Rolling UK Comedy Thread - "Ricky Don't Lose Larry David's Number

Genre - Ambient comedy

not quite prog then.

Er, some pleasure for the audience? Some gauge of how effective the material was for the creators? I dunno, why do anything ever? They were all on the floor on cushions in complete darkness, apparently. I imagine it was all rather awkward. Apart from the ubiquitous snogging couple.

anyway... LJ's point kinda hold i think the comedy programs held in the most affection tend not to be simply 'cos of the roffles. there's also a gender thing. there's a certain generalization about the ladies liking lolz only as a side order to soapiness or "feeling good" friends or green wing tend to be produced as evidence. there's a real covert thread of that in c & b world. cf there thread on upcoming stand up josie long. theory is kinda bollocks cos loads of gurls like family guy which is like the most unemotional program ever.

back to the main point. the way LJ regards chris morris is kinda like the way "the nation" regards only fools and horses: a non comedic element has become, in talking about it at least, the chief reason for the cherishing of it. possibly.

Father Ted and The Day Today use 'dumbness' in a manner that almost entirely removes the stupidity, because they do it with such unremitting poise.

'Peep Show' is intelligent with regard to the subjects it handles, but I never notice the actual jokes being that esoteric.

joek

that sort of thing just doesn't happen in yer standard sitcom

he achieved this a lot better with The IT Crowd it would seem. i don't think he'd actually be capable of writing a 'stupid' Roy Clarke-esque sitcom.

(I'll admit to having not seen either of the first two in 20+ years - they could be dross misremembered as understated gems with cracking performances).

- the doctor who has eleborate swearwords
- 'he killed the man'
- '--brackets--'
- rothko
- 'i work in the warm arts'
- 4ft car
- '...can't you just' (louis knows what i mean)
- the dance charts -- hackneyed but still funny

but also to repeat it was half a *music show*, and worked on those terms. think of it like steve wright in the wee hours or something.

Ah there was often comedy gold to be found there. Favourite ever was insults from Huey of the Fun Lovin' criminals:

You still pushing your jaw each way but westwards? You're raising my pressure quickstyle my friend, upside like a doped joker. i'm gonna cut you open so far you'll be up all night stitchin' your backpipe together just so you can start weepin'! You're gonna need eleven different kinds of treatment! You'll be tryin' to find ice till there's no more ice!

(from memory, tragically)

roffle all the way home . . .

Enrique's list is good, and contains (just about) two of my top-3 BJ moments...

3) Series 1 Episode 4, 25:10. The sprightly, uptempo groove accompanying Michael Alexander St.John's dance countdown suddenly morphs (in the radio equivalent of bone-spaceship in 2001:ASO) seamlessly into Lennon's '#9 Dream'.

2) Series 2 Episode 4, 27:59. The Rothko monologue ends. Accompanied by the melancholic, chilled middle-eight of Madonna's 'Ray Of Light', although you don't know that at this stage. As the monologue ends, the building, throbbing intro to the actual song bounces into gear, and as the last word is spoken, Madonna's heavenly voice takes up the baton. As a moment of sadness into happiness it is unparalleled.

1) Series 2, Episode 1, 34:18.

"Well, we'll just have to get used to it being just the two of us again."

"Mmmmmmm..."

Bear in mind that I probably hate LB more than almost every single other person on earth, so I am speaking with an element of bias, but frankly, to blame CM for them is I think ridiculous.

citation required.

there's a dvd extra on the LB dvds that is them talking about their influences but sadly(!) i haven't seen it. i have them down more as Dick Emery copyists.

1 Jagger, Louis, posted at Rolling UK Comedy Thread - "Ricky Don't Lose Larry David's Number, 19 January 2007