Time Out

[poliphilo]

And so I sat there with my tin of treats and no-one came calling. I guess Muslims just don't do Halloween.

I've been thinking a lot about the Brand/ Ross affair (sorry this is totally Britocentric). Here's my opinions- all 10 of them.

1. What they did was crappy.

2. Bullying, mean-spirited, unfunny, pointless. Talking truth to power is one thing, but Andrew Sachs isn't power- and talking truth to him was completely out of order.

3. Comedy is a dangerous game. I understand how, when you're riffing, you can get on a roll and lose sight of where you're going. That's one reason why Brand's show is pre-recorded- so an editor can take out the bits that don't work/are totally disgusting.

4. I'm sorry Brand went and Ross didn't. Mind you, I don't think it's done Brand any harm. It just adds to his legend.

5. I like Brand. No, let's rephrase that.  I'm slightly in awe of Brand. I think he's an amazing talent. I've never mistaken him for a nice person.

6. His column in this morning's Guardian is headed What a Barmy, hysterical, cosmic week- and it's all about football. Now that's class.

7. I don't like Ross. He's one of those broadcasters I mostly avoid ( Terry Wogan's another). I find him smug.

8. I don't know why the BBC pay him so much money. I think that was always a mistake.

9. Apparently most people under 30 can't see what the fuss is about. I don't fully understand this, but I'm willing to step aside because, after all, they own the future.

10. I don't want to be part of any crusade that's being preached by the Daily Mail.

And now, back to the travelogue.

Comments

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

Andrew Sachs is awesome. But I agree with you about comic geniuii - virtually all of the great fictional characters are vile as well - Basil Fawlty, Rigsby, the Young Ones, Larry Saunders - the list goes on.

I suspect the reason why there aer very few decent female comedians is because that sheer, unabashed nastiness is not a trait that comes easily. That may sound sexist, but its the truth.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There's something demonic about the great comedians. I've left living comics off my list, because, well, we're not likely to know the unvarnished truth about them until after they're gone.

But I think it's fairly obvious that John Cleese has his demons- and there's no doubt at all (given the tabloid headlines) about Steve Coogan.

I can think of two demonic female comedians- both American- Joan Rivers and Sarah Silverman.

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

Joan Rivers - yes.

Sarah Silverman - no, I don't see it. She seems to strain to make shock-tactics, cleverly relying on inverse racism (she can make Jewish jokes because she's Jewish, if a non-Jew did they'd be flayed alive) and tries to bait the audience. Apparently her best joke is "I don't care if you think I['m racist, as long as you think I'm thin." Frankly Sarah, I don't care at all.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Silverman has made me laugh out loud. I loved her "I'm fucking Matt Damon" video. But she's very young and new. Maybe she's just a one-trick pony.