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Author Topic: Comedians  (Read 4877 times)

calenlass

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Comedians
« on: 21 Nov 2013, 18:18 »

British stand-up and television comedians have a great platform, cross-host panel shows on the BBC and generally seem to have a good thing going with their series-es (including, but not limited to: QI, Would I Lie To You, Argumental, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Big Fat Quiz, Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Have I got News for You, Was It Something I Said; also Peep Show, the IT Crowd, Black Books, the Mighty Boosh, etc).

I want American versions, because right now I despise American tv. I would love an american QI. Who would host the shows, and who would be on the panel? Would they have different names, or a slightly different premise? Are panel shows just too 70s for americans now?
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GarandMarine

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #1 on: 21 Nov 2013, 18:49 »

This is all you need.



Ever.
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The Seldom Killer

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #2 on: 22 Nov 2013, 00:12 »

You simply couldn't do things like Peep Show, The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh in America. You couldn't even do it in the UK without using the comedians who portray those characters. Even in the stuff where the casting is done post concept it very quickly becomes about those people being those characters. It also says a lot about the English sense of humour that these things even get off the ground. Comparatively, the scenarios around American sit-coms are pretty staid, even accounting for stuff like Big Bang Theory and Jess. I'd like to see American sit-coms push the envelope quite a bit further though, or at least the ones that get over here. Maybe we're missing a few odd-ball gems.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #3 on: 22 Nov 2013, 04:49 »

Shows like that wouldn't translate well, and I agree that you couldn't make American versions of those that already exist. I meant more like... US versions of quiz shows, and more sitcom-y things featuring professional comedians. I would definitely love to see more creative sitcoms, too, because I am really tired of the ones we have (or have had in the recent past) and I just don't find most of them funny. The Big Bang Theory, for example, is alright and has its moments, but I wouldn't really call it revolutionary.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #4 on: 22 Nov 2013, 17:45 »

I think Ryan Stiles should host a quiz show, probably a Would I Lie To You style thing, and Colin Mochrie and Greg Proops could be the team captains. I would love to see Rich Hall back on some shows again, and Louis CK would probably turn up sometimes, and uh... maybe some other stand-ups on the teams' pool?
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LookingIn

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #5 on: 22 Nov 2013, 20:21 »

I think Ryan Stiles should host a quiz show, probably a Would I Lie To You style thing, and Colin Mochrie and Greg Proops could be the team captains. I would love to see Rich Hall back on some shows again, and Louis CK would probably turn up sometimes, and uh... maybe some other stand-ups on the teams' pool?

Would I Lie To You- is that similar to the US's To Tell The Truth?
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #6 on: 22 Nov 2013, 21:27 »

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #7 on: 22 Nov 2013, 23:37 »

I think John Stewart would be very capable of covering Dara O'Briain's role in Mock the week. Alas I don't know American comedians enough to suggest a rota of very dry, occasionally angry and politically disaffected panelists.

Nevermind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News for You have both developed to trade very well on the format of guest hosts and picking it's guests accordingly. Of course the other thing that has been an important factor in our comedy shows over here, sitcom and otherwise, is that on the whole the British have a tremendous talent for the absurd. It's that absurdity that is often wrought into the humour of these shows and I don't know that American comedians possess that in any great depth.

Mind you, on the subject of remakes, I'm finding that America is getting much better at it. I'm quite impressed with how Shameless US very quickly diverted off the UK script and went all out on doing it's own thing.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #8 on: 22 Nov 2013, 23:52 »

Yeah, Jon Stewart would be excellent. I was trying to think of someone who could go toe to toe with David Mitchell for something like Would I Lie To You or QI, and I really can't. Maybe Steve Colbert? Maybe? He is the only one I can think of off the top of my head who is smart enough. Well, quick-witted, I think, or clever in that particular way.

It's a little strange, because I don't really know what would have influenced my sense of humor like this, but I don't much like American comedy, in particular the sitcoms. Even the panel shows start to grate after awhile. I do really enjoy the absurdity, and I want more.

Wait, isn't America supposed to be all about instant gratification? Well, I want this. Get to it, media.
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #9 on: 23 Nov 2013, 00:05 »

They did a dutch QI and they found exactly the same presenter as Stephen Fry, namely Arthur Japin.


It lasted all of one season but it was really good. So, I guess you need someone who is insanely intelligent, knows tons of stuff (or knows how to pretend to know), is perceived by the audience as an authority figure and is incredibly funny in a bone dry headmaster sort of way and has tons of style and class.

I'm really trying to think hard of an american tv personality who is like that and who can do that. But I don't know enough american tv personalities.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #10 on: 23 Nov 2013, 00:08 »

You mean someone with authority and wisdom who is known for his scientific acumen and who can command respect whilst still being hilarious and witty and also is a national treasure?

We don't have any.
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BeoPuppy

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #11 on: 23 Nov 2013, 00:11 »

Well, scientific acumen and wisdom can be whispered in their ear or can be put on paper by QI elves but the other stuff ... yeah. Really? No one? Well, why not, damn it?
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GarandMarine

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #12 on: 23 Nov 2013, 04:04 »

You mean someone with authority and wisdom who is known for his scientific acumen and who can command respect whilst still being hilarious and witty and also is a national treasure?

We don't have any.

Wrong. Bill Nye. He's got a less dry tone, but it's quite possible.

Also for headmaster dry we also have Ben Stein, and he did his own game show for awhile.

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BeoPuppy

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #13 on: 23 Nov 2013, 05:59 »

Well ... make it happen! The world is a better place with more QI in it.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #14 on: 23 Nov 2013, 11:29 »

Bill Nye is more like Brian Cox, actually, perhaps with a slightly wackier sense of humor. He'd make a great regular panelist on a QI-type show, though.
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #15 on: 23 Nov 2013, 11:51 »

I was trying to think of someone who could go toe to toe with David Mitchell for something like Would I Lie To You or QI, and I really can't.

You need someone who is posh, properly posh though, not just moneyed with a good education and a sense of self entitlement. It's the sort of self entitlement that has been handed down for generation. They then need to be able to spout righteous indignation, especially when saying the word "poo". That's poo, mind you, not poop or shit or any other fecal descriptor. It needs to be said with a slightly extended second o, as if they're savouring the disgust the very thought gives them.

Frankly, America falls at the posh hurdle, you just don't do it very well and just can't see that it actually has a translation in American culture. I suspect it's because you don't understand tea.

Maybe Steve Colbert? Maybe?

No.

It's not that the man isn't a great comedian, but no.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #16 on: 23 Nov 2013, 11:57 »

I don't think we're going to find any clones who just happen to have American accents, though. I mean, it would be nice, but we have to work with what we've got, and Steve Colbert is the only person I can think of who would probably be able to rant right back at David Mitchell.
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GarandMarine

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #17 on: 23 Nov 2013, 12:54 »

Steven Colbert is an amateur at ranting. George Carlin might be gone, but Lewis Black is still alive.
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calenlass

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #18 on: 23 Nov 2013, 14:54 »

George Carlin would have been my pick, but I was trying to go with possible scenarios.

Also, I don't really find Lewis Black funny, but that's my personal preference.

How would Wanda Sykes do in a panel format?

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #19 on: 24 Nov 2013, 12:03 »

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Thrillho

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #20 on: 25 Nov 2013, 02:54 »

It's quite funny watching British panel shows when Americans show up, because at first they have NO idea what the fuck is going on.

Last night an episode of 8 out of 10 cats were on and Jason Segel was on the panel. I was slightly annoyed that the show largely resorted to really shitty piefucking jokes for the most part, but you could tell at first that Segel was completely lost 1. on what the fuck they were actually doing 2. how they were getting away with saying what they were saying on television.

He eventually got it and managed to be really funny, but it's amusing because in the US they seemingly just don't have this kind of show.
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #21 on: 25 Nov 2013, 03:27 »


Michelle Williams on Buzzcocks. First thing she says: what did I sign up for? Host: Franky Boyle ...
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #22 on: 25 Nov 2013, 03:31 »

The cultural differences can often make a mess of even the sharpest of people. Harry Shearer was on Buzzcocks once and was clearly completely lost. By contrast, David Hasselhoff was on 8 out of 10 Cats and earned about 1000 respect points from me, ditto when he was on Buzzcocks.
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #23 on: 25 Nov 2013, 03:49 »

Well, he's the Hoff. What do you expect from the Hoff?
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GarandMarine

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #24 on: 25 Nov 2013, 03:51 »

No one hassles the Hoff.
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #25 on: 25 Nov 2013, 04:07 »

GM - You do realize WLIIA? was a British Import, right?

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Re: Comedians
« Reply #26 on: 25 Nov 2013, 04:50 »

Yes, it was kinda my point considering the whole point of the thread is panel shows, that's really about as close as we get in the States.
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Re: Comedians
« Reply #27 on: 25 Nov 2013, 05:47 »

And that is way funny enough. Though I was always a fan of ComedySportz.
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