Creativity: Mixed bag of icons

I thought I had put up too many of my Barry and Stuart icons (as much as I love making them), so to balance things off I have decided to put up some other icons that I have made from the last few months. They are of a lot of different people (and animals and puppets) and I'll list those mentioned on the tags.

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Created with angelamaria's Icon Table Generator @ Bauble

Youtube post- Charlie Brooker (Again, again)

Charlie Brooker on My Super Sweet 16

Youtube post- Jon Richardson, Rhod Gilbert and Lloyd Langford

I just found this audio clip from Jon's show and had to share. Lloyd broke Rhod's gnome!

Youtube post- Mitchell and Webb

Ok, it's BBC not YouTube but I can't be bothered to change the categories for this video. Anyway, in honour of the iPad being released in the UK today, I'm posting this video of a viable alternative.

What Comedy has Allowed Me To Do/Be

I decided that I wanted to be a little bit more personal in terms of comedy (and magic but I'm putting them together here) and what it has done for me. I think since getting into comedy in a big way (i.e. seeing stuff live) about a year ago, I have changed as a person. It has also allowed me to do things that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise and I wanted to write about it.

Youtube post- Robin Ince

Lacking ideas, I'm just putting a video of Robin Ince up.

Youtube post- Stewart Lee (again)

As I saw him Sunday and thought he was brilliant, I just wanted to post a video of him.

Lyric Comedy Night, 23/05/2010, Lyric Hammersmith

I saw Richard Herring's Comedy Night at the Lyric Theatre and I just wanted to write about it.

Barry and Stuart, Séance Show (preview), Etcetera Theatre, 22/5/2010

I saw the fabulous Barry and Stuart last night and wanted to review it. I have seen 3 times now, so it won't be very detailed, but I'll talk about it anyway.

Creativity: Barry and Stuart icons, third set

So, seeing Barry and Stuart this evening so it's the perfect time to post some more icons that I have made. Will be review of the gig tomorrow.

Things I generally like...Back of the Net

I have a confession before I start this- I don't get football. I find it for the most part boring and less skilled compared to other sports. I am dreading the TV schedules being filled with the World Cup this summer. I hate the assumption that you have to care about it because the national side is involved. I can't be bothered to be patriotic in general. I only vaguely care about my local side (Charlton) but that isn't that much.


So it is odd then that I really enjoy reading a blog about football. Back of the Net is a very different type of football blog. It is run by Mark Watson (who I like anyway as has previously mentioned), his brother Paul (who also runs the national football team in Micronesia) and John Foster. Rather than talking about fixtures and transfers of players etc. it makes up stories and are whimsical and very silly. Things like players making cakes, shopping during penalties, being lost in ticker tape parades and Flight of the Conchords being named in the New Zealand World Cup squad. They also satire the nature of football, the over played players, the general commercialisation of the game and the desire to keep things the same. 


Even if you don't like football, read this blog: http://backofthenet.markwatsonthecomedian.com/ 

Youtube post- Ed Byrne

A quick video of Ed Byrne.

Youtube post- Chris Addison (again)

 I am very busy today so here is a quick post of a video of Chris Addison, who was brilliant on Have I Got News For You? on Friday.

Richard Herring (et al), As It Occurs To Me, 17/05/2010, Leicester Square Theatre

So I had the good fortune of seeing the recording of the first episode of the new series of As It Occurs To Me (AIOTM) last night. It's difficult to review as it is a podcast and you can hear it all online
(This is the link to download it and it is on iTunes). But I will talk a bit about it.

Youtube post- Richard Herring: As It Occurs To Me

I'm seeing As It Occurs To Me being recorded tonight, so I'm posting the documentary about it.


 

Youtube post- Mark Watson (Again)

Just posting a video of Mark Watson on Mock the Week, because it's awesome

Creativity: Barry and Stuart icons, Second Set, Arty

I have been a little bit arty with icons so wanted to share. Also new images, which is awesome!

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Created with angelamaria's Icon Table Generator @ Bauble

Youtube post- Richard Herring (again!, again!)

I have a headache so another video, this time of Richard Herring, again.

Youtube post- Piff the Magic Dragon

Another magical video! Piff the Magic Dragon this time.

Youtube post- Pete Firman (Again)

Too tired to think of much, so here is Pete doing some geek

Creativity: Barry and Stuart icons, first set

I want to mix things up on the blog so have decided to post some icons that I have made. I'm breaking my internal promise to myself that I wouldn't post too much Barry and Stuart stuff, but I have made some pretty cool icons and I want to share. These lot are from their Chatroulette video, that I posted a few days ago.

Youtube post- Charlie Brooker (Again)

Lazy post, so just posting a video of Charlie Brooker and his Cocks and She-Cocks in Advertising

Youtube post- Barry and Stuart (again)

I can't resist putting up Barry and Stuart's new video about Chatroulette. Note: they really do look like they've put the time into this one!

Recommendations: Richard Herring- How Not To Grow Up

I have just finished Richard Herring's book and I want to review it so here we go.

Youtube post- Jon Richardson

Still feeling poorly, so another video I am posting.

Youtube post- Would I Lie To You?

I've been ill, properly, so haven't been able to update. I can't really be bothered to do 5 days worth of updates, so I'm just going post this video that contains the winning elements of both David Mitchell and Jack Whitehall.

Does it Offend You Yeah? Well...

I've been inspired to blog my thoughts about comedy and swearing and offensiveness, as Richard Herring has mentioned he is doing a debate to do with offensiveness. I talk a lot about swearing and things in comedy with my parents so it's nice to put my feelings on here without arguing with them about it! I'm going to look at each and just write about them.


So, swearing first. I don't swear really myself, I think there are only a few occasions in my life where I have properly sworn, although I do use words that few people would have an issue with nowadays. However, I'm not inherently anti-swearing. I think it can be used effectively. It can be used to reflect passion about a subject, whether that is hate or love. People in real life do this, so comedians can too. People like Rhod Gilbert and Richard Herring do this very effectively, they swear a lot but it has context and makes sense. It can also be a ridiculous character that the comedian has created to highlight something, again 'podcast' Richard Herring is a good example of that.


What I really dislike about swearing is when it is used in lieu of jokes. Some comedians seem to treat swearing as a get out clause to be funny without having to properly craft a joke. Yes, sometimes swearing can be funny but when it's used all the time it gets stupid.


What about controversy and offensiveness. I think if used well, offensive material can work. A good comedian should be able to take a distasteful subject and use it to make the audience think about how they view the world. It can be used ironically, although care is needed as to whether the audience understands they're being ironic and this is not what they actually think. Richard Herring is very good at this.


Like swearing, what I dislike about controversy in comedy is when it's overused and done instead of crafting a joke. I think that some comedians are just being controversial for controversy sake, trying to overstep as many boundaries as possible. I think that's my main issue with Frankie Boyle, who just likes being offensive and not funny. I personally think that his most funny jokes on Mock The Week were inoffensive and a little silly.