Thursday, May 15, 2008

Top TV #2



What happened to pure comedy? You could never get away with a routine like that these days unless you were taking the piss out of the mere idea that someone might want to do a routine like this. Also, where are all the middle-aged entertainers? I don't mean heritage acts, buts ones who are actually at the top of their game? The Chuckle Brothers?

I loved a lot of 80s alternative comedy but a disastrous side-effect was that it consigned everyone over 40 to irrelevance and grandad status. Unless they dressed like they were under 40, and had hair. Or they could go bald as long as they shaved the remainder off. And wore a black top.

There's an innocence and simple joy in comedy that you don't get so much any more. You've got to work the laughs through five or six layers of knowingness before they make it to TV. But it is possible to circumvent most of those layers. I'll come to that in Top TV #3...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great stuff! Thanks for reminding me of Morecambe and Wise. After a few of their sketches, I wathged the two Ronnies for half an hour. Not a bad way to spend Sunday morning. I think "the Larry show" is great, too.

Tanya said...

Dear Mr.Williams, it's so much fun checking out your blog cuz you always make us laugh! So hello again from the Rocky Mountains and we are looking forward to the new posts!

Charlie Williams said...

Karin - M&W and The Two Ronnies were the real quality of that era. Alongside another guy who I'll blog about (clue: the French love him).

And cheers Tanya. Hello right back to the Rocky Mountains, from the Malvern Hills. A new post soon, once I get my shit together.

Hannah's Blog said...

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Not to be mean but your blog is kinda[DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY]WEIRD.So SORRY!

Charlie Williams said...

Hannah - you thinnk my blog is weird? You should see the person who writes it.