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I say 30 years as it would include the alternative guys that came out of the mid 80s as well as the guys who were established then for e.g. Bernard Manning, Chubby Brown etc
For me it's tough but i would say Harry Enfield is consistently funny, has his finger on the pulse, is a good actor and Ruddy Hell It's Harry and Paul is the best comedy programme in ages.
In before Theresa May, David Cameron etc
In the spirit of reconciliation and happiness at the end of the Banter Era (RIP) and as a result of promotion I have cleared out my ignore list. Look forwards to reading your posts!
Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 14:42 - Dec 13 by Darth_Koont
In terms of impact and influence (not just in the UK either):
Ricky Gervais Steve Coogan Armando Iannucci Chris Morris Simon Pegg/Nick Frost
And all brilliant at their best.
Rowan Atkinson should probably be on there too but I see him more as the Benny Hill comedy export over the past few decades and more popular in countries that still laugh at people falling over.
I'd agree with all of those, but add Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews.
Alas, Simon Pegg was brilliant in Big Train, Spaced, and the Cornetto trilogy, but seems to be on mostly crap films now and comes across as a nob.
I was born underwater, I dried out in the sun.
I started humping volcanoes baby, when I was too young.
Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 13:04 - Dec 13 by chicoazul
Hmmmm. I grow more convinced that his success was due to the writers he worked with, not him. He hasnt done anything for years whereas Peter Baynham for e.g. has worked non-stop.
I know its a while ago now, but this is Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker's finest work IMO.
I was born underwater, I dried out in the sun.
I started humping volcanoes baby, when I was too young.
Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 18:28 - Dec 13 by connorscontract
What does greatest mean?
Most influential? Probably Armando Iannucci. Maybe followed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for redefining the mockumentary, which is the dominant genre to emerge in the period.
Most popular? Billy Connolly usually wins the "Favourite Comedian" polls. Arguments for Michael McIntyre and Peter Kay though, in terms of tickets sold and TV ratings.
Most respected by comedians? Daniel Kitson. By a mile. If you can get to Battersea Arts Centre to see his latest show, in the New Year, do so. The man is a genius. Storytelling which re-enchants the everyday and mundane. A secular prophet. He creates beauty. And is funny. And when he does stand-up: filthy rude. He won the Perrier and then resisted every overture TV made towards him. He sells all his shows by emailing his private email lists himself.
Then would come Stewart Lee. TWTD had done him to death. Perish the thought that I would endlessly repeat stuff about Stewart Lee, again and again and again. Not least because you probably wouldn't get it, sat at home, reading it on your computer. They get it, but you don't. I don't even want you to know who I think is the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years, but someone told you "Read what he thinks. He thinks good things." So you did. But you don't even understand them*.
Then possibly Alex Horne. It's great that Taskmaster has become a massive success, but comedians were queueing up to do his stage show equivalent at the Edinburgh Festival years before he finally had it optioned for TV.
There are loads of brilliant comedians out there now. Go and see them live, everyone.
* You'll either get this or you won't. I don't care**.
** I'm doing it again! Basically repeating the same joke! Write and complain to The Daily Mail if you don't like it. See if I care!***
*** Repeats
I hadn't heard of Daniel Kitson, so watched this after your recommendation;
Afraid to say I didn't even grin at any of that, let alone laugh.
Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 23:17 - Dec 13 by Dubtractor
Jonathan Pie is funny for about 2 minutes.
HE BASICALLY SHOUTS AT YOU BECAUSE HE GETS IT AND YOU DON'T.
I think I have laughed more at Jonathan Pie than anyone else in the last couple of years - but when I saw clips of his stand up show I knew I didn't want to see it. He's very funny in 2-3 minute chunks, but he's essentially an actor playing a role - rather than a stand-up. He's not a natural comedian.
That said, his six minute rant post-Trump winning which has over 3.9m views on YouTube is a work of genius (IMO).
As for comedians in the last 30 years, it's hard to go past Newman and Baddiel or Vic and Bob - but then I was a teenager when they were at their prime and I think that's the time that probably has the most influence on a person. I quite like David Mitchell because I loved Peep Show and he's about the only comedy panelist that makes me chuckle (but I can see why some people think he's a tw@t).
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Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 05:26 - Dec 14 with 4208 views
Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 23:17 - Dec 13 by Dubtractor
Jonathan Pie is funny for about 2 minutes.
HE BASICALLY SHOUTS AT YOU BECAUSE HE GETS IT AND YOU DON'T.
So glad someone else feels about him the way I do.
In the spirit of reconciliation and happiness at the end of the Banter Era (RIP) and as a result of promotion I have cleared out my ignore list. Look forwards to reading your posts!
Drifting slightly away from the brief, came across CK Louis on Spotify recently, I normally struggle with American stand up, but found his style and content really funny.
Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 23:02 - Dec 13 by BrixtonBlue
I hadn't heard of Daniel Kitson, so watched this after your recommendation;
Afraid to say I didn't even grin at any of that, let alone laugh.
Really? Ok, it's all subjective. I've seen that before and laughed again.
That's him taking the p1ss. It's a charity gala, and it's televised and he's thrown together an anecdote. That isn't anything like his stage shows which are very involved, precise, deeply-layered stories, usually of yearning.
There's ramshackle Kitson who often comperes shows and plays against his odd looks, stammer and tics by taking an ironic high status position, constantly self-references and deconstructs his jokes and just generally has a great time playing with the whole thing, whilst also being capable of destroying hecklers with walls of filth whilst stammering at the same time.
And then there's the thoughtful, precise, teller of tales of inter-weaving lives in miniature. It's beyond stand-up, whilst not being truly "normal" theatre either.
Personally, I love both.
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Who's the greatest British comedy figure of the last 30 years? on 08:53 - Dec 14 with 4110 views