Whats with all of the dead comedy!?

[The_Family_Guy 2]

It's occured to me that comedy has all but withered into a volley of lame sitcoms and reruns of the comedy greats on Comedy Central.

I grew up in the 90's, and I watched all of the great sitcoms and stand-up from the 80's and back.

 

Included in that would be legends like SNL with John Belushi, Will Ferrell, Chris Walken, Kevin Nealon, Chris Farley, and MANY more...

Seinfeld

Drew Carey

The late great Mitch Hedburg

Fresh Prince of Belaire

The old Simpsons

Old MAD TV

 

 

Now, all I have to watch is...well...Family Guy. And King of Queens.

 

What has happened? Why is everything so lame!?

 

Comedy sure is dead.

 

[MayorTim 16]

Good comedy is a dieing art - The only good comedy left is Family Guy, American Dad (though I wish they would just shoot the alien and get it out of the show), and some Futurama.

[MC6Ash 4]

you americans know nothing of comedy (no offence intended).

Little Britain, last of the summer wine, Monty Python, the office... etc.

 

Comedy isn't dieing. just comedy central.

[justanothersim86 83]

Creativity is dead, just look at the movie and music industry. Movies are either based off of novels, remakes or sequels. Music is just pulling techniques from the past. Its all about profits and ratings, not originality and being unique. Its all the same............

 

Pretty sad, really.

 

Even the Simpsons, one of the greatest shows to grace television, is dead.

 

[hdorriker 190]

Because...

the mainstream of American entertainment is no longer a fertile ground for new ideas.


There is plenty of new comedic stuff out there (I don't know about stand-up. I'm referring to TV shows) but it's a lot different and a lot has changed. It's also mostly done by reletively small-time people.
There are the weird cartoons on Adult Swim, Seth McFarlane's shows (of course), Don Hertzfeldt's animations, every once in a while there's a great comedy show that shows up on a major TV station, like Scrubs, that actually does something genuinely funny. There is still comedy, it's just not in the same places it used to be and it seems to be coming more and more from the fringe.

[Meg 368]

Well, it's reassuring to hear that it's not just me.

[dev 47]

Date: 2/7/2006 10:11:53 PM
Author: SkiGeek
Well, it's reassuring to hear that it's not just me.

quote>

Indeed.

Also, has anyone noticed that stand-up comedy nowadays is the same way? And even the late night shows...Leno and Conan are the only funny ones, and Conan is rarely funny...Leno is still good and he will soon retire...what is comedy coming to?

[Yellowlab 11]

I am a big fan of The Office on NBC. Stolen from the Brits, sure, but good stuff.

I personally think NBC's is far superior because of Steve Carrell. And the Daily Show is good too.

[Ratieya455 1]

I'm agreeing with all of you here. There is very little originality in anything these days, especially new Simpsons episodes and SNL. SNL seems ot be geting better, but The Simpsons is just beyond repair.

Family Guy is not quite the same show it was when it was cancelled, but I still like it. I liked American Dad at first but it seems to have lost its luster. I haven't seen The Office yet, but I've only heard good things.

There are some good older shows that are being re-run more often. Roseanne is on quite often, and I watched a lot of The Golden Girls last summer. That show has some pretty adult humor in it, which is pretty surprising for a show about old ladies from the 1980's.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Bascially, folks, the problem is PC (Political Correctness). The old jokes the Jewish comedians used to make about themselves have died of the B'Nai Brith Anti-Defamation League.

The current set of gags about enemies has died because the only enemy these days are the terrorists, and there is very little funny about them.

There is no point in trying to laugh at Dubya, because he isn't a good straight man, and Condi would sick the NAACP on you.

In Canada, there are no French jokes in TROC and no Angle jokes in Quebec. We are trying to kiss and make up.

In Europe, they tried a raghead joke and are now having embassies burning around the world while the Danish PM is apologizing for having freedom of speech.

Maybe life is too serious these days. Did you hear the one about the vampiric aliens who arrived in a flying coffin and said take us to your bleeder?

[The boy formerly known as Evil Muzz 27]

It's funny, I still like a few american comedies, just the other day I really enjoyed Frasier. I go through stages, sometimes I like British Comdedy, and sometimes I like American Comedy, at the moment I'd say I'm in a brit stage, Catherine Tate and Father Ted are often overlooked but extremely funny.

[frogface 354]

Date: 2/8/2006 2:21:09 AM
Author: The boy formerly known as Evil Muzz
It's funny, I still like a few american comedies, just the other day I really enjoyed Frasier. I go through stages, sometimes I like British Comdedy, and sometimes I like American Comedy, at the moment I'd say I'm in a brit stage, Catherine Tate and Father Ted are often overlooked but extremely funny.

quote>
ooh good old father ted, i saw it at a friends house and it was funny stuff. sadly the only episode ive seen

[MrCinatit 30]

there are still a couple must see comedies for me, in Scrubs, My Name Is Earl and The Office. everything else proves television is nothing more than the vast wasteland it was said to be many years ago.

 

[ginchael 1]

One show that everyone has failed to mention is Arrested Development. Unfortunately, its on Fox, so it failed, but it was the funniest show on TV for a while...

[MrCinatit 30]

Date: 2/8/2006 7:52:06 AM Author: ginchael One show that everyone has failed to mention is Arrested Development.  Unfortunately, its on Fox, so it failed, but it was the funniest show on TV for a while...

quote>

i didn't mention Arrested Development, as it has been canceled, though i do believe Showtime picked it back up. this is also one of my huge favorites (interesting, the four comedies i appreciate the most have no laugh tracks).

[Easy Bakes 253]

It because the network dont even try any more.

Not just for comedy but for a lot of shows. it cheaper ans eaiser to make another Law& Order or CSI type show or reality show then to come up with something original.

 

 

Most of the cuting edge shows are on cable now, Galactica, The Shield, Saparons to name a few.

 

 

SNL hasnt been any good for years and with the  types of contracts the performers are required to sign

they cant get any decent talent.

 

 

[M-SIL 2]

The thing is, Television overall just SUCKS from the so called good reality shows to cartoons (excluding anime and sonic )!!

[xiziz 11]

Date: 2/8/2006 12:18:06 PM
Author: M-SIL
The thing is, Television overall just SUCKS from the so called 'good' reality shows to cartoons (excluding anime and sonic )!!

quote>


im with M-SIL on this one

Though i have to say i did watch Grays Anatomy when that aired here in Sweden. i still enjoy Family Guy and Futurama, though the only way for me to get watch em is to happen to sit beside a freind on the bus with a video-ipod(if i ever bought one it be filled up to the limit with Metal & Anime ^^

Cheers
//Sim

[Major Jacob66 0]

Family Guy still is a great show to watch,I would say the Simpsons but the new ones arn't as good as the old episodes.

[Praetorian Cohort 0]

Two words: South Park.

Funniest show I've ever seen.

[Cjah 15]

Date: 2/8/2006 12:39:42 AM Author: N_O_Body Bascially, folks, the problem is PC (Political Correctness).  The old jokes the Jewish comedians used to make about themselves have died of the B'Nai Brith Anti-Defamation League. The current set of gags about 'enemies' has died because the only enemy these days are the terrorists, and there is very little funny about them. There is no point in trying to laugh at Dubya, because he isn't a good straight man, and Condi would sick the NAACP on you. In Canada, there are no French jokes in TROC and no Angle jokes in Quebec.  We are trying to kiss and make up. In Europe, they tried a raghead joke and are now having embassies burning around the world while the Danish PM is apologizing for having freedom of speech. Maybe life is too serious these days.  Did you hear the one about the vampiric aliens who arrived in a flying coffin and said 'take us to your bleeder'?

quote>

You are 100% correct.....

 

There is less to make fun of....

 

but that still doesn't mean its ok to put a Bomb on a holy symbol and call it freedon of speech....

 

(just stating my opinion....you just don't make fun of Islam.... it is a peaceful religion...)

 

Anyway other then making fun of terrorists the US doesn't have much else to make fun of....

 

We no longer fear the evil commies....

 

We haven't had to many other political parties to make fun of either....

 

I just don't understand why America isn't trying to be funny anymore....

 

Atleast other countries can keep there humor....if you watch anime from Japan their comedy has been pretty original for the last 30 years and alot of animes may end up looking like crap,but they are pretty funny even when they look bad....

 

England is also quite funny....Monthy is a roit and even Benny Hill is funny....

 

I think the only good shows these days are actually simple cartoons like Family Guy,Futurama and South Park...

 

There are some funny shows other then cartoons,but alot of other people have mentioned those shows.....

 

[Zelgadis 638]

I blame so-called reality TV. Or, more accurately, Over-glorified game shows. This is because they are simply easier and cheaper to produce.

But the sitcoms are virtually gone. Night Court, Golden Girls... All history in the US. Canada isn't doing much better.

But I also agree with many here that PC has ruined TV. Anybody remember All in the Family? Could you imagine a character like Archie Bunker on TV today? It would never happen, and that's sad. Archie was funny while forcing us (Americans) to take a good, hard look at ourselves. Brilliant.

Until either TV in North America makes a comeback, or we start importing British comedy. Until then, I'm going to continue watching my sci-fi and animation. It's all I have left.

ISF

[defcon pilot 0]

Date: 2/8/2006 9:11:16 PM
Author: zelgadis
I blame so-called 'reality TV.' Or, more accurately, 'Over-glorified game shows.' This is because they are simply easier and cheaper to produce.


But the sitcoms are virtually gone. Night Court, Golden Girls... All history in the US. Canada isn't doing much better.


But I also agree with many here that PC has ruined TV. Anybody remember All in the Family? Could you imagine a character like Archie Bunker on TV today? It would never happen, and that's sad. Archie was funny while forcing us (Americans) to take a good, hard look at ourselves. Brilliant.


Until either TV in North America makes a comeback, or we start importing British comedy. Until then, I'm going to continue watching my sci-fi and animation. It's all I have left.


ISF

quote>
I'm with you.

[nealos101 20]

I have taken aback to TV, I dislike it, and I never see much comedy on anyhow.  Billy Connelly was a great one, but his shows seemed to have downed a bit, I used to love his stand-up shows, they were brilliance.  Scrubs too, that never failed to make me laugh...

Some people ask me why I didnt watch pointless shows like 'Celebrity <Insert show name here>','X-Factor','Pop-Idol','Big Brother'... What's so good about watching other people scurry about on TV? It hasnt made me click and won't ever make me click, alot of those poor, overrated shows replaced the comedies and the documentaries becuase, yes, probably becuase they didnt cost so much...

 

Nealos101

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Just a quick comment on the '[you name it] Idol' shows. Used to be called Talent Scouts didn't it?

Then there was Tiny Talent Time.

TV is bankrupt for talent and has no creativity anymore. Anyone old enough to remember live TV, for example Studio One?

[Micah 16]

Agreed.

Leno is very hilarious .. I always love Mondays when he does 'Headlines'. Yeah, there are just special times when Conan is funny... the rest is just weird and ackward which sometimes makes it funny.

[The_Family_Guy 2]

Even late night talk shows have been sucked dry with political correctness..

Leno, God bless the man, tries, but his jokes are humorless and awkward; thank God for headlines.

 

Conan is great before his interviews which are dry and kind of painful.

 

Letterman, well, I don't really want to go there, suffice to say that Bush-bashing comprises about 90% of his program.

 

How I long for another fat joke from Will Smith, or another outburst of rage from Chris Farley; even another Budweiser commercial from Ardie Lang.

 

However, the Office makes me pee my pants, so we'll see what happens from there.

[ACEfanatic 7]

Comedy is not dying.
TV Comedy is.

Which is why I watch RoosterTeeth shows:
www.roosterteeth.com

 

Good stuff, completely politically incorrect.

-ACE

[Easy Bakes 253]

Date: 2/9/2006 12:42:57 PM Author: N_O_Body  Anyone old enough to remember live TV, for example Studio One?

quote>

 

I think thats the problem,  you will probaly notice ( except for cutting edge cartoons) the only good comedys people seem enjoy are live( or At least in some cases filmed in front of live audiances). The Daily Show/Colbert Report SNL, Leno ,Lettterman  all done in front of live audiences.

 

If i remember correctly the great comidies of the past All in the Family, The jeffersons, Barny Miller, WKRP were all filmed in front of live auduiances. Now adays i think they use the exact same laugh track for every show on the air.

 

 

 

[ert90 8]

Decent comedy:

Family Guy
The Office (US Version here, I've seen the UK one as well and it was good)
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report
Craig Ferguson and his show (His monologues at the beginning of each show are really 10 minutes of good quality standup material right of the top of the guys head)
Some standup like Demetri Martin (highly recommended) and Jim Gaffigan is decent.