The Future of Comedy in Ireland ?

[pat o shea]

Just want to throw this out to people to debate and see what people really think about Comedy in Ireland.

Has comedy in Ireland got a bright future, or have we cooked the Goose that lays the golden eggs. Is the standard of comedy improved in recent years, or has it gone stale. Dublin has more clubs than the rest of the country put together, does that make the standard in Dublin higher than the standard anywhere else.

Are there more comedians coming on stream now than 2-4 years ago, or is the number of comedians getting smaller.

What do people really think about the comedians, clubs, promoters, agents, the whole circuit, even the comedy on Irish TV.

Don't go attacking people out right, explain the reasoning behind your opinions. If you have bad or good memories, include them, also if you are involved in comedy give us an idea what it is you do. I'm interested to hear from people, more so if they have knowledge of comedy in other countries.

Although I'm only getting in to comedy the last few years' I have followed it for decades, going back to Jimmy O Dea, Maureen Potter, Hal Roach, etc, in other words comedian most of you won't have heard of.

I also know that this is a very bitchy section of the entertainment industry, so not everyone will be willing to say everything they think, but I am interested in what people think the future holds for comedy in Ireland. Any valid and constructive suggestions would also be welcomed for the improvement of comedy.

Again this is just for me to get an idea of what people are thinking and perhaps might give me an indication as to how best proceed with comedy.

[pudgee]

RTE needs to start commissioning original radio comedy. Without that, comedy in Ireland is stagnating into a) piss poor stand up (let's mock the church like it's 1995!) and piss poor radio satire segments (ha! he sounds a bit like Roy Keane).

more ensemble work and sketch work needed.

My two cents.

[Arcadia]

Bring back "Leave it to Mrs.O'Brien"

Brendan O'Carroll ?

Neil Tobin ?

You hear more Irish comedy on the BBC.

Pathetic Nob nation & Gift Grub are leading the way into pointless satirical parody.

Nob Nation is very bad.

How much would it cost to develop radio comedy ? Even do it in Cork and not the usual parochial "Santa Ponsa" pantomime dribble ?

This place and Cork is full of wit at times.

[pat o shea]

I certainly agree with the above comments. RTE has to a degree played it's part in the demise of comedy, while I am an avid fan of comedy I would watch very little Irish comedy on RTE. I had hopes for How low can you go, but to be honest I thought it was shite,(and I'm hardly one to talk) with the exception of Pauline Curtin I didn't find any of it funny. Also RTE seem to support only the top tier of Irish comedy. But I do think and I an hopefully right, that things may change in this area as ratings start to fall.

One example of them being bias in their support is the Kilkenny Cat Laughs festival. For the last two years I submitted the listings for the smaller clubs on the fringe, not one of them made the aertel listings, yet all the big shows were included. i should add that this year the listings went in before the listings for the main festival.
I would love to hear quality comedy on the wireless (see showing my age again) but are the writers out there seeking out this medium. Something is needed to change the present set up of Irish comedy, I have seen some out standing comedians over the past two years, these are people who could easily out shine any of our so called Gods of comedy, but unfortunately some will simply become demoralized and pack it all in, this will be a huge loss to Irish comedy. What can or needs to be done, any suggestions ?

[rebelangel2008]

I think the Panel is the only comedy show of any worth on rte. Looking forward to it returning soon. That and Father Ted. How Low can u go has failed miserably. That Langer TV thing isnt much better either. I would like to see a jonathon Ross type show on RTE with perhaps only Dara O Brien with the talent around to host it.

[pat o shea]

Shit are you on about Lagerland, I missed it, was it any good ?. I do like the panel, but I would like to see it expand to include some other comedians like Robbie Bonham, Dave McSavage, and a few more, all were really seeing is the cream of one agent, the only agents to be honest. As for Dara O Brien, have him host the Late Late and bring some life in to it. i would even watch the news if he was hosting it. But I do like Colin Murphy on the panel, but outside of this most people who would watch comedy on tv tend to not watch Irish channels.