I saw him in 2015 at The Lowry in Manchester. I went with my best mate (sorry @fatso . for both mentioning a best mate and creating a culture where people can call others best mates) , swerving that Leicester game where we drew 2-2 after being 2-0 up. My mate had an app on his phone which beeped every time a goal in the game went in. āComeback kingsā, I remarked. Heās not forgiven me for that remark to this day.
Anyways, Stanhope. When we saw him, the best mate and Doug himself both told me that he was on the way out, that this was a money raising tour, a bit of a Greatest Hits.
In the time since, Iāve come to see him as one of the two spiritual successors to Bill Hicks, whether they like it or not. The other is Stewart Lee. Stanhope is much much closer, having that American and almost eternally drunken persona, but Lee has that same questioning eye. He just focuses it in on much much smaller areas, and delivers. Both expect their audiences to dislike what theyāre saying, both have material pre-worked in anticipation of the controversy theyāre going to cause, of which Lee is the undoubted master.
For me, comedy genius has always been about being able to present a different point of view, say something true, impart a couple of values and make people laugh at the same time. Hicks was better physically and politically, Stanhope is probably the best observational comedian Iāve seen (largely because people forget that he is one) while Lee can plough the minutiae of any little thing while expressing utter contempt.
Iām clearly the comedy king of this forum so my opinions are important.
I listened to Doug Stanhope podcast and I didnāt like it. I found it slightly offensive and a bit aggressive for my liking. I didnāt find it clever I any way.
Now, Iām not saying that heās shit, Iām saying I find some of his humour difficult.
He is offensive and aggressive. Often seems very self-justifying as well, especially on the subject of abortion. For me though, thereās little doubt that heās real in what he says. This is a bloke totally out of his comfort zone that managed to collect his thoughts, write them down and get drunk enough to express them in public.
The bloke is fearless. His most offensive shows happened in the mid 2000s, just after 9/11 and a whole heap of other shit. He went after every major religion on Earth.
And yet, the bloke is still getting onto Charlie Brookerās show in the 2010s, who will have no doubt seen everything heās been in.
Charlie has always been a bit aggressive and offensive too. The bloke got banned in print long before he ever got on TV.
Great post Pap. Comedy is just a subjective thing. Stewart Lee iāve seen twice live. You have to watch him live as he creates this tension in the crowd which may not perhaps translate to watching him online. I saw him in Cardiff 5 years ago, soon after he was declared bankrupt following the cancellation of Jerry Springer the Opera.
I watched the first episode of āa very English scandalā last Sunday, the dramatisation of Jeremy Thorpeās attempted murder of his gay lover Norman Scott. Starring Hugh Grant, who is surprisingly good. I remember the case well, it was a major scandal at the time. This is a sketch from the incomparable Peter Cook which he wrote in 3 hours backstage at the Secret Policemanās Ball in 1979, then went onstage to perform it. Satire really doesnāt get any better than this. For comic timing nobody comes close to Cook, he really was comedy genius. This satire of the biased judgeās summing up has been described by more than a few journalists who were in court at the time as not very far removed from the truth. Still laugh out loud funny all these years later. Enjoy.
Peter Cook was a man out of his time. Incredidbly smart and funny, but I always thoughr he was born in the wromg era. He ended up being resentful of Dudley Mooreās fame and success in Hollywood, which is sad but understandable. In the 80ās he just withdrew, he had ongoing issues with booze. Even holed up in his flat in Swiss Cottage he used to phone in to LBC late night as Sven, a fisherman. every night.
I was looking at what comedy gigs are coming up near me and saw Doug Stanhope is performing. One ticket costs Ā£39 plus Ā£3 transaction fee. Thatās not through some we I dare agencyā¦thatās the actual price.
@saintbristol , Iām happy to pay more for musicians than comedians. Musicians have a whole entourage but comedians donāt. Theyāre just there in stage. Ā£42 is double what Iād be happy paying for a comedian but I would pay it for a musician if it was warranted. Iāve only ever paid that much for a music gig twiceā¦once was to see Springsteen (well worth it) and once was to see Take That (present for the Mrs nand, being fair, they put on a show and half). Any comedian asking for 42 can get fucked as far as Iām concerned. Iām looking to book tickets to see gruff Rhys for Ā£22 in November. Well worth it, I think.
I have long recognised that my sarcasm comes straight from an admiration of Captain Blackadder, that my offensive style is probably the product of too much Alexei Sayle, Bill Hicks, Rage Against The Machine or all of the above.
I have zero problem admitting that, nor would I have any issue with folk describing me as a composite of those disparate personalities.
One person I didnāt realise Iād ripped off was Chris Morris, but I do, repeatedly. I lie on this site all the time. When I lie, I try to make it too ridiculous to anyone to believe it is possibly true. Iāve ripped him off, bang to rights, and have emerged a pale imitation.
On the bright side, we eked about 60% of @saintbletch lore out on that very shaky foundation.
And letās be honest. You wouldnāt have it otherwise.
Nope. Itās got to be too ridiculous to be true. People sorting their own shit out is a reality in most countries in the world. I donāt think it a ridiculous idea that we can do the same.
But take it to the Brexit thread, if you could. Iād like to get on with the genius of comedy here.
