To be nonplussed why people rave over Mrs Brown's Boys

[ComposHat]

I've tried watching it twice twice and haven't got past the first five minutes it was so awful.

It seemed like an artless parody of a shite 70s sitcom (like something Frankie Howerd forgot to make) Don't get me wrong I'm not a comedy snob and quite enjoy a broad knockabout comedy like Vicious, yet I am utterly bemused by Mrs Brown's Boys, it looks dated, absurd and utterly free from laughs.

Yet it has a massive following, especially amongst people of my parents' generation. Normally when there's a TV programme I dislike I can see why other people (Top Gear for example) may enjoy it. But Mrs Brown seems to be without any redeaming features.

There must be some fans out there who can explain its appeal?

[ComposHat]

I can't believe this is still going - surely now is the time to agree to disagree. Everyone has their own sense of humour which has nothing to do with class or intellect. End oF

Of course things people find funny (or at least say they like) is shaped by age, class, and educational background (rather than innate intelligence). Humour is often shared and reinforced by peer group.

As an indication of this, study the make up of the crowd at a Roy 'Chubby' Brown gig and that of a Stuart Lee gig and I reckon it would be sharply divided by educational, occupational and class background.

[Minnieisthedevilmouse]

Compos

Odfod.

Stop displaying stupidity with faux intellectual comments like this. It would be divided by north/south east/west, politics and such too.

Mainly, it just divided by those being there finding them funny. Those not watching, not. (Or buying the DVD watching on tv instead)

Enough. Some find mbb funny. Some don't. Meh.

[runes]

Alex Fresh Meat is brilliant. Definitely on the great list, Vod is a star . I think it's more a comedy drama than out and out sitcom though, which may be why it sometimes doesnt get the comedy credit it deserves.

[runes]

*doesn't

[AndyWarholsBanana]

Nobody has answered my question yet - are those of you saying that someone's taste in comedy says nothing about them as a person and is just a matter of personal taste. If you thought someone was generally sound, would your opinion of them genuinely not change if they told you that they adored Jim Davidson and Bernard Manning's 1980s stuff? It would actually be interesting to get a demographic breakdown of who watches different comedies.
Btw - did you know that cat owners are likely to have a degree than dog owners? Irrelavent but interesting.

[2Tinsellytocare]

Irrelevant

[ComposHat]

MinnieI am slightly nonplussed why you consider stating the bleeding obvious, that the things people like and consume is shaped to some degree by their background as a pseudo intellectualism.

I was not stating one form of comedy was better than any other, merely that the makeup of their audiences are different in demographic terms. If you accept this, why do you think this is? All you seem to offer is meaningless statements like 'people find funny ehat they find funny' as if we were born liking surrealist or slapstick humour.

Quite why my previous post warranted such a rude response I really don't know.

[aciddrops]

The real comedy is the bun fight on this thread. ROTFL

PS - I like Mrs Brown's Boys

[Heartbrokenmum73]

AndyWarholsBanana

I would definitely judge anyone who told me they were into Jim Davidson or Bernard Manning. Thankfully, I don't know anyone like that (or if I do, they've kept very quiet about it).

Do people under a certain age even admit to that these days? Jim Davidson is a racist, homophobic, woman-hating twat who I honestly wish would just crawl under a rock and stay there. Bernard Manning was the same. But he made nice turkey burgers though (I jest, before anyone corrects me!).

I don't really judge anyone who likes MBB, I know a lot of people who do like it, and I know that apart from that we do share the love of a lot of other comedy shows.

I don't think MBB is in the same league as Davidson and Manning. It's just a very Marmite show, as this thread had demonstrated.

[Heartbrokenmum73]

But I don't think anything on this thread (about a tv show ffs) has warranted either 'get stuffed' or 'odfod' - both from people who love the show!

Generally seems to be that people against the show have taken an 'oh, we're too intelligent for it' stance and those against have been abusive.

Wonder what that says about the demographics of who watches what?

[2Tinsellytocare]

If this thread makes you roll on the floor laughing I can totally believe that you'd enjoy Mrs Browns Boys

[JollySantersSelectionBox]

I think I saw Jim Davison on Big Brother last night?

[AndyWarholsBanana]

Oh Christ, I thought he was dead. Did anyone ever see "Up the Elephant and round the Castle?" It was a sit "com" starring JD. I was forced to endure an episode when staying with my gran. I've never quite got over it.

[aciddrops]

I'm obviously of very limited intellect. (Slopes off to join Netmums)

[SirChenjin]

Netmums love MBB - you won't even have to explain the 'jokes' to them

[navada]

I loved Catherine Tate's 'Nan' last night. Totes hilar.

[Lovecat]

AndyWarhol my dad used to roar at that Jim Davidson 'comedy'. Thankfully by the time it was on I was of an age to leave the house and go round to my mates to avoid it, but otherwise...

[Birdsgottafly]

"Btw - did you know that cat owners are likely to have a degree than dog owners? "

But when you break these sort of statisics down , it is usually shown to be that,
Those with degrees have more disposable income and so want to travel more.
Those without degrees live in areas were a dog acts as a good burglar defence and they live in an area were burglerys are more likely to happen.
Those without degrees need cheap hobbies. Etc

It generally all means sod all and certainly doesn't matter.

[melika]

Deborah Ross TV critic from the Mail on Sunday Event mag, reviewed it yesterday and she has nailed it for me.

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Mail on Sunday mag - that nails it for me

[SirChenjin]

The Mail's TV critic reviewed it? I'm intrigued....what did it say? Go, surprise me!

[insummeritrains]

melika the mail on Sunday have reviewed it? I think I may be converted < runs to Iplayer >

[OpalMoonstone]

The Lily Savage bloke (forgotten his name) had Brendan O' Carroll on his talk show a couple of weeks ago. He was saying that working class people like him like it and explaining why. Will look it up on Youtube later when the kids are in bed and write out what he said. I'm sure not all working class people like it!

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Haven't we already done the class thing?

I'm working class and I don't like it. Class has nothing to do with it.

Again, sense of humour is a subjective thing.