[dimtimjim]

Great guest, loved the quiz against Finn.....

[Boboff]

Can he drive a car?

[Yudster]

He was a very good guest. And Finn was a star.

[Nicola_Red]

He usually is a good guest. Don't like his stand-up tho...not quite sure why, something about him just irritates me. Whatever it is must not come across on radio for some reason.

[Johnny 1989]

He usually is a good guest. Don't like his stand-up tho...not quite sure why, something about him just irritates me. Whatever it is must not come across on radio for some reason.

Is it because of his face? That's not me taking the p*ss but my brother is exactly the same, finds him funny on Moyles but doesn't like him on screen, he says that he has a face that he could punch Younger brothers eh?

[English Bob]

He usually is a good guest. Don't like his stand-up tho...not quite sure why, something about him just irritates me. Whatever it is must not come across on radio for some reason.

Probably because he repeats the same jokes in all his shows? I love the man, he's very funny, but his standup is pretty much a 'rinse and repeat' formula.

It amused me when Chappers even picked up on it the other day, when he heard Carr do the old 'what happens when you spill carpet cleaner' on Aled, and commented how he'd seen it in Carr's standup shows many times before

Bill Bailey does it too, its quite sad when you spot them doing it.

[Munki Bhoy]

Yeah, you do get bored with such things. Probably why I like observational comedy to be topical.

He says watching Mock The Week on Dave.

[MK Chris]

He usually is a good guest. Don't like his stand-up tho...not quite sure why, something about him just irritates me. Whatever it is must not come across on radio for some reason.

I totally agree, I was discussing this with Zoot earlier.

[Yudster]

Probably because he repeats the same jokes in all his shows? I love the man, he's very funny, but his standup is pretty much a 'rinse and repeat' formula.

He hasn't quite sunk to the depths of Peter Kay though, and put exactly the same show on at least three different and expensive DVDs, all bearing the word "New" in their promotional blurb.

[Nicola_Red]

I dunno if it's his face...I don't feel the urge to punch him in the same way that I do, say, Robbie Williams. Maybe it's certain facial expressions he has, tho. I also have heard him repeat material and I think if I paid to see him live I would feel really gipped by that, cos that happened to me with Dylan Moran. I have to say I haven't noticed Bill Bailey do it so much, but Peter Kay, totally. I saw him live back in 1995 and then again in 2002 and he was still doing "garlic bread!" and "booked it, packed it, f***ed off" etc...

[ladbroke]

A friend of mine is best man at a wedding next month and one of the bride's guests is Peter Kay and his wife. No pressure there to have an entertaining best mans speech.........!

Peter Kay does badly need some new material though. I think he spreads himself a bit thinly with regard to stand up due to his other tv work and personas.

[MK Chris]

Yeah, I agree that whole "mum wants a bungalow" thing got tired a while ago.

nicola_red, repeated jokes aside (because I've not seen him before so I won't notice anyway), what's Dylan Moran like live?

[tina11]

We saw Dylan Moran at the beginning of his tour in York. He was absolutely hilarious, and it seemed to me to all be new material. I was crying with laughter. I still maintain however that the second half was a little short; think he might have forgotten one of two bits and pieces. He's been on tour for a while now, so hopefully he'll remember everything by now. Have fun. I'm sure you'll love the show.

[TIAL]

It always gets me when Moyles calls him 'the best standup comedian in Britain at the moment'. There are so many better than him. Dylan Moran is certainly up there with the best, as well as Stewart Lee (my favourite), Ross Noble, Daniel Kitson, Robin Ince, Ed Byrne etc.
I don't like the way Carr does quick fire jokes without any linking or overriding story. That said, when he ditches his gags, he makes a great guest.

[Nicola_Red]

I did enjoy Dylan Moran live, but when I saw him on the Like, Totally tour he repeated a fair chunk of stuff from the Monster tour. But he was still good. My friends were late and he took the p1ss out of them - I was very glad that wasn't me!

[TIAL]

Stand-up comedy is the one thing I'm always determined not to be late for. You don't get the piss ripped out of you if you're late to see a band. Turn up late for Ross Noble and you are likely to play a major role throughout the show.

[MK Chris]

Haha, Ross Noble, I've heard in an interview, considers it rude not to involve the audience. I'd love to see him, but I agree I wouldn't want to be late.

[Johnny 1989]

What people have been saying up page about stand up being repetitive, at times they have to unfortunately. Sure they do do new material every so often but if your a stand up comedian & have several really popular gags of course you're going to repeat them over & over again until they no longer get a laugh. However you can sometimes risk becoming too repetitive (see Peter Kay's three DVD releases to see how) although Bill Bailey I've never seem to find repetitive, he does have similar gags from time to time but not repetitive.

[Johnny 1989]

I'm quite curious, what are people's opinions on the following:

Jimmy Carr
Bill Bailey
Dylan Moran
Lee Hurst
Harry Hill
Sean Lock
Dara O'Brien
Michael McIntyre
Frankie Boyle
Paul Merton
Ross Nobel
Billy Connolly
Jack Dee

They're always/have been hailed as "The UK's funniest Comedian" yet I was wondering if anyone else found that lot funny (I know a few have been mentioned already - Bailey, Moran & Nobel)

[Nicola_Red]

Lee Hurst - I haven't seen him live, but I never particularly liked him back when he used to do They Think It's All Over...that's the only thing I know him from!

Harry Hill - seen him and he was good, albeit surreal. I liked his earlier tv stuff better - I still say "you've gotta have a system" all the time, altho nobody really gets the reference anymore ("Marlon Brando, Suzanne Dando!") - but I do love TV Burp.

Sean Lock - seen him too, I like him, most amusing.

Dara O'Brien - also seen him and liked him a lot. Much better in stand-up than on Mock The Week.

Michael McIntyre - seen him too and I do like him but not as much as some other people, he did one night in our largest auditorium (1750 seats) and we ran a huge waiting list, I think he could have sold out three nights. I don't think he warrants that level of popularity.

Frankie Boyle - also seen him and I actually didn't enjoy it that much. I like him on Mock The Week but his stand-up was just too nasty and bitter for my tastes - and yes I know he's like that on tv too but it just seemed to tip over the edge live. I find it hard to find jokes about gang-rape funny in any context.

Paul Merton - seen him but it was his silent films thing so it was more like a funny lecture than a stand-up show. I think he's very intelligent and clever, I like that.

Ross Nobel - I've seen him four times, I think, so obviously I love him, but I think he may be going off the boil a touch. I didn't enjoy his last show as much as the previous ones which worried me slightly.

Billy Connolly - haven't seen him. I think he's okay - sometimes I find him funny, sometimes not.

Jack Dee - seen him and really like him, I love that world-weariness, and I really like Lead Balloon too.

You didn't mention Russell Howard or Lee Mack - I like both of them a lot - and of course the delicious Tim Minchin.

[Johnny 1989]

Lee Hurst - I haven't seen him live, but I never particularly liked him back when he used to do They Think It's All Over...that's the only thing I know him from!

Harry Hill - seen him and he was good, albeit surreal. I liked his earlier tv stuff better - I still say "you've gotta have a system" all the time, altho nobody really gets the reference anymore ("Marlon Brando, Suzanne Dando!") - but I do love TV Burp.

Sean Lock - seen him too, I like him, most amusing.

Dara O'Brien - also seen him and liked him a lot. Much better in stand-up than on Mock The Week.

Michael McIntyre - seen him too and I do like him but not as much as some other people, he did one night in our largest auditorium (1750 seats) and we ran a huge waiting list, I think he could have sold out three nights. I don't think he warrants that level of popularity.

Frankie Boyle - also seen him and I actually didn't enjoy it that much. I like him on Mock The Week but his stand-up was just too nasty and bitter for my tastes - and yes I know he's like that on tv too but it just seemed to tip over the edge live. I find it hard to find jokes about gang-rape funny in any context.

Paul Merton - seen him but it was his silent films thing so it was more like a funny lecture than a stand-up show. I think he's very intelligent and clever, I like that.

Ross Nobel - I've seen him four times, I think, so obviously I love him, but I think he may be going off the boil a touch. I didn't enjoy his last show as much as the previous ones which worried me slightly.

Billy Connolly - haven't seen him. I think he's okay - sometimes I find him funny, sometimes not.

Jack Dee - seen him and really like him, I love that world-weariness, and I really like Lead Balloon too.

You didn't mention Russell Howard or Lee Mack - I like both of them a lot - and of course the delicious Tim Minchin.

Interesting Lee Hurst is better live although I used to think he was great on TTIAO, but the last time he released a DVD was a re-release of the 1998 VHS so there hasn't been nothing new from him (broadcast wise) for ages. Boyle does seem like one that would be very controversial I'll be honest the whole "Gang-Rape" jokes unfunny myself, since when did gang rape constitute humour? Nobel I've always had mixed feelings about TBH, sometimes I'm in the mood for him other times not. Harry Hill is one one that I've done a complete flip on, when he first came out I couldn't stand him but now I think he's superb, TV Burp is the only reason to watch ITV1 these days.

Like the rest though, all manage to make me laugh. As for the three you mentioned, don't know much about Russell Howard TBH outside MTW so can't really say, Lee Mack is quite funny, apparently that sitcom of his is supposed to be really good. Don't know who Tim Minchin is though.

One other that I forgot to mention that I like is the legend that is Richard Pryor, sheer genius, such a shame he's no longer with us

[TIAL]

I'm quite curious, what are people's opinions on the following:

Jimmy Carr: Old-fashioned one-liners with an offensive twist. Funny, but not what I look for in a comedian. I want over-arching stories.
Bill Bailey: Really good musical comedian with an obvious talent for instuments. If you like him, go see Tim Minchin.
Dylan Moran: One of the finest standups. Angry, wobbly and confused. A brilliant comedian.
Lee Hurst: I don't know who he is.
Harry Hill: Great on TV Burp but maybe a little silly for my tastes in stand-up.
Sean Lock: Has some impressive up-to-date material but otherwise goes on about the mundanities of modern life not as well as Michael McIntyre.
Dara O'Brien: A wonderful storyteller and comedian. Irish comedy with an injection of his physics degree, an intellegance which differentiates himself from the rest.
Michael McIntyre: The best observational comedian I know. Essential viewing if you feel part of (or slightly annoyed at) the unwritten rules of British society.
Frankie Boyle: Really offensive, but funny if you're in the mood for it. Some clever points come across, but the audience have mostly come to hear him slagging off other countries, I fear.
Paul Merton: Not seen him in stand-up, but he seems brilliant at going off at a tangent. Whimsical and political, he's the perfect panel host for HIGNFY, and has a good taste in silent films.
Ross Nobel : The absolute master of improvised comedy. He goes on stage with only a few words scribbled on paper and the evening is improvised from there. The audience have a massive influence on how the show evolves. The comedian with the most technical skills I've ever had the privelage of seeing. Seriously, if you don't already, go and watch one of his DVDs and marvel at his improv.
Billy Connolly: The old master of alternative comedy. He did it before most other people and I admire him for that. I haven't seen much of his new stuff, though.
Jack Dee: Grumpy and cynical. Reflects the mood of the British public, but in a good way. I like him when he's on TV, but wouldn't pay to see him.

They're always/have been hailed as "The UK's funniest Comedian" yet I was wondering if anyone else found that lot funny (I know a few have been mentioned already - Bailey, Moran & Nobel)

[Johnny 1989]

I shall seek out a Ross Nobel DVD then, seeing as he seems to be popular with some on here.

BTW just seen an old HIGNFY which had Reginald D Hunter on it, he came across quite funny on that, is he any good at stand up?

[TIAL]

I should have said, the one thing I find unattractive about Ross Noble is some of his audience. Some people come along with the sole intention of becoming a big part in his show (which, obviously, he can't ignore). These people are funny at first, but get really annoying now that Noble is so well-known. His focus is meant to be on the unsuspecting.

This article says it the best: http://www.chortle.co.uk/correspondents ... intz,_ross

[MK Chris]

I would imagine with Ross Noble, that how he feels on the day has a big effect on how well his show goes.

My recommendation for one of his DVDs (though I've not seen all of them, so nicola_red may be better for this) would be Randomist.