NationStates Jolt Archive

So a mere 25 mins left until I finish work early and get out for the IT Dept Xmas do, yep, yep we going to see Bill Bailey.

favourtite comedians peeps?

Dara O'Briain, Tommy Tiernan, Bill Bailey, Stephen Fry, Ed Byrne and Dylan Moran.

Enjoy the show! :D

Bill Bailey, Russell Howard, Dara O'Briain, Stephen Fry, Lee Evans.

Lewis Black

George Carling (may he rip), Frankie Boyle, Jimmy Carr, Dara O'Brien, Al Murray, Bill Hicks (may he rip) and so, so many others...

Frankie Boyle

Bill Bailey, Russell Howard, Dara O'Briain, Stephen Fry, Lee Evans.

Oh, forgot Lee Evans... he's funny. Though I wouldn't want front row tickets for one of his shows.

Oh, forgot Lee Evans... he's funny. Though I wouldn't want front row tickets for one of his shows.

Not even if they provided free towels? :tongue:

Frankie Boyle is a sickenly funny man, Stewart Lee, Bill Hicks, The Big Yin, and of course the under appreacted Jasper Carrot.

Frankie Boyle is a sickenly funny man, Stewart Lee, Bill Hicks, The Big Yin, and of course the under appreacted Jasper Carrot.

Oh, how could I forget! Brilliant.
Is he doing anything new, though? I've only seen best-offs on telly recently.

Not even if they provided free towels? :tongue:

I think I would still be slightly disgusted... it's amazing how he can sweat through the shoulder pads of his jacket.

Ron White

Oh, how could I forget! Brilliant.
Is he doing anything new, though? I've only seen best-offs on telly recently.

I do like Frankie Boyle. A friend of mine went to his live show the other day.

Tops on the list is Sam Kinneson, then George Carlin, Artie Lange, Eddie Murphy (pre Disney) Stephen Lynch, Dave Attel and Mitch Hedberg

Oh, and Neil Delamere. Which reminds me, I need to get tickets for that show...

George Carlin
Lewis Black
Bill Hicks
Eddie Izzard
Denis Leary
Chris Rock
Demitri Martin
Mitch Hedberg
Dan St. Paul
Richard Pryor
Bob & Tom
Carlos Mencia (early stuff)

George Carlin
Lewis Black
Bill Hicks
Eddie Izzard
Denis Leary
Chris Rock
Mitch Hedberg
Dan St. Paul
Richard Pryor
Bob & Tom
Carlos Mencia (early stuff)

How could I forget Eddie Izzard?!

Dara O'Briain, Tommy Tiernan, Bill Bailey, Stephen Fry, Ed Byrne and Dylan Moran.

Enjoy the show! :D

Ohh I will!:D

So a mere 25 mins left until I finish work early and get out for the IT Dept Xmas do, yep, yep we going to see Bill Bailey.

favourtite comedians peeps?

Fucking A! Bill Bailey is my favourite comedian! Michael McIntyre in second place I reckon, and Paul Merton third.

Your all on crack how can Sam Kinneson not be on the top of your list let alone not even mentioned?

Fucking A! Bill Bailey is my favourite comedian! Michael McIntyre in second place I reckon, and Paul Merton third.

Paul Merton? I've met him, he seems a ahh strange fellow, but I sorta liked him.

Your all on crack how can Sam Kinneson not be on the top of your list let alone not even mentioned?

Because all he really did was yell. He was a schtick-man, his comedy was actually fairly pedestrian.

Paul Merton? I've met him, he seems a ahh strange fellow, but I sorta liked him.

Indeed he is, but that's hardly unusual for a comedian. How did you meet him?

How could I forget Eddie Izzard?!

Especially given his usual clothing choices!

"Bloke in a dress!"

Dylan Moran, Frankie Boyle, Jack Dee, Stephen Fry, and Jimmy Carr.

Indeed he is, but that's hardly unusual for a comedian. How did you meet him?

Ohh at a gig, I work for TV land, so I get lots of special little oppertunities to do interesting stuff.:D

Dylan Moran, Frankie Boyle, Jack Dee, Stephen Fry, and Jimmy Carr.

I agree with this, minus Jimmy Carr. He's aright, but not amazing.

Ohh at a gig, I work for TV land, so I get lots of special little oppertunities to do interesting stuff.:D

That's pretty cool. Are you employed by the BBC?

I agree with this, minus Jimmy Carr. He's aright, but not amazing.

Depends. He was far better a few years ago when he wasn't employed as the generic, anodyne face of Channel 4.

Depends. He was far better a few years ago when he wasn't employed as the generic, anodyne face of Channel 4.

Actually he was a lot better when I saw him live compared to his Channel 4 crap, but then most comedians are much better live from my experience.

Ugh, most of you chumps have no taste. Louis CK, Stewart Lee, Patrice O Neal and Jimmy Carr is where its at.

Ugh, most of you chumps have no taste. Louis CK, Stewart Lee, Patrice O Neal and Jimmy Carr is where its at.

Your post contradicts itself far more than anything else I could post. Well done.

In fairness now, it doesn't really contradict itself. So you presumably like Lee Evans, Neil Delamere, Lenny Henry etc and rate them as the best? And your faves aren't too hot either Skeech.

Jeff Dunham, of course.

One of his best: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=1uwOL4rB-go
In the spirit of the season: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=bsHtNZzpzcI&feature=related

Bill Hicks
Richard Pryor
George Carlin
Steve Martin (stand up, early films)
Groucho Marx

No votes for Yakov Smirnoff? :p

Bill Hicks, Steven Wright, Bill Bailey, Jerry Sadowitz, Rich Hall

Most of my favorites have been said, but I'll trow up a few that haven't been said yet;

Robert Schimmel
Sam Kinison
Rodney Dangerfield
Robin Williams
Mark Gross

Also, George Carlin is my muse.

No votes for Yakov Smirnoff? :p

I'm just waiting for someone to say Dane Cook....

*pats baseball bat*

ho bill bailey, he's really good at his job.
I watched appollo (13?) performance (tv show) and i saw an Iranian woman on it, she was pretty sharp with her quips and subtle with the digs about suicide bombers, very good performance.
I enjoy "have i got news for you" show.

ho bill bailey, he's really good at his job.
I watched appollo (13?) performance (tv show) and i saw an Iranian woman on it, she was pretty sharp with her quips and subtle with the digs about suicide bombers, very good performance.
I enjoy "have i got news for you" show.

I remember that epidsode of the apollo. I didn't get to see the actual performers. Had to turn it off after 5 minutes because I just can't stand Al Murray.

Bill Cosby had some good stuff back in the day.

By the way, anyone who says Carlos Mencia should be banned for trolling. :tongue:

I remember that epidsode of the apollo. I didn't get to see the actual performers. Had to turn it off after 5 minutes because I just can't stand Al Murray.

i know he can be a bit crude in his jokes (stereotypical and just plain simple), but in the second half hour two very different comedians come on and they're pretty funny.

Les Dawson, Frankie Howerd, Harry Hill, Dave Allen, Rich Hall

Stephen Lynch, Mike Bibiglia, and Lewis Black.

Eddie Izzard.

Probably the only comedian I'd pay to see.

I'm just waiting for someone to say Dane Cook....

*pats baseball bat*You make me wanna punch a baby! :D

Who was it that did the Burger King song? I forgot. :$

You make me wanna punch a baby! :D

Who was it that did the Burger King song? I forgot. :$

Ding fries are done, ding fries are done...

Good times.

Ding fries are done, ding fries are done...

Good times.Would you like an apple pie with that?

Yes, good times. :)

Andreu Buenaventura and El neng de la Getafe.

Eddie Izzard.

Probably the only comedian I'd pay to see.

I saw him in New York last spring. He did a straight two and a half hour set, without stopping once for anything, even a glass of water, and kept the entire audience laughing for the entire 2 1/2 hour duration. By the end, I was tired from the effort it took to be almost rolling on the floor with laughter for that great a period of time.

Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia :rolleyes:

No, but seriously, George Carlin, Lewis Black, Bill Hicks, and a little of Doug Stanhope and David Cross. [Carlin esp.]

I saw him in New York last spring. He did a straight two and a half hour set, without stopping once for anything, even a glass of water, and kept the entire audience laughing for the entire 2 1/2 hour duration. By the end, I was tired from the effort it took to be almost rolling on the floor with laughter for that great a period of time.

I'm quite a big fan. Not normally much into comedy, per se - the only comedian I own any stage material by is Izzard - and I own all of his released DVD's so far. I would like to go see him, sometime.

Andy Kaufman. Richard Prior.
Some of the best comedians of all time, how come nobody mentioned them :(

And me.

George Carlin, Eddie Izzard, Chris Rock, Louie CK, Bill Burr, Patrice O'neil, Paul Mooney, Dave Chappelle, Lewis Black, and a few others.

IMO, Stewart Lee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr6aoCCcMfA&feature=related) is the funniest stand-up kicking around today, while Armando Iannucci (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0eExOkc8jk&feature=related) is the funniest working comedy writer.

Mark Watson, Jon Richardson, Daniel Kitson and Kristin Schall are all new(ish) comedians who make me chortle.
,
Then, of course, props to Chris Morris, Steve Coogan, Reeves & Mortimer, Eddie Izzard... and the ol' classics like Pryor, Carlin, Hicks, Bruce et al.

EDIT: Python.

Richard Prior should never have been overlooked on my list.

Frank Caliendo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK1ekhovFeU

No votes for Yakov Smirnoff? :p

In Soviet Russia, Yakov Smirnoff funny.

But, George Carlin and Bill Hicks, not because I find them particularly funny (which I do), but because they tell the truth. The Pythons for the funnies, "It's only a flesh wound!"

Richard Prior should never have been overlooked on my list.

Ohhh yeah I forgot about him!

That's pretty cool. Are you employed by the BBC?

Naaa for a TV production company.

Andreu Buenaventura and El neng de la Getafe.

Tell us a Spanish joke

Few Finnish comedians, Carlin, Chappelle and others.

Python, Steve Martin, Jasper Carrott, Stephen Lynch, Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan, Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Frankie Boyle, Dara O'Briain, Russell Howard, Hugh Dennis (ace lol) and of course... LG.

:p

Tell us a Spanish joke

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4068696193389385885
There's one by Andreu Buenafuente. I wonder if you'll get it though...:confused:

Richard Prior should never have been overlooked on my list.

Richard Prior should not be overlooked on any list.

I guess I'm the only one who lists myself as one of their favorite comedians?

I guess I'm the only one who lists myself as one of their favorite comedians?

I guess so, but tell us a joke and you may gain a fan!

So what was the funniest thing that Bill Bailey said last night? I hear you ask.

He was talking about music, and how inane lyrics without meaning wind him up.

He played a bit of a 'Killers' song, and sang along;

'I've got soul but I'm not a soldier, I've got soul but I'm not a soldier'

As an example of such, and said good song, the lyrics make no sense, you may as well have had:

'I've got ham, but I'm not a hamster, I've got ham, but I'm not a hamster'

I guess so, but tell us a joke and you may gain a fan!

May lose something in text but...

I got pulled over the other day for littering when I through an empty Yoohoo bottle out the car window into the ditch. So this big State Trooper. I mean big big big, he looked something like King Kong's love child. This huge trooper comes stalking up to the side of the car, he puts one ginormous paw on the top of my roof, and he says *deep deep voice* "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
I'm terrified of this guy... "Uhmm no Officer, what did I do? I was driving the speed limit and everything."
"I caught you littering."
"Littering?" *raised eyebrow*
"You threw this bottle of Yoohoo out the window about a mile back."
By this point, I am just trying to get this guy to leave, he looks like he wants to eat me or something, "Oh no officer, its not littering. I took the lid off."
"You took the lid off?"
"Mhmm, that's not littering. That's creating a habitat for small animals."

Or, something like it... I told that one a couple years back *shrugs*

That gag definitely lost something in translation :(

That gag definitely lost something in translation :(

I wouldn't worry about it. It reads like a gag which would be funny if it was told live so long as its told in the right way. Its kind of hard to capture the performance necessary in written text.

I wouldn't worry about it. It reads like a gag which would be funny if it was told live so long as its told in the right way. Its kind of hard to capture the performance necessary in written text.

Thanks.

And to clarify; when I said Myself I meant yourselves.

Aside from the ones already mentioned Rowan Atkinson. Though not for his Mr Bean stuff (at least not mainly).

So what was the funniest thing that Bill Bailey said last night? I hear you ask.

He was talking about music, and how inane lyrics without meaning wind him up.

He played a bit of a 'Killers' song, and sang along;

'I've got soul but I'm not a soldier, I've got soul but I'm not a soldier'

As an example of such, and said good song, the lyrics make no sense, you may as well have had:

'I've got ham, but I'm not a hamster, I've got ham, but I'm not a hamster'

That's on his new DVD, too. YouTube has made the English-speaking world so much smaller - it's great. :tongue: I loved his bit about the devil's interval and his doorbell chime.

Edit: As to comedians, I like storytellers rather than one-liner artists. Those are broad categories, and I'm not saying it all has to be Spalding Gray with me (though he was great) but a little depth is nice.

To add to the list, no one has mentioned Patton Oswalt yet, so him. The guy can go from sincere to gross-out in three seconds and likes to analyze commercials and popculture. His bit on Robert Evans alone should put him on the list. :p

I'd just like to register the fact that George Carlin has never ever ever ever been funny.

Stu Lee and Danny Kitson are the two best stand up comedians in the world.

I'd just like to register the fact that George Carlin has never ever ever ever been funny.

Stu Lee and Danny Kitson are the two best stand up comedians in the world.

Oh just wait until LG comes around. You poor poor man...

I am surprised that no one mentioned Julia Sweeney yet.

I am surprised that no one mentioned Julia Sweeney yet.

That might be because she's more of a light-hearted storyteller than a comedian. Closer to Garrison Keillor than a stand-up. Also, her voice grates on my nerves.

I'd just like to speak for myself and say that, in my opinion, George Carlin has never ever ever ever been funny.

Stu Lee and Danny Kitson are the two best stand up comedians in the world.

Fixed.

Dave Atell, Sean Rouse, George Carlin, Mitch Hedberg, Sam Kinnison (sp?)

to name a few.

Richard Prior should never have been overlooked on my list.

Neither should Richard Pryor have been (he's on mine).

Bill Cosby had some good stuff back in the day.

Absolutely.

By the way, anyone who says Carlos Mencia should be banned for trolling. :tongue:

Oh, learn some discrimination. Mencia's a parody of himself now, but listen to his CD Take a Joke, America. His early stuff (before the TV show) was well-targeted and very funny.

Oh, learn some discrimination. Mencia's a parody of himself now, but listen to his CD Take a Joke, America. His early stuff (before the TV show) was well-targeted and very funny.

I liked Mencia at first as well, but I can only take the same joke over and over again for so long...

Fixed.

Oh, I'm sorry, an old man ranting - maybe by telling people not to vote - is exactly the kind of thing to pay money to see and not at all the kind of thing that normally makes people move seats on the bus.

Oh, I'm sorry, an old man ranting - maybe by telling people not to vote - is exactly the kind of thing to pay money to see and not at all the kind of thing that normally makes people move seats on the bus.

Wow. One bit out of thousands. You disliked one bit. How very broad minded of you. :rolleyes:

I don't care if you disagree with his politics (and neither does he, being dead), but it's more than the material. The man's delivery and observational acumen were easily the sharpest of the lot while he was performing, and he was performing for nearly fifty years. You don't last that long in comedy without being funny. Perhaps it escaped your notice that thousands of people had indeed paid to hear him say exactly that, and laugh uproariously as a result. Think of it -- an unpopular opinion turned into comedy that thousands laugh at. Yeah, he got angry and ranty in the late 90s (something I got, as well, so perhaps his vehemence just spoke to me or something). But his last two recordings, Life Is Worth Losing and It's Bad For Ya, are excellent. At 70.

Sorry, but while your opinion is valid for your taste, your generalization is just plain wrong.

Wow. One bit out of thousands. You disliked one bit. How very broad minded of you. :rolleyes:

I don't care if you disagree with his politics (and neither does he, being dead), but it's more than the material. The man's delivery and observational acumen were easily the sharpest of the lot while he was performing, and he was performing for nearly fifty years. You don't last that long in comedy without being funny. Perhaps it escaped your notice that thousands of people had indeed paid to hear him say exactly that, and laugh uproariously as a result. Think of it -- an unpopular opinion turned into comedy that thousands laugh at. Yeah, he got angry and ranty in the late 90s (something I got, as well, so perhaps his vehemence just spoke to me or something). But his last two recordings, Life Is Worth Losing and It's Bad For Ya, are excellent. At 70.

Sorry, but while your opinion is valid for your taste, your generalization is just plain wrong.

By that logic we can't critisise any popular comedians - Dane Cook seems to be earning a decent crust and he's pretty much the go-to example for bad comedy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcr8dm9Prkk&feature=related

To me, that's just a load of hate. Miserable, divisive, nonsensical hate. Okay, it's just my taste and it's just my opinion but are you honestly telling me you think that's observant? What part of that opened your eyes?

So a mere 25 mins left until I finish work early and get out for the IT Dept Xmas do, yep, yep we going to see Bill Bailey.

favourtite comedians peeps?

Bill Hicks, Eddie Izzard, the Monty Pythons, Mel Brooks, Lewis Black, Jeff Dunham, and probably more.

By that logic we can't critisise any popular comedians - Dane Cook seems to be earning a decent crust and he's pretty much the go-to example for bad comedy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcr8dm9Prkk&feature=related

To me, that's just a load of hate. Miserable, divisive, nonsensical hate. Okay, it's just my taste and it's just my opinion but are you honestly telling me you think that's observant? What part of that opened your eyes?

Like I said, we disagree. Except on Dane Cook, who sucks.

Who said a comedian had to open anyone's eyes? "Lame white motherfuckers" pretending to be blues artists is a pet peeve of mine, too, and having Carlin expound on just how lame they are makes me laugh. Sorry if you can't get that.

You said you liked him because he's observant. I really find it hard to believe you're going to defend "White people! Don't dance!" as observant.

You said you liked him because he's observant. I really find it hard to believe you're going to defend "White people! Don't dance!" as observant.

Jesus Tapdancing Christ, man. You've posted ONE BIT out of THOUSANDS and expect me to abandon my point? Sorry, but first of all, the bit you posted IS NOT OBSERVATIONAL, it's COMMENTARY. He says "whites burned down black churches, so I propose blacks burn down the House of Blues", basically, and it's a proposition, not an observation. Kinda Jonathan Swift-like. He takes the basic premise: whites are more and more trying to adopt and co-opt black popular culture, and adds the exaggeration necessary to craft humor out of the premise.

I can't believe that I have to define comedy for you. It's not surprising that you don't dig Carlin, if you don't know the difference between an observation ("have you noticed that...") and commentary ("man, that sucks"). An observation of Carlin's would me more along the lines of "have you noticed that many of the people who are against abortion are people you wouldn't wanna fuck in the first place? There's such balance in nature...".

I'm sorry you don't like Carlin, but you're utterly incapable of stopping those who do from continuing to do so. You've stated your opinion, I've stated mine. Let's just shrug, stop debating taste and get on with life, k?

Jay Leno, Jeff Dunham (famous for Achmed the dead Terrorist), Jeff Foxworthy (You might be a redneck if...) and Bill Engvall (here's your sign).

One can be observant without being observational.

But as far as the "one bit out of thousands" that was your response to the first bit. I bet I could go through his entire library of stuff (including the bit where he doesn't know what an average is when he's yelling about stupid people) and you'd keep it up.

And of course I don't think I'm going to change your mind but this is NSG, a place where people debate stuff pointlessly. But you're being very defensive - if you'd engaged with it a little more it might not have been pointless. One (or both!) of us could have enlightened the other and that would have been nice.

But give up, be defeatist - George Carlin would be proud. And don't vote neither

Sometimes I feel odd putting in these little disclaimers but what the hey.

I am only teasing with that comment

Jeff Dunham isn't funny if you're older than 10. Wow, jokes about terrorists, edgy, he wants to kill you etc.

Stephen Colbert, and everyone from the Daily Show!

Jeff Dunham isn't funny if you're older than 10. Wow, jokes about terrorists, edgy, he wants to kill you etc.

Then I'm a 9 year old. I like Dunham's jokes quite a lot. Especially when Howard (if that's the name of the old man puppet) decided to run for the 2008 Presidential elections and even answered questions from the public.

Howard Stern. How many other comedians make $100,000,000 a year?

Then I'm a 9 year old. I like Dunham's jokes quite a lot. Especially when Howard (if that's the name of the old man puppet) decided to run for the 2008 Presidential elections and even answered questions from the public.

Walter.

(Erm... probably. I wouldn't know, I'm too old.)

I'd like to make the heaviest strictures possible against Peter "ignorant, unfunny, proletarian northern lout" Kay. Absolute prize-A fuckwit.

http://blog.ugo.com/images/uploads/watchmen_smiley.gif

So a mere 25 mins left until I finish work early and get out for the IT Dept Xmas do, yep, yep we going to see Bill Bailey.

favourtite comedians peeps?

BILL BAILEY!!! he's my favourite :D you lucky sod, you

also love Dara O'brian, Russel Howard, Rich Hall, Big Yin, Mike Wilmot, Richard Pryor, erm... probably more i'm forgetting... (edit: like George Carlin, Punt & Dennis... Linda Smith... Dylan Moran...)

i quite like my comedians, me >.>

BILL BAILEY!!! he's my favourite :D you lucky sod, you

also love Dara O'brian, Russel Howard, Rich Hall, Big Yin, Mike Wilmot, Richard Pryor, erm... probably more i'm forgetting... (edit: like George Carlin, Punt & Dennis... Linda Smith... Dylan Moran...)

i quite like my comedians, me >.>

Surprised not to see Eddie Izzard on this list. I'd have thought you'd have liked him.

I also had you figured for Monty Python, Paul Merton, and Jack Dee. Shows what I know.

I bet I could go through his entire library of stuff
I bet you couldn't!

Surprised not to see Eddie Izzard on this list. I'd have thought you'd have liked him.

I also had you figured for Monty Python, Paul Merton, and Jack Dee. Shows what I know.
well first off, i have liked what i've seen of Izzard, but i haven't seen enough. i'll take a look on youtube tomorrow (2:20am is supposed to be sleep time, i think :$)
and secondly, yeah... i left those lot off my list :p

though i'm not actually that big a fan of Python. bits of it, yeah, but i guess its a bit tired and it always felt kinda clique-y (probably because friends of mine liked it tonnes and would quote it endlessly)

oh, i should also add Rik Mayall on my list

well first off, i have liked what i've seen of Izzard, but i haven't seen enough. i'll take a look on youtube tomorrow (2:20am is supposed to be sleep time, i think :$)
and secondly, yeah... i left those lot off my list :p

though i'm not actually that big a fan of Python. bits of it, yeah, but i guess its a bit tired and it always felt kinda clique-y (probably because friends of mine liked it tonnes and would quote it endlessly)

oh, i should also add Rik Mayall on my list

Eddie Izzard is great to see live. I saw him on his "sexies" tour. He amount of topics he covers in two hours is mind boggling, but hysterical nontheless.

One can be observant without being observational.

But as far as the "one bit out of thousands" that was your response to the first bit. I bet I could go through his entire library of stuff (including the bit where he doesn't know what an average is when he's yelling about stupid people) and you'd keep it up.

And of course I don't think I'm going to change your mind but this is NSG, a place where people debate stuff pointlessly. But you're being very defensive - if you'd engaged with it a little more it might not have been pointless. One (or both!) of us could have enlightened the other and that would have been nice.

But give up, be defeatist - George Carlin would be proud. And don't vote neither

Sometimes I feel odd putting in these little disclaimers but what the hey.

I am only teasing with that comment

Right. Like I was going to enlighten someone who can't seem to grasp that even two, yes two, out of thousands of bits is still anything BUT satisfactory support for your point. By all means, comb Carlin's repertoire and tell me what's wrong with each set piece. You'll be wrong every time because you seem to think a comedian has to "enlighten" his audience. Sometimes he does, but that's not the ultimate goal. It's laughter. And unless you're watching Carlin with the sound off using closed captions, you hear thunderous roars of laughter at his gigs.

Face it -- YOU don't like him. That's fine and all, because it'd be odd for everyone to like any one person's work, but when you try to magnify that into somehow making that Carlin's fault instead of your own simple disposition, you expose yourself as a narrow-minded solipsist trying to seem somehow more important than you are by slagging a famous name.

http://blog.ugo.com/images/uploads/watchmen_smiley.gif

Ha! THE Comedian.

Ha! THE Comedian.

Are you optimistic about the upcoming film adaption?

Right. Like I was going to enlighten someone who can't seem to grasp that even two, yes two, out of thousands of bits is still anything BUT satisfactory support for your point. By all means, comb Carlin's repertoire and tell me what's wrong with each set piece. You'll be wrong every time because you seem to think a comedian has to "enlighten" his audience. Sometimes he does, but that's not the ultimate goal. It's laughter. And unless you're watching Carlin with the sound off using closed captions, you hear thunderous roars of laughter at his gigs.

I'm not saying a comedian has to enlighten audience but you said that you like him because he's ovservant. So at some point through that process of going through everything he's ever done we'd come across something that you'd defend as being enlightening or observant or whathaveyou and that would be interesting to me. Maybe if you had engaged rather than immediately gone on the defensive then you would have picked out something he's done that was interesting and original and thought provoking and that could have turned our conversation into something interesting.

Face it -- YOU don't like him. That's fine and all, because it'd be odd for everyone to like any one person's work, but when you try to magnify that into somehow making that Carlin's fault instead of your own simple disposition, you expose yourself as a narrow-minded solipsist trying to seem somehow more important than you are by slagging a famous name.

I guess we should give up trying to explain why we like or dislike things. I don't like Dane Cook and I'm quite prepared to articulate why. I doubt anyone would accuse me of being "a narrow-minded solipsist trying to seem somehow more important than you are by slagging a famous name."

Not a single vote for Carrot Top - there is hope for humanity after all.

Walter.

(Erm... probably. I wouldn't know, I'm too old.)

Yes, that. :p

So at some point through that process of going through everything he's ever done we'd come across something that you'd defend as being enlightening or observant or whathaveyou and that would be interesting to me.
Why don't you look up his classic "Baseball vs. Football" and tell us if you don't find anything funny, or at least observant?

Why don't you look up his classic "Baseball vs. Football" and tell us if you don't find anything funny, or at least observant?

To me it is at best a mildly diverting piece, sort of like a well-performed live action version of an above average chain e-mail. But I didn't find it funny - personal taste, we can agree to disagree. As far as the observant thing? I'd have to politely disagree with you there too.

However, unlike the example that I brought up, it wasn't a nasty piece. It's that section of his work that leads me to write him off, I don't care about the rest of the stuff one way or the other.

Hmm, turns out that wasn't as interesting as I'd promised. Oops.

Are you optimistic about the upcoming film adaption?

I'm rarely optimistic when Hollywood goes graphic novel. Holding out hope is the best I can do.

I'm not saying a comedian has to enlighten audience but you said that you like him because he's observant. So at some point through that process of going through everything he's ever done we'd come across something that you'd defend as being enlightening or observant or whathaveyou and that would be interesting to me.

But it's not all about you. You didn't come in here and say "I THINK" Carlin is bad. You said (paraphrasing) "Carlin is bad". Why should I have to convince you of something you're already set against? You know the man's name, you know the man's medium. If you need convincing, do it yourself. I'm not about to recommend anything to someone prepared to not like it just to defend his opinion.

I've watched Dane Cook. I actually laughed at one bit (coming home from cheating to have the house itself accuse you), but most of it was braggodocio and telegraphy.

Maybe if you had engaged rather than immediately gone on the defensive then you would have picked out something he's done that was interesting and original and thought provoking and that could have turned our conversation into something interesting.

Maybe if my grandmother had been born with wheels, she'd have been a wagon. "Interesting and original" to me is CLEARLY vastly different than it is to you. Maybe if YOU had come in with a clearly articulated opinion that you attributed to your own taste rather than just pissing on someone that others like just to be edgy and deliberately contrary (or whatever possesses people to say things like that), I wouldn't have had anything to defend. Like I said, peoples tastes can't be argued. Generalizations MUST be.

You do realize that "interesting conversation" isn't just up to one conversant, right? Next time, instead of Bullinchinashopping your way into a thread, you might remember that taste is personal, not universal. I could bring up any number of the examples I wanted ("The Ten Commandments", "The Sanctity of Life", "Things You Never Hear", "Children (They're Not All Cute...)", "Rockets and Penises in the Persian Gulf"), and all you have to say is "not observant". Why the hell would I bother wasting my time against that bullshit?

Sorry, brother, but if you had wanted a thesis or dissertation about why I like Carlin, you should have asked for one.

The man has a gift for analogy, wordplay, looking at things from unorthodox perspectives, he's unafraid of either convention or propriety, he believes that anything can be funny if seen from the proper angle, he's a human sound effects machine (or was when he was younger), says things in his routines that many people think about but wouldn't be able to articulate (and says them cleverly and humorously), broke many taboos in his career when he decided to stop doing schtick and start being himself, he stood up against censorship and the attempt to control language by setting it free.

Now, you can say "no he doesn't" to any of those, and I've just wasted my time. You claim that I shouldn't have been defensive? I claim that you should choose your approach more carefully. It seems that you think you're deserving of some kind of respect just for posting and that "interesting conversation" is something you get to chide others about. You are mistaken.

I guess we should give up trying to explain why we like or dislike things. I don't like Dane Cook and I'm quite prepared to articulate why. I doubt anyone would accuse me of being "a narrow-minded solipsist trying to seem somehow more important than you are by slagging a famous name."

And if you did so state your preference as YOUR PREFERENCE, I'd never even have to hear your dissertation. As you're posting now, my accusation stands.

To me it is at best a mildly diverting piece, sort of like a well-performed live action version of an above average chain e-mail. But I didn't find it funny - personal taste, we can agree to disagree. As far as the observant thing? I'd have to politely disagree with you there too.

Name the comedian who'd made that comparison before Carlin. You can't. Nobody did. You have the ability to compare that bit to a "chain email" because chain emails EXIST NOW. That bit was written in the 70s. You don't seem to understand that comedians sometimes grow and progress in their careers. Sometimes the progression takes them to happy places, and sometimes it takes them to dark places. Hence Carlin's anger in the 90s up to his two most recent recordings.

I would much rather see someone change and grow over time that do the same jokes over and over. There's a reason why you don't see Andrew Dice Clay much anymore, why Stephen Wright isn't the name he used to be, and why Yakov Smirnoff's one-trick schtick became an internet meme.

However, unlike the example that I brought up, it wasn't a nasty piece. It's that section of his work that leads me to write him off, I don't care about the rest of the stuff one way or the other.

Ah, so one part of an entire career spanning nerly 50 years invalidates the whole career, does it? Sorry. I can't argue logically or patiently with someone who thinks like that. If you can't be bothered to do anything but get offended or write off someone for one album (and I don't think you've actually listened to a whole album -- another part of your problem, if your'e getting just individual bits off YouTube), your opinion isn't worth the electricity it takes to turn it into pixels.

Not a single vote for Carrot Top - there is hope for humanity after all.

I don't even think carrot top would vote for himself.



Or Gallagher for that matter.