Comments on: That joke isn’t funny any more

By: Squander Two

Squander Two — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:44:12 +0000

> It was the year before last.

I know, but they repeated it, so it was last year too.

By: mupwangle

mupwangle — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:00:30 +0000

>>I can see more people being caught off-guard and sputtering tea all over their TVs when Amstell’s on than Carr.

I’m not sure. You would have to be a very bad judge of character to think that Amstell isn’t a twat almost immediately due to his tone of voice. Carr goes for the deadpan delivery and Amstell goes for the annoying twat option. I don’t think that Amstell, generally, is more offensive. (In topic) Amstell, however, is extremely rude and gets most of his laughs from by winding up famous people who don’t twat him. Amstell is like a little brother or sister who hasn’t grown out of it once they reach puberty.

>>he said that Jesus deserved to be killed.

It was the year before last.

Simon: [lighting a Menorah] I’m just lighting candles for the baby Jesus.
Phill: [mocking] Your people killed him.
[Laughter]
Phill: I don’t mean your mum and dad, I mean, because that would be terrible and I would think they would have told you by now.
Simon: I have no regrets, he deserved it.
Bill Bailey: Merry Christmas everybody!

By: Squander Two

Squander Two — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:19:11 +0000

In comedy terms, no, of course not. All I was suggesting was that it makes you more likely to receive complaints.

That being said, he said last night that he got complaints for not being rude enough to Kate Nash.

By: tm

tm — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:28:17 +0000

>lulls people into a false sense of security and then drops a huge bloody great spanner in the works

But isn’t that how the majority of basic jokes work anyway? You expect one ending and get another – which makes you laugh.

Is doing that on the grander scale of your entire act any different?

By: Squander Two

Squander Two — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:43:36 +0000

Not sure. I honestly can’t work out whether hiding your offensiveness behind a cute cheeky demeanour is more or less offensive than matching the delivery to the material. It strikes me that people who are likely to be offended by Carr can tell within the first few seconds and so switch off and avoid the actual offensive moment, whereas Amstell lulls people into a false sense of security and then drops a huge bloody great spanner in the works. I can see more people being caught off-guard and sputtering tea all over their TVs when Amstell’s on than Carr.

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:54:19 +0000

I really don’t think he’s as offensive as Carr, though. Do you?

By: Squander Two

Squander Two — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:51:21 +0000

On the Christmas special, he said that Jesus deserved to be killed. With a cheeky smile.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:33:04 +0000

Ah come on, he’s a cheeky wee scamp :)

By: Squander Two

Squander Two — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:57:37 +0000

Probably the most offensive comedian on TV at the moment is Simon Amstell. But he smiles cheekily and looks like a cute schoolboy, so no-one seems to mind.

By: Tony Kiernan

Tony Kiernan — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:14:19 +0000

>>Whereas Sadowitz comes across (again, to me) as a misanthrope who hates absolutely everybody without distinction or discrimination.

Yeah, but he really hates Chris Morris. Reckons he gets lauded for everything that he gets pilloried for. (Went up to remonstrate with him for telling me to fuck off and ended up having a rather nice chat)

By: Squander Two

Squander Two — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:45:02 +0000

I used to dislike Carr, until I heard him in interviews. It changed my perception of him completely, because, surprisingly given his stand-up persona, he comes across as an incredibly nice guy. And that knowledge completely changes the way I interpret his delivery.

Sadowitz is a genius.

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:15:21 +0000

Going to see Jimmy Carr soon.

Funny you should mention him, because I find him utterly offensive. I think it’s the delivery more than the actual content – it just gets my back up. Lis’s comment talks about intent, and for me Carr’s delivery suggests a deliberate intent to denigrate. Whereas Sadowitz comes across (again, to me) as a misanthrope who hates absolutely everybody without distinction or discrimination.

That and cancerous fat chinese girls parking in handicapped parking spaces.

Heh. There should be laws!