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Original poster

Unfunny comedians

535 replies

TheTecknician · 20/12/2024 18:45

We've covered lousy actors and questionable singers. A further spin-off: who really isn't that funny, past or present? I offer:

Hale and Pace
Freddie Starr
Lenny Henry

Mean-spirited, I know.

On the plus side, I did like Jimmy Tarbuck. I'm probably being unfashionable but his delivery as a stand-up was perfect, even if some of the jokes wouldn't go down well today.

OP posts:
tommyhoundmum · 21/12/2024 20:34

BESTAUNTB · 20/12/2024 18:56

Rosie Jones. But she was great in Call the Midwife earlier this year.

So was Andrea Mason

Matsukaze · 21/12/2024 21:05

Ricky Gervais

Screamingabdabz · 21/12/2024 21:07

Aspargar · 21/12/2024 14:36

I think you’re the first person ever to find Romesh funny

Show quote history

I like Romesh too. Considering how thinly he’s spread across programmes I’m impressed with his ability to always find the funny line and keep the dry wit. He’s devoted to his wife too which I admire.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Theatre
FagsMagsandBags · 21/12/2024 21:08

I enjoyed Rosie Jones in Call the Midwife and Casualty. I think she's a good actress and could have a successful acting career. I wish she'd focus on that and stop with the attempts at being funny.

Emanresu52 · 21/12/2024 21:27

Rosie Jones
Russell Brand
Jimmy Carr
Eddie Izard
Lee Evans (back in the day).

With age I find most people unfunny.

NotMeForBakeoff · 21/12/2024 21:30

Shabba2025 · 20/12/2024 19:13

You see, I find Romesh v funny.

Me too.

NotMeForBakeoff · 21/12/2024 21:32

womblemum · 21/12/2024 19:12

Went to see Jimmy Carr on Wednesday night for my son’s 18th. Previously thought he was ok, but I honestly found the whole night really disturbing.

His audience was very male and laddish. His set was very misogynistic - more than half of his set was jokes about domestic violence, date rape, and paedophilia. He was pandering to the Andrew Tate fans and it was just awful. What a sell out and so disappointing as he should know better and I don’t even think he believes that stuff. Ugh.

He does two 90 min shows in one night to really rake in the cash so we had plenty of time to eyeball his audience as we had to queue while the previous audience filed out.

I felt grubby after watching Jimmy Carr live. Gross.

Peaceatlast01 · 21/12/2024 22:02

Sean Walsh
Rosie Jones - just incredibly crude
Miranda
Lou Sanders

I feel mean for saying Joel Dommett, I didn’t find him funny but he’s in the new season of Never Mind the Buzzcocks with Courtney Love and he seems genuinely baffled and afraid of her in equal measure and it did endear me to him. I wouldn’t be able to watch his stand up though.

HotCrossBunplease · 21/12/2024 22:09

WishinAndHopin · 21/12/2024 00:54

Unpopular opinions:

I quite like Rosie Jones, but only as a comic actress. She isn't suited to panel shows.

I like Romesh Ranganathan and think he's dry and funny

I like Katherine Ryan but she's fallen off track since marrying her cocklodger school friend. I hope she can get back to her best because she's very witty.

I like Bernard Manning and don't think his material is offensive.

I found Katherine Ryan’s standup show about marrying Bobby very funny indeed. It’s on Netflix I think. Very well-structured.

HotCrossBunplease · 21/12/2024 22:12

WillowTit · 21/12/2024 07:46

i went off billy connolly, could no longer watch him when he started swearing so much, every other word.
i did like jasper carrott

Ha ha, he was a Glaswegian shipbuilder before he started standup. Do you think that he only stated swearing later in life?

Original poster
TheTecknician · 21/12/2024 22:13

I can't believe this thread is still going on. I really shouldn't spawn these monsters.

OP posts:
HotCrossBunplease · 21/12/2024 22:15

Elednia · 21/12/2024 07:34

It's so personal isn't it?

I don't really want to find Stewart Lee funny because I'm a bit annoyed by his anti-woman politics, but he does make me laugh. I can't help it! Bob Mortimer always makes me laugh. He just has to say one random, surreal thing and I'm bursting out laughing. But most surrealists I find boring. Peter Kay always made me laugh - not seen him lately but the fact is I'm from a place like him and I share all those touchpoints, so it's like a school friend talking.

I don't laugh much at most of those BBC type comedians who are on everything. I don't mind them - they are sort of, you know, energetic presenters who carry a light entertainment show fine, but I'm not splitting my sides. Maybe it's that observational type comedy, you have to have something in common with people and I don't have much in common with most people like that. I'm not from London/SE. Same with most American comedians for me -- too distant. I like Dave Chappelle, but I'm not crying laughing from it.It's not really my world. ...But Sindhu Vee really makes me laugh out loud and she's all London and posh, so maybe that's rubbish.

Maybe I'm completely wrong about that. I just think you can't help laughing. It's not really a thing you're controlling - it's just an instinctive response.

Sindhu Vee is Indian. She speaks with an Americanised accent . She’s not remotely London! (No idea if she is posh by Indian standards)

DisabledDemon · 21/12/2024 22:35

Can't stand Rosie Jones - too much swearing.

newtoallthisshizzle · 21/12/2024 22:53

I went to see Hannah gadsby recently and it was excruciating. The audience seemed to like their stuff but for most of both parts I was mentally working out how I could leave mid way through. Support act resorted to swearing and tropes too. I’d been really looking forward to seeing the show but left really really disappointed.

notacooldad · 21/12/2024 22:55

Billy Connelly is the comedians comedian, so many top comedians name him as their inspiration without him there would be less regional accent comedians around plus he’s just an all round lovely human.
Drops gavel , he IS funny.

The “lovely human” who said what he said about Ken Bigley you mean?

I agree and commented on what he said about Ken Bigley. I used to find him funny and a few stories made me laugh but when I heard that comment it left me cold and I would never like him again.

newtoallthisshizzle · 21/12/2024 22:56

Used to love Dave Allen. Love Micky Flanagan and Henning Wehn. Can’t stand Sarah millican or Eddie izzard. Katherine Ryan I used to like but she’s gone mainstream now and meh.

newtoallthisshizzle · 21/12/2024 23:04

Oh I’m on a roll now. Can’t stand Miranda, like literally can’t stand her. Dawn French urgh.

swimsong · 21/12/2024 23:11

notacooldad · 21/12/2024 22:55

Billy Connelly is the comedians comedian, so many top comedians name him as their inspiration without him there would be less regional accent comedians around plus he’s just an all round lovely human.
Drops gavel , he IS funny.

The “lovely human” who said what he said about Ken Bigley you mean?

I agree and commented on what he said about Ken Bigley. I used to find him funny and a few stories made me laugh but when I heard that comment it left me cold and I would never like him again.

A defence:

https://www.stewartlee.co.uk/written_for_money/billy-connolly-ken-bigley/

Billy Connolly / Ken Bigley : Stewart Lee - 41st Best Standup Ever!

Stewart Lee 41st Best Standup Ever!

https://www.stewartlee.co.uk/written_for_money/billy-connolly-ken-bigley

Parrish · 21/12/2024 23:28

Rob Beckett
Josh Widdicombe
Rosie and Chris Ramsey
Alex Horne

Lorrymum · 21/12/2024 23:43

I can't stand Jimmy Carr. He reminds me of a ventriloquists dummy and gives me the creeps.
I saw Eddie Izzard live years ago and thought he was hilarious. Now he just raises my hackles with his Susie/Eddie nonsense.

WinterCrow · 21/12/2024 23:57

swimsong · 21/12/2024 23:11

Show quote history

It's hard to believe that was written by the same Stewart Lee who supports gender ideology dogma.

Ownedbykitties · 22/12/2024 00:02

Harry Hill
Rosie Jones
Jimmy Carr
Alan Carr
Peter Kay
Keith Lemmon
Sarah Milligan

Elednia · 22/12/2024 00:43

HotCrossBunplease · 21/12/2024 22:15

Sindhu Vee is Indian. She speaks with an Americanised accent . She’s not remotely London! (No idea if she is posh by Indian standards)

Edited
Show quote history

...Um. She lives in London. I like Sindhu Vee so this is a thing I know about her. Also she used to work in finance. Look it up.

Probably most people who live in London aren't born there. Or a large minority anyway. It's a world city.

DiduAye · 22/12/2024 01:07

Wouldn't do if we all had the same taste

Menothingy · 22/12/2024 01:13

womblemum · 21/12/2024 19:12

Went to see Jimmy Carr on Wednesday night for my son’s 18th. Previously thought he was ok, but I honestly found the whole night really disturbing.

His audience was very male and laddish. His set was very misogynistic - more than half of his set was jokes about domestic violence, date rape, and paedophilia. He was pandering to the Andrew Tate fans and it was just awful. What a sell out and so disappointing as he should know better and I don’t even think he believes that stuff. Ugh.

He does two 90 min shows in one night to really rake in the cash so we had plenty of time to eyeball his audience as we had to queue while the previous audience filed out.

I've seen him on this tour too and he's awful, truly awful. I felt it was as if someone had reached into the darkest corners of the internet, processed it through a 13 year old boy and spat it out through the mouth of a poorly educated sun reader.