January 21st, 2008
RTE’s Roaring Twenties
So according to Matt Vinyl, the Shiznit made an appearance in RTE’s new sit com The Roaring Twenties last week. Haven’t seen it and am reserving judgement. I’d be excited if not for two things, 1) I don’t make anything from it as sales don’t increase on a free comic thats out of print and 2) I’ve been here before.
A few years ago I was approached by an art director from RTE asking for clearance to use MBLEH in their new contempory and relevant drama series. I of course was flattered, agreed and talked it up in my circles. This programme turned out to be the Big Bow Wow and it was a steaming pile of gick. So bad in fact that RTE actually rescheduled it to run twice weekly so they could wash their hands of it. It was awful. It cost 2 fokkin million to produce too.
So why is everything Irish just shit? Naked Camera can be funny, Podge and Rodge are okay and The Blizzard of Odd was outstanding but nearly every RTE production sucks a camel’s dick. I know the writers have the best intentions but how can they miss the mark repeatedly? I thought that comedy series STEW was spot on though. That girl is deadly and genuinely funny in all the sketches.
Well there was another good show called Custers Last Stand Up which was really good where the kids actually used real accents. Sweet suffering fuck I can’t stand or comprehend what goes on in these people’s heads.
The fake Dublin accents in The Commitments and The Family, etc are insulting. It’s a hard one to peg though, one side you have the affected Dublin 4 accent with all the soft ’s’ nonsense, in the middle you have real people and then there’s Damien Dempsey. What part of Dublin is that clown from?
Fuck everyone.
January 21st, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Haven’t bothered watching that new show, it’s an Irish sitcom so it’s best to stay the fuck away from it.
Hafta agree with you on Blizzard of Odd and Stew, fucking brilliant shows. I loved the Paranormal Investigator sketches.
What d’ya think of Makin’ Jake so far?
January 21st, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Fuck Stan Lee?
January 21st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I watched it. It was SHIT! And I noticed THE SHIZNIT, except they raped it and made it the size of a regular comic.
Good Irish Comedy? Try these guys, pretty good I think:
http://ie.youtube.com/profile?user=NOVARAfilms
January 21st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
the english class - that should have been deadly, but wasnt. I saw the polish girl in it in a play once, a lovely, lovely girl who’s career is now fucked.
http://totalirishblogger.blogspot.com/2007/10/english-class-rte.html
check this out bob, opinions on a postcard to ‘fuck everybody’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktF0Yybo_sM
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:06 am
I like Roaring Twenties. And I liked Stew and Odd too, Bob. Naked Camera’s not a favourite, (its well made, but I just don’t like candid camera shows) Twenties is getting an awful slating from people, but I don’t think the writings at fault. I’ve always maintained Fr Ted would have been dire, produced by RTE. (I’m not saying Twenties is Father Ted, but I’m familiar enough with RTE’s workings to know how bad they can make something). Time and money are not RTE’s strong points. They also refused Dave McSavage his pilot, and whatever your opinion is of McSavage, I saw some of the stuff he made for it, and it was easily the best comedy that was never on RTE. I’ll be pitching my own stuff later in the year, but I’ve mixed feelings about pitching to RTE.
Has anyone ever seen the Clinic? Makes Eastenders look like the Mardi Gras.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:51 am
howdy did a wee post on the diet of worms lads after seeing them on the man linehan’s blog
http://jhomunculus.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-had-me-at-kinegaddiet-of-worms.html
well impressed, ah RTE and comedy especially their s(h)itcoms have been a bugbear of mine for years. The format like a lot of rte output is see something that works else where ie Spaced=Roaring Twenties or Dave Gorman/I Dare Ya or Marion and Geoff/The Shite D4 couple things, becks or something and think a badly done Irish knock off will work.
Fore me their main problem is just plain old conservativism everything is comedically stilted towards not offending.
Paths to Freedom was alright, I thought and Couched was good (I think the memory’s not what it used to be this clips great:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Zzf9xWuLKck
liked Soupy Norman
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JWC6ihMlPnE&feature=related
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:32 am
I watch both episodes with bile in my mouth - terrible terrible - I mean just shockingly bad.
The important thing is to make sure the fuckers pay you the appropriate clearance fee. Even they showed Amberduke it wouldn’t have translated into sales.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:07 am
Yeah, I forgot to mention that they supersized the Shiznit.
I’ve seen two episodes of the Roaring Twenties and both times it was late at nihgt when I was stoned off my face. As such that should be when I’m most vulnerable to thinking shit comedy is good. But it wasn’t, it was shit.
I know a few heads that have written comedy stuff for Tv and radio over the last few years. Most of it was shit even though they’re funny people. An idea that has you breaking your bollix laughing in the boozer, rarely translates into good comedy for mass consumption. I’ll agree with you Bob in that I liked Stew, except for the breakfast DJ couple who got on my tits. I really like all the stuff that Paul Woodfull has done over the years. I had to do a double take today when i thought Paul Tylak was trying to steal a bicycle. It was his own though. Judging from it, comedy has not made him a millionaire.
Sue the fuckers for robbing your comic and fucking with it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 am
I have no telly so haven’t a clue what rubbish rte are putting out these days thou doesn’t sound like they’ve improved much and the tv license fee is gone up to what 170 now?
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 am
I had no telly once but now i have a 42 inch hd that i have sex with every night. And it’s unlicensed too the dirty thing.
Another classic of Irish cringe inducing comedy has to be Dermot Morgans solo outing…painful.
Anyways making comedy for RTE is sorta like having sex with gay byrne in the room.
The Panel is okay. probably because its unscripted (ish)
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Yo! Just downloaded The Roaring Twenties thing and might watch it tomorrow. Apparently it’s just a 2 parter. Naked Camera is good although I walked out on PJ Gallaghers stand up. Nice bloke, but signing comedy songs?? Fucking George Formby.
Cheers for all the links, Diet of Worms looks good. Forgot all about Paths to Freedom, loved that, that was deadly.
Yeah uiscebot, that was funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktF0Yybo_sM
Could have been trimmed but the Umberella-ella snippet is a gem
By the way, I gave them permission to use the comic. It’s the gamble you have to take, what if it was a fluke hit and became the next Curb Your Enthusiam?
Peepshow, Curb and Arrested Development are my favs.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 pm
they were at that gig on Saturday night.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Check out 30 Rock. Best comedy i’ve seen in ages. Much in the vein of Arrested Development; fast-paced, self-referecial jokes that reward best after a few episodes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SaZcDIvVC4
Ignore the american-ness of the promo, it’s the only youtube video with decent clips.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Just finished watching series 6 of Curb. Great punchline to end the series. The episode with Steve Coogan has the best post-mugging scene I’ve ever seen…
January 29th, 2008 at 7:42 am
I know it was origionally shown on chanel4 but what about father ted. Those are some mighty fine reruns
February 5th, 2008 at 9:47 am
…the gems shine all the brighter in the pool of piss that is Irish TV… there’s something good to say. I thought about it, and was wondering what i could bring to the debate that wasn’t even more irish. Fuck them all and their half baked, shoddy, badly lit (of all things) and poorly executed twee-vwee. My mum worked on live at three, I know what i’m talking about.
February 15th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Irish TV comedy is usually shit because usually its either 1 its a rip-off of an english show or 2 it tries to all cutting edge and cool and ‘young’. The sight of smug D4 cuntz licking each others rings isnt FUNNY it just induces nihilistic rage.KILL EM ALL! Podge and Rodge were good in there first season but went a bit tame after that.
My idea for a show.a Robot that Rapes Irish celebrities (regardless of sex) in a comedic fashion. IN the First episode. RAPEBOT Will humoursly assault Gay Byrne-Patronising cunt,Dave Mcsavage-Shit and that irrelevent bird of the Panel.
Next week -Ryan Turburdy and Gerry Ryan are banged with hilarious consequences.