Friday, 12 December 2008

Animated Conversation

Animation is not just for kids, folks. I mean there was a time when that was the case...Bugs Bunny and Porkie Pig didn't really appeal that much to adults. But Bugs and Porkie are gone, long gone (apart from those rubbish looney toons movies that pop up every now and again). Today's cartoons are adult, offensive and very very funny!

The Simpsons

There's a reason that this show has been on for 20 years and produced over 400 episodes. There's a reason why you can say "D'oh" to anybody, anywhere in the world, and they'll understand what you're getting at. The Simpsons is brilliant. Yes, the show had an iffy five minutes somewhere around the 12th season mark, but hey, we all make mistakes right? The most recent episodes and the long awaited movie have both been brilliant and reminded us just why we fell in love with the show in the first place.


Family Guy

Some might consider its random flashbacks as lazy writing....others may say that the show is just a rip off of The Simpsons...all I know is that it's damn funny, gloriously offensive, instantly quotable and so popular that it was brought back from cancellation TWICE! Watch it, and bask in how dirty you feel afterwards!


Futurama

I remember how disappointed I was when I heard Futurama was going to be cancelled. The show was just beginning to build up steam, with funny moment after funny moment and so many classic episodes. The only problem with Futurama was the dreadful and completely laugh free first season, which put the show on borrowed time. But, much like Family Guy before it, huge public support brought the show back from the grave with 4 DVD movies on the way and (if we keep our fingers crossed) a possible brand new season after that as well. For Futurama, the future's looking bright.


Video Courtesy of youtube.com (user foxabulous)
Photos Courtesy of cartoonary.com and tv.com

A-Z of comedy (or as close to Z as possible)


A - Ab Fab - Hit sitcom starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley
B - Bill Bailey - A self confessed hippy comic
C - Charlie Chaplin - One of the defining faces of British comedy
D - Dara O' Briain - Irish comic and host of Mock the Week
E - Extras - Ricky Gervais' hit comedy starring anyone and everyone
F - Friends - Surely you don't need info about this one
G - Goodness Gracious Me - Possibly the first and most successful Asian sitcom
H - Have I Got News For You - BBC panel show using the news for comedy
I - I'm Alan Partridge - Steve Coogan plays the failed television presenter
J - Jeeves and Wooster - Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry do PG Wodehouse
K - Kath and Kim - Australian comedy
L - Life of Brian - The Python's most famous work
M - Michael McIntyre - Fantastically British middle class comedian
N - Nighty Night - Sitcom about a 27 year-old woman with a lust for life
O - Only Fools and Horses - DelBoy and Rodney, need I say more
P - Porridge - Prison based BBC sitcom starring Ronnie Barker
Q - QI - Panel show presented by Stephen Fry with regular Alan Davies
R - Ricky Gervais - Award winning creator of The Office and Extras
S - The Simpsons - Matt Groening's famous yellow family
T - The Two Ronnies - Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett's favourite moments
U -
V - Vicar of Dibley - Dawn French's famous fat vicar Geraldin Grager
W - Whose line is it anyway? - Improvised comedy show in the USA and UK
X -
Y - The Young Ones - Lives up to the stereotype that students are disgusting
Z - Zoolander - A model is brainwashed to kill the president of Malaysia

Images courtesy of: Sodahead.com, digiatllobsessed.com, Tvscoop.com

Fonejacker reviewed

(picture source: http://www.webtvhub.com/)

It is one of the most common and popular pranks everyone has done at one stage in their lives but it is still entertaining and fun every time to listen to people making fools of themselves. The British Iranian television actor Kayvan Novak made a show of it. A show that is not necessarily everyone's cup of tea, that some may even find childish and unoriginal. But also a show that has won the BAFTA award for the "Best Comedy Programme" in 2008.

Fonejacker first appeared in May 2006. The first series started in the UK on 5th July 2007 on Channel 4 and consisted of six episodes. The second series began 17th September 2008 on E4 and 6th November 2008 on Channel 4. DVDs were also released of both series on 8th October 2007 and 27th October 2008.

Recurring characters - some examples:

Mr Doovde - the first character seen on Fonejacker: An illiterate fan of electrical goods, who mistakes abbreviations for actual words like for example he pronounces HMV "Hoomv", DVD "Doovde" and VHS "Vhurs".

Charlie Wong: Leader of the Chinese DVD Gang. He is part of a group of illegal, obese Chinese students who try to buy and sell on as much dodgy DVD copies as possible. He ends every conversation with "You want to buy DVD?".

Dufrais Constantinople: One of those guys who always finds something to complain about and calls any information and customer services hotline. He always has difficulty spelling out his name using words, annoyingly slowly and hesitant: "D for Donald/Derrick, U for up, R for raspberry, A for apple, I for is and S for stratosphere."

Steve: A young Scouse male, who is remarkably similar to Steven Gerrard. He calls here, there and everywhere from prison looking for a job, listing his work experience as a babysitter for his drug addict sister's children and cooking in the prison kitchen. 

My First Live Stand Up

I must admit that before this week I had never watched a stand up performance from a comedian either live or on DVD. But when writing this blog I felt that I should try to embrace all aspects of comedy so last night I sat down and watched Ricky Gervais Politics on DVD.

I have never been a great fan of Ricky Gervais type of comedy, from
The Office to Extras, the style of comedy just does not appeal to me. So when I started to watch his performance I was sceptical over whether I would enjoy it. 

From the opening video Gervais makes jokes about controversial topics, from sweatshops to sex and orphans. 

One reviewer said "Politics is essentially an excuse for Gervais to poke fun at any target that takes his fancy in the most politically incorrect way he can."

Gervais talked a lot about his childhood and one of the more funny parts of the performance was when Gervais talked about fables. He questioned the morals of stories like Jack and Jill and The Boy who cried, where he claimed the moral of the story is not to tell the same lie twice.    
At times his jokes are funny and make me smile but whilst watching the DVD I did not laugh out loud. Even though I do have criticisms of Gervais' Politics I must admit that he bravely takes serious and risky topics and makes them funny.   

After reflecting on my first live stand up I was neither disappointed or impressed, it was pretty much what I expected. Though at times I found Gervais funny in the future I wouldn't watch or pay to see live stand up comedy on a regular occasion. I am still not a fan of stand up comedy. 

(Image from bbc.co.uk)

Thursday, 11 December 2008

Come with us to The Mighty Boosh


The Boosh has finally arrived. I ordered my tickets well over a year ago and it is finally here. So tomorrow night I will be going to Wembley Stadium and enjoying the live creations of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt.

So come with us to The Mighty Boosh. Here we shall take a look into the world of the Boosh and its dark, twisted humour. Ok, basically The Boosh, as its more commonly known as, is the brainchild of Fielding and Barratt. The first series was set in a Zoo called the "Zooniverse". Although the zoo was the backdrop for series one the characters often find themselves well outside the confines of the zoo gates.

The two main characters, Vince Noir and Howard Moon, played by Fielding and Boosh respectively are two clashing personalities. It is this clash that makes the whole show come together. Howard's attempt at educating Vince in the world of Jazz, poetry and art is a lost cause. Partly because Vince is so concerned with his appearance, in particular his hair, which in the words of Vince himself is "practically a hat"and has 21 people working on it at any one time.

The pair are accompanied by Bollo, a gorilla, and Naboo, a shaman who runs the gift shop, despite having the power to exact voodoo vengeance on the wrongdoers.

Along their journey, which starts and ends at the Zooniverse, they encounter many strange characters such as Old Greg, a cave dwelling, seaweed creation who is obsessed with Baileys, The Hitcher whose green skin and unusually large thumb would be enough to stop any normal person from offering him a lift and then of course there is Mr Susan, a creature made out of chamois who dwells in the world of mirrors.

The further throughout the three series you travel the more twisted it becomes. They venture out of the zoo and into a flat in Shoreditch and then onto a shop called Nabootique. The journey is a wonderful one, if not a bit disturbing, and randomly filled by polos. Enjoy the ride.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

LOL, ROFLMAO, and other ways to describe Comedy Blogs

People like blogs. People like laughing. Put the two together and you've got something real good going on. Here are some of the most popular (and more importantly, my favourite) comedy blogs on the net!





I'm Sure I Don't Know: Daily Ravings Of A Disturbed Mind

Best Post: Fun Facts About Fat People, where the Nemesing One talks freely about how hard it is for fat guys to get clean in the shower and why he hopes that a 20-year-old skinny redhead never shows any interest in him.

The Other Side of Normal
Best Post: Drummer Or Porn Star?? Can you tell the screaming mouth of a drummer from the mouth of a screaming-in-a-completely-different-kinda-way porn star? This little quiz is fun for the whole family!

Wit's Bitch

Best Post: Oddity. Simply because I doubt anybody could resist reading a post starting with "today I saw a man get his head stuck up an elephant's ass".

The Junk Drawer-Humour for the Masses
Best Post: My Punishment for Flying First-Class: 'Tis better to have flown first class and then by a cruel twist of fate end up forced to catch a six hour red-eye flight sat next to a definite psycho, than to have never flown first class at all.

Photo Courtesy of superstock.com

The Funniest man in America?

Steve Carell may be known in the UK as the actor who portrays Ricky Gervais’ character David Brent (Michael Scott in the US) in the US’ version of TV hit The Office but Carell is thought to be one the funniest men in America.

Born in Massachusetts in 1962 Carell found fame as a correspondent on spoof program The Daily Show. He has later gained award recognition for his rise to fame in both TV and film. The multi-talented actor, writer and comedian won a Golden Globe and many Emmy nominations for his role in The Office.

On the big-screen Carell got praise for supporting roles in comedy films Bruce Almighty (which led to the spin-off film Evan Almighty, where Carell played the lead role Evan Baxter) and 2006 hit Little Miss Sunshine.

Despite being the most expensive comedy ever made Evan Almighty, released in 2007, was slammed by critics, one critic calling the film "a paper-thin alleged comedy" in a Chicago Sun-Times review.

Despite the criticism of films like Evan Almighty Carell has found success in the lead roles of films such as 40-year-old virgin and Get Smart, where Carell plays secret agent Maxwell Smart in the 2008 movie remake. Carell's role in Get Smart saw the actor star in a high profile action film aswell as combining it with his usual comedy. Carell plays title character Andy Stitzer in The 40 year-old virgin, which one critic called "a charmingly bent comedy".

With numerous awards success and consitent praise from many in the business Carell has found comedy success on the small and big screen. Whether or not he is the funniest man in America, Carell is now a regognised and celebrated comedian.

(Image from MSN TV)

The 5 Greatest Comedy Films

5. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, 1997

Mike Myers how he has never been seen before and never will be again - most likely. Written and performed by him and directed by Jay Roach, the parody of the early Bond films sees charming spy Austin Powers frozen in the 60s to be unfrozen 30 years later to chase his nemesis Dr. Evil who wants to take over the world. Original and crazy-daft comedy, there to not be taken seriously. Oh behave!

(picture source: haven4gamerz.com/)

4. Dumb & Dumber, 1994

The Farrelly brothers wrote and directed this crazy slapstick comedy with gross-out humour. Wacky duo Lloyd (Jim Carry) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) are sent on an adventure after their friend Mary's (Lauren Holly) husband has been kidnapped. They find a briefcase full of money and end up being chased by the kidnappers. A lot of nutty, loony fun which saw a devoted cult following and launched successful carreers for the directors and Jim Carrey.

(picture source: djrossstar.buzznet.com/)

3. Shaun Of The Dead, 2004

This British zombie comedy film hit a new cord with its audience. Directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright, the plot ia about a young man (Pegg) who deals with everyday life problems with his loved ones, friends and family, but then finds himself fighting zombies that are taking over his city and destroying society. A different kind of comedy, that very much goes along the line of Danny Boyle's post-apocalyptic sci-fi film 28 Days Later.

(picture source: allmoviephoto.com)

2. Airplane!, 1980

This American comedy film directed and written by the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams is a spoof of 50s B-movies and 70s disaster films. After the flight crew fall ill Ted Striker (Robert Hays), a traumatized ex-fighter pilot, has to conquer his fear of flying and land the plane quickly and in poor weather. It introduced the audience to Leslie Nielsen as a comedy actor and also starred Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lorna Patterson. And in this day and age of the Final Destination films, it is still more than relevant.




(posted by aheutohmaluko on 19th December 2006)

1. Monty Python's Life of Brian, 1979

The Monty Python team, consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, made a controversial parody which tells the story of Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a young jewish man born when and where non-other than Jesus Christ was and is hence mistaken for the Messiah. When it came out it caused a lot of furore and protest but quickley won its fans back. Funded by ex-Beatle George Harrison, it established itself as a cult film and made comedy history. Controversy is just what made out Monty Python's series and films and their legacy.




(posted by vasova on 5th September 2006)

Wednesday, 10 December 2008

Profile of Jim Carrey

He is best known for his crazy faces, voices and outburst-antiques. That makes it hard to imagine him being serious; just a normal, middle-aged man behind the various goofy, funny and wacky characters he has performed as.

James Eugene Redmond "Jim" Carrey was born in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, son of homemaker Kathleen and musician and accountant Percy Carrey on January 17 1962. The youngest of four, two boys and two girls, made his comedy debut when he was 15 with a stand-up act at Toronto's Yuk Yuk's comedy club. On the day he turned 16, he quit school to make a career out of his talent and to support his family after his father had lost his job.

Carrey told CBS correspondent Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes in 2004 that his mother was one source of inspiration for his physical comedy: "I had a sick mom, man. I wanted to make her feel better. Basically, I think she laid in bed and took a lot of pain pills. And I wanted to make her feel better. And I used to go in there and do impressions of praying mantises and weird things, and whatever. I'd bounce off the walls and throw myself down the stairs to make her feel better."

His family became his main driving force to become a successful comedian.

"My family kinda hit the skids. We were experiencing poverty at that point. And I just got angry," says Carrey. "I was angry at the world for doing that to my father. I wanted to bash somebody's head in, basically."

The anger and the anxiety that Carrey has had to battle all these years was a source for his comedy.

"People need motivation to do anything. I don't think human beings learn anything without desperation," says Carrey. "Desperation is a necessary ingredient to learning anything, or creating anything. Period. If you ain't desperate at some point, you ain't interesting."

Throughout his teens he struggled to support his family. With 21 he had made his first appearance on "The Tonight Show" doing impersonations. Seven years later he made a permanent impact on the Fox sketch comedy television series In Living Color. The breakthrough as a comedy star came in 1993-94 when his films Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber were released. In 1999 and 2000 he won Golden Globe Awards for The Truman Show and Man on the Moon. In his personal life, he had been through two divorces by then.

Now he is dating Jenny McCarthy and makes $20 million per film after enjoying more success with Liar Liar (1997), Me, Myself & Irene (2000) and Bruce Almighty (2003). But discussing his fame and being the comic idol he is, still makes him feel uncomfortable.

"I just kind of feel like I could be working in a factory again in a month, or something like that, loading trucks, which is kind of where I started out. Honestly, I don't have perspective on it, as it's just kind of one thing to the next, trying to do work, and trying to have fun with what's in front of me."

A modest man.

(Image from thecinemasource.com)

The craze of homemade comedy

As the popularity of the internet and YouTube grows, is the video sharing website a platform for a new breed of comedy, comedy from anyone anywhere? Are we all comedians in our own right thanks to the internet?

YouTube is home to a range of clips from home videos to celebrity tributes but many of the videos posted everyday have some sort of comedy in them, whether they are planned comedy sketches from people in their living room to unintentionally funny moments.

Back in 2006 it was reported that 100 million videos are watched per day on YouTube so who could blame people for wanting some comedic exposure through the internet? On YouTube people will do anything for attention and get their 15 minutes (or however long their video is) of fame.

But with all the material on the web how do people get their comedy viewed by audiences? The answer is they dance, sing and do whatever it takes to get noticed. This craze of homemade comedy has become so popular that it has a whole E4 series dedicated to it called Rude Tube.

It is not only homemade comedy that is popular on the internet aswell, YouTube as allowed audiences to view comedy sketches from their favourite TV shows or stand up comedians.
But how do we, the audience find the funniest clips? Well below are just a few that I found whilst browsing through YouTube.

First up is this clip of a model falling over on a catwalk. It may not sound that funny at first but the reaction of the newsreaders as they show the clip over and over again always makes me smile and with over 3.5 million views on one video alone many other people around the world must agree.

(Posted by SallyDaSizzle)

Next up is a Japanese comedy film clip, it may not have some many views as others (only around 189,000) but the reactions of the people involed are hilarious and no YouTube video review would be complete without a little bit of Japanese gameshow style humour!

(Posted by taromegu)

The next video is a very famous one, called the Evolution of Dance. With over 100 million views this video deserves in comedy recognititon and must be one of the most popular comedy videos on YouTube.

(Posted by judsonlaipply)

The final clip features a possible comedy star for the future, a very funny baby who can't stop laughing! This baby has got over 69 million views and it is defiantly worth the watch.

(Posted by BlackOleg)

YouTube is now famous for it's user made videos and it turn some of YouTube's users have got quite famous themselves. From the Chinese Backstreet Boys to Star Wars Kid and the boy that sang Numa Numa, YouTube is now a popular platform for all types of comedy.

I'm No Superman: A look at the laughter and tears in Scrubs


Scrubs is one of the most popular comedy programmes on TV right now. It's a hit in the ratings, cleans up at awards ceremonies and it's sent sales of Appletinis through the roof! But the wonderful thing about Scrubs that sets it apart from all the other shows out there is that not only does each episode provide side splitting comedy, but it can also deliver truly powerful and emotional moments of drama as well. Here are the best examples of Scrubs doing what it does best...making you want to laugh and cry in equal measures.

Season 5: My Lunch

Crying With Laughter: As well as JD’s attempt to force Dr Cox into having lunch with him by hiding every spoon in the hospital on soup and frozen yoghurt day, this episode has Carla and Elliot attempt to coax sexist, sleazy innuendo spouting surgeon “The Todd” out of the closet. Todd reveals his true sexuality, but very little changes…he just hits on the guys instead of girls. Eventually he reveals to Elliot and Carla that he was faking it all, because “chicks dig gay dudes”.

Just Plain Crying: After JD bumps into Jill Tracy, an annoying former patient whose life has taken a turn for the worst, he tries everything he can to avoid her…until she turns up at the hospital having taken a fatal cocaine overdose. Jill’s mother allows Dr Cox to give Jill’s organs to three patients waiting for a transplant, while JD wonders whether he could have prevented her death. Dr Cox manages to convince JD to stop blaming himself for a death that wasn’t his fault before a cruel twist of fate reveals that Jill really died of rabies and now the three patients with her organs have got it too. The final scene sees Dr Cox desperately trying, and failing, to save them from death, accompanied by The Fray’s How To Save A Life. Feeling responsible for all their deaths, Dr Cox walks out of the hospital seemingly for good.

Season 6: My Long Goodbye

Crying With Laughter: Jordan and Dr Cox have just had a baby girl, who apparently looks like a lizard, but only one other person knows about it, and that’s JD. However Dr Cox doesn’t want anybody else knowing about the birth, so is left with no option but to rely on JD to keep Jordan distracted with an overenthusiastic round of congratulations (Wow Jordan, you sure look hot for a woman who’s just been gutted!) and a finger shadow puppet presentation of the attack on Pearl Harbour. Frustrated that JD is her only visitor, Jordan decides that he can be the godfather and that the baby will be named Jennifer Dylan (JD), which reduces the original JD to a gibbering wreck.

Just Plain Crying: The reason Dr Cox didn’t want anybody to know about the birth of his daughter is because Nurse Laverne Roberts is in a coma after getting into a car accident. One by one the staff of Sacred Heart line up to say their goodbyes which upsets Nurse Carla, Laverne’s closest friend, as she still believes that Laverne will still recover. However Laverne is found to be brain dead and the family agrees to switch off her life support machine. Unable to cope with the fact that Laverne will soon die, Carla goes into denial, refusing to see Nurse Roberts while at the same time being followed everywhere by her ghost-like spirit. Eventually she is convinced by Elliot and Turk to say her goodbyes while she still can, even though she still feels unready. After a heartbreakingly emotional speech, Carla is comforted by her friends as Laverne finally passes away.

Season 3: My Screw Up

Crying With Laughter: Carla forces Turk to shave off his moustache, resulting in a rather unwanted discovery…Turk has a mole above his lip, a mole that Carla hears speaking to her. While Carla is desperate to get rid of Turk’s “tickle button”, Elliot is paranoid about the huge bunion on her foot. She refuses to draw the face of her boyfriend on it as a loving tribute, as JD suggested, but still does not know how to get rid of it. Carla convinces Turk to have plastic surgery, despite his fears that he will forever be branded a “butt face” after the skin graft. Just as the surgery is about to begin however, Carla feels guilty and calls the operation off. Elliot leaps at the opportunity to have the plastic surgeon take care of her bunion, the sight of which causes a nurse to faint. Nice!

Just Plain Crying: Generally considered by fans to be the saddest moment in the show, Dr Cox’s former brother in law and best friend, Ben, arrives at the hospital two years after he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Although delighted to see him again, Dr Cox chastises Ben for not seeing a single doctor following his diagnosis.
Later Dr Cox rushes out of the hospital to bail the clown for his son’s upcoming birthday party out of jail and leaves Ben with JD, who is already overloaded with patients, one of which is on the verge of death. When Cox returns, JD informs him that his patient has died. Dr Cox decides that JD was to blame for the patient’s death and, despite Ben’s protests, takes all of JD’s other patients and sends him home.
Ben follows Dr Cox around everywhere he goes, trying to convince him to forgive JD. Cox finally gives in and acknowledges to JD that he wasn’t to blame for the death. JD later finds Dr Cox talking to Ben on the way to what Dr Cox believes is his son’s birthday party. After JD arrives, Dr Cox turns to find Ben gone…and realises that he is really at Ben’s funeral. He, along with the viewers, realises that Ben was JD’s patient that died and that ever since then Ben has been a figment of Dr Cox’s imagination. The episode closes with Dr Cox being comforted by JD as he stares out at Ben’s coffin. And this show’s supposed to be a comedy...


Videos Courtesy of: youtube.com (users reticentmind, HaxTbh and freakofebag), Photo Courtesy of wallpapergate.com

Is that Bill Bailey or some foliage?


Bill Bailey was struggling to be a comedian since he left school, but he only hit the big time in 1995 when he won a Time Out comedy award. He described his 22-year rise to fame as a meteoric hit, if a meteor was being pulled by an arthritic donkey across a ploughed field in Northern Poland.

After he was nominated for the Perrier Comedy award in 1996 (he narrowly lost to Dylan Moran) he moved into the world of comedic acting with his show "Is it Bill Bailey?" He also appeared in shows such as Black Books, QI and became a team captain on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

His sell out tour Part Troll raised his stand up profile immensely. He now returns with Tinselworm.

So let's start with the biological field notes. In the words of Bill Bailey his hair hangs down his back like a shower curtain and he is a large creature who can be seen at dusk scurrying towards the buffet table.

With the aid of musical instruments, in particulars a keyboard, Iranian lute, and a collection of his beloved guitars, which he uses throughout the evening to he brings comedy into the world of music. These clever props allows the audience to feel engaged as there are opportunities for a sing-a-long.His adaptations of classic songs his hilarious, a version of Get Higher in the form of west-country hip-hop is a brilliant example of this.

His comedy is well thought out and goes beyond that of observational comedy into the realm of surrealism, which is further added to his exit from stage in a giant rocket.

He talks of his boredom whilst watching I'm a Celebrity and is forced to place a bucket on his head to make the process of eating Revels all the more exciting. Whist choosing a plant in Homebase he is told by the sales assistant "yeah, that'll give you something to stand next to". Is it Bill Bailey or some foliage?

The audience is treated to a video of his little adventures with his bucket, bag of revels and his plant whilst he roams the street shouting at ducks and traffic, as you do.

Tuesday, 9 December 2008

Unintentionally Funny Comedy Moments

Comedy shows are funny...obviously. They're meant to be. But sometimes the biggest belly laughs come out when something or somebody is trying to be deadly serious...and failing miserably. Here are some of my favourite unintentionally funny moments of comedy:

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Believe it or not, the world's favourite Austrain bodybuilder turned Hollywood superstar is not featured in this post because of his stupifyingly hilarious election as Governor of California in 2003, nor is it down to his George Bush and Boris Johnson style political gaffes (getting in trouble for describing his political rivals as "girlie men", for instance). No it's the Governator's 30 year (!) movie career and his incredible 'talent' of being able to turn ANY movie he stars in into a laugh out loud comedy, simply by opening his mouth that earns him a mention here. Take a looksie at some of Arnie's best moments:

R. Kelly-Trapped In The Closet

"WTF???" These three little letters posted by a youtube user in reply to the video below pretty much sums up R&B star R. Kelly's 22 part "hip-hopera". Kelly must have thought of his 83 minute tale of gangsters and suburban unrest as groundbreaking and epic, when really any music video that repeats the word "midget" that many times simply cannot be taken seriously. Only the most dedicated hip hop fans will be able to keep a straight face through this:

Coughs And Sneezes

With the Second World War finally over it seemed that the biggest threat left to the British public in 1945 was...er...inconsiderate people who sneezed a lot. Yes, the man in this completely genuine and completely serious public service film does have the loudest sneeze in the world, but quite frankly I'd rather take my chances with him than risk getting pushed into a pond by the little sadist at the beginning:

Plan 9 From Outer Space

SPOILER ALERT! The "plan" in this 1959 B-Movie is a diabolical scheme to raise the Earth's dead, masterminded by mysterious aliens from, you guessed it, outer space. If you think that a movie with aliens AND zombies simply can't go wrong then you might want to think again, given that Plan 9 is generally regarded as the worst film ever from the worst director ever. But while it may be a ridiculously bad sci-fi movie, the hammy acting, clumsy effects and laughable dialouge make Plan 9 a first rate comedy! Check out the original theatrical trailer. Curse those unreliable electro-guns!

Everyday Life

But why is it that we have to turn to the media to have a good laugh at some unintentionally funny moments? Comedy is all around us. Goofs, pratfalls, wonderful social faux pas like this:

And of course, who can resist the childish humour of an unintentionally funny road sign. Enjoy!


Videos Courtesy of youtube.com (users outburstx, hra100, ErraticConduct, sideshowcarny, 52projects and CakM93)

British Comedy Awards 2008


Well it's that time of year again. No, not Christmas. It's time for the British Comedy Awards 2008, a must-watch show in any comedy fans diary. It's not the biggest award ceremony for ITV and it's definitely not the most glamourous (comedians are hardly know for their sense of style, just look at Graham Norton) but it is definitively British and that's why we love it.

It allows us a chance to reminisce over the things that have made us giggle, laugh and chuckle over the past year. So let's take a look at the winners, and losers, at this year's event.

The BBC shows seemed to clear up at this year's awards, winning a total of five out of the nine awards. Ricky Gervais won best comedy actor for his role in the Christmas special of Extras, beating David Mitchell and James Cordon. Rather surprisingly due to the fact that very few people have heard of her, Sharon Horgan won Best Comedy Actress for her role in Pulling, a comedy about a bride-to-be, beating Olivia Coleman (Peep Show) and Ashley Jensen (Extras).

Peep Show had rather a bad year at the awards, despite series five getting some very good reviews, it lost all three of the categories it was nominated for. Gavin and Stacey was awarded the Best Tv Comedy award ahead of Peep Show and Benidorm.

One even more surprising, and rather controversial, winner of the evening was Russell Brand. He won an award for the Best Live Stand-up Performer. This was very unexpected as Jonathon Ross had just lost his category of Best Entertainment Programme, losing to a delighted, and non-existent (at least at the award ceremony) Harry Hill who had lost his first category (Comedy Entertainment Personality) to Alan Carr.

Jonathon Ross was originally signed to present the awards but the role was given to Angus Deayton who dismissed the mass outcry over the Sachs scandal.

As much as I'd like to say the awards are were full of tears, drama and laughter, only the latter is true. Well what were you expecting.


Photo provided by the guardian.co.uk

That's what FRIENDS are for...

Yep, today's the day. My 23rd birthday. It's one of those days when you especially reflect on the past years, what has changed since the last birthday or the other "big" birthdays, my 21st, 20th, 18th, etc. And you also think about what could have been; what if I wouldn't have gone to uni? Not to this uni but a different one? What if I would've got together with that guy, not the other one, etc., etc., etc. Things would be completely different! Or would they, really? Maybe some things are just ment to be and would happen one way or the other... That's destiny, right?

That's exactly what my favourite FRIENDS episodes reflect on and deal with. That's why I love them! Just like what I wrote about Absolutely Fabulous yesterday, it deals with thoughts, issues, problems and situations many of us have had or been through ourselves. That's why we, the audience, can relate to the characters, see ourselves in their shoes and that's what makes out my favourite episodes. That's what makes the show enjoyable, funny and entertaining. It cheers me up every time I watch it, because I get to see that I'm not the only one in the funny turmoil called life. 

Season 6, episodes 15 and 16, The One that Could Have Been, Part 1 and 2:
What if Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) would have married Barry? What if Ross (David Schwimmer) would have stayed together with Carol? Would Rachel and Ross have still got together? What if Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) would have taken a high-profile business job? What if Joe (Matt LeBlanc) would have not been killed off on Days of Our Lives? What if Chandler (Matthew Perry) would have started working for Joe because he didn't have anything better - any better job - to do? What if Monica (Courtney Cox Arquette) would have stayed fat? Would Chandler still have fallen for her? Questions, questions, questions; just watch to find out and be entertained, amused and maybe even surprised:


(posted by willkatty October 25, 2008)

Season 3, episode 6, The One with the Flashbacks:
What the group didn't know of each other: Who wanted whom. Who has had it off with whom... Or nearly anyway... No matter how good friends are, there are always dirty little secrets hidden somewhere. Good that times have changed - shockingly funny entertainment and cute in a way:


(posted by mileymarlon November 8, 2008)

Film and TV fun for Christmas



A film about the antics of animated zoo animals lost in Africa may not appeal to everyone but Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa is full of fun and laugh for all ages this Christmas. The sequel to the hugely popular Madagascar, released in 2005, follows the story of Alex, Gloria, Melman and Marty as they crash land in an African wildlife reserve. Though the main storyline is not based around comedy the sub plot keeps the laughs coming.

The star’s of this film have to be the penguins who are hysterically funny throughout the film. A mention also has to go to the character of King Julien (voiced by funny man Sacha Baron Cohen) and his loyal sidekick Maurice, who just like in the first film, provide the laughs when at times the main storyline falls flat.

This sequel may at times disappoint with a Lion King based main plot of a corrupt lion named Makunga (voiced by Alec Baldwin) but there are plenty of laughs to make the trip to the cinema worthwhile, if you were a fan of the first installement then this latest adventure will not disappoint overall. Though this film may seem to only appeal to the under 10’s I would recommend it for family trips to the cinema and to anyone of any age who wants to see a funny and sometimes silly film.

If the cold weather or credit crunch keeps you inside this winter then Wallace and Gromit on the BBC is the perfect choice for comedy this Christmas. Creator Nick Park has returned to the popular show based on the antics of plasticine characters Wallace and Gromit to make a 30 minute film ‘A matter of Loaf and death’. The latest instalment comes after the success of films like ‘A Grand Day Out’, ‘A Close Shave’, ‘The Wrong Trousers’ and big-screen outing ‘The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’.

Just like Madagascar, the Wallace and Gromit films may seem to only be for the younger generations but the charming, witty and funny characters and plots can provide comedy for any ages. As a fan on the Wallace and Gromit series I cannot remember a Christmas where I have not sat round the television with my whole family to watch a Wallace and Gromit film, the series is a tradition of the BBC’s and many families’ Christmas schedule.


(Wallace and Gromit, A Matter of Loaf and Death premieres Christmas Day, 8.30pm on BBC1)

Image (Madagascar) from WildAboutMovies.com
Image (Wallace and Gromit) from Wallaceandgromit.com

Monday, 8 December 2008

It's supposed to be FUNNY! A look at the most controversial moments in Comedy

Reader be warned, the comedians, films and TV shows mentioned in this post may shock, offend and amuse you. Comedy as a genre has evolved so much from the humble, wholesome beginnings of primetime family sitcoms such as The Good Life, Last of the Summer Wine and Love Thy Neighbour (well, maybe not that one), and nowadays it seems that the only way to get a laugh is through dirty words, disgraceful behaviour and by generally being very very bad. Here are some of the most controversial moments ever in comedy:

On the radio….

Ah radio! One of the oldest, most reputable media forms around, it has always been there for us. It somehow feels comfortable. Images of grandparents sitting around a roaring fire eating worthers originals come to mind when you think of it.
But radio has a dark side too. Shock jocks rule the airwaves, especially in the USA, where infamous characters like Howard Stern are free to force a porno star’s head down a toilet bowl, or the wonderfully named Bubba the love sponge can castrate a pig live on air.
By comparison Britain’s own Chris Moyles seems a little tame, but that hasn’t stopped him from getting in trouble a few times in the past. Moyles has been accused of homophobia, sexism (after branding women who peed in the shower “dirty whores”) and racism (live on air by Halle Berry) and got in trouble with his own bosses last week after declaring that Polish people make good prostitutes. Oops!
But the biggest controversy on British radio came in October when Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand teamed up on the latter’s Radio 2 show to inform legendary actor Andrew Sachs of his granddaughter’s sexual activities.


They loved it, but Sachs didn’t and neither did the 38,000 people who phoned in to the BBC to complain. As a result, Brand and Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas resigned while Ross, one of the BBC’s biggest paid stars, was suspended. Now that’s a costly phone call.


On the TV...

“Paedophiles have more genes in common with crabs than they do with you and me,” said DJ Neil Fox on a special edition of satirical mockumentary Brass Eye. “Now that is a scientific fact-there’s no real evidence for it-but it is scientific fact”.

Understandably Foxy was slightly annoyed with the show when it first aired in 1997, but while he and the other celebrities duped by the programme were probably more concerned with how stupid they sounded, everyone else was more miffed at the subject matter. Unsurprisingly, a show about paedophilia didn’t go down too well with the general public and 1500 people complained.
But while that one episode of Brass Eye managed to outrage so many, it’s still nothing compared to the 12 years (and counting) of controversy over infamous US cartoon South Park. The cute little show about four 8-year-olds once broadcast an episode where the word “sh*t” was said, unbleeped, 162 times while the fan favourite Trapped in the Closet show annoyed Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise so much that he forced Paramount (the makers of the show) to cancel a repeat broadcast.
There have been so many controversial episodes of South Park that it's impossible to list them all here, but click on over to the Manofest blog to see their top 10.


At the Cinema...

I find it kind of strange how the film so often called "the greatest comedy film of all time" is also one of the most hated. But wierdly, that's certainly the case with Monty Python's Life Of Brian. If you've never heard of the film, or the Pythons, then...well...is a comedy blog really for you? Take a look at the clip below for a little taster:


Funny, right? Well not according to the protesters and activists who were outraged upon it's release in 1979, claiming that the film was blasphemous. Seemingly unaware that their vigorous campaigning was actually boosting attendance at cinemas, nuns and rabbis picketed screenings in NYC, Mary Whitehouse and friends canvased Britain with anti-python leaflets, and the film was banned altogether in entire countries. In the UK, some local councils voted to keep the movie out of their cinemas, even though in most cases they hadn't even seen the film! Some of these bans lasted long into the 21st century, and in fact, the Welsh town of Aberystwyth still has theirs imposed today!
By contrast, in the case of the immensely popular comedy film Borat, it was not the viewers of the movie that found it offensive but, rather randomly, it was the "stars" of the film themselves. Many of the participants, or as they like to be called, 'victims', of the cringeworthy mockumentary spoke out against Sacha Baron Cohen, feeling that they had been purposely misinformed of the nature of the film and tricked into a hoax project, which as a result, had made them look...well...rather stupid. And that was just the lucky ones! Dharma Arthur, a news producer at the station hijacked by Borat in the clip below, claimed that she had lost her job over the chaos the fake Kazakhstani caused:


Other participants have claimed that the film used their images illegally, hurt their businesses, and defamed their characters, some going as far as to sue Cohen and the producers of the movie and attempt to prevent the release of the DVD. The film even caused problems for celebrity guest star Pamela Anderson, one of the few people in the film to actually know what the hell was actually going on. After Borat's release she told DJ Howard Stern (remember him from earlier on? I love how this post has come full circle!) that she clashed with her then-husband Kid Rock over her role in the film, thereby putting a strain on their three month marriage which ended just a few days after a private screening where Rock had first seen the film. A comedy that broke up a marriage?! That's pretty darn controversial!

But what we need to remember comedy fans is that the genre needs to be edgy, it needs to push boundaries and it's a good thing that it can still shock us. Some of the most controversial moments in comedy have also been some of the best, and while some people were offended by the moments featured in this article, others just had a bit of a laugh. I can't wait to see what the next controversy will be!

Videos Courtesy of: youtube.com, spike.com
Photos Courtesy of: wikipedia.org, theherald.co.uk

How the smeg did they do it?



Photograph courtesy of penny arcade.com
Cast from left to right: , Danny John-Jules (Cat), Hattie Hayridge (Holly), Craig Charles (Dave Lister),
Robert Llewellyn (Kryten) and Chris Barrie (Arnold Rimmer)

Dwarfers everywhere are rejoicing as digital channel Dave has commissioned four special episodes of Red Dwarf for 2009. Two episodes continue from where series eight left off and the other two the "making of the specials".

Three million years into deep space and the last human being in the universe, Dave Lister, is awaking from stasis to find that the entire crew of Jupiter mining ship Red Dwarf have been killed by a radiation leak. His only companions a hologram of his dead crew mate Rimmer and a creature that evolved from the ship's cat.

This is the story that began the cult science-fiction sit-com that is Red Dwarf. So how did this genre hybrid go on to win an International Emmy, a British Comedy Award and become one of the highest rated shows on the BBC?

The formula was a collaboration of Rob Grant and Doug Naylor's writing skills, the actors' comedic timing and of course the fantastic set and prop design.

Grant and Naylor's production company (Grant Naylor productions) had experienced success before the birth of Red Dwarf after they saved the satirical comedy Spitting Image from almost certain extinction. Their ability to mix satirical comedy, science-fiction and plot-driven humour is what makes Red Dwarf such compelling viewing.

The cast, and their ability to deliver one-liners with perfect comedic timing, adds to the cult following of Red Dwarf. Everyone has their favourite character; whether it's Lister and his slobbish ways, Rimmer and his anal retentiveness, the Cat's cool or Kryten's comedic way of analysing everything to the extent that it no longer becomes recognisable to a human being. For example his description of a pub is: "A meeting place where people try to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks".

Then of course there is the whole Norman Lovett/ Hattie Hayridge debate. Who really was the better Holly? They both bring their own individual brand of comedy to the character. Norman Lovett adds a loveable, dry humoured approach to Holly and Hattie Hayridge adds a ditsy and fantastically feminine touch to the character.

Famous for its unpredictable plot, Red Dwarf ultimately stands the test of time. It has remained in popular consciousness and is in the BBC's ten best selling dvds, even beating The Office which as we all know has won loads of awards and had a far larger budget than the small crimson one.

So there you have it. Red Dwarf is "kicking bottom all the way".

Bloody 20... 30... 40... 50, sweety!

With my birthday coming up (tomorrow!!!), age has been an issue under focus and discussion too regularly for my liking lately. I don't have an issue with it myself, I'm still young, but I have many friends and family members who flap about approaching that certain personal hurdle - be it 20, 30, 40 or 50.

That's where I come to a brilliant, classic comedy series - Absolutely Fabulous. The way they focus on the problems and dilemmas of middle-aged women is spot-on and hilarious.

Regarding the issues some people have with age, I have picked out one of my favourite episodes, episode five of the first series called "Birthday", where Edina, played by Jennifer Saunders, turns "bloody 40". Her daughter Saffron, played by Julia Sawalha, does her best to organise a nice birthday for her mother. She has invited and prepared everything for family and friends, just for Eddie to blow them off, not wanting to acknowledge her age. Patsy, played by Joanna Lumley, joins her friend Eddie in her age grief but of course makes the most of it, especially the drinks, at the same time.


(posted by abfab07 January 24, 2007)

You could have a case of overacting against Saunders and Lumley - but that is what makes the show what it is. It fulfills what comedy is there for, taking a situation with issues everybody knows and everybody has gone or will go through in one way or the other and exaggerating and making the best and funniest of it with Saunders and Lumley at their best. 

Top 5 Only Fools and Horses...Lovely Jubbly!

The Top 5 moments from British sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. Starring David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst.


5. Coach Blows Up (Jolly Boys Outing)

A classic moment of comedy timing in this episode. On their Jolly Boys Outing Rodney, Del and friends are in Margate but chaos ensues and everyone is left stranded after a pure moment of comedy gold. As Rodney tells Cassandra "I think it is unfair to say that everything he (Del) touches goes wrong" another Del-related disaster ensues and their coach explodes in the background, prompting a hilarious expression from a shocked Rodney!


4. The Chandelier (A Touch of Glass)


Even though the audience knows what is coming this comedy moment is hysterically funny. Apparently based on a real-life accident by writer John Sullivan's father, Del, Rodney and Granddad are working on chandeliers when the work all goes wrong. As Del and Rodney hold a blanket under the chandelier Granddad unscrews the bolt from above but in a classic comedy moment the wrong chandelier falls and smashes and the Trotters make a quick get away!

3. The Blow Up Dolls (Danger UXD)


It may not be number one but this iconic scene is defiantly one of the funniest scenes in Only Fools and Horses history. A clip you can't help not laugh at however many times you have seen it. As the Trotters sit round in the lounge Del, Rodney and Albert are startled as blow up dolls (dolls filled with gas that Del has has taken from Denzil) inflate and appear from behind the cocktail bar. As they all run out the flat terrified, the audience is given great laughs by this immensely funny Only Fools and Horses joke.


2. Batman and Robin (Heroes and Villains)


Whether it is the costumes, the music, the timing or the expression of the Councillor Murray (or a bit of everything) that makes this moment hilarious, this scene is classic Only Fools and Horses. As Del and Rodney dress up as Batman and Robin for a fancy dress party their van breaks down and Batman and Robin come to the rescue of a shocked Councillor...



(Video on Youtube, posted by EnoRed)


1. Del falls through bar (Yuppy Love)


This moment is simply the most iconic in the show's history. Based around only Del and Trigger a simple joke is made into one of the best television comedy moments ever. At a wine bar Del is flirting with women with Trigger and in his attempt to "play it nice and cool" Del (and the hapless Trigger as he spins around to look for the fallen Del) provide us with the best moment in Only Fools and Horses...



(Posted on Youtube by SukhiBalboa)


These may be the top five moments but Only Fools and Horses provided many more laughs. From Tony Angelino's 'cwying', the hapless but hysterical character of Trigger and the endless list of classic catchphrases ('Cushty', 'Rodney, you plonker' etc..) the show is a British comedy great.