To Think That Morecambe & Wise Are Not Funny

[TheShellBeach]

Now that it's almost Christmas it reminds me that we watched Morecambe and Wise Christmas Specials every year when I was a child.

My parents thought they were funny but I always found them cringeworthy.
I just don't find them funny at all and I don't understand how anyone can enjoy them, not to mention wishing they were still around to make even more Christmas Specials.

They aren't funny. I can watch everyone of their shows and not laugh once. I find them completely puerile. I laugh loads at other things. I'm 60 and I don't get them at all.

Milky milky

I liked Les Dennis as Mavis even though I know I'm not meant to

It's subjective.

What makes you the arbiter of what is humorous, OP?

I think Mrs Brown's Boys is absolute shite, and I have no time for Bob Mortimer or Vic Reeves. M&W were of their time, but they clearly were funny to an awful lot of people, as is Miranda Hart to her fans. Nobody gets to decide something "isn't funny" 🙄

I have no strong feelings on M&W, Dad's Army or John Cleese, but I do like Rosie Jones and she seems to be divisive on these threads. Each to their own...

YANBU. Eric Morecambe's infantile behaviour used to scare me as a child. My dad was very practical and sensible so I was not used to grown men being stupid and silly. Same with Michael Crawford in ‘Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’. I found it annoying and frustrating rather than funny.

Even as an adult I still can’t stand infantile men!

Same with Michael Crawford in ‘Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’

Oh God yes. The reruns of that scared me as a little kid. I couldn't believe an adult could behave like that, and I remember being absolutely baffled that he had this wife who thought it was all so lovable. Was it supposed to be charmingly adorable? It was just awful and unsettling.

Tiswas freaked me out too. Too chaotic. I didn't like the idea that kids' stuff had to be 'zany' and 'madcap.' I hated zany and madcap

Hated Tizwas too slapstick didn’t like Crackerjack either much.

Was never a fan.

Didn’t mind The Two Ronnies in very small doses or Hale and Pace when I was a kid.

Don’t like any of it now.

@stillvicarinatutu Dave Allen was the nuts.

I agree. Not funny. And I like a lot of comedy from that era so its not that.

Anyone who thinks Bernard Manning and Chubby Brown are even remotely funny need to have a serious word with themselves

DM and I were disappointed when we watched M&W a couple of years ago. Same with the Likely Lads. We used to love both.

I never got Monty Python or Ripping Yarns.

However Porridge and Dad's Army really have stood the test of time. DS loved Dad's Army when he was primary age. DH and I still love Dave Allen, but friends didn't get it at all!

They were of their time but bits of what they did were absolutely brilliant. Same with Bob Monkhouse - he was a very sharp and witty comedian who was well respected by other comedians (interestingly also a skilled illustrator and an avid collector / recorder of material).
Most comedy is a builds on previous idea M&W were from the Variety era and were probably one of the most successful transitions to television.
Spike Milligan moved from radio to TV and give rise to things like Monty Python, Do not adjust your set etc.

Any satirical current affairs programme today owes something to The Frost Report and That Was The Week That Was.
Not the Nine O'Clock News could be seen as an influence on the Fast Show
Basil Fawlty, Alf Garnett and Rigsby are the subject of the humour, you are supposed to laugh at them and their awfulness,
These comedies (and a few others) have survived because they were influential, they moved comedy forwards.
Kenny Everett and the Young Ones were far crazier than much of the comedy today which seems quite tame by comparison.
Yes Minister, The Thick of It and the New Statesman were genius political comedies each taking a different approach.

I don't see much to compare with it today certainly not MBB.

p.s. Tommy Cooper was a bloody genius and a brilliant magician (he was a member of the Magic Circle)

I have this. It is excellent

www.waterstones.com/book/the-essential-dave-allen/graham-mccann/9780340899458

YANBU. My parents used to love them but I never found them or the Two Ronnies really funny. The only comedian I really liked of this era was Dave Allen, he was a genius!

Dave Allen was before his time While other were doing sexist MIL jokes he was pointing out the hypocrisy of the Catholic church in his monologues and sketches.

Dave Allen ....apartheid sketch.

YABU. I love m&w and it's a Christmas highlight when they come on. My sister and I are word perfect on many of the sketches

They were of their time, which I think was a little bit before my time so I watched them far less than The Two Ronnie's.
I'm sure a lot of that wouldn't work today but I still remember some v funny bits - the Mastermind Sketch was brilliant. Ronnie Corbet doing his monologue.

Or Morecambe and Wise.

Superb. Thanks for sharing.

Chubby brown and Bernard manning really weren't funny .....

I did watch an audience with Bob monkhouse and was pleasantly surprised.

And Netflix has a 70s show by Richard Pryor which is utterly hilarious and brilliant.
Now he was v v funny ....

I love Dave Allen 😂

Some mothers do av em was my absolute favourite thing when I was about 5 !

He did all his own stunts . I guess it was if it's time .

What made me laugh in later life was my now adult ds has Aspergers and I swear to god sometimes it was like living with Frank Spencer 😂. I always loved franks child like quality and his innocence.