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Whippersnapper. 
"A fourword thinking guy."
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 Posted - 11/22/2006 : 13:31:10
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quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
Oh... and best physical comedian ever (for my money) is Lee Evans 
Eh...
Lets try
Charlie Chaplin
Buster Keaton (actually in a class of his own for acrobatic humour)
Harold Lloyd
Laurel & Hardy
and, if you want to talk about stage comedians, Tommy Cooper.
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benj clews 
"...."
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Posted - 11/22/2006 : 13:46:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Whippersnapper
Lets try
Charlie Chaplin
Buster Keaton (actually in a class of his own for acrobatic humour)
Harold Lloyd
Laurel & Hardy
and, if you want to talk about stage comedians, Tommy Cooper.
Fair enough
I'd just like to say that I can't think of any CC, BK, HL or L&H films which have left me in tears of laughter. I'd favour an hour of Lee Evans over an hour of any of the above any day. This is also a performer who has successfully made people laugh over thousands of live performances, versus carefully crafted and edited footage which no doubt took a lot of takes (certainly in the case of Chaplin).
I definitely agree with you on Tommy Cooper, however |
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ChocolateLady 
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 11/22/2006 : 13:47:51
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quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
I didn't say "insane", I said "disturbed". Sure it could push you the way of insanity, but it's the thought process I'm referring to. Yes, energy is a large part, but you still need the off-kilter ideas behind the energy.
Okay - I'll go for off-kilter. But this isn't simply "off-kilter" this is abnormal self-distructive behaviour and, if you ask me, a real cry for help. Seinfeld's getting him to appologize via sat was a good idea for the public, but it isn't going to help Richards deal with his problems. If Jerry's a good friend, he'll get Richards some professional help.
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These days, if you ask people who their favourite comedian is/ was, you'll invariably get Pryor, Bruce or Hicks.
I'll take Ellen Degeneres and the whole cast of Jon Stewart's Daily Show - past and present.
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Oh... and best physical comedian ever (for my money) is Lee Evans
Um... who?
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Beanmimo 
"August review site"
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Posted - 11/22/2006 : 13:52:39
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quote:
Oh... and best physical comedian ever (for my money) is Lee Evans
I was just thinking that!
You beat me to it!!
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 11/22/2006 : 15:25:54
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
I didn't say "insane", I said "disturbed". Sure it could push you the way of insanity, but it's the thought process I'm referring to. Yes, energy is a large part, but you still need the off-kilter ideas behind the energy.
Okay - I'll go for off-kilter. But this isn't simply "off-kilter" this is abnormal self-distructive behaviour and, if you ask me, a real cry for help. Seinfeld's getting him to appologize via sat was a good idea for the public, but it isn't going to help Richards deal with his problems. If Jerry's a good friend, he'll get Richards some professional help.
I absolutely agree. I'm not in any way trying to defend Richards's actions. What he did was clearly way over the line and he completely misjudged the audience.
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quote:
Oh... and best physical comedian ever (for my money) is Lee Evans
Um... who?
Trust me... he's a legend. You might know him as the one that wasn't Nathan Lane in Mousehunt or the guy on crutches in Something About Mary, but like so many talented comedians, these roles haven't done him any justice- you just have to watch (and marvel at the energy of) his stand-up sometime.
P.S. Evans's version of Bohemian Rhapsody is probably as good an intro to him as any...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxfjNEntnjg |
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Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"
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Posted - 11/22/2006 : 15:29:24
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| Nobody ever mentions John Ritter in discussions of the best slapstick performers. |
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turrell 
"Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh "
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Posted - 11/22/2006 : 18:14:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Downtown
Nobody ever mentions John Ritter in discussions of the best slapstick performers.
Agree and also a very nice fellow. Dick Van Dyke was also pretty good physically and lest we forget Lucille Ball. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 06:04:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Turrell
quote:
Originally posted by Downtown
Nobody ever mentions John Ritter in discussions of the best slapstick performers.
Agree and also a very nice fellow. Dick Van Dyke was also pretty good physically and lest we forget Lucille Ball.
Ritter was a very good slapstick comedian, but I preferred his slightly less physical stuff, since he had a face that could make a very subtle movement and crack you up.
Van Dyke (when not trying to put on a cockney accent) and Ball were both perfect and classic comedians, who could do the physical and the verbal wonderfully well. |
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 09:19:41
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John Cleese
Harpo Marx
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 10:50:49
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
John Cleese
Harpo Marx
Absolutely. In fact, all the Pythons are wonderful comedians - both physical and verbal. And the Marx Brothers... well... totally wonderful.
Of all these amazing comedians we're mentioning, I don't see any who were really as instable as Richards seems to be, and yet, they're all truly great comedians. The only comic genius I can think of who was very off-kilter off stage (who hasn't been mentioned yet) would be Andy Kaufman.
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w22dheartlivie
"Kitty Lover"
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 11:26:12
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
The only comic genius I can think of who was very off-kilter off stage (who hasn't been mentioned yet) would be Andy Kaufman.
Trouble was though, Kaufman edged past off-kilter into the realm of disturbed. He was hilarious in the very early days (the Mighty Mouse theme song bit on Saturday Night Live comes to mind) and in defined roles such as Latka on Taxi. But toward the end, he was becoming unengaged. The foray into the wrestling arena just didn't seem stable.
I can still recall the first filmed stage shows broadcast on cable by Robin Williams, in the early 80s. One show made me laugh so hard I was in pain for days. I'm not as keen on him these days, but at first, he was genius. |
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 11:58:45
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Of all these amazing comedians we're mentioning, I don't see any who were really as instable as Richards seems to be, and yet, they're all truly great comedians. The only comic genius I can think of who was very off-kilter off stage (who hasn't been mentioned yet) would be Andy Kaufman.
I'm not sure how insane you can say Richards is based purely on one performance.
A lot of people do very stupid things in their lives and a lot of people can get far too carried away in the moment (especially some performers), but I wouldn't say this is enough to clarify them as unstable or insane. Certainly, I've been so pissed off about things in my life at some times that I've said and done things I wouldn't dream of saying or doing in a rational state of mind. Some of these may even be classed as racist, sexist or any manner of things and I'm pretty certain I don't believe any of them, but in the heat of the moment sometimes anything goes.
Unfortunately, Richards is famous and he lost his rag on stage, in public and on film. Luckily, I'm unfamous, few people probably heard me on any of these occaisions and I'll probably never see any of them again anyway.
Another insane comedy genius to add to the roster is Spike Milligan (even in one of his moments of clarity, he called our future King a "grovelling little shit" on live television). Also Peter Sellers wasn't generally in a good way.
I'm still not sure if Andy Kaufman should be classed as a comedian or not. Certainly, he did a lot of things that were experimental or just plain odd. Maybe they seem funny in retrospect, but at the time, for the audiences, they must have been truly unnerving experiences. From what I've read, even he hated being referred to as a comedian (Latka was the bane of his life), seeing himself more as an entertainer and actively trying to get roles non-comedic. To him, his performances weren't about getting a laugh, but about prompting a reaction- any kind of reaction. |
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Whippersnapper.
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 12:18:08
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| And for great physical comedians lets put in a word for Donald "Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh..." O'Connor. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 13:00:56
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quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Of all these amazing comedians we're mentioning, I don't see any who were really as instable as Richards seems to be, and yet, they're all truly great comedians. The only comic genius I can think of who was very off-kilter off stage (who hasn't been mentioned yet) would be Andy Kaufman.
I'm not sure how insane you can say Richards is based purely on one performance.
A lot of people do very stupid things in their lives and a lot of people can get far too carried away in the moment (especially some performers), but I wouldn't say this is enough to clarify them as unstable or insane. Certainly, I've been so pissed off about things in my life at some times that I've said and done things I wouldn't dream of saying or doing in a rational state of mind. Some of these may even be classed as racist, sexist or any manner of things and I'm pretty certain I don't believe any of them, but in the heat of the moment sometimes anything goes.
Unfortunately, Richards is famous and he lost his rag on stage, in public and on film. Luckily, I'm unfamous, few people probably heard me on any of these occaisions and I'll probably never see any of them again anyway.
Not one performance, I'm afraid. I've seen him in interviews and there's something just not right about him. I'd also so that as comic as his character Kramer was to most people, I found it to be disturbing. His outburst could have been a "heat of the moment" thing. But his demeanor during his subsequent apology for it indicated something deeper than that. Blame my suspicions on my psychiatrist mother-in-law and social worker boss and their long-term influence on me, but that's what I felt.
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Another insane comedy genius to add to the roster is Spike Milligan (even in one of his moments of clarity, he called our future King a "grovelling little shit" on live television).
HEhehe... oops!
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Also Peter Sellers wasn't generally in a good way.
Okay, you've got me on that one.
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I'm still not sure if Andy Kaufman should be classed as a comedian or not. Certainly, he did a lot of things that were experimental or just plain odd. Maybe they seem funny in retrospect, but at the time, for the audiences, they must have been truly unnerving experiences. From what I've read, even he hated being referred to as a comedian (Latka was the bane of his life), seeing himself more as an entertainer and actively trying to get roles non-comedic. To him, his performances weren't about getting a laugh, but about prompting a reaction - any kind of reaction.
I'll give you this as well.
And as for Robin Williams - he himself admits to substance abuse and some mental problems at one point (I believe it was depression).
Hm....
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lemmycaution
"Long mired in film"
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Posted - 11/23/2006 : 13:09:21
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| Great physical comedian? W.C.Fields. He started out as a juggler. |
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I Bet Kramer loses
