Sitcom Funny, Standup Not So Funny

Cafe Society
1

Three examples spring to mind viz. Ricky Gervais, Peter Kay and Steve Coogan.

For me these comedians are hilarious in The Office, Extras (Gervais) Phoenix Nights (Kay) and Knowing Me Knowing You, I’m Alan Partridge (Coogan). I’ve seen all three in standup on TV and their acts do nothing for me.

Gervais’ character in Extras certainly draws from David Brent (The Office) while Coogan is Alan Partridge in his two programmes. Kay excels in all the characters he plays in Phoenix Nights.

I understand that humour is a matter of taste but as far as I’m concerned Gervais is Brent/Andy and little else, Coogan is Alan Partridge and little else and Kay can point to Phoenix Nights as his magnum opus but can point to little else.

I’ve also seen all three comedians on chat shows and to me they are just not funny under these circumstances either.

Any opinions on this, or any opinions on other comedians who may differ in standards from sitcom to standup would be interesting.

2

What people find funny varies wildly.

I have watched Peter Kay in standup and both the live audience and myself were roaring with laughter.

3

How about the opposite? I attended a stand-up performance by Bob Saget last night, who is the dirtiest, nastiest, raunchiest, most depraved man ever, and one of the funniest as well. He’s like a mad perverted genius with Tourette’s Syndrome, and had the crowd in constant stitches. It’s a stark contrast from his dorky TV persona as dad Danny Tanner on the horrible sitcom Full House, and non-threatening host of America’s Funniest Home Videos. He didn’t have many nice things to say about either show, aside from the fact that he didn’t write the material for them, they made him (and his ex-wife) rich, and that the Full House cast regularly engaged in orgies.

4

I find Dave Chappelle’s skits vastly funnier than his stand up.