According to legendary comedian John Cleese modern comedians are struggling to produce good comedy.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19453020-421,00.html
I am inclined to agree with Cleese. I am a fan of good comedy (Stand-up, Sketch, Britcom) but recently I haven?t seen much good comedy. I don?t watch a lot of television lately as compared to the amount I would watch 8 years ago. Most of what I find classed as comedy these days really isn?t funny. Mostly I have fount the ?Americanisation? of comedy has completely removed the humour involved. This is particularly prevalent in American sitcoms but also has been seen in modern Australian comedy (the wedge, Rove live recently) and British comedy (Little Britain). Americanization as I describe it is over censoring and lack of innovation (sticking to tried and tested methods rather that trying something new that could fail).
Not all old comedy could actually make me laugh (not a difficult task mind you) but would at least engage me so I did not what to run screaming from the theatre/lounge room, screaming in a poor comedy induced state of madness in much the way that American Pie or Scary Movie would (Why does a movie as stupid as scary movie need 6 writers, you wouldn?t even need six monkeys and one typewriter). We used to see a well thought out joke that is acted well or witty stand-up routines but now all we get is canned laughter, whoever thought that up should be taken out and beaten to death with their own invention. I like figuring out a joke, I have a sense of humour, I don?t need to be told when to laugh. If an audience can?t figure out a joke then maybe you aren?t making comedy. All the comedy I see on the telly these days are either sitcoms using canned laughter or LCD (Lowest common denominator). LCD, t!ts and pen!s jokes, making fun of retarded people, things most people grow out of at puberty. Back in the day (circa 2000) we had shows that were funny. Black books, the Kumar?s at no 42, the panel, the early days of rove live, the glass house (I couldn?t stand Will Anderson back then either but Dave Hughes was still funny). But now all I see on TV, apart from bad reality shows is bad comedies. I cant stand comedians that rely on t!ts and arses to make jokes, whist vulgarity when used correctly is hilarious most comedians who work like this are awful. People like Dave Chappelle who really couldn?t write a proper joke to save his life. But like I said Swearing and sexual references can be used in humour, take Billy Connolly for example who in his humour sometimes uses a lot of swearing doesn?t make it centric to the joke (for anyone who is familiar with Billy Connolly: ?why do people always point at their wrist when they ask for the time, when I ask where the toilet is do I point at my crotch?).
Like I said, a lot of the old comedies weren?t that funny but did manage to keep your interest. I find Seinfeld and Home Improvement to be good example, whist they were entertaining they weren?t that funny (Tim Allen did good stand up comedy when it wasn?t censored). John Candy is another good example whist not always hilarious could always make a good movie. There are still a few good stand up comedians but there haven?t really been any new ones worth mentioning to emerge in the last few years. Comedians like Al Murrey (the pub landlord, British), Jeremy Hotz (American), Dave Hughes (Australian), Akmal Saleh (Australian), Omid Djali (British, both Akmal and Omid use their Mid-East ethnic origins in routines quiet well) Dylan Moran (Irish), Bill Bailey (British), Carl Barron (Australian), Sacha Baron Cohen (AKA Ali G, British), Cal Wilson (Kiwi, and one of the best female comedians I?ve seen) just to name a few. I?m sure other people have more (I?ve probably missed a couple of good Canadians in there).
Now I?m not blaming America with ?Americanization? but rather the corporatization of entertainment. Entertainment made to make money not to entertain (Endless sequels, remakes, rap/techno, pop star factories and so on).
Well, another good rant over. I?m sure others have more to add.