Bill Gravy does Observational

Hi there I'm Bill Gravy. They've had me on here again as I went so well the last time. Here's a bit of observational humour for you.

Why don't they tell passengers on a plane that there's no point in rushing to be the first to get off as soon as it lands? It always takes at least three minutes for the steps to be wheeled out. Madness! They could be enjoying a nice rest there.

Here's a belter!

I spend a lot of time at my bedroom window just watching what's going on in the street. Just observing.

OK try this one.

I once saw a man slip on a banana skin. It was funny. See I'm not really a gag-smith? I do observational stuff.

What's that bloke in row three doing?

I watched the game on the telly last night. Footballers eh? They're a bit like rugby players aren't they?

*Shit it's going wrong. Don't lose them. Come on! Bang bang bang!*

I once went to a football match. It was 2 nil at half time. What's so funny about that? It was against the run of play. That's what!

Sven Goran Eriksson. Was that just me? No it was Sven Goran Eriksson. What did all those women see in him? Money and power.

Come on cheer up for fuc*'s sake. What a miserable crowd you are!

OK I'm going in for the kill with this. Are the St John Ambulance people in?

I watched that Time Team thing with Baldrick from Blackadder in it. Very enjoyable and quite educational too.

What's that? Time's up? OK!

Thank you and good night! I've been Bill Gravy and this has been my observational set! Watch what you do or I'll make a joke out of you!

Now your talking kid. This is dead on.

Yeah I like that ... of course, the delivery needs to be good.. but at least the scripts OK!

Hi.

Have you ever seen the characters Bernard Right-On (John Thomson) and Duncan Thickett (Steve Coogan)?

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 18, 2008, 6:41 PM

Hi.

Have you ever seen the characters Bernard Right-On (John Thomson) and Duncan Thickett (Steve Coogan)?

View original

I think I saw the John Thompson one once on a clip show but not the Steve Coogan One. Are you saying that there's a similarity? Your comment is cryptic inasmuch as I don't quite know the answer.

If there is a similarity then it's sort of gone in by osmosis. I have too many original ideas to go down the plagarism route. If it's the same or too similar then I fear that Bill has done his last gig.

The idea was for him to be a bad stand-up just that really and I suppose there is nothing new under the sun. But hey! Me, Steve and John can't be bad.

Yes, it reminded me a little of the first one but I think the difference with the 'bernard' character is he was constantly perverting the endings to well-known gags. This character just seems so totally unable to deliver a gag, which is its charm for me. And the key difference. So I wouldn't worry too much, Blenks.

That's a really nice parody. Nice swift pace to it as well - laughed my arse off at the random "What's that bloke in row three doing?"

Duncan Thickett was a nerdy character who was trying to be a stand-up. He used to announce that he was trying to be observational. The joke was that the things he observed were the sort of things that happen to a nerdy victim - not the general population.

You can see Coogan doing Duncan Thickett in live dvd's like 'Live and Lewd' and 'The Man Who Thinks He's It' (I think). You might find there's too many similarities. I don't know the sort of character/delivery you had in mind.

It also reminds me a bit of John Thomson's ventroloquist with Cheeky Monkey from Knowing Me Knowing You.

I'm surprised that I don't recognise the Duncan Thickett character as I went to see Mr C on that tour

But the old brain's a funny thing. That was many years ago and before I was writing. In those days I was a failed musician not a failed writer. But what I was saying about osmosis might be correct.

I love Steve Coogan & John Thompson and I'll check these out on Youtube. And now you mention Cheeky Monkey that's the kind of thing I was going for.

Thank's for the tip-off and Damn those pro's

B

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 18, 2008, 6:41 PM

Hi.

Have you ever seen the characters Bernard Right-On (John Thomson) and Duncan Thickett (Steve Coogan)?

View original

I wouldn't worry about plagiarising Coogan, he robs all of his material.

Good stuff.

I wouldn't worry either if it's influenced by someone elses work (whos work isn't?) also, although this is a good script, the personality delivering it is equally important in it being funny if performed IMO..

I think being funny performing 'not being funny' takes some rare skill!

Fair Point Frankie and I think that it's true about influences and that we are all influenced by one another.

I really like this character and feel he could be developed further - it's pleasing that everybody who has commented has not cried "rip-off" and if anybody comes a-sueing I can always settle out of court .

Any similarity between this and any other fictional comedy character is purely opportunistic on the writer's part

The performer would be very important as it needs a comic actor to do it not a stand up.

For those who missed Bill's first set (I think it's better btw) it's at :

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/4584

And look out for Bill's Edinburgh Show soon to be posted.

Hi Blenks

I think these are really good and (with a bit of polishing/expansion) would make a really good recurring radio sketch character.

It did remind me a bit of John Thompson's Bernard Right-On but I think that's only cos I haven't seen any other stand-up parody and my mind probably conjured him for that reason alone. SlagA is right in that he perverts previously well-known gags into politically correct versions, so it's different enough.

Thumbs-up from me and keep 'em coming.

Dan

Hasn't that guy off BBc Three, Wooten, got a character thats similar aswell?

Also if the crowd have had more than half a shandy you won't last long not doing jokes however post ironic it is.

For me, the character is too close to Coogan's Duncan Thickett. He even does a bit where he tries observational humour. His observation being...

"I'm a right c**t, me."