Classic Comedy: Was It Ever Funny? - US comedy doesn't hold up?

[Calandrino]

Americans create Friends
UK copies the concept and calls it Coupling
Americans develope Coupling US and it's so unfunny it gets cancelled after three episodes

Hit or miss.

Coupling is obviously funnier than Friends though

 

[Tasty Tatty]

Coupling is obviously funnier than Friends though

It is. It's actually made me cry laughing.

 

[Product Placement]

UK vs US is an odd one. A lot of it comes down to different tastes. It's why they couldn't export Till Death Us Do Part but rather had to remake it as All in the Family. Really why remakes of British comedy shows were common for a long time.

US comedy shows seem more aspirational, most of the leads of the shows always live in a big house, have a nice car and all that stuff. While UK comedy is a lot more working class when it comes to settings and characters. Even something like Sanford and Son loses a lot of the grit and dirt the original Steptoe and Son had.

I do feel like this video explains lot of the differences well.

One big difference is that UK comedies from the late 80s onwards were really pushing the limits of TV, compared to what the USA did. One of the most groundbreaking TV episodes in the US at the time was The Contest episode of Seinfeld, which couldn't even use the word masturbation. But the biggest UK TV show during the 80s, Only Fool and Horses, already went beyond that with an episode about blow-up dolls, and going into the 90s nudity and drug use weren't off topic in UK comedy TV shows anymore.

It wasn't until HBO started doing comedy shows that you saw them tackle the topics UK comedy shows could without fear. But even today something like Brass Eye could never be shown on the standard broadcast channels in America, while in the UK it was a Channel 4 show.

Historically when it comes to TV shows, without a doubt, UK comedy shows have been funnier to me. However, over the past 10 years at least, I feel USA comedy has been in a not awful place, while the UK scene has gone to dogshit. I can't remember any UK comedy shows from the past 10 years that I have enjoyed, even lot of the panel shows have gotten old and full of bad guests.

Still funny people in UK comedy but many of them are more about stand up or doing movies now.

As for SNL, it has always been more shit then good. Just had less to watch when it aired, was something fresh and now, it all about that one clip that goes viral rather than the full show it's self.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

As for SNL, it has always been more shit then good. Just had less to watch when it aired, was something fresh and now, it all about that one clip that goes viral rather than the full show it's self.

Outside of the boomer demographic, I don't know why anyone would consider SNL "classic" comedy. Its highly topical and highly trend-riding, two things which guarantee that 99% of jokes will age poorly. Whenever they celebrate an anniversary, they always reference the same tired shit: Dan Ackroyd's Gerald Ford, Chevy Chase calling Richard Pryor a jigaboo, Eddie Murphy playing Buckwheat, Dan Ackroyd calling Jane Curtain a cunt, and Gilda Radner screaming incoherently. Its all shit that hasn't been funny or clever in 40 fucking years. I'd argue that it doesn't have to be; that SNL is, by design, a timely and thus ephemeral comedy product. If it makes people laugh when its made--mission accomplished. But these fucking boomers just can't let the old stuff die.

Oh, and I rated you "Dumb" because your English is terrible. Do better.

 

[General Patton]

Out of all the shows that the UK took from the US, why the hell did they do Jersey Shore ripoff?

 

[XYZpdq Jr.]

Out of all the shows that the UK took from the US, why the hell did they do Jersey Shore ripoff?

Blackpool?
UK has plenty of trash people colonies like that too, as far as I've heard "ugly piles of loud people" come in basically every flavor, it's just a matter of there being an audience for it

one time irl I bigfoot encountered Snooki
the wife and I were at the mall, she's looking at women's clothes as I tag along
[snooki noises intensify]
the wife saw her and confirmed it but I never caught a glimpse, the clothing racks were way taller than her

 

[General Patton]

Blackpool?
UK has plenty of trash people colonies like that too, as far as I've heard "ugly piles of loud people" come in basically every flavor, it's just a matter of there being an audience for it

one time irl I bigfoot encountered Snooki
the wife and I were at the mall, she's looking at women's clothes as I tag along
[snooki noises intensify]
the wife saw her and confirmed it but I never caught a glimpse, the clothing racks were way taller than her

I want to say Geordie Shore. I'm not sure if I spelled it right.

 

[Peep Plops]

I'd argue that it doesn't have to be; that SNL is, by design, a timely and thus ephemeral comedy product.

I rated you dumb because you write like a pretentious fag and I wanted to upset you.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

I rated you dumb because you write like a pretentious fag and I wanted to upset you.

Yes, I am well educated. Thanks for noticing.

 

[Product Placement]

Yes, I am well educated. Thanks for noticing.

Then why did you use its instead of it's, when calling me out for my writing skill?

Also, it would be "consider SNL a "classic" comedy", not "consider SNL "classic" comedy" as you wrote.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

Speaking of Seinfeld, in my opinion, Curb Your Enthusiasm by Larry David is one of the funniest American comedies in years.

I'd even say it's funnier than Seinfeld.

It absolutely is better than Seinfeld.

 

[General Patton]

It absolutely is better than Seinfeld.

I still crack up at this.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

I still crack up at this.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=f1nHVU1Qe4I

My favourite scene is outside the theatre, when Larry is whistling Wagner to Cheryl.

 

[General Patton]

My favourite scene is outside the theatre, when Larry is whistling Wagner to Cheryl.

Also Michael J. Fox.

"Parkinsons."

 

[Iron Jaguar]

Also Michael J. Fox.

"Parkinsons."

Also, Jeff. "Sure, come over to my house and whack off. What do I care?"

 

[General Patton]

Also, Jeff. "Sure, come over to my house and whack off. What do I care?"

As much as I like Jerry Seinfeld, and Jason Alexander (to be honest, him as George carried that show) I do feel like the biggest reason Seinfeld was as funny as it was is because Larry David worked for it.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

George carried that show

I completely agree. Of the four main characters, George was by far the funniest.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

Then why did you use its instead of it's, when calling me out for my writing skill?

Also, it would be "consider SNL a "classic" comedy", not "consider SNL "classic" comedy" as you wrote.

No, my way is correct. I don't consider SNL a singular product like a film or a long-cancelled television show. Its an ongoing property, so me referring to it as "'classic' comedy" instead of "a 'classic' comedy" is correct.

Also, I never add the apostrophe in "its." I find it to be outdated and unnecessary.

 

[McMitch]

Also, I never add the apostrophe in "its." I find it to be outdated and unnecessary.

This is dumb as the apostrophe is necessary to denote “it’s” being a contraction of “it is,” especially when you used the same in “doesn’t,” and “don’t,” and “I’d.”

 

[General Patton]

I completely agree. Of the four main characters, George was by far the funniest.

Kramer has his moments, but he's also way over the top. Elaine was okay but there's not much I can note to compare to the others. George definitely stood out, and honestly, I think Alexander is funnier than Seinfeld.

The only other character I can think of that was as funny as George is Newman, because of how evil he came off, and his scenes stand out to me, looking back on the show. Wayne Knight was great at being a bastard.

Oh, and I can't forget George's parents. Jerry Stiller and Estelle Harris were brilliant.

I found one example of Wayne Knight's performance that was always hilarious to me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pys47zaxZ90

When the hawk goes after the squirrel. Newman has no dialogue, but his facial expression still cracks me up, and he needs no words.

So yeah. I'd say he's as good as George and Alexander.