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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
 Posted - 31/08/2009 : 22:25:03
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Tell Shappi that was very very good!!!!...
caryne: "shtick"...you had it there... i.e, what were they known for, what was their style, claim to fame...
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caryne
Old Love
United Kingdom
1520 Posts |
Posted - 31/08/2009 : 23:00:47
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quote:
Originally posted by rocker
Tell Shappi that was very very good!!!!...
caryne: "shtick"...you had it there... i.e, what were they known for, what was their style, claim to fame...
Morecambe and Wise were known for being very, very funny, as simple as that really They were around far too long to fit into anything as narrow as a style or having a particular claim to fame. Why do comedians need to have a 'claim to fame' or 'style' anyway? |
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John9
Old Love
United Kingdom
2154 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 12:57:47
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Nearly everyone who visits Morecambe, Lancashire goes to see Eric's famous statue...and not far away in Ulverston is a recently completed statue of Stan Laurel - another of the county's famous sons.
My favourite Morecambe and Wise sketches are the two Antony and Cleopatra gags with Glenda Jackson in 1971...they are both easily found on Youtube. Her film roles up to that point had all been extremely serious and I think that the public were both shocked and delighted to see her do comedy so brilliantly. It is said that these two performances earned her a leading role two years later in the classic romantic comedy, A Touch of Class ...for which she won the 'best actress' oscar. Come to think of it there is a link between Glenda Jackson and Forever Changes. She played the doomed Charlotte Corday in the 1967 film version of Marat Sade. And as I've said before, I'm practically certain that Arthur would have seen the film upon its release prior to writing The Red Telephone. |
Edited by - John9 on 01/09/2009 12:59:24 |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 14:14:29
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"Why do comedians need a 'claim to fame' or 'style' anyway?"
Maybe to sell tickets??? I can't see'em just living on laughs!...
I'd like to be able to see M&W and see their comedy.
'Marat Sade'...is that the play where supposedly the inmates "take over" the asylum?? |
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caryne
Old Love
United Kingdom
1520 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 14:36:11
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quote:
Originally posted by rocker
"Why do comedians need a 'claim to fame' or 'style' anyway?"
Maybe to sell tickets??? I can't see'em just living on laughs!...
They just need to be funny and popular, if that is a claim to fame or style then fair enough (it does seem to be enough for them to earn money!!) but I do find it very strange how in America people like to categorise everything. I'm quite happy to accept a comedian (or any artist) for what they are without having to fit them into a genre. |
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caryne
Old Love
United Kingdom
1520 Posts |
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boombox
Old Love
United Kingdom
548 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 14:49:45
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Morecambe & Wise were quite simply the best comedy duo the UK has ever created. The Two Ronnies had their moments - especially when Ronnie Barker was in his prime eg 'Four Candles' and the great weekly serials like 'The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town' (co-written with Spike Milligan) and 'The Worm That Turned'. But it is Eric & Ernie who remain the undisputed kings.
There is an official website here: www.morecambeandwise.co.uk and the wiki page is also very good, listing many essential sketches. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morecambe_and_Wise . A quick google will bring up many on youtube, but Singing In The Rain, Breakfast to The Stripper, Grieg's Piano Concerto (with Andre Previn) as well as Tom Jones', Angela Rippon's and Glenda Jackson's guest appearances, would have to be worth a mention.
Interesting there is this discussion of American and British humour/humor(!). I too, don't really get Seinfeld, nor Frasier, which are popular everywhere, but then again, I don't like The Office nor Absolutely Fabulous and got bored halfway through Borat. All are big in their home countries and seemed to have gained followings across the other sides of the Pond.
I think comedy is fortunately not country-based - it either appeals to the individual or doesn't. That's what's good about here - we all like different stuff and the two main home countries of posters mean an even bigger pot of potential discoveries. I've never heard of half the comedians in caryne's list, other than the excellent Bill Bailey, so will have to check them out.
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caryne
Old Love
United Kingdom
1520 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 14:59:50
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Boombox, with the exception of Bill Bailey, the comedians in my list rarely appear on TV (though Rob Newman was in The Mary Whitehouse Experience). Many appear on various shows on Radio 4 though and, of course, are all great to see live.
Actually I do think there is a difference between British and American humour, some things do cross over, as you say but many do not and never will. I did like The Office (though not the American version as the personality of key chracters has changed) but like you had little interest in Absolutely Fabulous or anything Sacha Baron Cohen does. |
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John9
Old Love
United Kingdom
2154 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 15:17:29
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quote:
Originally posted by caryne
Boombox, with the exception of Bill Bailey, the comedians in my list rarely appear on TV (though Rob Newman was in The Mary Whitehouse Experience). Many appear on various shows on Radio 4 though and, of course, are all great to see live.
Actually I do think there is a difference between British and American humour, some things do cross over, as you say but many do not and never will. I did like The Office (though not the American version as the personality of key chracters has changed) but like you had little interest in Absolutely Fabulous or anything Sacha Baron Cohen does.
Yes, I think that some of it is to do with that oft repeated phrase about our being two countries separated by the same language. But some types of humour do play equally well on either side of the pond....especially the self deprecating kind...for example Al Gore's immortal opener to An Inconvenient Truth: "I'm Al Gore....I used to the next president of the United States." Or Bob Hope:
Q "How's the golf going Bob?"
A "Oh don't ask.....the last time I played, I was in the rough so long that by the time I had got back on the fairway, it had become a shopping centre!" |
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caryne
Old Love
United Kingdom
1520 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 15:42:27
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| Yeah, the Al Gore one is just a little bit funny. Don't get me started on Bob Hope though, someone I have no time at all for (especially after his anti-feminist ourburst in the 1970's at a Miss World contest) and his humour just washes over me. Strangely enough I do find some of Bob Monkhouse's stuff funny and he was a big Bob Hope fan, maybe it was just his delivery? |
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John9
Old Love
United Kingdom
2154 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 16:10:28
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quote:
Originally posted by rocker
'Marat Sade'...is that the play where supposedly the inmates "take over" the asylum??
That's right, Rocker - it is the origin of the "We're all normal and we want our freedom" lyric. On Judy Collins' groundbreaking In My Life album (1966), there is a superbly crafted suite of songs from the same musical - as always beautifully sung. |
Edited by - John9 on 01/09/2009 16:13:25 |
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markk
Old Love
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 16:51:58
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Continuing with this comedy vein, a comedienne's style is exactly what makes him funny. The way he looks, the delivery, the facial expression (animated or deadpan). Some are just funny on sight,
Groucho Marx, etc. I do think there is a large cultural difference
in comedy beteween the USA and UK. British humor leaves me flat, with the exception of John Cleese. I don't get it. But I also never laughed at Bob Hope.
Best I ever saw were Richard Pryor and George Carlin. Early Cosby was something too. |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 17:02:46
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boom..."it either appeals to the individual or doesn't"
Got to agree with that. I saw the Andre Previn sketch. Thanks. Nice but many many other comedians roll me over more than that one. I'll have to see some more on the M&W franchise.
On Brit/American humor..You know I think the Brit brand seems to do ok here but it does get "translated" so to speak. Sanford and Son came out of Steptoe. Got big ratings. Fawlty now was a great one but of course it's just too British to make a big splash here. (though everybody doesn't know what they're missing!!). But Monty Python and His Flying Circus I think did better with that kind of comedy.
More Americanos loved their antics. Let me put on the Ministry of Silly Walks or the Dead Parrot!! |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 17:17:52
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markk..thank you for bringing up Groucho!..comedic genius if you ask me..their movies are the apex of hilarity and craziness.....
You know he had great quotes:
One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into pajamas I'll never know".
Humor is reason gone mad.
There's one way to find out if a man is honest-ask him. If he says, "Yes", you know he's a crook".
A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running.
I read in the papers that they are going to have 30 minutes of intellectual stuff on tv every Monday from 730 to 8 to educate America. They couldn't educate America if they started at 630. |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 17:19:25
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quote:
Originally posted by markk
Continuing with this comedy vein, a comedienne's style is exactly what makes him funny. The way he looks, the delivery, the facial expression (animated or deadpan). Some are just funny on sight,
Groucho Marx, etc. I do think there is a large cultural difference
in comedy beteween the USA and UK. British humor leaves me flat, with the exception of John Cleese. I don't get it. But I also never laughed at Bob Hope.
Best I ever saw were Richard Pryor and George Carlin. Early Cosby was something too.
The wisdom of Groucho Marx...I have a number of his quotes up....
I find television very educating. Every time someone turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book.--Groucho
I think Jack Benny's side-long glances and pregnant pauses were genius. Many a time I laughed to tears watching the Jack Benny Hour. I would think his kind of deadpan humor had some British appeal.
This topic has segued into such a fun thread, that I changed the topic title to go with the flow. What the hell!! I LOVE IT. We'll get back to Dylan eventually....as we get closer to the new Christmas release! Or not! Dylan wrote some pretty humorous tunes anyway. 
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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 01/09/2009 17:27:56 |
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"Christmas in the Heart" segue to comedy & back!
