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Post by fwclipper51 on Mar 3, 2024 21:28:47 GMT -5
I'm a Benny Hill fan, and I certainly considered it juvenile. That was the whole point! I mean, I love the polished wit of people like Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde or Robert Benchley or whoever, but there is room in that universe for Benny Hill or Curly Howard. I think you either find a guy getting hit over the head with a crowbar funny or you don't, not much middle ground. But I admit there are other acclaimed comic acts that are lost on me. People were always saying that Robin Williams was brilliant, but he never made me laugh even one time. To me he was just a fast talker with nothing to say. Alan King was Jerry Seinfeld's comedy role model, and though I love Seinfeld I never saw anything in King. No right or wrong here, it's like music, we all have our comfort zones. Yes...comedy, like beauty & music, is in the eye and ear of the beholder. I'm a big fan of standup comedy, and Robin Williams did have a few bits that absolutely cracked me up. A few of my favorites today are Brian Regan, Nate Bargatze, Al Madrigal, Mark Maron & Kathleen Madigan. Tom Segura & Bill Burr are a little on the rougher side, as is Doug Stanhope, who lives in the small Southern Arizona town of Bisbee. Loved the late, great Norm Macdonald...saw him a couple of times at local comedy clubs. I was a huge fan of Robert Klein and, speaking of The Little Rascals, this routine still makes me laugh after seeing it many times... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4U8vYWjpsI&t=10s I was a concert sound engineer for Robert Klein, when he did a concert at the local college that I was attending. He was really a nice guy and put on a great show. He did talk to us about his comedy career and what was going on on network TV, he was doing a summer replacement show, his story on dealing with CBS-TV censorship was something else. This year I found out that he had turned down the TV series role of Hawkeye in MASH TV Series, because he was starting to doing movie work. |
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Post by fwclipper51 on Mar 3, 2024 21:37:16 GMT -5
One Comedy entertainer that I really enjoyed was Ernie Kovacs from the 1950's, he was one of early masters of video tape comedy. We lost him to an auto accident in 1962  Groucho Marx and Ernie Kovacs Cigar Buddies |
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Post by rizzuto on Mar 3, 2024 22:09:45 GMT -5
Oh, geez. Alan King. He and Bob Hope were the worst comedians I ever watched in my life… We 50 percent agree, Inger. Alan King, yes. But Bob Hope I thought was great, both in his movies and in his standup routines. Maybe me being a few years older than you influences that, I don't know, but Bob Hope could make me laugh just walking out on stage. But I do like a lot of those old timers like Jack Benny and Henny Youngman. Even Senor Wences. One old timer I couldn't stomach was Red Skelton. But obviously a lot of people did. To each his own. Bob Hope has a fan in me, at the very least for his "Road to..." movies. I enjoyed him as a kid growing up, as well as Burns and Allen, and in college I discovered Jack Benny re-runs. All it took was a look and that wonderful pause, and I was hooked. My sister told me when I was very little (like three or four), I demanded to watch "Red Skelton" which I pronounced Red Skeleton - I'm sure I wasn't the only one. |
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Post by inger on Mar 3, 2024 22:34:19 GMT -5
Oh, geez. Alan King. He and Bob Hope were the worst comedians I ever watched in my life… We 50 percent agree, Inger. Alan King, yes. But Bob Hope I thought was great, both in his movies and in his standup routines. Maybe me being a few years older than you influences that, I don't know, but Bob Hope could make me laugh just walking out on stage. But I do like a lot of those old timers like Jack Benny and Henny Youngman. Even Senor Wences. One old timer I couldn't stomach was Red Skelton. But obviously a lot of people did. To each his own. As you say, tastes. I liked Red Skelton… And maybe Hope started out funny, but by the time I was watching him he was toast… |
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Post by azbob643 on Mar 4, 2024 8:50:47 GMT -5
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Post by bomberhojoe on Mar 4, 2024 14:04:42 GMT -5
I'm a Benny Hill fan, and I certainly considered it juvenile. That was the whole point! I mean, I love the polished wit of people like Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde or Robert Benchley or whoever, but there is room in that universe for Benny Hill or Curly Howard. I think you either find a guy getting hit over the head with a crowbar funny or you don't, not much middle ground. But I admit there are other acclaimed comic acts that are lost on me. People were always saying that Robin Williams was brilliant, but he never made me laugh even one time. To me he was just a fast talker with nothing to say. Alan King was Jerry Seinfeld's comedy role model, and though I love Seinfeld I never saw anything in King. No right or wrong here, it's like music, we all have our comfort zones. Yes...comedy, like beauty & music, is in the eye and ear of the beholder. I'm a big fan of standup comedy, and Robin Williams did have a few bits that absolutely cracked me up. A few of my favorites today are Brian Regan, Nate Bargatze, Al Madrigal, Mark Maron & Kathleen Madigan. Tom Segura & Bill Burr are a little on the rougher side, as is Doug Stanhope, who lives in the small Southern Arizona town of Bisbee. Loved the late, great Norm Macdonald...saw him a couple of times at local comedy clubs. I was a huge fan of Robert Klein and, speaking of The Little Rascals, this routine still makes me laugh after seeing it many times... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4U8vYWjpsI&t=10sI agree with Brian Regan, and Nate Bargatze. Both are very funny. A couple others I like are Jeff Allen and Sebastian Manascaldo. |
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Post by bomberhojoe on Mar 4, 2024 14:06:04 GMT -5
We 50 percent agree, Inger. Alan King, yes. But Bob Hope I thought was great, both in his movies and in his standup routines. Maybe me being a few years older than you influences that, I don't know, but Bob Hope could make me laugh just walking out on stage. But I do like a lot of those old timers like Jack Benny and Henny Youngman. Even Senor Wences. One old timer I couldn't stomach was Red Skelton. But obviously a lot of people did. To each his own. As you say, tastes. I liked Red Skelton… And maybe Hope started out funny, but by the time I was watching him he was toast… I'm with you inger on Bob Hope. he was pretty bad when he got older, at least. He would tell a joke and look out in the audience as if to say, why aren't you laughing. |
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Post by azbob643 on Mar 4, 2024 14:08:51 GMT -5
As you say, tastes. I liked Red Skelton… And maybe Hope started out funny, but by the time I was watching him he was toast… I'm with you inger on Bob Hope. he was pretty bad when he got older, at least. He would tell a joke and look out in the audience as if to say, why aren't you laughing. thought Bob Hope was remotely funny... |
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Post by azbob643 on Mar 4, 2024 14:14:29 GMT -5
Yes...comedy, like beauty & music, is in the eye and ear of the beholder. I'm a big fan of standup comedy, and Robin Williams did have a few bits that absolutely cracked me up. A few of my favorites today are Brian Regan, Nate Bargatze, Al Madrigal, Mark Maron & Kathleen Madigan. Tom Segura & Bill Burr are a little on the rougher side, as is Doug Stanhope, who lives in the small Southern Arizona town of Bisbee. Loved the late, great Norm Macdonald...saw him a couple of times at local comedy clubs. I was a huge fan of Robert Klein and, speaking of The Little Rascals, this routine still makes me laugh after seeing it many times... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4U8vYWjpsI&t=10sI agree with Brian Regan, and Nate Bargatze. Both are very funny. A couple others I like are Jeff Allen and Sebastian Manascaldo. The thing about watching unknown comedians is you have to watch at least several minutes of their routine to see if it appeals to you. I've got tons of those on Netflix & Prime Video I've passed on, but every once in awhile I'll hit on a gem. Nick Kroll & Gary Gulman come to mind. |
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Post by bomberhojoe on Mar 4, 2024 14:28:53 GMT -5
I'm with you inger on Bob Hope. he was pretty bad when he got older, at least. He would tell a joke and look out in the audience as if to say, why aren't you laughing. thought Bob Hope was remotely funny... I didn't think he was all that funny in his younger years, but he was downright awful, IMO as he got older. Someone here was talking about David Brenner a week or so ago, and I never found him funny either. Of the older comedians, my favorites were Jonathan Winters, George Carlin, Don Rickles and Steven Wright. Another good comedian is Ben Bailey, he was on that show "Cash Cab" and his stand-up routine is very funny. |
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Post by azbob643 on Mar 4, 2024 14:33:08 GMT -5
Never thought Bob Hope was remotely funny... I didn't think he was all that funny in his younger years, but he was downright awful, IMO as he got older. Someone here was talking about David Brenner a week or so ago, and I never found him funny either. Of the older comedians, my favorites were Jonathan Winters, George Carlin, Don Rickles and Steven Wright. Another good comedian is Ben Bailey, he was on that show "Cash Cab" and his stand-up routine is very funny. Agree on all of those with the exception of Rickles. Loved Jonathan Winters, who was an inspiration for Robin Williams. Saw Carlin live several times, although he seemed somewhat bitter in his later years. Ben Bailey was good on "Cash Cab", never saw his standup. I'll see if I can find it. |
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Post by 1955nyyfan on Mar 4, 2024 14:47:28 GMT -5
I'm a fan of Ron White who I understand just retired. for you golfers, there is a guy calleg Golf Pro Guy who does some great parodies of muni golf pros.
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Post by 1955nyyfan on Mar 4, 2024 14:55:10 GMT -5
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Post by pippsheadache on Mar 4, 2024 16:14:26 GMT -5
I'm a Benny Hill fan, and I certainly considered it juvenile. That was the whole point! I mean, I love the polished wit of people like Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde or Robert Benchley or whoever, but there is room in that universe for Benny Hill or Curly Howard. I think you either find a guy getting hit over the head with a crowbar funny or you don't, not much middle ground. But I admit there are other acclaimed comic acts that are lost on me. People were always saying that Robin Williams was brilliant, but he never made me laugh even one time. To me he was just a fast talker with nothing to say. Alan King was Jerry Seinfeld's comedy role model, and though I love Seinfeld I never saw anything in King. No right or wrong here, it's like music, we all have our comfort zones. Yes...comedy, like beauty & music, is in the eye and ear of the beholder. I'm a big fan of standup comedy, and Robin Williams did have a few bits that absolutely cracked me up. A few of my favorites today are Brian Regan, Nate Bargatze, Al Madrigal, Mark Maron & Kathleen Madigan. Tom Segura & Bill Burr are a little on the rougher side, as is Doug Stanhope, who lives in the small Southern Arizona town of Bisbee. Loved the late, great Norm Macdonald...saw him a couple of times at local comedy clubs. I was a huge fan of Robert Klein and, speaking of The Little Rascals, this routine still makes me laugh after seeing it many times... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4U8vYWjpsI&t=10sOutstanding bit from Klein, Bob. I can't believe I forgot to mention him among my favorites. One of the early "thinking-person's" comics, around the same time as Carlin, who I liked from the get-go back to the Al Sleet days. His bitterness did not play well as he got older, which I would also say about Letterman (or even Mark Twain for that matter.) David Steinberg was also in that crew, although I never thought he was at the level of Klein or Carlin. Kudos to you for keeping up with the current flock. I started gradually closing the shutters on popular culture -- comedy, music, movies, TV -- maybe 20 years ago. Not some deliberate strategy, just started losing interest and more of the people I interact with weren't talking about it either. Probably a bad thing, but I don't feel much sense of loss. I too loved the Little Rascals. A staple of Saturday morning TV for years. So many of them died so young. When we lived in LA I came across the grave of Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, who was shot and killed in an argument over a debt when he was in his early thirties. It's at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and includes an image of Petey the dog. Darla Hood was the voice of the Chicken of the Sea Mermaid back in the day. My nephew is a stand-up comic who opened for Norm MacDonald several times. He thought the world of him and said he was just so gracious with his time and advice. He also enjoyed working with Tommy Chong and Arsenio Hall. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Mar 4, 2024 16:24:23 GMT -5
One Comedy entertainer that I really enjoyed was Ernie Kovacs from the 1950's, he was one of early masters of video tape comedy. We lost him to an auto accident in 1962 View AttachmentGroucho Marx and Ernie Kovacs Cigar Buddies Good one Clipper. People today don't know Ernie Kovacs -- a Trenton guy who started on TV in Philly. He was definitely off-beat and had more of a cult following. Not traditional in any sense. Remember he was married to Edie Adams, who I associate mainly with her Muriel Cigar commercials in the 1960s -- "why don't you pick one up and smoke it sometime?" And the "Hey Big Spender" ad too. |
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