one that I enjoy very much and as I am writing for myself and not an audience, as long as I am enjoying it, I care not which category I fall into. I have posted sketches on here with mixed responses which has been great as I have learnt from the negative and taken encouragement from the positive.
I would also like to say that I have read alot of work on here and I enjoy a very large proportion of it, perhaps because it is suited more to my tastes, but I think there are some very talented people on here!
That just leaves me wondering if the My Family confession weakens my thoughts?!
Taxi for one methinks!
Q!
I agree, almost totally. The only thing I'd really add is to clarify that whilst being mainstream doesn't make something good, being different, clever, edgey, whathaveyou, doesn't make it 'good' either.
But then who's to define good in the first place? I sat right through every last episode of Spaced and barely raised a smile, yet some people say it's the best sitcom of the past decade.
So I guess it comes back to part of my original point here, which is that any show will have someone who likes it. Even if it's just the writer(s). But the more mainstream shows will have more people who like them. Doesn't make them more good, or more bad, just makes them good to more people.
And there you have it, it's all funny to someone and if it's funny to more people then it's funnier to more people!
I'm glad we cleared that one up!
Quote: Frankie Rage @ January 2, 2008, 3:49 PMAnd there you have it, it's all funny to someone and if it's funny to more people then then it's funnier to more people!
Well Larded argument!
He says, bringing the tone right back down again, in a typically Frankie-istic fashion.
But the more mainstream shows will have more people who like them. Doesn't make them more good, or more bad, just makes them good to more people.
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This is exactly what I meant-only it took me considerably more words to manage it!
Quote: Aaron @ January 2, 2008, 3:51 PMHe says, bringing the tone right back down again, in a typically Frankie-istic fashion.
Self-deprecating as always then Aaron?
I'd just de-larded my post btw! 
One thing no-one has explained here is what exactly do they mean by pushing the boundaries. Its very much a subjective opinion whether a joke breaks any barriers. And if they are forever being pushed back where will it end?
Hmm, I seem to be picking up a negative point of view from this thread that seems to be "if you want success write middle-of-the-road, mainstream tripe"..although you claim that isn't what you are saying, that's what it comes across as. Because in my mind middle-of-the-road mainstream tripe doesn't stay around forever, Fawlty Towers, Porridge, Blackadder etc ARE NOT middle-of-the-road mainstream tripe! They are smart, beautifully written, brilliantly performed hilarious sitcoms and that is why they stick around forever. Middle-of-the-road mainstream tripe to me currently is stuff like My Family, Catherine Tate, Little Britain etc...and that stuff will not stick around forever, it won't gain the respect of shows I previously mentioned and it will not be forever repeated decade after decade.
When it comes to cutting edge, counter-culture stuff I think that can have just the same long-lasting effect as this so called 'mainstream' stuff that people are talking about. Look at Monty Python for example, there wasn't a show like it before it and there certainly hasn't been a show quite like it since. It was so unique, different and out there but still amazingly funny and well peformed and it has gone down as one of the greatest examples of sketch comedy ever. It is still repeated and the new DVD's have been selling really well.
Then you have more satirical, clever shows like The Day Today and Brass Eye which again go down as some of the greatest, smartest comedy of all time, DVDs sell well and they will live on forever.
Broadcasters should be begging out for new, edgy, smart, satirical comedy and I think that they are but they just don't know where to get it from at the minute. The BBC tried with Vivian Vyle but it didn't quite work and Channel 4 certainly aren't going to get anything clever, edgy or funny from the Ayoades and Holness's of the world. But when Channel 4 was first set up it was originally a counter-culture channel and it's comedy was fantastic, it debuted the Comic Strip Presents... and those are classic, smart comedies.
So if you want to play safe and do mainstream tripe then that's up to you but it doesn't mean your show will last forever.
Pushing boundaries would be breaking from the norm. Like when some pillock dropped his bag of nuts into the Dairy Milk vat at the Cadbury's factory. Or The Young Ones, breaking through after decades of Terry and Junes, Are You Being Served?s, and the like.
Quote: Skibbington von Skubber @ January 2, 2008, 1:26 AMI received an ipod for Xmas. My first podcast was by Martin Holmes. He did a really good job putting it together. It had a great pace and flow and was completely audible---no dips or chips or sloppy editing. Good voice work, too. Mark my words: Martin will make money from his producer, audio editing, voicing, and (perhaps) performing skills.
That's very kind of you to say but it's not really too difficult to produce podcasts using Cool Edit software, I mean put me into a proper recording studio with all the proper equipment and I would be lost...I'd be willing to learn of course but producing is not really what I'm interested in. Neither is the performing really, my podcasts were just a hobby and to keep me writing new stuff. But I really want to make money from sitcom writing, that's what I feel I'm best at and what I will continue to work at. But of course I wouldn't turn down the chance to create a radio comedy show and if I did have that chance you could bet that I'd try to make it has unique and different to anything you've heard.
Quote: Aaron @ January 2, 2008, 4:55 PMPushing boundaries would be breaking from the norm. Like when some pillock dropped his bag of nuts into the Dairy Milk vat at the Cadbury's factory.
If you want to see barriers being broken down then go watch some stand up. You (a general you not Aaron) have to seek out this sort of thing. Go to a comedy club.