# My Big Fat Greek Life should be a hell of a lot funnier. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155 "2003-03-13T19:16:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/1 "2003-03-13T19:16:43Z")
Let me state for the record that I _love_ sitcoms. I will watch just about any manner of dreck as long as it is in sitcom form and chuckle my big fat black ass off. Suddenly Susan? Watched it. Yes Dear? Watched that. That one with the sister from Yes Dear with the girl from Married With Children and he Spanish guy? Really enjoyed that one. A Guy, A Girl and a Pizza Place? Well, that wasn’t funny either-- bad example, but I laugh at The Steve Harvey Show. So why is My Big Fat Greek Life so not funny? It’s got Lainie Kazan, Michael Constatinen and Andrea Martin. I should laugh-- but I don’t. Why? I want to like this show. Is it me? ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/2 "2003-03-13T19:21:04Z")
Its not you. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/3 "2003-03-13T19:33:51Z")
I haven’t seen the movie and don’t watch too many sitcoms but I caught a bit of MBFGL a while back and it was really lame. Everything just seemed flat: the writing, pacing, acting. It was just a monotonous succession of bad jokes and canned laughter. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/4 "2003-03-13T19:39:14Z")
The clue that this show (which I acknowledge I have not watched) would suck was, for me, that upon hearing it announced, I thought, “Huh. I really can’t think of anything _else_ I want to know about that couple or her family.” Not that they’d show on network TV, anyway. Y’all be sure to let me know when Nia Vardalos is in Playboy, though, 'kay? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/5 "2003-03-13T19:39:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > **That one with the sister from Yes Dear with the girl from Married With Children and he Spanish guy? Really enjoyed that one.** I haven’t seen the movie - and now I probably won’t - but the sitcom was called Jesse. I uh…watched it a couple of times, too. Gosh I love guys with accents. ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/6 "2003-03-13T19:40:21Z")
I watched it for all of five minutes. No John Corbett. Bah. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/7 "2003-03-13T19:50:15Z")
Now, I would definitely watch a sitcom starring **Biggirl** called _My Big Fat Black Ass_! ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/8 "2003-03-13T19:51:16Z")
Oops, I meant show. Not movie. Show. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/9 "2003-03-13T22:13:35Z")
Tried it, hated it. Won’t see the movie because of it. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/10 "2003-03-13T22:23:11Z")
My wife loved the movie (I thought it was cute, and little more), so we watched the first two weeks of the sitcom. “Boy,” we said, “this sure is generic. They’ve even got the living-room set with the couch in the middle and the stairs going up to the second floor behind it.” “Yep,” we agreed. (We have such a good marriage, we talk in unison. It’s kind of creepy until you get used to it. Anyway.) “But that Andrea Martin sure is funny,” we continued. “Uh huh,” we agreed again. “So, what else is on?” ---
**Author:** ![ProjectOmega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@ProjectOmega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProjectOmega)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/11 "2003-03-13T23:33:37Z")
The movie was hilarious, which is why it’s surprising the show sucks so badly. Go rent the movie, it’s great, especially if you happen to know someone that’s Greek, so you can make fun of them later. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/12 "2003-03-14T03:00:00Z")
Haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve seen about five minutes each of two or three episodes. Painfully formulaic. It reminds me of old _Love American Style_ episodes. It’s worse than _Yes, Dear_. And I’ll even watch _Yes, Dear_ occasionally just because I think the sister (Liza Snyder) is hot. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/13 "2003-03-14T07:34:50Z")
Heck, it’s just _Ethnic Mismatch Comedy #645_. They’ll do a riff of Viagra jokes and then it’ll be gone. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/14 "2003-03-14T07:58:16Z")
I thought the movie was unassuming and cute, but hardly a laugh riot. It was completely uncynical and sarcastic, which you need once and awhile, and I think it hit the nation at just the right time. But I still wasn’t sure what all the fuss was, or why it was the top grossing romantic comedy of all time. But I knew that it wasn’t something you could duplicate or sequel, because its said its piece already, and there wasn’t really THAT much to say. I mean, it was a really amatuer script and production for one thing: that was part of its charm. ---
**Author:** ![CastleAnthrax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@CastleAnthrax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastleAnthrax)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/15 "2003-03-14T14:22:38Z")
I really liked 2 Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. Set my VCR for it. That said- I watched about five minutes of the Greek Life thing before I shut it off. I get ONE channel, and I don’t have remote control, so this is a big deal for me. It was just awful. No redeeming features whatsoever, except (as previously mentioned) some pretty women. The people in the show (I refuse to call them actors) say their lines like they’re in some sort of grade-school play where they play a rutabaga. When my kid is a rutabaga, I’ll applaud, but untiil then, I don’t want to see any acting that bad. I haven’t seen thw movie- and now I’m thinking that may not have been such a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/16 "2003-03-14T15:28:12Z")
Much as I enjoyed the movie and sorta looked forward to the series (I say sorta because I mostly forgot it was going to be aired) I happened to catch a few minutes of it one day - I think it was the first episode. What little I saw was bad sitcom acting and inane sitcom writing. Convinced me it wasn’t worth the effort to remember to watch. So I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/17 "2003-03-14T16:17:18Z")
The movie wasn’t a bunch of one liners… it was funny, but not the setup, laugh, setup, laugh pace that sitcoms generally are, and this sitcom unfortunately is. The acting isn’t great, the pacing is off, the jokes aren’t that funny. I saw it once, if I’m home, and it’s the only thing on, and I want the TV on in the background, I may watch it again. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/18 "2003-03-14T17:20:13Z")
Yes, I was sadly disappointed with the sitcom. I loved the movie. It was cute and endearing. The sitcom is just flat. I have to agree with **Gulo gulo** , no John Corbett, bah. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/19 "2003-03-14T17:28:01Z")
The wooden acting is unexcusable. This show has some great actors in it (the ones mentioned in the OP). The writing is worst than pedestrian and these guys seem to be sleepwalking their way through the script. Just looked at the Neilsons. This show is one of the highest rated new shows this season. P.S. Liza Snyder (didn’t know her name) is a great sitcomstress. She is the best thing in both Jessie and Yes, Dear. But the hottest thing on Jessie was the Spanish guy. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155/20 "2003-03-14T17:31:40Z")
I think they ignored the gentle humor of the movie and just poured it into the sitcom blender and came out with the regular crap. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-big-fat-greek-life-should-be-a-hell-of-a-lot-funnier/161155.md?page=2)