Comedy moments that are blatantly excuses to exorcise frustrated pop star dreams

[JaDanketies]

"There's a little minx. Should I buy her some drinks?" "NO!"

[Ferris]

I only saw brief mentions, but it is worth repeating because I can't think of a single other performance that matches this description as well as



Here's a little something from that frustrated pop career


And the frankly unjustifiable redux no one asked for, which can only explained as literally the thread title

[Pauline Walnuts]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OvzU4Jnbg8

War Crime. Simon Brodkin's 'Can't Wait' with a cast of 1,000s.

[Gurke and Hare]

Is one of those Ivor Baddiel? Literally anyone can say they're a comedian now, can't they?

[Aleister Growley]

Hee Bee Gee Bees - parody, or was Deayton really loving himself, there?

Although their Bowie and Status Quo ones were ace.

[peanutbutter]

I only saw brief mentions, but it is worth repeating because I can't think of a single other performance that matches this description as well as

Yep it's the obvious one for sure; always thought this was quite charmingly self aware and fitting for the character. The one for the Christmas special ruined it though, but they were running on fumes by that point overall.

[Swoz_MK]

Trying to think if Charlie got the old keyboard out before The Nightman? He came up with the song in Sweet Dee's Dating a Retarded Person. Anyway, our Charlie is a talented man.

[BeardFaceMan]

Hee Bee Gee Bees - parody, or was Deayton really loving himself, there?

Although their Bowie and Status Quo ones were ace.

Philip Pope did all the music for Radio Active so I should imagine it was his idea.

[Ignatius_S]

Hee Bee Gee Bees - parody, or was Deayton really loving himself, there?

Although their Bowie and Status Quo ones were ace.

The Hee Bee Gee Bees began when Deayton, Pope and Fenton Stevens were students - going from memory, I think the idea came from Deayton (iirc, who liked Bee Gees) but Pope was doing a lot of musical parodies back then.

From what I have read, it was the success of the spoof band that really got Deayton to start seriously thinking comedy as a career - so arguably it's a case of someone's love of music leading them to professional comedy, rather than a successful comedian wanting to be a musician.

[Blue Jam]

Oregon singing Black Velvet and then that song written by Dott Allison in Fresh Meat. Charlotte Richie's agent must have really pushed for that.

That series of Archer where Cheryl becomes a country singer. I really didn't care for those bits at all.

[Ferris]

Yep it's the obvious one for sure; always thought this was quite charmingly self aware and fitting for the character. The one for the Christmas special ruined it though, but they were running on fumes by that point overall.

I mean he went on a tour with him from Oasis and released a record (including a deluxe vinyl version) after the film.

I don't know how you release a deluxe vinyl record ironically - it's wish fulfillment plain and simple.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

That series of Archer where Cheryl becomes a country singer. I really didn't care for those bits at all.

That was rather grating, particularly her shouting, "Outlaw country" all the time, but I'm not sure it counts for this thread since Judy Greer didn't do the singing.

[Ignatius_S]

That was rather grating, particularly her shouting, "Outlaw country" all the time, but I'm not sure it counts for this thread since Judy Greer didn't do the singing.

Yeah - also the Cherlene aspect was entirely down to Adam Reed wanting to play around with the show's format. The spin-off subsequent album was actually pretty solid.

[Ignatius_S]

Tony Ferrino was my obvious one...

And no better example.

Exhibit A - choosing a Tom Jones cover, essentially performed straight, as the single. That might scratch the singing star itch, but it didn't sell well and gave a false impression of what the album was like, killing off a decent amount of interest in fans.

Exhibit B - announcing weekend residences for a long period (three months, IIRC) at a well-established music club (I want to say Ronnie Scott's, but might be misremembering) performing at Ferrino. Remaining dates were cancelled after the first or second weekend.

Mention should also be made about Duncan Thickett's singing Green Green Grass Of Home in the Live 'N Lewd show. Although in some ways it works as it shows that Thickett is actually talented but completely misguided in his ambitions, and there's a physical bit of business with gyrating hips. However, it's hard not to see as Coogan wanting to channel Tom Jones for other reasons post-Ferrino.

[mrClaypole]

Didn't Jupitus genuinely join The Blockheads for a bit?

He bloody did aswell.
I was at a Blockheads gig (thankfully without Jupitus on vocals) and afterwards Norman Watt-Roy came into the bar.
Me and my mate got chatting to him. We kept buying him drinks as he was quite a fascinating man to talk too. After several brandies my mate asked why do you get that unfunny comedian Phil Jupitus to sing with the band?.
Norman said "he pulls in the punters"
My myself and my mate both said "he's what puts us off seeing you"
You should've heard him laugh.
There was a time though when Jupitus seemed to loom large in alot of the bands I love.  He sang Ian Durys part on the Madness single "drip fed Fred " when the band appeared on TFI Friday.  He nearly ruined the Bonzo dogs by bandwaggoning on their live shows.  He designed some truly shit T shirts for the Specials comeback.....jesus I nearly packed up listening to music or going to gigs for fear Jupitus would be there.
Also according to another person who was at that Blockheads gig whose band supported the Blocks with Jupitus on vox.  His band asked if they could use the Blockheads backline and it was Jupitus who said no, absolutely not.  Twat!. Having met the rest of the Blockheads I couldn't see any of them refusing the request as they are lovely blokes.

[Gurke and Hare]

Jupitus was always around the music scene long before anyone had heard of him as a comedian - he supported Billy Bragg at early gigs when he was Porky the Poet.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Is one of those Ivor Baddiel? Literally anyone can say they're a comedian now, can't they?

Looks like him, admittedly, but it's actually Omid Djalili. We're all getting old, eh? Although Shappi Khorsandhi' s still looking good on it, and Tim Vine never seems to age.

[dissolute ocelot]

Has nobody mentioned Ed Helms yet? I'm sure it's in his contract that he has to show off his tepid musical skills in everything he does. In the case of The Office, there's a stretch where it seems to be crowbarred into every episode, despite it not making any sense.

Craig Robinson as well, I suppose. Sometimes they did it together!

Helms belongs in the thread "Comedy moments that are blatantly excuses to exorcise frustrated barbershop quartet dreams".

Katey Sagal is another comedy actor who's never far from a mic: Futurama, 8 Simple Rules, and more (she also sings in dramas).

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Helms belongs in the thread "Comedy moments that are blatantly excuses to exorcise frustrated barbershop quartet dreams".

Katey Sagal is another comedy actor who's never far from a mic: Futurama, 8 Simple Rules, and more (she also sings in dramas).

Former singer, int she? Used to do backing vocals for Bette Midler back in the day.

[Ferris]

Jupitus was always around the music scene long before anyone had heard of him as a comedian - he supported Billy Bragg at early gigs when he was Porky the Poet.

I've seen him (while billed as Porky the Poet) and he was shit so there you go.

[Gulftastic]

Katey Sagal is another comedy actor who's never far from a mic: Futurama, 8 Simple Rules, and more (she also sings in dramas).

Tell me about it. In Sons Of Anarchy one of her songs was played pretty much every episode towards the end. I know her partner was the showrunner, but couldn't he just buy her some flowers or something?

[Huxleys Babkins]

Helms belongs in the thread "Comedy moments that are blatantly excuses to exorcise frustrated barbershop quartet dreams".

I wonder how much of that was Helms and how much was the writers just trying to find something, anything, for Andy to do but being unable to write him out.

[MrsWarboysLover]

I wonder how much of that was Helms and how much was the writers just trying to find something, anything, for Andy to do but being unable to write him out.

I liked him when he was a weird annoying psycho. I think if they hadn't changed his personality they wouldn't have needed to resort to that.

[famethrowa]

Tony Ferrino was my obvious one,

I remember an interview at the time (Q magazine?) where Steve was going to great pains to point out that he was making the character less funny on purpose, I was not impressed.

[Autopsy Turvey]

Former singer, int she? Used to do backing vocals for Bette Midler back in the day.

She started out in The Group With No Name, and went on to back up Bob Dylan, Etta James, Molly Hatchet and her beau Gene Simmons, who helped get her band signed to KISS' label Casablanca Records.

[Small Potatoes]

Just watched an episode of The Orville where Scott Grimes (who's released a couple of albums, apparently) serenades a character at a leaving party. He's got a pretty good voice, but it just seems shoehorned in to showcase a cast member's other talents rather than having any real relevance to the story.

[Brundle-Fly]

He bloody did aswell.
I was at a Blockheads gig (thankfully without Jupitus on vocals) and afterwards Norman Watt-Roy came into the bar.
Me and my mate got chatting to him. We kept buying him drinks as he was quite a fascinating man to talk too. After several brandies my mate asked why do you get that unfunny comedian Phil Jupitus to sing with the band?.
Norman said "he pulls in the punters"
My myself and my mate both said "he's what puts us off seeing you"
You should've heard him laugh.
There was a time though when Jupitus seemed to loom large in alot of the bands I love.  He sang Ian Durys part on the Madness single "drip fed Fred " when the band appeared on TFI Friday.  He nearly ruined the Bonzo dogs by bandwaggoning on their live shows.  He designed some truly shit T shirts for the Specials comeback.....jesus I nearly packed up listening to music or going to gigs for fear Jupitus would be there.
Also according to another person who was at that Blockheads gig whose band supported the Blocks with Jupitus on vox.  His band asked if they could use the Blockheads backline and it was Jupitus who said no, absolutely not.  Twat!. Having met the rest of the Blockheads I couldn't see any of them refusing the request as they are lovely blokes.

Even if you think he's smug, not funny cunt etc on panel shows, Phill Jupitus is a genuine music fan and a good egg. He doesn't foist himself on these bands, he gets asked. Although, if I was Suggs, I would feel a bit jittery about my mortality in his company.

[Brundle-Fly]

Hee Bee Gee Bees - parody, or was Deayton really loving himself, there?

Although their Bowie and Status Quo ones were ace.

Naa,have to draw the line somewhere, that's like saying The Rutles were a wanker's reverie.

[Gulftastic]

Just watched an episode of The Orville where Scott Grimes (who's released a couple of albums, apparently) serenades a character at a leaving party. He's got a pretty good voice, but it just seems shoehorned in to showcase a cast member's other talents rather than having any real relevance to the story.

Not Grimes' first offence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuqkYjegIJ0

And this one's a twofer as John Stamos joins in

[Otisberg]

Did anyone mention most of Operation Good Guys?