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Put on silly voices in comedy

Started by Brundle-Fly, September 20, 2018, 12:59:44 PM

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Brundle-Fly



The one element that seems to date some vintage British comedy is all the contrived silly voices. ie:- The Goons, Q series, Monty Python, Round The Horne, Pete & Dud etc. Apparently Tony Hancock considered Kenneth Williams' "Stop messing about" character and "the snide" as a bit unrealistic and not the direction he wanted the show to go.

In the 1970s, my father used to invite some of his pals over to drink scotch and play Mahjong. Me and my brother would giggle as we eavesdropped on them speaking to each other like Eccles, Neddy Seagoon, Major Dennis Bloodnok and Bluebottle. They'd squeal "He's fallen in the water!" if somebody was losing. This was very sweet back then but like quoting Python, I can understand why this humour drives some people to do time. It is perceived to be the last refuge of real ale twats, Colin Hunts and teenage spods.

There doesn't seem to be much of this 'put on silly voice' tradition left today. It is very much not the done thing. I'm not talking about caricature or larger than life character voices here. I'd say this is what Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, Steve Coogan, Victoria Wood, Lenny Henry, Caroline Ahearn generally leaned towards, but a proper put on silly voice that virtually nobody sounds like in reality. eg: Vyvyan from The Young Ones? Monty Python's Pepperpots.

Were The Young Ones, Bottom and Absolutely, the only eighties torchbearers? Even big broad shows like Blackadder, Red Dwarf didn't really have particularly 'put on silly voices'? Could you count Queenie? Borderline. In the nineties, obviously Vic & Bob put this style right back on the map with League Of Gentlemen and possibly Father Jack from Father Ted. Noughties? Bo Selecta and some of Little Britain spring to mind, but not much else since.

Dead goon?

Should this comedy device languish in Jockice's thread? I reckon it has its place but like the comedy song, it has to be executed extremely well. Any favourites?  Me? Probably...



On a sidenote, the one aspect that I always found the first hurdle of starting any new animated series was getting used to the characters' voices. I remember initially thinking The Simpsons very shrill, Ren & Stimpy unbearable and Beavis & Butthead, a chore. After I eventually got into all those shows I was just about match fit for Futurama

bgmnts

I tend to use Bob Mortimer for any argument against a certain kind of comedy, admittedly, but Bob Mortimer's ridiculous voices in Athletico Mince is a massive part of the belly laughs.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: bgmnts on September 20, 2018, 01:20:16 PM
I tend to use Bob Mortimer for any argument against a certain kind of comedy, admittedly, but Bob Mortimer's ridiculous voices in Athletico Mince is a massive part of the belly laughs.

When Vic & Bob performed The Stotts on Comic Relief last year, Vic shocked the audience by flashing his fake nob to Susannah Reid. I think half the derision was responding to these sort of silly voiced buffoons that you don't see on telly anymore. The Stotts are not that well known to the masses and it mustve have been bizarre for the average Googlebox participant and anyone under 25.

Sebastian Cobb


Bad Ambassador


Ornlu

It's #S4C but Bernadette's voice in The Big Bang Theory is just uniquely creepy. She sounds like a cartoon mouse prostitute.

Captain Z

Stewart Lee still uses his limited range of silly voices to great effect.

Replies From View

David Walliams' silly voice has somehow begun to infect his teeth.

Gulftastic

It's a good guide to whether an Adam Sandler film is going to be just shit, or extremely shit.

Silly voice denotes the latter (with the exception of Waterboy, which I kind of like),

Wasn't it Adrian Juste who used to do a show on Radio One in the 80s which included self-acted comedy sketches with ridiculously daft voices?

Replies From View

Did KYTV retain Martin Brown from Radio Active?  That character's voice was quite silly.

In fact Mr Brittas in The Brittas Empire was supremely silly.

Elderly Sumo Prophecy

Quote from: Replies From View on September 20, 2018, 07:07:41 PM
David Walliams' silly voice has somehow begun to infect his teeth.

I wasn't aware he had any teeth. Just gums.
On topic, what about Eric Idle's cheeky chappie voice? I've never much cared for the man, and I think that fucking voice is a big reason why.

Brundle-Fly

I discovered the other day he's called Arthur Nudge.

Gulftastic

Quote from: Elderly Sumo Prophecy on September 20, 2018, 07:49:44 PM
I wasn't aware he had any teeth. Just gums.
On topic, what about Eric Idle's cheeky chappie voice? I've never much cared for the man, and I think that fucking voice is a big reason why.

I always love (and use) the way he says 'Very big nose' & 'Who 'it yours, then? Goliath's big bruvver?' in LoB.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Does John Cleese's Mr. Praline voice count as silly ? Well, I like it anyway.

Ornlu

Mark McKinney's manager character in Superstore is a very recent example I can think of. I did think it was odd hearing such a lame, put-on voice in something so new and polished looking. It's quite probably the thing that put me off it most.

PlanktonSideburns

Great thread. I have nothing to add

Cuellar

Quote from: Elderly Sumo Prophecy on September 20, 2018, 07:49:44 PM
I wasn't aware he had any teeth. Just gums.
On topic, what about Eric Idle's cheeky chappie voice? I've never much cared for the man, and I think that fucking voice is a big reason why.

I pretty much hate all Eric Idle's voices, like his cockney one. In fact all the Pythons when they're pretending not to be as posh as they are.

Elderly Sumo Prophecy

Gilliams the worst with that ridiculous American accent he puts on. Worse than Stephen Hawking.

Brundle-Fly


rasta-spouse

Greg Davies does a silly voice when introducing Alex Horne on Taskmaster, while sitting in Fist of Fun series 2 chairs.

Phil_A

QuoteOn a sidenote, the one aspect that I always found the first hurdle of starting any new animated series was getting used to the characters' voices. I remember initially thinking The Simpsons very shrill, Ren & Stimpy unbearable and Beavis & Butthead, a chore. After I eventually got into all those shows I was just about match fit for Futurama

There was an animated comedy called "Final Space" that turned up recently on Netflix. The lead actor has such an obnoxiously grating COMEDYYYY! voice that it made it pretty much unwatchable for me. It's like he hasn't really put any thought into creating a character, just decided that shouting in a silly voice is enough. Unlike, say, Fry from Futurama, he never sounds like a relatable human being.

This is the ur-text of Python silly voice sketches. Doesn't get much better in my opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7buzYdGZ4

Brundle-Fly

That is indeed fantastic. My favourite bit is Terry Jones's polite apology at 1:49 mark. It's the nervous laugh and touching of the hat that does it.

Clownbaby

All I know is Pam Doove is a goddess. Of all the League sketches, it's probably one of the silliest but it always makes me into a sniggering idiot

Down the Line/Bellamy's People had a wonderful selection of ridiculous voices.

Robert Popper as Baal was probably the zenith, but Simon Day as the "Jolly Green Giant" caller is up there as was Paul Whitehouse as Geoff Leopard.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: Huxleys Babkins on September 21, 2018, 12:09:04 PM
Down the Line/Bellamy's People had a wonderful selection of ridiculous voices.

Robert Popper as Baal was probably the zenith, but Simon Day as the "Jolly Green Giant" caller is up there as was Paul Whitehouse as Geoff Leopard.

Oh, Popper is a master of the unadulterated silly voice with Robin Cooper

This is pure joy.

Robin calls UKIP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGPKnKY3VEI

EOLAN

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on September 21, 2018, 10:26:50 AM
That is indeed fantastic. My favourite bit is Terry Jones's polite apology at 1:49 mark. It's the nervous laugh and touching of the hat that does it.

Great stuff alright. Getting picky Chapman's character does seem capable of picking up on what people are saying when they are not talking in a lower register.
Jones is quite excellent as the straight businessman type.

Jockice

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on September 20, 2018, 12:59:44 PM



Should this comedy device languish in Jockice's thread? I reckon it has its place but like the comedy song, it has to be executed extremely well.

Nah, it's fine by me. Reminds me of a time in the 80s when I was visiting an old schoolmate who had moved down to London and was getting pestered by another (extremely boring) acquaintance of ours who had also coincidentally moved nearby and kept ringing him up wanting to go for a drink. So when the phone rang and my mate went: "Oh shit. It'll be that twat **** again!' I picked up the phone and screeched 'ELLO,' in a pure Mrs Pepperpot voice. **** seemed not to notice and asked if my mate was in. To which I replied in the same voice. "There's no ****** here mate. It's a wrong number," and then hung up. A couple of minutes later the phone rang again and we had the exact same conversation. And then again. And again. For the entire weekend. A bit cruel looking back. But great fun.

Alberon


Brundle-Fly

Quote from: Alberon on September 21, 2018, 05:48:50 PM
Obligatory link to the False Rod Hull sketch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0jtZUcdUMM

Already been obligatorily linked in the thread, Alby.

Harry Enfield's barking impression of the then Home Secretary Douglas Hurd in Spitting Image
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP6CbYu3T7Y