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Robin Ince and guests dissect the week's comedy offerings. Fridays 8.30am and 10pm, and Saturdays at 3am.
| | | | Robin Ince. Doesn't he look serious? Grr. | | | For the last edition of the first series of Serious About Comedy, we decided to do two unusual things. Firstly, to review Serious About Comedy itself, because after being critical of everyone else's show, it was only fair that we had a go at ourselves. We also decided to give a place on the panel to a listener - a complete outside to the comedy industry. We asked listeners to send in their reviews of Serious About Comedy, and the best one would win its writer a place in the studio. The winner was Roger Jenking, from Oxfordshire - and here's his version of the experience...
"I'd listened consistently and with pleasure to Serious About Comedy. The media increasingly cover stand up and the comedy genre overlaps with film, drama, televison and radio but there is room for more specialist criticism. When the competiton came up - criticising the programme itself - the project seemed a little incestuous but fascinating. When I won it, the chance to appear on the programme was more than welcome.
"After exchanging e-mails with Ed Morrish, the producer, I received, listened and looked at the CDs of the previous week's programme and the newly released Extras. BBC7 hasn't asked for these back yet and they won't get them till they do! The DVD of The Daily Show arrived late and I had to cycle twice to what passes as our 'local' delivery office, a total distance of 20km, to get it. As I will explain, it wasn't worth it!
"Serious About Comedy uses the independent 'Wise Buddha' studios a stone's throw from Broadcasting House, providing it's a small stone and a stong thrower. Drinking coffee in the small foyer provided by the friendly receptionist and Production Assistant was fairly relaxing and I chatted with Alun Cochrane, the devisor of the programme and one of the guests for the final show. Stephanie Merritt, Laurence Howarth, and the producer arrived soon after. Fortunately, probably because I did not appear overwhelmed with nerves, no one treated me with special concern. If they had, no doubt I would have become a gibbering wreck! Eventually, we trekked upstairs to the studio. After our microphones and been carefully fitted and tested, our esteemed presenter Robin Ince arrived, late, tripping over the table shaking the table and dislodging the microphones as he tried to get to his seat, swearing loudly into the one remaining mic as he did so - so much for professionalism!
"Seen first hand, Robin's presenting abilities are startling. With barely a hesitation he ran the programme from a running order that seemed to contain about 8 lines of text. Equally my fellow guests talked articulately and at just the right length on each strand. A transcript would not reveal much difference from prepared texts. I don't think I disgraced myself - my contributions seemed at the time to be reasonable connected if not as long and analytical as the others. And I did initiate a conversation about the size of the live gig comedy audience. The final version, reduced from about 45 minutes to 28, contained most of my stuff.
"If I have a criticism it would be the suspension of critical faculties when it comes to American comedy product - and culture generally. To me The Daily Show is crisply presented but consists of two overlong comedy items and a celebrity interview which is neither sharp nor subversive. But Robin, Stephanie, Lawrence and Alun seemed to love it! Either they and others in the entertainment and media industries overrate even vaguely competent American stuff because of the low general standard or do not realise that the American politics and big business - which many of them deplore - is all of a piece with American entertainment. Who do they think makes it?
"There, that's the rant over - except that there was excitement that the American entertainer, Chris Rock had been in another one of the studios. I thought he was just a film actor but, apparently, he's a stand up comic as well! Alun was the first out of the door at the end of the session in an attempt to be in the lobby at the same time as him (not that actually wanted to talk to him of course).
"Nervousness did set in the following day when I listened to the programme, having instructed all my friends and relations to do the same, an instruction that they mostly ignored. But the Editor had done such a fantastic job on me that I came over reasonably eloquently.
"If there's another competition and the chance of another 'amateur' appearance in the coming series, then enter the competition. Take the appearance. It's a glimpse into another world and a pleasant, friendly one it is too."
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