Has comedy come to an end? Posted Fri Jul 7 17:32:32 BST 2000 by Jon

The American philosopher Arthur Danto once posited that 'Art is at closure' - it had no further development to undergo, and could only recapitulate past ideas. Could it be that, as he would put it, 'Comedy is at closure'?

I dunno myself - but let's have a lively, witty, and playful debate about it....



Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Anonymous on Fri Jul 7 17:45:19 BST 2000:

'Has comedy come to an end?'

Who cares!
Interactive votes are more interesting! Actually they are quite good

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Justin on Fri Jul 7 17:50:07 BST 2000:

>The American philosopher Arthur Danto once posited that 'Art is at closure' - it had no further development to undergo, and could only recapitulate past ideas. Could it be that, as he would put it, 'Comedy is at closure'?

I have a superficial response, but given that:
a) Highlights on telly tonight (supposedly, THE comedy night) are a 25-year old episode of Porridge, and a four-year old episode of Frasier. (I'm not counting the rpt of LIAMST, or Heartburn Hotel)
b) I'm planning to get cable, simply so that I can complete my collection of Seinfeld and Larry Sanders re-runs when Paramount next show them. Oh, and Simpsons and Futurama, obviously. But most new stuff on satellite/cable looks iffy.
c) Fawlty Towers starts a rpt run on Sunday night. Of course it's brilliant, but...
d) Has it all been done? Even as I'm trying to complete a sitcom pilot, I spot several influences in structure and idea. Nothing deliberately lifted, mind you.


...maybe it is all over. (THat should get responses flooding in, saying things like "What about Mark Lamarr?" or something)

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By PJ on Fri Jul 7 23:17:56 BST 2000:

Like any other art production, it is hard to make a wholly original comedy show, because past influences can have such a strong effect on what an individual finds funny and, subsequently, what they write. Plus, with comedy, everyone has the same notion that all the best comedy was made in the '70's, which puts immediate negative points on any script which isn't copying '70's beliefs and values of comedy.
Finally, it appears, to me, that the BBC aren't really intereasted in original programming - there's too much risk involved, economically speaking, for them.

Hope that garbled nonsense makes sense to somebody.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Squigy on Sun Jul 9 12:01:46 BST 2000:

I know I'm a fool, but what's LIAMST?

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Justin on Sun Jul 9 16:47:47 BST 2000:

>I know I'm a fool, but what's LIAMST?

Acronym overload sorry - I was too lazy to type out Love Is A Many Splintered Thing.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Ian on Wed Jul 12 17:19:32 BST 2000:

I think the reason comedy on TV feels like it has past its sell by date is the fact that everybody in the country doesnt have to watch only three TV channels anymore(or four for the younger ones out there).Its a cliche now,but there doesnt seem to be such a national conciousness as there was as early as about eight years ago.We all watched the Morecambe and Wise show at Xmas,literally millions of viewers.We all quoted The Young Ones,Python,and laughed collectivelly at 5.15 Saturdays at Dads Armyetc.
Ok, I know people will say what about the Fast Show,Ali G,but quite often I ask people what they think of this lot or the League of Gentlemen or even Izzard and so many of them dont have a bastard clue who Im on about."I dunno mate too busy watching:Sky Sport,Sky Movies,Playstation,Fantasy Channel,TV Gold,Monty Python videos,Sky Sport,WWF,MTV,Dreamcast,Internet,Sky Sport.Its the same with contemporary music.Its all utterly fragmented ,by too much choice and specialisation.However sod that, we can never go backand lets just enjoy the great stuff that always emerges through the crap, irrespective that it might not be regarded as a" golden classic" like the Two bleedin Ronnies by some nostalgic old fart.Some of the corpses etc.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Squidy on Thu Jul 13 11:53:11 BST 2000:

>>I know I'm a fool, but what's LIAMST?
>
>Acronym overload sorry - I was too lazy to type out Love Is A Many Splintered Thing.
>

Ta. I thought it might be a new series of Stella Street specially for Noel Gallager's brother (Geddit?!?)

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Thu Jul 13 12:08:09 BST 2000:

Noel Gallagher once admitted he was dyslexic.

Does that mean his real name is 'Leon'?

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By kinder surprise on Thu Jul 13 19:01:45 BST 2000:

:o) Jon where do you get all these spontaneous gags? Them seem so effortless.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Fri Jul 14 12:36:01 BST 2000:

[Disgruntled]: Oh, I won't bother then...

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By kinder surprise on Fri Jul 14 17:29:50 BST 2000:

It was meant as a compliment! You must have an inner ear sarcasm complex.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Sun Jul 16 17:24:58 BST 2000:

Indeed. Bloody painful it is too.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Al on Sun Jul 16 23:44:35 BST 2000:

KS keeps throwin' 'em and Jon keeps hittin' 'em... this is better than the telly

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By kinder surprise on Tue Jul 18 01:59:51 BST 2000:

I've always wanted to be a straight man.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Al on Tue Jul 18 18:09:27 BST 2000:

>I've always wanted to be a straight man.

this sounds pure Julian and Sandy! "I'm looking for a tallboy..."

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By kinder surprise on Wed Jul 19 08:25:40 BST 2000:

Al, what are you saying?

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Peter Ohanraohanrahan on Wed Jul 19 20:16:49 BST 2000:

Oooooh, innee bold???

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Al on Thu Jul 20 01:12:11 BST 2000:

Bona! Vada his dolly old eek! etc. etc....

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Fri Jul 21 07:00:02 BST 2000:

You two boys sound like you have, er, some talent...

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Peter Ohanraohanrahan on Sun Jul 23 15:21:51 BST 2000:

Oh, bless you Mister 'orne!

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By kinder surprise on Mon Jul 24 11:22:13 BST 2000:

There you go again Jon with your sarcastic 'talent' remark. I know what you're up to.

Subject: Re: Has comedy come to an end? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Mon Jul 24 11:25:23 BST 2000:

I was just saying they had brilliantly captured the tone and style of the 'Julian and Sandy' sketches from the 50s radio series 'Round The Horne'.

What did you think I meant?

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