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Kevin Eldon is titting about DVD

Started by Languid, February 18, 2011, 01:16:27 PM

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Artemis

Quote from: benthalo on February 24, 2011, 07:58:07 PM
He's never done a full hour before. That's the difference.

Well technically, he still hasn't.

benthalo

True. An Edinburgh hour is as dubious a term as the Tube minute.

I have to say I'm amazed at the glowing reviews this show has received, here and elsewhere.  Two friends and I tried to watch the DVD on Saturday night, we were very much looking forward to it because obviously Eldon is usually great.

We had to turn it off after 20 minutes it was so bad.  My heart sank when it started with the poet character, as I've seen him a few times and have not much liked him.  However, there were a few laughs to be had in a couple of the poems.  But when Eldon came back on as 'himself', I was desperate for the poet to return.  I don't think I've ever seen such a desperate lack of material.  Derren Brown is really called Darren!  Hilarious.  And, erm, not much else.  His whole act seemed to be based around talking as quickly as possible in a variety of silly voices to disguise the fact that he didn't have a single joke.  It was rambling, irritating and full of sub-Boosh whimsy, the kind of act you expect to see from a theatre studies student at an open mic night.

As I say, I really wanted to like it, as I can't fault Eldon as a performer, he's been the highlight of some of my favourite shows of all time.  But as a stand-up, he stinks.  The dire song about a big jam sandwich was the final straw, we turned it off after that.

Those of you who have seen the whole show, is it worth persevering with the rest?  Does it get noticeably better?  Is the first third a hilarious satire in which he's playing a bad comedian character? 

And if you liked it, what did you like about it?  I can only assume that the good reviews from Edinburgh were down to the fact that people were impressed with seeing someone off the telly in real life.  And I imagine that in person, the frantic nature of his performance is physically impressive (if still very irritating).  But where were the jokes?

(Incidentally, I do feel bad about giving a Go Faster Stripe DVD such a bad review, as I think they do an amazing job, and some of their other releases are fantastic.  I don't even resent the £12 I spent on a DVD I will in all likelihood never watch the rest of, as I'm happy to support what is clearly a labour of love.  But I'll choose my next purchase more carefully.)

scarecrow

#63
(Removed.)

Artemis

OBT, I just watched it again last night and enjoyed it as much on repeat viewing (although I do have the luxury of having seen the set live). I think it definitely works best in a live setting, but it's a good set. Thing is with Eldon, he's not a stand-up comedian, so my expectations were pretty non-existent when I went to see him. I had no idea what he might do, short of Paul Hamilton, who I happen to enjoy.

I think it's great that he doesn't try and do stand up, and that the show is basically about him trying to come up with stuff for the show. That made sense to me when I watched it. Some bits worked better than others (although the night I saw him, everything worked perfectly and was actually a better show than the one on the DVD), but overall I thought it was great.

You've pulled out the big jam sandwich song as being a stinker which it is not. It is, in fact, good, for the following reasons:


  • He starts that bit by talking about how great workplace bullying is, but that he'd "recently realised" that it wouldn't be so nice if you were the one who had to swallow the paperclips. Two punchlines for the price of one.
  • The build up after Brad has been kidnapped just peters out into our songsmith eating a sandwich in front of the guy tormenting him at the office in a big barn somewhere, when the easiest place to go with it would be to sing about the awful things that he would do to this Brad person
  • THEN BRAD WILL REEEESPEEEECT ME, THEN BRAD WILL RESPECT ME, I HOPE - perfect line for the perfect chord sequence to allow him to deliver those lines exactly as they need to be delivered.

He labours on the "I hope" a bit much on the DVD, I think it should just slip out, but there it is. It's undoubtedly a highlight of the show.

You have yet to see the Pension song of course, which is just jaw dropping. When he did that live I just about shit my arms.

greencalx

I was only vaguely aware of who Kevin Eldon was when I saw him at Edinburgh, my wife I think had basically never heard of him. Yet we both found his show the highlight of the fringe, so it had nothing to do with being in awe to a celebrity. (Plenty of those hanging around in Edinburgh in the Summer, you stop noticing after a while).

So presumably it has something to do with taste. Or perhaps we're just easily amused. (Maybe these are the same thing).

rudi

It was a stand-up show about stand up, wasn't it? Many inferences and allusuions towards other stand ups and their material. I laughed plenty.

Quote from: rudi on March 01, 2011, 08:46:12 AM
It was a stand-up show about stand up, wasn't it? Many inferences and allusuions towards other stand ups and their material. I laughed plenty.

So some of the bad gags and observations are deliberately bad?  Some of it is a satire on bad standups?  I guess is makes more sense like that.  Maybe I don't know enough about standup to get all the references though.

Quote from: greencalx on March 01, 2011, 08:11:37 AM
it had nothing to do with being in awe to a celebrity.

Yeah, I realise that suggestion in my previous post might have come across as a bit sarky.  Sorry about that.

Quote from: The Region Legion on March 01, 2011, 02:09:51 AM
You've pulled out the big jam sandwich song as being a stinker which it is not. It is, in fact, good, for the following reasons:

He starts that bit by talking about how great workplace bullying is, but that he'd "recently realised" that it wouldn't be so nice if you were the one who had to swallow the paperclips. Two punchlines for the price of one.

I don't really see how that's even one punchline to be honest.  He says at the start that he enjoyed bullying, then that he realised that bullying was wrong - where's the joke, apart from the  (not that funny) image of someone being forced to eat paperclips?  Paul Whitehouse did a much funnier "Was he bullied, no he was the bully" reversal as Graham Downes on Down the Line.

Quote from: The Region Legion on March 01, 2011, 02:09:51 AM
The build up after Brad has been kidnapped just peters out into our songsmith eating a sandwich in front of the guy tormenting him at the office in a big barn somewhere, when the easiest place to go with it would be to sing about the awful things that he would do to this Brad person

Where you see an inspired comic idea, I'm afraid I just see sub-Boosh whimsy, as I said before.  He may as well have said, I dunno, that he put Brad on a tugboat and made him dance with monkeys.  Meh.

As mine seems to be the only dissenting voice, I'll give the rest of the DVD a go.  But I do think that perhaps a lot of the problem is that the performance, which may have worked live, is too big, too try-hard for a DVD.  The main reason I turned it off the first time is not because it wasn't funny (it wasn't, but I watched all of 'Episodes' for god's sake), but because it was really irritating.

Artemis

Quote from: Only Bad Things on March 01, 2011, 09:34:00 AM
So some of the bad gags and observations are deliberately bad?  Some of it is a satire on bad standups?  I guess is makes more sense like that.  Maybe I don't know enough about standup to get all the references though.

I don't think you need to - the only stand up he obviously mocked was McIntyre, the rest of it was a kind of stream-of-consciousness ramble about how he should structure the show and what he should put in it. Bad gags and observations? Didn't really see any of that to be honest; I guess you just didn't take to the style.

QuoteI don't really see how that's even one punchline to be honest.  He says at the start that he enjoyed bullying, then that he realised that bullying was wrong - where's the joke, apart from the  (not that funny) image of someone being forced to eat paperclips?  Paul Whitehouse did a much funnier "Was he bullied, no he was the bully" reversal as Graham Downes on Down the Line.

And Julia Davis before that in Human Remains ("there was some bullying that went on, but I don't regret it"). Yeah it's not a new concept or joke particularly, but it was written and delivered well.

QuoteWhere you see an inspired comic idea, I'm afraid I just see sub-Boosh whimsy, as I said before.  He may as well have said, I dunno, that he put Brad on a tugboat and made him dance with monkeys.  Meh.

I just don't think you like the 'style' of the show to be honest, which is fair enough of course. Yes some of it is a bit whimsical and in the live show, he makes reference to that as well. Nonsense whimsy is a perfectly acceptable style, despite Boosh, and Eldon uses it sometimes in amongst other comedic styles. I'm not sure what's so awful about that.

Incidentally, did you like Eldon's 'Speakers' monologues? Also mostly nonsense but a little more formally structured. I'm just wondering if it's the content of the flimsy, loosy feel of the live set you dislike?

I don't think I've heard 'Speakers'.  And no, nonsense whimsy is not my favourite style, but when it's done well (e.g. Vic and Bob) I love it.

I've watched the rest of the DVD now, and it's not for me.  I did quite like the idea that most of it was about what he should put in his act, but that fell apart quite quickly and it just became a succession of characters.  I don't speak any French, so the majority of that character passed me by (although the Scottish stuff and the Proclaimers song was a highlight).  I thought the Northern character was dire, and the pensions song was performed brilliantly but lyrically was something Mitch Benn might knock out for the Now Show.

I thought his targets and observations were hackneyed and obvious (Stephen Fry put the inquisitive inflection in Room 101 ten years ago) and in place of jokes there was uninspired whimsy and irritating wordiness.  To me it looked like what it was, an actor trying his hand at stand up, and as such the performance was brilliant, but the material stank.

I won't go on about it any more because I don't want to sour what had been a celebratory thread, but I am amazed that for the first time in years of lurking, I am the only dissenter against a unanimous CaB consensus.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: Only Bad Things on March 01, 2011, 03:24:35 PM
I am amazed that for the first time in years of lurking, I am the only dissenter against a unanimous CaB consensus.

You're not. I thought his material was pretty weak and hackneyed too. Nevertheless, I still quite enjoyed the show on the strength of Eldon's performance. Actually, I tell I lie, I think Paul Hamilton is a funny character, and would've happily watched Eldon do more in that guise. Unfortunately, as he's admitted himself, it takes him ages to write good Hamilton material, which is why he's still using (admittedly very funny) stuff he wrote years ago.

stevek89

Hi All,
Firstly I am really sorry for bumping such an old thread, but I have tried ordering this show on DVD from Gofasterstripe and unfortunately, Chris doesn't have any more copies of it, so I was just wondering if anybody has a copy they no longer want/need and if they would be willing to sell their DVD of this to me?  No worries if nobody wants to, but I just thought that it was worth a try!
All the best and many thanks in advance!
Stephen :)

magval

I don't (sorry to reply without good news) but hasn't Chris made the whole catalogue available digitally anyway?

Small Man Big Horse

Yeah, you can download it for a fiver, and then just draw your own dvd cover.

lipsink

I may still have my copy. I'll check for you tonight and if I do you can have it.

I was a little disappointed by it to be honest. The show was fucking great when I saw it at the Fringe 2010 but I'm not sure it translated that well to DVD.

stevek89

Quote from: magval on August 06, 2019, 10:34:58 AM
I don't (sorry to reply without good news) but hasn't Chris made the whole catalogue available digitally anyway?
Hi Magval,
Many thanks for your reply and yes you are correct that it is available as a digital download, but I am a bit of a nerd and I would really like to have the physical DVD as well.
Thank you again anyway.
All the best
Stephen :)

stevek89

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on August 06, 2019, 11:40:53 AM
Yeah, you can download it for a fiver, and then just draw your own dvd cover.
Hi Small Man Big Horse,
Many thanks for your reply.  Yes you are correct that I can download it but unfortunately I am rubbish at drawing! :)
And I would really like to own the physical DVD as well.
Thank you again.
All the best
Stephen :)

stevek89

Quote from: lipsink on August 06, 2019, 12:22:14 PM
I may still have my copy. I'll check for you tonight and if I do you can have it.

I was a little disappointed by it to be honest. The show was fucking great when I saw it at the Fringe 2010 but I'm not sure it translated that well to DVD.
Hi Lipsink,
Thank you very much for that, it is very much appreciated.
Please don't worry if you don't have it, but if you do then please let me know and I can pay via PayPal, if you have an account, so that it is all above board etc.
Yeah, I have read through this thread and the DVD seems to have mixed reviews, but I am still a big fan of his and I would still really like to be able to see it, as unfortunately I never got the chance to see it live.
Many thanks again.
All the best
Stephen :)

Endicott

The DVD is brilliant and you'll love it. And no, you can't have mine!

Small Man Big Horse

While we're on the subject, has anyone read My Prefect Cousin, A Short Biography Of Paul Hamilton by Kevin Eldon, and if so, is it worth getting?

stevek89

Quote from: Endicott on August 06, 2019, 05:18:51 PM
The DVD is brilliant and you'll love it. And no, you can't have mine!
Thank you very much for the recommendation Endicott and no worries lol :)

stevek89

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on August 06, 2019, 06:45:49 PM
While we're on the subject, has anyone read My Prefect Cousin, A Short Biography Of Paul Hamilton by Kevin Eldon, and if so, is it worth getting?
I am sorry, but I haven't read it myself, but a friend of mine read it recently and said that it was really good if you like Kevin Eldon, so I hope that that is some kind of recommendation.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: stevek89 on August 06, 2019, 09:59:41 PM
I am sorry, but I haven't read it myself, but a friend of mine read it recently and said that it was really good if you like Kevin Eldon, so I hope that that is some kind of recommendation.

It is, thanks for that, I just looked and it's cheap on ebay so I'll definitely pick it up soon.

Gurke and Hare

I've just been to my GFS clubhouse, and I seem to have a free download left - I've narrowed it down, help me decide which of these to get!

Miles Jupp - Songs of Freedom
Bec Hill - Bec in 1 Hour
Lou Sanders - Another Great Show Again
Sean Hughes - Life Becomes Noises
Arnold Brown - Jokes I Have Known


Small Man Big Horse

I've not seen any of those shows, but am very fond of Jupp, Sanders and Hughes. That said Sanders has only become consistently good over the last two years or so, and that Jupp show has mixed reviews online, so I'd go for Hughes personally (unless you have a dislike of Dead Dad shows).

Gurke and Hare

Went for Jupp. I'm sure there will be a blank month at some point soon and we'll get another freebie.

c

Quote from: Artemis on March 01, 2011, 11:52:47 AM

And Julia Davis before that in Human Remains ("there was some bullying that went on, but I don't regret it").

This single line is funnier than everything on Eldon's DVD combined

c


lipsink

Quote from: stevek89 on August 06, 2019, 04:27:46 PM
Hi Lipsink,
Thank you very much for that, it is very much appreciated.
Please don't worry if you don't have it, but if you do then please let me know and I can pay via PayPal, if you have an account, so that it is all above board etc.
Yeah, I have read through this thread and the DVD seems to have mixed reviews, but I am still a big fan of his and I would still really like to be able to see it, as unfortunately I never got the chance to see it live.
Many thanks again.
All the best
Stephen :)

Hey, sorry Stephen. I don't have it anymore so I think I may have already given it away a while back.