Unpopular Opinions

[tonyh29]

Get a lot of comedians at G-Live in Guildford so I tend to go see them , mainly to support my local venue but also as i enjoy a night out and a laugh 

 Simon Amstell , Josh Widdicomb & Jason Manford kinda told anecdotes rather than jokes and whilst entertaining and amusing, its like the equivalent of me relating the events of a lads weekend to people and events that we side splitting funny for those of us on the weekend , aren't so funny to others who weren't there 

Frankie Boyle  ... I like his comedy style but he just tried too hard and went OTT in a few of his sketches including one with someone recording the show that was supposed to be spontaneous, but appears to have been included in every show 

Milton jones,  Tim Vine & Gary Delaney  .. great for silly puns and laughing at stupid stuff .. then you leave the theatre and have forgotten 95% of the jokes  .. which is worrying at my age as they are one liners and I really should be able to remember  !! 

Paul Merton - If i could have had a refund I'd have taken it , 2 hours of my life i'll never get abck 

Jimmy Carr -  I still say he is one of the best on the circuit , it's quite clever comedy designed to be offensive, and he has quite a quick wit about him which adds to the experience when people feel the urge to shout out  

Russel Howard - ( few years back) the audience was full of whooping and hollering student types who gave him an ovation every time he said Trump was a word removed  .. I mean he's not wrong , but its lazy comedy , i want my comedians to work a bit harder than Trump observations every 30 seconds  .. its like going into the VT Tory thread and earning likes just for saying << insert tory here >> is a clearing in the woods , work harder for those likes folks 

 

 

[Rodders]

I've got back into stand up comedy after not watching any for years. Stewart Lee is so good. But also has a style that I can understand totally grates people. Gary Delaney is good fun too. It was quite funny watching a recording of the BBC Young Comedian of the Year show recently, the compere was fantastic, someone who's done that kind of warm up shit for years but presumably doesn't bother with touring himself. He just enjoyed the craic of chatting to people, being daft to get people laughing, without any planned routines. I do appreciate that relative spontaneity as much as the pre-planned thoughtful stuff.

But I will generally go for most things, from the Dave Allen stuff to Bill Bailey. Only stuff I dislike is really loud voiced comedians, those who think going louder makes it funnier. Sometimes I concede it works, but it cannot sustain a whole routine. Lee Evans, Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble types really get on my nerves. 

[Seat68]

My favourites are Chapelle, Stewart Lee, Joe Lycett and James Acaster. I like Bill Burr, Steve Hofstetter, Matteo Lane and Daniel Tosh. I could watch all of them all day. Masters of their craft. 

[villa4europe]

1 hour ago, MakemineVanilla said:

Could you give an example?

At the moment I'm watching a fair bit of dave chappelle on YouTube he can go too far with homophobia and transphobia buts he's good

In years past it would have been frankie Boyle but he threw it all away, also like Jimmy Carr, Chris rock, Jim jeffries, I'd say mickey Flanagan is the best UK comedian but it feels like a long time since he last did a show, not fussed by Gervais or Louis CK

Richard Pryor is the best ever imo

[Seat68]

6 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

At the moment I'm watching a fair bit of dave chappelle on YouTube he can go too far with homophobia and transphobia buts he's good

In years past it would have been frankie Boyle but he threw it all away, also like Jimmy Carr, Chris rock, Jim jeffries, I'd say mickey Flanagan is the best UK comedian but it feels like a long time since he last did a show, not fussed by Gervais or Louis CK

Richard Pryor is the best ever imo

Flanagan is about to or has recently done some new material shows so I expect him to announce a tour soon. 

[bobzy]

Always liked James Acaster, although I think he might be a bit "done" now.

[Mark Albrighton]

About 15 years ago, I used to go to the Glee club in the Arcadian every so often. Few times a year maybe. 

I enjoyed it for the most part. I think I prefer the set up of compère does 10 minutes, then first act on 20 minutes, compère, second act, compère, third act, compère says thanks and good night. 

I think I prefer the rhythm of it more than just 75 minutes of the same person standing there.

Never saw anyone particularly famous there. The closest I suppose was Andrew Maxwell, I don’t think he’s a household name but he’s the only one I saw there that I’ve seen on TV doing stuff.

Edit - No, just remembered Sean Walsh. He’s the most famous comedian I saw there. Maxwell moves to second place.

I remember one guy dying on stage (metaphorically). Really awkward. He started off alright, but something went wrong along the way and people just stopped laughing. He wasn’t even being heckled, it wasn’t a nasty atmosphere at all. It was more - ok we’re just marking time now until the next act, let’s move this along please.

He ended the set by saying something like “Well that’s it for me tonight, which I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear.” And then as the compère comes back on saying “Let’s hear it for X…” there’s just a polite ripple of applause. Somehow made it worse  

A very understated awkwardness to it all.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Mark Albrighton

[Follyfoot]

I think Carr is an up to date version of Bob Monkhouse

[villa4europe]

4 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

I think Carr is an up to date version of Bob Monkhouse

I'm not sure monkhouse would have told his mosquito joke

[KentVillan]

2 hours ago, Seat68 said:

My favourites are Chapelle, Stewart Lee, Joe Lycett and James Acaster. I like Bill Burr, Steve Hofstetter, Matteo Lane and Daniel Tosh. I could watch all of them all day. Masters of their craft. 

I like all the ones I've heard of here so will give the others a go.

3 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

Jimmy Carr -  I still say he is one of the best on the circuit , it's quite clever comedy designed to be offensive, and he has quite a quick wit about him which adds to the experience when people feel the urge to shout out  

Russel Howard - ( few years back) the audience was full of whooping and hollering student types who gave him an ovation every time he said Trump was a word removed  .. I mean he's not wrong , but its lazy comedy , i want my comedians to work a bit harder than Trump observations every 30 seconds  .. its like going into the VT Tory thread and earning likes just for saying << insert tory here >> is a clearing in the woods , work harder for those likes folks 

Jimmy Carr is very talented, but he enjoys getting cheap laughs from simpletons and words removed a bit too much. Feel like he dumbs down a lot of his material so he can sell out Whopperton Assembly Hall on a Wednesday.

Some of his conversations with other comedians are amazing, though. I loved this one:

As for Russell Howard, I know it's fashionable to pick on various comedians, but his success really baffles me.

His jokes are basically... shout loudly about a topical issue from a Guardian reader perspective... do a thick Bristol accent... throw in a tame wank / sex joke. Laugh with the audience. Throw in an unexpectedly poignant story.

Seems like a nice enough person, so whatever.

I like comedians who have funny bones. Just naturally funny whenever they say anything. Think Kevin Bridges and James Acaster are the best ones from the new generation.

[Ingram85]

I think at the present time Burr is the best in the world imo. Although if he could spend a little bit less time with mental people like Joe Rogan that would be nice. But yeah, at the top of his game and only Chappelle or Stewart Lee can touch him currently. Man is a genius. 

The one I’ve always been desperate to like is Mitch Hedberg. He seemed like such a likeable but lost soul. I love his performance and his manner, his delivery and approach is awesome but the end result just never hits with me. One for when you buzzed out of your head I wonder? 

[bickster]

There's a topic for Stand up comedy now, please use that

[Wainy316]

Granny Smith are the best apples

[HKP90]

2 minutes ago, Wainy316 said:

Yes, as you can see we've now moved on to a furious debate about apples that I've started.

I'm actually horribly allergic to apples, if that helps move things on?

[Seat68]

2 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

Granny Smith are the best apples

This is bullshit and you know it is, thats why its in this thread. Gala, bloody gala.

[bobzy]

1 minute ago, Seat68 said:

This is bullshit and you know it is, thats why its in this thread. Gala, bloody gala.

Pink Lady apples are the best.

[mjmooney]

25 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Pink Lady apples are the best.

These are what my wife chooses. 

I have no opinion, I don't eat fruit. 

[il_serpente]

On 01/12/2022 at 05:20, mjmooney said:

These are what my wife chooses. 

I have no opinion, I don't eat fruit. 

You would if you tasted a Granny Smith.  In fact, you’d divorce your wife for buying Pink Ladys and hang around the produce section eyeing women as they shop for apples and chatting up all the one picking out Granny Smiths.

[Xela]

On 01/12/2022 at 10:27, Wainy316 said:

Granny Smith are the best apples

There are unpopular opinions, and there is sheer lunacy. 

[mjmooney]

39 minutes ago, il_serpente said:

You would if you tasted a Granny Smith.  In fact, you’d divorce your wife for buying Pink Ladys and hang around the produce section eyeing women as they shop for apples and chatting up all the one picking out Granny Smiths.

Eh? I've eaten Granny Smith's (hold the Kenneth, there). Big deal. They're **** ing apples. Meh.