Be Excellent To Each Other

I really like this radio program. if you haven't heard it before, it's Robin Ince and Brian Cox, often with some guests, talking about science things in light hearted manner. It can be tremendously funny, and I quite enjoy the sharp jibes at things like Psychology and Sociology, as they aren't real subjects. I've often learnt some stuff, too. And has nothing to do with my being gay for Cox. The tease him quite often as well. Which is also funny. It's about as far into science as I want to go, nowadays, but worth it, even if you don't know too much.

As much as I'm sure the man is great, there's only one Dr Cox.

The other is a Professor.

The one with John Culshaw in it was quite good.

I saw his show the other day. Some of his impressions are good but the rest just seems to him talking in his normal voice, even where it doesn't sound even vaguely reminiscent of the person he's trying to do.

He should stick to talking about science.

I assume you have tickets to the live shows in December? Uncaged Monkeys, with Ince, Cox, Simon Singh, Ben Goldacre, Tim Minchin and more.

Ticket links at http://robinince.com

I really wish I could go to this

The ones earlier in the year were great fun. A little rough in places, which was fair enough as they were still working out the format (Goldacre can never keep to time), but it was nice to be entertained and learn something.

Will give this a go. Judging by Iplayer, I'd better be quick as it's due to be removed on 1 January 2099.

Podcasted on iTunes as well.

We're too busy to go.

I decided to put this on when I got into bed, as something to listen to when I went off to sleep. It was largely very enjoyable, but my enjoyment was perhaps halved by the inclusion of that John Coleshaw (sp?) guy. It's one of my bugbears, impressionists on panel/quiz/discussion shows. I don't care what someone who sounds a vague bit like Ricky Gervaise/Alan Carr/Bruce Forsythe might sound like if they were talking about the universe. There's no humour or interest in what they are saying, they are just saying anything in a voice that's slightly like a famous person. What would Frank Carson sound like if he were talking about atoms? Who cares?

(grumble grumble).

I'd like to find previous series of this, with episodes that don't feature impressionists. Where would I look for such a thing?

I had a feeling that Prof Cox was finding it wearisome too, a couple of times 'ok, back to why we are actually here, please'.

I heartily agree regarding impressionists. Sounding like someone else is a skill, but it's not funny or interesting in itself. I can make an owl noise by blowing into my hands, but if I was on a panel show I wouldn't keep doing it all the bloody time.

Impressionists are literally the worst people on Earth.

And second Plissken's recommendation of Uncaged Monkeys - Mrs. Rodders and I went to one of the Hammersmith Apollo gigs earlier this year and it was really good fun.

I think they can be pretty funny. Rob Brydon is great when when he does impressions.

No.

Heh, yes.

I also like Rory Bremner, as he at least has something to say when he does the impressions. Still, it's nothing that couldn't just be done as stand up.

“It's a quarker.”

Good work Zardoz.

John Culshaw has the incredible ability to sound like the person he's imitating *and* John Culshaw AT THE SAME TIME.

Yep. I think his work is best in The Secret World (radio 4) recently, which is brilliant, and Stella Street, which was ages ago.

Shoehorned into a panel show, "oh, do Dierdre Barlow" it's a bit incongruous for sure but it did make it more entertaining, especially with the Dr Who / time travel stuff because he's a funny bloke.

Lots of respect for the participants but I don't think this show is a comfortable format for them in the first place, so the addition of a bit more funny from a comedy favorite doesn't really trouble me.

Stella Street was superb at times.

no, because he knows about two, and they are obsolete, and repetitive dullness. Did you ever see that program 'The Trip' it may have been called, with Steve Coogan, where he did the same two impressions at dinner for an hour, and did those same two impressions, the same lines, every evening? That's ACTUALLY Rob Brydon when he's doing impressions. Always the same. Maybe funny the first time...

Impressionists often get stuck on the same characters who then stop working. Like Les Dennis and that character from Coronation Street who died 20 years ago. The routine became so obsolete that its obsoleteness is now the only joke left.

The thing is, if they were saying something FUNNY or interesting in the comedy voice then that would at least be useful, but they will cram any voice from their repertoire in saying ANYTHING, nothing of value or interest, or even humour.

The Trip was ace you massive pair of belming wrongoloids.

Well, I don't really know.

That was taken to its logical conclusion in that fantastic episode of Extras with him in.

I wonder what Frank Bruno would say about all this...?

I didn't say it wasn't. I really enjoyed The Trip, but one of the reasons for that was because it allowed the repetitive nature of the tired acts to be annoying and repetitive. Coogan several times mentions Brydon's reliance on Tyne same two or three tired routines.

That episode of Extras was what I had in mind, yes

I don't believe it.

I don't really know...

I don't really know

I don't really know...

I bet he'd love it if you went up and said that to him.

(repeat, ad infinitum)

At what point was it/does it get funny?

Oooh, Betty!

Everything is always funny to me.

According to Herring's Blog, Les Dennis was in the audience of one of Richard Herring's shows, and Herring asked Dennis if he could do an impression of Mavis for him. Les said no, and then Herring said. "That's right, you can't can you?" apparently Les took it in good humour!

Malc

Yeah but the joke was Coogan's indignation at the fact that he's still funny even despite that. Hence him secretly trying to do the tiny man in a box thing.

I know, but that doesn't take away from the repetitiveness being boring. Coogan wants to better him at every point (hence the Michael Caine vocal jousting tournament), but that's a personal skill test.

Still, if every time you turned on to see your favourite comedian he did the same routine, you'd stop finding the routine funny. Some impressionists have been doing the same routine for 15 years. Half of the people you are impersonating are dead...

Also, don't just 'do' the voice, say something funny or interesting in that voice, not the same blinking speech every single time.

You talking to me?

Rob Brydon is great.

Rob Brydon is great.

Nope, still not funny yet.

He has a long face.

Brian Cox annoys me greatly.

But not as much as impressionists on panel shows.

And they're smashing compared to that ventriloquist they spent half an hour blowing smoke up on QI.