Noel Fielding?

[dermo]

I guess, but there is also something to be said for pushing boundaries and trying new things. Some might see noel as a fool, others might see him as a trail blazer. It takes a lot of confidance to get up there and do something so different from the norm. It's why Daniel Kitson is respected by so many people. So much of his act, esp when he is hosting a show, is just ramblings from his strange mind.

[Stripes]

Y'seem very sure that you're right, Stevie. And since I like to argue, and quite liked Noel when I saw him, I might just contradict you for a minute .
I don't find Noel offensive for any reason, I think he's funny, crazed in a way that I like and fun to watch. I don't think that he's lazy, because to show that much energy on stage, to say those strange and amusing things - either to prepare them or to be quick enough to make them up on the spot - takes interest, effort and a fast, good mind.
I think there are far more truly lazy people in the industry, people who use the same jokes for every performance, whose energy is all faked through having done it a hundred times before, people who are funny once but not again.
Personally I don't think good comedy has to only consist of set 'jokes', I like Ross Noble-style wanderings and ramblings. I laugh at weird ideas because they're bizarre and funny to imagine. It also depends how you define 'jokes'.
And to the question

Originally Posted by Stevie

Do you know what art is?

I think whatever the artist means as art or the viewer sees as art, can be classified as that. In contemporary galleries there are hundreds of exhibitions that people would never ever think of as art, in a normal context. But seeing them presented as art they can see what the artist meant. I know, that sounds completely wanky. But let it, I don't care.

Anyway, I like Noel Fielding. I think he's very funny. Therefore good comedy. I fully expect to enjoy watching the Boosh when/if they come for Comfests in the future. I don't think you're as right as you say you are.

[Stevie Goss]

Pushing boundaries and trying new things? You're joking, aren't you?

The problem is that Fielding is trying to be surreal. Without actually knowing what proper surrealism is and what actually makes it funny. To Fielding and his ilk, surrealism simply means mentioning animals a lot. Let alone placing some humour in there.

The people who pimp and/or perform "pushing boundaries and trying new things" nonsense seem the most ignorant about what surreal and dark comedy is, and what makes it funny and joyful to watch.

[dermo]

Surely surrealism can mean mentioning animals a lot? Surrealism lays the belief that a different reality or way of thinking should be celebrated over any relm of normality.

Why should "pasty speaks 1000 words" be any less or more funny than singing about spam or Tripod saying "you are Admiral Gary Coleman"?

Some people find the absurd funny and noel is very absurd.

I can see you don't find him at all funny, but that shouldn't detract from the effort that goes into his performance.

[Stevie Goss]

Do you have any proof that he actually puts in any effort? I'd like to see it...

[dermo]

surely by getting up and doing the shows, and travelling around the world doing the shows and making it look like he has put no effort or thought into what he is saying. Takes a lot of effort to make something look easy.

[Stevie Goss]

Being paid to go around the world, getting up on stage and stringing on a few "surreal" lines can't be that difficult, surely? It's quite possible that he is actually putting no effort into what he is saying...

[dermo]

this is going to be my last post on the subject becuase it seems to be turning into the nicko and steve show.

I can only speak as a comedienne when i say how hard it is to "just get on stage and tell a couple of surreal jokes". If it were so easy there would be a lot more people doing it and making money from it. The attitude that comedy, any comedy, is an easy job is one i find quite frustrating.

I don't even find noel that funny, but i agree that people do and so his chosen path is obviously bringing joy to like minded people.

[Alisso]

I can prove it, I can prove it!

He memorises parts of his speeches *nods* That's effort *g*



I'm staying out of the actual debate, though. I don't appreciate all of Noel's humour, but then, other people don't like the stuff I find hysterical. It'd be a pretty dull world if we all liked exactly the same things *g*

[Stevie Goss]

OK, I've put more than more than my two penne'forth into this topic too. You know my feelings on the subject. No further correspondence will be entered into. Good night, everyone!

Originally Posted by Stevie Goss

That's easily the biggest load of rubbish I've ever read in my life.

Fielding, and 'Boosh', is nothing more than crap, lazy, sycophantic whitewash comedy which is highly offensive because it lacks any substance and only exists because foolish people (hello thread!) keep pimping it for some god forsaken reason.

But "Newt", you crossed the stupidity line by a far distance. Performance Art? Excuse me, but do you know what art is? Or what a performance is? Because some unfunny wanker on stage is neither performance nor art. Let alone performance art.

And like Fielding says, he doesn't have any jokes. Is it because he's lazy? Or just too crap to come up with actual jokes? Probably both...

Please come back once you actually understand comedy and/or art.

HA HA HA!!

Yeah, stick it to him!!!

Jeez, where to start. How about

Originally Posted by Stevie Goss

Because some unfunny wanker on stage is neither performance...

I think you'll find that this is pretty much the accepted definition of a performance. I'd like to hear how you manage to define a performance as something that doesn't necessarily require a performer in front of an audience. Or did you mean to say "it doesn't deserve to even be called a performance"???? Perhaps I'll assume that you meant to say something like that, rather than assume you don't have access to a dictionary. Okay, so I'll have to interpret what you meant to say rather than going on what you actually wrote. Let's move on.

Originally Posted by Stevie Goss

And like Fielding says, he doesn't have any jokes. Is it because he's lazy? Or just too crap to come up with actual jokes? Probably both...

Hmmm, you seem to have mistaken the terms "comedian" and "someone who tells jokes". Dude, there is somewhat of a crossover but those terms really aren't synonymous. Perhaps you think comedians should limit themselves to tales about 3 men walking into bars? I'm a comedian and I don't tell jokes. I don't know anyone who gets up on stage and just tells jokes. That doesn't mean they're lazy or crap. Perhaps something like "Noel doesn't tell jokes so he can't be funny." Nah, you can't have been meaning to say that. That'd be foolish. I'm not really sure what you were trying to say.

Originally Posted by Stevie Goss

Excuse me, but do you know what art is? {snip} Please come back once you actually understand comedy and/or art.

Y'know, I've got a funny feeling that Newtberton already has a pretty good working definition of art under his belt. And art (and that includes comedy) is subjective, so that means that no one can dictate to NewtyB what he should or shouldn't consider to be art, or comedy. Sure, you can debate what's worhty and what's not, but you can't dictate what's art and what isn't. Duchamp settled that in 1917. If NB laughs at it then it's comedy FOR HIM - that's the bottom line. Just because you don't appreciate Noel's performances doesn't mean that they're not art, or comedy, or even a performance. And if Newtberton's definition of art or comedy is different than yours, then guess what - that doesn't invalidate your opinion, either. Dunno why you're acting so offended.

So, Stevie, you seem to think that you're the final arbitrator on comedy and art, and that any opinion that doesn't coincide with yours can't possibly be valid. I think that shows that you're the one who's exhibiting a basic lack of understanding ...

[Stevie Goss]

*Yawn*

Those are my opinions, no-one else's, if you don't like it go to hell, thank you, good night.

Originally Posted by Stevie Goss

The problem is that Fielding is trying to be surreal. Without actually knowing what proper surrealism is and what actually makes it funny. To Fielding and his ilk, surrealism simply means mentioning animals a lot. Let alone placing some humour in there.

The people who pimp and/or perform "pushing boundaries and trying new things" nonsense seem the most ignorant about what surreal and dark comedy is, and what makes it funny and joyful to watch.

Okay, Noel's not surrealistic in the automatist sense (I don't think that any successful stage comedian COULD be) but he seems to be quite an accomplished veristic surrealist - not nearly Dali, certainly not as restrained as Magritte, but more along the lines of Carrington or Varo.

But anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on what proper surrealism is and what makes it funny. No, I'm not being sarcastic, I'm honestly interested in what you think, since you obviously have an opinion on this and I don't think I'd be able to draw anyone else into a comparative discussion of veristic surrealism in comedy.

Originally Posted by Stevie Goss

Those are my opinions, no-one else's, if you don't like it go to hell

I love it when you talk dirty to me!

Hey, would it be remiss of me to point out that you really should get a sense of humour before logging on to a comedy message board? :p

Then again, I didn't see that in the list of rules ....

[kebab_oner]

stevie isn't the only one, I've talked to many people that hate Noel with similar passion.

is it because they spend months writing and working on some lame setup and tag that falls flat on it's face when they give it a go in front of 5 people at some try out night somewhere... and Noel just gets up and TALKS for hours, and is infinitely more successful than they could ever hope to be?

it's called TALENT. and stevie, I suspect you have none. and if you don't find Noel funny, you don't have a sense of humour either. you might as well just kill yourself now.