... take an "old" joke and use it in your material and pass it off as your own? Even if you change it ever so slightly?
Is it right to...
Quote: wayne lewis @ April 12 2008, 9:55 PM BSTtake a "old" joke and use it in your material and pass it off as your own? Even if you change it ever so slightly?
Yes.
That's called stealing.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 12 2008, 9:56 PM BSTYes.
That's called stealing.
It is right?
The reason I ask is because I have seen it done a few times on the critque forum in the last week and just think IMO it's wrong.
Barry Cryer was interesting about this on BBC4 the other week, in interview with Mark Lawson. He reckoned it was perfectly acceptable to use and adapt anyone's "joke", because jokes are public currency. But you must never, ever, use someone's "material".
Quote: wayne lewis @ April 12 2008, 9:58 PM BSTIt is right?
The reason I ask is because I have seen it done a few times on the critque forum in the last week and just think IMO it's wrong.
I meant no.
Is it wrong? - yes.
Is it right - No.
Quote: wayne lewis @ April 12 2008, 9:58 PM BSTIt is right?
The reason I ask is because I have seen it done a few times on the critque forum in the last week and just think IMO it's wrong.
If there are instances of it then best PM the people in question, I guess. But there are plenty of ideas/themes/etc on here that have been independently thought up by different people. And if it's "topical" stuff, it's almost inevitable for several people to be thinking similar ideas about the same thing.
I think it's okay on some levels. I don't think you should go out and purposely steal loads of material. But if a joke fits, use it. Obviously not quite as simple as that, but something along those lines.
I think it's wrong and lazy
Thanks Aaron by the way! LOL.
If it's a classic everyone knows and you adapt it with some originality to fit then I think it's fine.
Quote: David Chapman @ April 12 2008, 10:52 PM BSTIf it's a classic everyone knows and you adapt it with some originality to fit then I think it's fine.
Agreed. The chicken crossing the road isn't copyright, but a particular original spin on it might be. I think Barry Cryer has it right.
I seem to remember John Sullivan doing quite an old joke in an episode of Roger Roger.
But then he was John Sullivan and he could get away with it.
Quote: Antrax @ April 13 2008, 12:26 AM BSTI seem to remember John Sullivan doing quite an old joke in an episode of Roger Roger.
But then he was John Sullivan and he could get away with it.
I liked Roger Roger. I think he should do more of that than GGG.
Brendan Behan said - Talent borrows Genius steals.
Actually I said that.
Did you see what I did there.
And John Sullivan uses old gags all the time not just in Roger Roger.
My favourite blatant nick of an idea was in Hustle when one of the characters says we're going to do 'The Sting' and sure enough they did.
There's a finite number of god gags in the world. Often the best ones at NR are remade skits of the days gone by.
It's how you update, and what you do with it.
Read an interesting article the other day about how most sitcom tropes, are direct steals from forms of Clown comedy.
Certainly the class sketch from TWTWTW, has been remade endlessly it would be a shame for this to stop.
Direct copying does suck ass though.