Still Funny?

[singlepic=1,320,240,,right]When was the last time you laughed at Billy Connolly? Was it a DVD? From years ago?

Still laughing at Mayall & Edmondson, still doing the same act they were doing 30 years ago?

Lenny Henry’s black man schtick is so hil-arious, isn’t it?

Yeah, right.

The fact is, the so-called “alternative comedy” set of the 1980s have aged worse than any of those that they sort to replace.

In fact I would even go so far as to say that the “cool” era of British comedy started with this bunch of interbred misfits, whose “genius” exists only in having hoodwinked us for so long.

I used to really admire Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, until I realised – far too late to make me look smart – that their single entendre & slapstick routine was about as sophisticated as Spam. They took music hall and threw some jokes and cartoon into it. And you all laughed.

Take French & Saunders. No, really, take them away, wound them, and lock them in some remote hut. Perhaps then, and only then, they will write something that comes close to their first two series, and not the risible Absolutely Fabulous or Let Them Eat Cake. I mean, come on!

You lot again, you encouraged them. Absolutely Fabulous works because of Joanna Lumley, not because Saunders can write or act. The fact that Madonna was a fan speaks volumes to me, and should to you too.

Thankfully, the 1990s saw genuine comedy writers and performers with talent and wider appeal break through, and put an end – however slowly – to the television careers of the so called “new wave”.

They made us laugh; they made us cry.  They’ve had their time.