Ireland's current crop of comedians

Bill Hicks used to talk about the "artistic roll call" He referred to comedians and other "artists" who did advertising for Coke and Taco Bell etc. He said that if a comedian does a TV ad they are off the artistic roll call for life.

I think this has to apply to Irish comedians. They seem more interested in becoming a celebrity than in comedy.
 
Aaaahhhh Kevin McAleer - who spring boarded out of Nighthawks - went to see him way way back & his show was great - am just as interested to see where he ended up. Again he had a set theme which is kinda risky as people can get tired of it.
 
ninsaga said:
Aaaahhhh Kevin McAleer - who spring boarded out of Nighthawks - went to see him way way back & his show was great - am just as interested to see where he ended up. Again he had a set theme which is kinda risky as people can get tired of it.
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He is now writing a weekly column in the Sunday Indo magazine.
 
ninsaga said:
Aaaahhhh Kevin McAleer - who spring boarded out of Nighthawks - went to see him way way back & his show was great - am just as interested to see where he ended up. Again he had a set theme which is kinda risky as people can get tired of it.
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I saw him doing a live show a couple of months ago. He was good but quite tame. We were the youngest people in the audience by far (most seemed to be in their 50s or older) so maybe he appeals best to that age group.

I hate Ed Byrne, Jason Byrne and Tommy Tiernan. I much prefer going along to see relatively unknown people at the laughter lounge and international bar.

I can't stand Kilnascully or Mrs. Brown. I also think they're for a much older age group.
 
The thing to remember is that British audiences see irish comedians differently than Irish audiences.Dara o brian is very succesful there....He is like an irish Jay Leno.....looks chubby/ugly,always smiling and laughing and talking and able to improvise. I think Ed byrne is doing well in Britian too.Being on the T.V is so important.
Also the experience gained there helps them to be more professional and of course the market and money is there.Des bishop is very natural and talented.....why he wastes his time with the gaeilge is beyond me.Tommy Tiernan appeals to a certain sector...only.Jimeoin has honed his craft abroad and is probably our best comedian....why don`t we see more of him on RTE.
 
Just watched that savage eye gor the first time tonight, jaysus is it always that bad?? I reckon when I'm on my deathbed I'll still be thinking about the half hour of life I wasted watching that rubbish!

As Irish comedians go, I reckon tiernan and o'brian are the best we have. God I miss Dermot Morgan!
 
ney001 said:
Just watched that savage eye gor the first time tonight, jaysus is it always that bad?? I reckon when I'm on my deathbed I'll still be thinking about the half hour of life I wasted watching that rubbish!
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Just goes to show that comedy really is down to personal taste. Personally I think the Savage Eye is one of the funniest shows RTE has put out in recent years, up there with Naked Camera.
 
Thought the Savage Eye last night was very funny (a few cringes - but good for most of it)....even to the point that alot of it was even accurate!
 
I don't think some Irish comedians understand that being obscene/controversial is not the same as being funny, Tommy Tiernan and Dave Savage spring to mind as does that eejit who does the 2nd rate Gift grub impressions on the Gerry Ryan show. Likewise I cannot see the point of the likes of Brendan O'Carrol or Catherine Lynch and the Panel is totally overrated, it's a poor mans have I got news for you

Pat Short/Jon Kenny can be very funny and if you are a culchie there is an element of " I know someone like that" to it. Also saw Des Bishop once do a rapping Devalera which was quite funny

I liked Dermot Morgan, Niall Tobin can be very good as well,
 
Mpsox said:
I don't think some Irish comedians understand that being obscene/controversial is not the same as being funny, Tommy Tiernan and Dave Savage spring to mind...
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You see that's what I don't get. To me, Tommy Tiernan is funny (no comedy genius mind you) a lot of the time and sometimes not. The fact that he is foul mouthed and/or crude has got nothing to do with it. He just happens to be that as well.

I'm not saying you Mpsox, but I have a feeling that a lot of people simply don't like TT purely because of the obscenities - and they think that it is for the very same 'sniggery' reasons that people do like him - and for no other reason.

In fact, the funniest stuff he does IMO has nothing to do with sex or bodily functions or swearing per se at all. He just happens to swear when he talks about it.

+1 on Niall Toibin though!
 
Caveat said:
You see that's what I don't get. To me, Tommy Tiernan is funny (no comedy genius mind you) a lot of the time and sometimes not.
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Am with ye there Caveat. When he is funny he can cause me to laugh so much it hurts - one of the few that can do this. But when he's not funny he can really get it wrong. I guess it's not easy trying to come up with funny stuff all the time - but I'd rather have someone get it wrong sometimes if they can get it as right as Tommy gets it at other times. Lets face it he's not putting forward any personal opinion when he gets it wrong - he's trying to be funny!
 
Ceist Beag said:
Just goes to show that comedy really is down to personal taste. Personally I think the Savage Eye is one of the funniest shows RTE has put out in recent years, up there with Naked Camera.
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Definitely personal taste, naked camera was almost as bad as that anonymous crap by jason byrne! - every week the same crap. Dylan Moran is good, Ed byrne is just dire, there is some ad on the radio at the moment where he is telling some 'joke' about mince pies for sale in November and how stupid it is, want to pull my hair out when I hear him. I find Colin Murphy ok most of the time on the panel, likeable guy not hilarious though. Des Bishop can make me laugh alright but overall pretty feckin patronising I find!

God I wish Bill Bailey was Irish!- about the funniest comedian around at the moment.
 
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Caveat said:
You see that's what I don't get. To me, Tommy Tiernan is funny (no comedy genius mind you) a lot of the time and sometimes not. The fact that he is foul mouthed and/or crude has got nothing to do with it. He just happens to be that as well.

In fact, the funniest stuff he does IMO has nothing to do with sex or bodily functions or swearing per se at all. He just happens to swear when he talks about it.

+1 on Niall Toibin though!
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this is what I don't get, I just don't find TT funny at all and the obscenities mask his lack of talent. I've seen him on TV a few times, I can truely say, I don't think I ever laughed

Interesting how people tastes differ
 
Yeah of course - no accounting for taste. But in TT's defense, more than any other comedian, TV is the worst place to see him.
 
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