[Alf]

I'll save Bernard Manning for the evening.

[Crimson Dynamo]

i watched 2 eps of Rising Damp last night as it goes. There were a couple of what would be now deemed as Racist incidents. Ironically this show was a trailblazer for racial equality.

Its still funnier than most stuff on TV now, if not all of it

[arista]

Originally Posted by Alf

Comedy was once what the British were known for all over the World, we were the best.

Today comedians have to be politically correct, establishment mouthpieces to get a gig on the TV.

So here's Benny Hill to show the miserable PC comedy frauds how it's done. He'd probably get reported to the Police for this in todays world.

Youtube video

No Alf
its 1970 Clever comedy



Anyone who is Not Silly
can see its funny as its from 1970
long time back

[Twosugars]

You are a charmer

[Elliot]

Who listens to mainstream crap anyway

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Elliot

Who listens to mainstream crap anyway

Exactly, the thing is we'd like too, but mainstream comedy is so crap that nobody watches it and we have to look for alternative things, like crappy dramas.

[Maru]

Comedy has definitely been affected by politics, for sure Alf, but I think that really just depends on where we see the show/performance. If it's mainstream TV or Hollywood, then yes those things are going to be filtered and certain themes will be predominent. Mainstream comedians have said as much and that there is a pressure to be at least be on the "right side" of history.

However, if the comedian is a nobody and has gone indie, then there's really no limit... though there will be financial limitations if their act is too edgy, as social media is usually the most convenient and influential mediasites, but sites have gone from being simple platforms to behaving more like publishers. This means more and more of those "platforms" are putting increasing input into what does/doesn't trend or appear on their website... and of course with the case of demonization, it affects everyone across the board.

To compare though, I don't think it is just comedy that has dropped in quality in the mainstream/Hollywood... music, drama, citcoms. Much of entertain media has seen a steady decline in quality, but that's been true for quite some time. I don't think that's largely due to politics, though that can affect the themes that become more predominent over time.

Though from your POV, it's valid to say that there is a filter that's affected your ability to enjoy shows you used to because of the stress that is now put on media to have social commentary. That's not just Hollywood/, that's really all media across the board. And depending on where the media is made, depends on the level/direction of that social commentary.

To that point, my personal feeling is mainstream content on a large scale imo is becoming more disassociated from the average person as these messages get louder and louder in order to compete for our attention. As the years have gone on, I've had to take TV/media less literally because some of it has become more of it has become parody. Particularly themes about the little man beating the bigger man or idealistic themes of heroism/man versus the machine, etc. It's all overly contrived compared to how the underlying themes used to be more subtler, rich in detail and artistry. I remember when Disney movies could cover so much territory conversation-wise and artistically speaking with nuanced story-telling. Now it is more obvious what most of the theme/goals of the story are from beginning to finish will be. It's missing the surprise.

All that said, comedy will seem to exaggerate these declines the most probably, since much of the art form involves addressing society/social commentary and taking advantage of current events to deliver a punchline on a chosen theme.

[bots]

The world does seem to have lost it's humour and its not only because comedians are frightened of upsetting people (which is actually closer to the truth than political correctness) because people will just not deem anything as funny unless it is in the form of trite stupidity, which Gervais pedals all the time.

[Twosugars]

what exactly are we afraid to talk about today?

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Twosugars

what exactly are we afraid to talk about today?

Definitely not Christianity.

[Marsh.]

Also, when making a thread about comedy, best include some comedy.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Also, when making a thread about comedy, best include some comedy.

You're a funny guy.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Alf

You're a funny guy.

Funnier than those clips.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Funnier than those clips.

A fantasist too? to be expected I suppose.

[Alf]

Marsh Your first post to me started by you saying to me "Instead of patronising someone"

Your very next post to me started by you saying to me "No Dear" obviously patronising.

Why do you believe you're above the standards which you expect from everyone else?

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Alf

Marsh Your first post to me started by you saying to me "Instead of patronising someone"

Your very next post to me started by you saying to me "No Dear" obviously patronising.

Why do you believe you're above the standards which you expect from everyone else?

Well, if you're going to patronise me, you'll get it right back.

[Alf]

I need to go to bed anyway, so I'll humour your argument seeking comebacks tomorrow.

Night night

[Livia]

Look at all the people telling Alfie what's funny and what's not.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Livia

Look at all the people telling Alfie what's funny and what's not.

Most of them spend their Saturday nights blubbing their eyes out over the X factor, miserable gits.

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by Alf

Most of them spend their Saturday nights blubbing their eyes out over the X factor, miserable gits.

i myself also like lots of comedy, i like the shows such as Seinfeld, Two and a half men

but also we are very much traditional at watching Christmas vacation, Gremlins around Christmas each year, lots of good humour in those movies too

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by Alf

Definitely not Christianity.

deflecting the question, still waiting for your answer

Originally Posted by Livia

Look at all the people telling Alfie what's funny and what's not.

not really, the old comedy which survived the test of time is still funny
but to say comedy now is pc and crap is a lazy proposition

Originally Posted by Alf

Most of them spend their Saturday nights blubbing their eyes out over the X factor, miserable gits.

yeah, go on, more lazy generalizations

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Twosugars

deflecting the question, still waiting for your answer

not really, the old comedy which survived the test of time is still funny
but to say comedy now is pc and crap is a lazy proposition

yeah, go on, more lazy generalizations

Are you saying generalisations are a bad thing and wrong?

Why is it a lazy proposition to say modern comedy is crap? What's lazy about it?

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Alf

Why is it a lazy proposition to say modern comedy is crap? What's lazy about it?

Because A) It assumes that all "modern comedy" is the same based on what you personally have seen (it isn't and there's huge variety) and also, even then, the most you can say is that you find it crap / it isn't to your taste. Again, "funny" isn't an objective thing... if something makes 2 people in a room of 100 people genuinely laugh, it's still funny to those two people .

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

Look at all the people telling Alfie what's funny and what's not.

But isn't it more Alf who is telling people what's funny and what's not? He's literally posting clips and saying "Look! These are funny! Everyone should find them funny! Modern comedy isn't funny!"

Comedy is purely subjective and it's great that Alf has something he finds funny and that there are others who find those things funny and can enjoy them... but it kind of has to be accepted that other people don't find those same things funny.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Livia

Look at all the people telling Alfie what's funny and what's not.

Other way around but you see what you want to see I guess.