The comedy gang

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Has it always been like this? There are a number of comedy panel shows on the BBC and Channel 4 with various formats and rules, etc., but all of them rotate the same group of around 20 comedians. I enjoy these shows and have done for a long time, but is anyone else a little worried that they're majorly running out of steam?

http://twitter.com/RealDMitchell/status/13002951673

The guests for tonight's WILTY recording are @serafinowicz, @Jason_Manford, Ruth Jones and Jack Dee.
— David Mitchell (@RealDMitchell) April 28, 2010

Anyone?

Was it like this in the 80s, for example? I was only born in '85, so I don't know if this is a cyclical thing or completely new. There were plenty of panel shows in the 80s that I can think of, but were they frequented by a similar gang of comedians?

Malabelm · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 13:26

Wogan'sTrouserBulge wrote:

Anyone?

I don't get too fed up most of the time, though it's definitely noticeable. Mock the Week takes it way too far, mind, giving them the perfect environment just to test out their live material and bully the real guests into sitting there in silence.

ApplePieOfDestiny · **Joined:** 17th Dec, 2008 **Posts:** 8293

If you consider BBC, they definately have a 'Roster', official or otherwise. Which isn't that big a surprise - every BBC Radio comedy recording that I've applied for tickets for has the same woman down as the producer, who in the couple of cases that I went to the recording, claims to have 'discovered' the comedian concerned.

Wullie · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 6183

I'd say the bigger problem is that most of the panel shows are shite.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

See, most of the good panel shows I think would be far better just dropping the format and having an interesting, produced discussion about the topics.

Like, HIGNFY is probably the best of them, and the quiz format largely pointless. Same goes for You have been watching.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

I wasn't really including HIGNFY, because that's not only consistently good, but doesn't have Jason Manford and Russell Howard on it every other week. Plus, it's been around a lot longer than all of them. It's in a different circle it seems.

The ones I'm talking about are the likes of Mock the Week and 8 out of 10 Cats which seems to be a bunch of comedians who've all came to prominence at pretty much the same time, and are basically coming up with new panel show ideas every six months or so and inviting their chums onto them. They've got a little back-slapping gang going on, and they're all creaming appearance fees from it.

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 16:42

Wogan'sTrouserBulge wrote:

but doesn't have Jason Manford and Russell Howard on it every other week.

There are still some that pop up more than others, though: http://epguides.com/HaveIGotNewsforYou/

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Oh, definitely, but not from the group I'm referring to. I mean, there are only so many genuinely funny political commentators, so their selection pool is limited, but anyone could go on 8 out of 10 Cats and its ilk.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

I must add again that I do genuinely enjoy watching these programmes most of the time, at least from a comforting-light-entertainment kind of perspective. It's just a bit boring to see the same faces six times a week on six different panel shows.

Malabelm · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 16:48

LewieP wrote:

See, most of the good panel shows I think would be far better just dropping the format and having an interesting, produced discussion about the topics.

I quite enjoy Great Unanswered Questions when it's on, for this very reason, but it wouldn't work for every show.

Wullie · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 6183

LewieP wrote:

Like, HIGNFY is probably the best of them, and the quiz format largely pointless.

ISIHAC is the best of them, followed by Just A Minute & then HIGNFY

Grim... wrote:

There are still some that pop up more than others, though: http://epguides.com/HaveIGotNewsforYou/

Yeah, like fucking Paul Merton. He's always on Just A Minute too. I like Paul Merton though.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

Oh sure, I know it is not the same group. Reg D Hunter can be on it as many times as he wants.

zaphod79 · **Joined:** 16th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14512

Wullie wrote:

ISIHAC is the best of them

Recording for the next series starts on the 30th April (details below - if any of the shows are in your region I can recommend going to see it 'Live')

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

I bring news of the first recording in the Spring series of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue'.

We will be recording the programme on the evening on Friday 30th April at the Centaur in Cheltenham.

The Centaur is a large venue located within Cheltenham Racecourse. This is the address of the venue: The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Prestbury Pk, Cheltenham GL50 4SH, Tel. 01242 539 538.

We'll be performing two editions of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The shows will be hosted by Jack Dee, and the panellists will be Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Jeremy Hardy, with Colin Sell at the piano. The evening starts at 7.30pm (door open 6.45pm) and should be finished around 10.15pm. It contains one 20 minute interval.

Tickets cost £9.50, £7.50 and £6 and will be obtainable via the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham from 10am on Monday 19th April. These are the box office details:

For those wishing to pay for tickets in person, the Everyman's address is: Everyman Theatre, Regent St, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ For those wishing to book by phone, The Everyman Box Office phone number is 01242 572573.
For those wishing to book online, the website address is http://www.everymantheatre.org.uk <http://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/>
A direct link to the page just for the show will become active at 10am on Monday 19th April and is: https://tickets.everymantheatre.org.uk/ ... hcode=2274

The Everyman box office is open Mon - Fri 9.30am - 8.30pm, though tickets won't be on sale for the show until 10am on Monday 19th April.

Tickets are limited to no more than four per applicant. They will be advertised only to subscribers to this newsletter and the 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' mailing list until Tuesday 20th April, so book early to avoid disappointment!

sinister agent · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 7046

Wullie wrote:

I'd say the bigger problem is that most of the panel shows are shite.

Hignfy is the only one worth bothering with these days. I think dropping the quiz aspect would be a mistake, though - nobody gives a toss about the quiz, but that's why it's funny - they end up discussing whatever comes up because it's interesting or funny, not because they have to. It basically frames the conversation better than explicitly telling people to have a conversation would.

Hignfy also has a great strength in that Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are a perfect combination. They both have their 'thing' (hislop's dry satire and merton's deadpan surrealism), but are amiable and flexible enough to meet in the middle.

But everyone already knows that. The rest of the shows though, just strike me as trying way too hard. Mock the Week in particular has never worked for me. Everything about it from the set design to the theme to the names and nature of the 'rounds' is just so forced and put on it hurts, and 90% of what the panels say is excruciatingly rehearsed and barely removed from flopping their genitals on the desk and cranking one out.

Also, HIGNFY has actual people on. Not just comedians or 'celebrities', but actual people with political interests - doctors, MPs, lords, writers, all sorts. And we're back to HIGNFY again. I don't know why they even bother trying to make these new ones.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

You know, they should totally have Angus back on as a guest host just for once.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Na, he's a cunt.

Plissken · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 19:26

The panellists all share the same management company, so it is fairly easy to say X isn't available for the show, but Y is. (Generally Avalon) Then once they have been on once or twice, they get put into the pool. See Reg D Hunter.

However, a lot of the comics have been slogging the circuit for years without recognition, the likes of John Bishop and Jason Manford have been around for a decade. I'm pleased that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

The downside is that talent like Jason Cook find it very, very difficult to break in to that level - and I know he is a friend and are biased - but Jase would absolutely rip up some of these shows. You'd think that with the Doctor Who hype, Toby Hadoke would have got much more exposure (BTW, if you have ever fallen in love with any TV show, you really ought to treat yourself to Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf. Not just about DW, but about love of sci-fi and TV in general.)

MTW is, and always has been, cobbled together from other shows. Mainly "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", which is kind of ironic considering WLIIA was all about improvisation and MTW is the opposite.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Yeah, but, Jason Manford? Slogging for 50 years isn't going to make him any funnier. He's a poor man's Peter Kay, and that definitely isn't a good thing.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

I remember the guy who Plays Mcnulty in the wire being a really good host on hignfy

Derek The Halls · **Joined:** 31st Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3742

I would be quite happy to never see Jason Manford ever again. Reg can be on any time he likes. Hopefully every episode of everything ever.

Plissken · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 19:40

Manford just does normal, non-edgy "have you ever noticed" stuff. Like, say, Michael McIntyre.

He's much better live, and should make a decent presenter given a bit of time. Lets face it, if Russell Howard can have his own show despite having the stage presence of a mop...

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 19:40

Of the quizzes I've seen.

Mock the week comes across as terribly fake, forced and unfunny.
That thing about cats/surveys/whatever it was was even worse.
QI has got very tired.
HIGNFY is, as ever, funny.

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 19:48

LewieP wrote:

You know, they should totally have Angus back on as a guest host just for once.

It would be awesome.

sinister agent · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 7046

Grim... wrote:

LewieP wrote:

You know, they should totally have Angus back on as a guest host just for once.

It would be awesome.

Trouble is, I'd imagine the other two would refuse to go on. Particularly Paul. He obviously never liked him, there was genuine contempt there, not just matey ribbing.

chinnyhill10 · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 15695

Ever wondered why you often get some unfunny nobody on comedy panel shows? It's because the management companies will bundle celebrities together. So if you take big star A, you must also use unfunny nobody B at some stage during the series.

chinnyhill10 · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 15695

Nirejhenge wrote:

I would be quite happy to never see Jason Manford ever again. Reg can be on any time he likes. Hopefully every episode of everything ever.

Holy moses, this is the prick who stood in for Danny Baker a few weeks back when he went on holiday. If a radio legend is going on holiday at least make the effort!

Malabelm · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 20:07

It's a shame Mock the Week is shite. I do genuinely like Dara O'Briain, or however you spell his name.

Plissken · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 20:10

chinnyhill10 wrote:

Ever wondered why you often get some unfunny nobody on comedy panel shows? It's because the management companies will bundle celebrities together. So if you take big star A, you must also use unfunny nobody B at some stage during the series.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Michael McIntyre got his big break.

Wullie · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 6183

Plissken wrote:

chinnyhill10 wrote:

Ever wondered why you often get some unfunny nobody on comedy panel shows? It's because the management companies will bundle celebrities together. So if you take big star A, you must also use unfunny nobody B at some stage during the series.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Michael McIntyre got his big break.

I wish he'd break his neck.

Plissken · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 20:16

Actually, it was because of the Ross/Brand thing. So we all lost, really.

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

Merton and Hislop is up there as one of the better comedy pairings ever for me, and Merton in particular has a bit of a unique gift when it comes to comedy, there's no-one else has his wit with surrealism. Marcus Brigstocke I remember from clubs ten years ago, a really nice guy and is just now getting the coverage he deserves, while Chris Addison is underused compared to a good many inferior sorts.

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:25

There's something weird going on in this thread. It refuses to believe I've read it all.

MaliA · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:28

I quite liked Michael Macintyre when I saw him in Newbury last year.

chinnyhill10 · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 15695

Plissken wrote:

chinnyhill10 wrote:

Ever wondered why you often get some unfunny nobody on comedy panel shows? It's because the management companies will bundle celebrities together. So if you take big star A, you must also use unfunny nobody B at some stage during the series.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Michael McIntyre got his big break.

He has a face I would never tire of punching.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:30

I wouldn't stop you.

Malabelm · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:32

Grim... wrote:

There's something weird going on in this thread. It refuses to believe I've read it all.

It's GovernmentYard's post, which apparently happened but was never visible.

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:43

Grim... wrote:

There's something weird going on in this thread. It refuses to believe I've read it all.

See the Halo thread... it's visible in the reply history.

GovernmentYard wrote:

Merton and Hislop is up there as one of the better comedy pairings ever for me, and Merton in particular has a bit of a unique gift when it comes to comedy, there's no-one else has his wit with surrealism. Marcus Brigstocke I remember from clubs ten years ago, a really nice guy and is just now getting the coverage he deserves, while Chris Addison is underused compared to a good many inferior sorts.

Malabelm · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:54

GovernmentYard wrote:

Merton and Hislop is up there as one of the better comedy pairings ever for me, and Merton in particular has a bit of a unique gift when it comes to comedy, there's no-one else has his wit with surrealism. Marcus Brigstocke I remember from clubs ten years ago, a really nice guy and is just now getting the coverage he deserves, while Chris Addison is underused compared to a good many inferior sorts.

I do think they work brilliantly together on that show. They're completely different so never fight for the same jokes, but yet both manage to find common ground and laugh at eachother. It'd be a damn shame if one decided to leave.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

What's going on?!! Argh! I've been insulted in the Halo thread but I can't see it!

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 14:18

Mr Dave wrote:

Grim... wrote:

There's something weird going on in this thread. It refuses to believe I've read it all.

See the Halo thread... it's visible in the reply history.

GovernmentYard wrote:

Merton and Hislop is up there as one of the better comedy pairings ever for me, and Merton in particular has a bit of a unique gift when it comes to comedy, there's no-one else has his wit with surrealism. Marcus Brigstocke I remember from clubs ten years ago, a really nice guy and is just now getting the coverage he deserves, while Chris Addison is underused compared to a good many inferior sorts.

Hmm. I don't know what's going on there.
If I had to guess I'd say that Curiosity cancelled the post, but forgot to tell anybody.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 15:47

Arf.

I think QI is the worst for having the same people on over and over again.

I don't think I've seen an episode in years that didn't have one of:

Rich Hall
Jo Brand
Phil Jupitus
Bill Bailey
Sean Lock
Clive Anderson

on it.

NervousPete · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 15:48

Someone give Rich Hall a new show, please. Fishing Report was awesome.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

Sean Lock is pretty wasted on QI I think too.

GazChap · **Posted:** Thu Apr 29, 2010 17:21

I like Sean Lock as much as the next man, but his appearances on QI are usually godawful.

There was an episode of QI last series (I think) that had Ben Miller on it. The guy was clearly a genius of some description, talking about astrophysics and various other Quite Interesting topics and the other panellists (including Lock, if I remember rightly) ripped into him for being a geek and a nerd. Finally QI had a guest on who could actually say things that were worthy of the show's name, and they ridiculed him.

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

Curiosity wrote:

Rich Hall
Jo Brand
Phil Jupitus
Bill Bailey
Sean Lock
Clive Anderson

Out of that lot, I'd only be sad if I never saw Jupitus on there again. I thought Clarkson was a great option the other week, but then again I always like him. The best panellists are the ones who can do spontaneouos things, even judicious editing of the scripted bits don't have the same impact as one well timed 'lightbulb' moment from a Merton, Clarkson or Jupitus.

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