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Original poster

Comedians-turned-writers - are any of them any good?

31 replies

Pruni · 09/01/2007 09:30

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OP posts:
Saturn74 · 09/01/2007 09:31

DH liked Hugh Laurie's 'The Gun Seller'.

expatinscotland · 09/01/2007 09:31

Ben Elton writes for crap, I agree.

I tried to read no less than 3 of his books.

Uggggghhh.

tiredemma · 09/01/2007 09:32

Peter Kays book is very funny

( I know that this isnt the type you are after!)

.....but is is funny. Not a classic though.

Saturn74 · 09/01/2007 09:34

David Baddiel's 'The Secret Purposes' was worth a read.

MrsJohnCusack · 09/01/2007 09:41

Sandi Toksvig is good
have also enjoyed Jenny Eclair's books (well, all 2 of them)
I couldn't bring myself to read a Ben Elton book, would hear his loud, boorish voice throughout I fear and I couldn't stand that.

not sure I've read any more (apart from Stephen Fry, and wasn't keen) Oh and Arabella Weir, and thought that was pretty crap

however, one of the worst books I've ever read was by a comedian's wife (Nigel Planer's) - am sure she only got a deal through him and it was the biggest load of old shite I have ever had the misfortune to read. I wanted to bleach my eyeballs in reparation for having subjected them to such rubbish!

bran · 09/01/2007 09:42

I like Stephen Fry as a writer, especially The Liar and Making History. I've read two of Sandi Toksvig's books and quite liked them.

I really, really disliked Jenny Eclair, and Ben Elton is pants.

southeastastra · 09/01/2007 09:42

did anyone read alexei sayle's book? marian keyes is another one that i'll get round to one day!

bran · 09/01/2007 09:44

Is Marian Keyes a comedian? I saw her on something (Strictly Come Dancing on bbc2 perhaps?) and thought she was very funny.

bran · 09/01/2007 09:47

I don't rate Tony Hawkes much as a comedian, but Round Ireland with a Fridge was very funny.

MrsJohnCusack · 09/01/2007 09:48

no Marian Keyes isn't a comedienne. she is very funny though.

come to think of it, wasn't madly keen on Eclair's first book, but liked the second.

MrsJohnCusack · 09/01/2007 09:50

i don't really know why I wrote comedienne and not comedian. I look really, really pompous now!

Bucketsofdynomite · 09/01/2007 10:15

I read Rob Newman's (Newman & Baddiel) first novel. It was very funny but the plot was all over the place, needed a kick up the arse by the editor. Not read anything else by him though, it's put me off.
How can anyone not like Stephen Fry's books?

Bucketsofdynomite · 09/01/2007 10:16

Oh and Sparkle Hayter used to be a stand-up comedienne, she's an ace writer.

NotQuiteCockney · 09/01/2007 10:17

Alexei Sayle has written quite a few books. They're reasonably good. I'm reading a short story collection by him now.

They're not clasically funny, though, I have to say. Well, maybe funny-peculiar, rather than funny-ha-ha.

NotQuiteCockney · 09/01/2007 10:17

Oooh, hadn't known that about Sparkle Hayter. We really like her.

Original poster
Pruni · 09/01/2007 11:31

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Original poster
Pruni · 09/01/2007 11:32

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foxinsocks · 09/01/2007 11:33

Have you read Kalooki Nights? (I know it's not written by a comic but is supposed to be amusing). I keep meaning to get it - could do with a cheerful book at the moment!

Carmenere · 09/01/2007 11:35

OMG I had the misfortune to pick up an Arabella Weir book somewhere, it was complete unadulterated crap. Patronising and predictable and boring and badly written. I hope she isn't a member here..........

Medea · 09/01/2007 11:42

American comedian Steve Martin is a surprisingly good writer. I haven't read his novella, but I have read several of his pieces in the New Yorker. He's very, very good. It always surprises me because you wouldn't think he's as clever as he is. . .the parts his takes in filmsparticularly the ones 10 and 20 years agoare/were often so silly.

But in general I have a problem with actors etc try to become writers. I mean all they have to do is wave their hand and their book is published because their books will sell regardless of merit. I think Ethan Hawke for example wrote a novel. Yet "real" writers actually devote their lives to writing; it's not a side thing for them. And their work is invariably better. So actors/comedians publishing books just seems a waste of space, a waste of paper, and a waste of a valuable slot on a publisher's list.

clerkKent · 09/01/2007 12:25

My brother shared a squat with Arabella Weir many years ago, before she was on TV. She was not funny then, and some might say nothing has changed...

Ben Elton eanrs more from writing than stand-up, but its mainly scriptwriting and plays rather than novels.

expatinscotland · 09/01/2007 12:31

What was she doing in a squat?

Isn't her mum some sort of famous historian?

funnypeculiar · 09/01/2007 12:32

Tell you what's absolute toss (as well as all the Ben Elton stuff) - that Sue Meidovstomethingpolishsounding woman off Mel & Sue - her book about pregnancy - never read such a pointless thing in my life - dull and just so badly observed. Tosh, tosh, tosh.

bran · 09/01/2007 12:48

Was that not Mel who wrote the book, I don't think Sue has children?

funnypeculiar · 09/01/2007 13:51

You're almost certainly right - have tried to blank book entirely from my memory - clearly did good job

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