UK Comedy Boffinism
December 22nd, 2008I want to draw attention to some links acronymically-branded commentators DW and QI left some posts ago .
The first is a ridiculous archive of the BBC radio panel show “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue,” which I am ashamed to admit I had never heard of. It was a spin off of the ‘70s BBC comedy radio show “I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again,” which I had heard of, merely because it’s always mentioned in formative histories of Monty Python as John Cleese was a writer/performer. The majority of the panelists were on another seminal UK comedy group—The Goodies (that never got popular in the US and of whom I’ve only seen in one sketch on some Secret Policeman’s Ball benefit)—that Wikipedia compares either to The Monkees or Stella… take your pick.
If any improv/comedy friends actually are still reading this blog you can understand the impulse that created “I Haven’t Clue” in 1974… they thought, “Why are we putting so much work into actually writing this dumb radio show for so little reward… let’s just wing it without scripts”. And so they did. And it ran continuously up to last year (and is coming back in the near future; the “chairman” or host recently died and bummed everyone out.)
A weird mix of shortform-style improv games (only played the pun-abusing British casual manner as opposed to the manic eager-to-please shit US ComedySportz style), meta radio nonsense bits, and singing.
I’ve stuck mostly to the last 10 years, enjoying a lot of guest stars I recognize from QI. As I’m getting into the ‘90s, there’s more names I remember fondly from the UK Whose Line Is It Anyway (the UK show was a revelation when it appeared on Comedy Central; the USA one is a fetid turd in a wineglass full of AIDS blood).
John Cleese is in some of the very earliest ones from the ‘70s. Unless you’re mad for Cleese, I’d stick to the ‘00s with great appearances from Rob Brydon (who was the only funny thing in Tristram Shandy), Stephen Fry, Jeremy Hardy (QI), Bill Bailey (one line in Hot Fuzz), etc.
It’s way too British in parts for me to follow; I get about 50% of it. And the older the episodes get, the more incomprehensible the reference, mostly political figures (which Wikipedia helps with). The other odd British-US disconnect is when they sing popular songs (to the tunes of other popular songs) which makes me believe: a.) all comedians in England are required to know a massive amount of old-timey music hall novelty numbers b.) the “hits” that international stars like Elvis or Tom Jones are known for are completely different than they’re know for over here c.) Their Top-40 is totally Bizarro-inverse from ours of the same era; “Teenage Dirtbag” was a mega hit in England it seems.
MP3s of I’m Sorry, I Haven’t A Clue
Commenter QI gets fewer points—another fundamental difference in US-UK culture is that they don’t seem to care who wins on these “game shows” and points are thrown about like confetti. You lose an Empire and all of a sudden you stop caring about the most important thing – FUCKIN’ WINNING! USA USA USA!—for recommending a BBC radio show I’ve already heard (some wag posted them on YouTube with a still picture as the visual): David Mitchell’s The Unbelievable Truth.
MP3s of The Unbelievable Truth (Ep 1-6 only)
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:41 pm
See, now at least why I understand why Drew Carey made such a big deal about the points not mattering at the beginning of the US ‘Whose Line’. If you’re ever in London, the original WL team do improv at the Comedy Store, Tuesdays and Fridays, which is well worth a trip, if you’ve not been already. Also have people / you discovered yourself ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’, ‘Mock the Week’ and ‘Have I got News For You?’ which all began as radio 4 shows and moved to TV.
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I can imagine seeing the Comedy Store Players now (as opposed to at 13) would fill me more with sadness than inspiration. I find watching improv in general (unless someone gives me a fistful of twenties at the end) highly unappealing.
Seen a lot of that Buzzcocks/Mock/News slate and give it a disinterested shrug. Oddly enough, I think they take the game show aspect too seriously and the news one is almost entirely too British in content to follow. I kinda loved “TV Heaven Telly Hell,” mostly for the David Mitchell re-enactment of that terrible 70s sitcom. Won’t dare watch the original UK version of I Love the 80s. Despite Kuppy’s rapid recommendation, also found Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe like a meaninglessly hostile version of “Talk Soup” and very proud of itself. Thumbs-down!
I have never been to England.
December 26th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I like your historical interpretation of game show points. Although I’d suggest that a quick review of football hooligan riots indicates that winning still matters in some quarters of the UK.
I haven’t checked out the Unbelievable Truth yet, but I noticed the URL includes the word “spanner.” I know that means wrench, but why is it so funny to Brits?
December 29th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
“[F]etid turd in a wineglass full of AIDS blood”.
January 18th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Spanner means an idiot in English idiom.
ISIHAC is “the antidote to panel games”. It started out as commentary but then just became its own thing. The double entendres are just marvellous.