What's The Problem With Anne Robinson?

[Blumf]

Even better, after it you can flip on Ch. 4 and, well, vomit I suppose. '8 out of 10 cats' presented by Jimmy Carr, yet more 'current affairs' pap.

[The Mumbler]

There was a production person on that called Horatia Lawson - any relation to Nigella and Dominic and NIgel?.

Her younger sister, I believe.

I knew all that stalking would eventually pay off.

Good guess on my part then.  I just thought, "Another appalling name - must be one of the same clan".

[The Mumbler]

Snigger.  Charlie Brooker's a programme associate on 8 Out Of Ten Cats this week, incidentally.  He wasn't last week.

[Braintree]

Snigger.  Charlie Brooker's a programme associate on 8 Out Of Ten Cats this week, incidentally.  He wasn't last week.

So does this mean no more Nathan Barley or a bit of cash while he's writing Nathan Barley?

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

Isn't it ironic that programme associates, by adopting that strange euphemism, don't wish to be associated with the programmes they work for?

[SimonJT]

Surely it means they do want to be associated? That despite the show not crediting writers, they still want to be credited, so a special term has to be used for them.

[Blumf]

Maybe they don't get paid unless their names are on the credits?

[Clinton Morgan]

She's always struck me as somebody that Tory MPs would consider top totty. Someone who reminds them of nanny.

Blimey, if that's the case then they'd have ejaculated all over their living rooms during the title sequence in which a gigantic Anne walks all over London. She should have gone the whole hog and worn Big Ben as a strap-on.

Only saw up until the interview with Mrs. Nolan who I'm feeling sorry for, especially her son. Couldn't be bothered to continue. Not all of us go out on Friday night and we want to be televisually entertained at home.

MARCUS: .....Cherie Blair.

ANNE: Ah, ah. Let me deal with this Marcus.

Such spontaneity.

[The Mumbler]

I mean, I know it's currently the season for throwing dung at Celebrity Love Island - which I saw about 10 minutes of on Wednesday and does look dismally dull - but to claim that ITV has a monopoly on crap is outrageous when nonsense like this (I'm referring to both 8 Out of 10 Cats *and* What's The Problem?) is being vomited on to unsuspecting Friday night punters on a sadly regular basis.

Oh, we didn't list the writers on What's The Problem?, did we?  Adam Bostock-Smith (yes he is), Will Ing from Stuff the Week, Robin ince and Ged Parsons, who recently turned up on a different messageboard to say that he had to watch the first night of Big Brother so he could have some material.

[wheatgod]

This was shite
I didnt see it
but its obvious

[Sadness]

It was so bad it makes "8 out of 10 cats" look like "That Was The Week That Was".........

It was SO bad I can't even be bothered to...... , ......., ah , emm....., Jesus......, ! ?


S.

[Bilko]

Its a close contest which is the worst out of the Mock The Week and this.  What lives have the people in audience had to laugh at such untalented drivel.

[Mr. Analytical]

The time has come to declare a 5 year moratorium on all pannel shows. People rant and rave about reality TV clones but has there been an innovation in the pannel show format in the last 15 years?

Comedy programming is at least as shamelessly cowardly and unoriginal as reality TV.

And I'm sorry but Watchdog was about carefully nursing and cajolling idiots into a constant state of whining entitlement.  I agree when it first appeared it had some teeth because in those days you could get away with putting heroin in babyfood.  If you look at it nowadays it's a long stream of people who are shocked and appalled at being shafted when they clearly went out and found the cheapest dodgiest builders/holiday company/furniture shop possible who then gave them exactly what they paid for.

Obviously there's a place for a strong consumer watchdog.  There are genuine rip off merchants out there.  But the genuine cases are swamped by stupid people wanting to live in a consequence free universe where no matter how stupidly they spend their money they get a happy and blame free existence.

[Mister Cairo]

Its a close contest which is the worst out of the Mock The Week and this.  What lives have the people in audience had to laugh at such untalented drivel.

There seems to be a percentage of the population who will make any noise they are told to in order to be on or part of TV. They are the audience on Trisha and all the slack-faced dimwits who laugh at this.

I reckon someone comes round and reminds them to close their mough after each laugh, in case they forget and it hangs open for the rest of their sad life.

[helpful]

Isn't it ironic that programme associates, by adopting that strange euphemism, don't wish to be associated with the programmes they work for?

Apparently it's forced on them by the production companies - if they're called "writers" the prod co's have to give them more rights than they're inclined to - it's a way of wheedling out of financial responsibilities. That's what I heard, anyway. The writer's equivalent of the "holiday pay" sleight of hand pulled on production team members.

[Paul Dee]

Surely the programme title is just inviting critics to list exactly what the problem with Anne Robinson is?

Dead Ringers just did it.

[Lee]

Well you can't deny they're pretty quick on the uptake. Even if they don't realise that they're just as bad.

[Mister Cairo]

My god, how many "John Prescott is a bit slow" jokes can Dead Ringers do? At least this programme he looks like Prescott.

Back on topic, Robinson`s had a real makeover, hasn`t she? Looks a lot less severe and a bit older, like some kind of dotty aunt pumped full of sherry

[The Mumbler]

[Apparently it's forced on them by the production companies - if they're called "writers" the prod co's have to give them more rights than they're inclined to - it's a way of wheedling out of financial responsibilities. That's what I heard, anyway. The writer's equivalent of the "holiday pay" sleight of hand pulled on production team members.

Interesting point, although of course, in the case of The Weakest Link, it's in the interests of the BBC to make the audience think that Anne Robinson comes up with all those insults herself.  Even if she were capable of doing such a thing, the practicalities of the programme would make it impossible.  Seven recordings per day or something isn't it?  That's about 60 people to think up insults for, and to try and not make all of them exactly the same in tone and content.  

And have you noticed how she always looks down at her little card just before she makes the put-down?  "Gerald, 46, from Luton.  He's a cab driver but is sitting his finals in Philosophy.  Take him down a peg or two with this: "Gerald - you're a cabbie but sitting your finals.  What in?  [Tip: Wait for contestant's answer.] Shouldn't you be shouting ignorantly at customers and overcharging them instead?  [Tip: Pause and glare for two seconds before asking him why he nominated whoever he nominated.]".

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

I always imagined she was being fed the bon mots via her earpiece.

[Jon_Norton]

I wish someone would write a musical about the life of Ged Parsons.

[Mr. Analytical]

Allegedly when she did the celebrity Weakest Link in the US with comedians they had to stop all the time in order to write a  retort to the comics' off the cuff comments.

I fucking HATE this whole scripting thing.  Given enough time with writers ANYONE can be absolutely hilarious.

[Adrian Brezhnev]

I think that this programme can be cited by anyone that wants to write to the BBC to ask for their license fee back.

[Adrian Brezhnev]

No, seriously, I mean it. I watched it again last night- thinking surely this is going to be better than the awkward start the programme made.

It was worse. I'm amazed that the BBC can line this up for prime-time Friday evening.

Maybe it's just that I am out of touch with reality and modern comedy, but I used to love Friday evenings on BBC1. Now the funniest thing on it is Eastenders.

Lenny Henry- I can't quite put my finger on what is wrong with it, but it is just... wrong. It's a shame, as he is a funny, intelligent man. The show has its moments, but like most of his output over the last 15 years, is very hit and miss.

What's Wrong with Anne Robinson- Well, at least the title works

The Kumars at No. 42- I have never managed to understand this programme

Luckily, I was at a friend's house who has cable- so the evenings televisual entertainment was rescued by Fawlty Towers and Have I Got five-year-old News for You- which was still funny. And then I saw the American Office for the first time, which was amusing, albeit for all the wrong reasons.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

Lenny Henry- I can't quite put my finger on what is wrong with it, but it is just... wrong. It's a shame, as he is a funny, intelligent man. The show has its moments, but like most of his output over the last 15 years, is very hit and miss.

It has some great jokes in it - the mayor declaring 'this crime scene open' (cuts police tape), the montage of forensic photos which ended with Lenny's character in a sombrero...beautiful, old-school comedy gags that give me a real glow. I just think if they put a *bit* more effort in, it could be a truly exceptional show.

But I don't think anyone except me watches it. I think most people just go 'Huh, Lenny Henry anyone?' and assume it's going to be terrible. I do look at his stand-up sets, though, and think they're a masterclass in the craft: just in terms of timing and stage presence, I mean. And I do love the way the audience react - they sound like they're genuinely enjoying themselves.

And his (well, Simon Brint's) Streets parody was better than Adam Buxton's.

[Adrian Brezhnev]

Actually, come to think of it, yesterday's show was the best of his that I'd seen of his for some time, it just left me thinking as usual "I can't believe it's not better". Perhaps he should go in to advertising margarine.

Yes, the mayor declaring the crime scene open was my favourite bit- in fact the whole ForenSic thing was great, and could probably make a good spin-off sitcom on its own if properly developed.

[Mr. Analytical]

Well seei9ng as CSI has become farsical I think you might be onto something there.

"What's that?  someone dressed as a cartoon character for the purposes of sex has been murdered?"

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Given enough time with writers ANYONE can be absolutely hilarious

Clearly not. Clearly there's at least one haggard ginger exception. And I'm not talking about her daughter.

Marcus Brigstocke is alright though isn't he? He's got a Baddiel-esque way of commenting on things that have just happened that he starts of very slowly and it allows him to build up to something which seems quite funny at the end. I think I've sold him short too, because he's better than Baddiel. I think when people say he's unfunny and tries too hard to be cutting, I don't think so at all. I just like the dry, fairly cynical pisstaking style, that isn't unique or amazingly clever but is entertaining and occasionally makes you laugh, unlike someone like Jimmy Carr who seems to be the 'Graham Norton' for straight men. I hate the way both of them deliver jokes. At least Brigstocke is varied.

[Mr. Analytical]

I was of the impression that people round here put Brigstocke in the same boat as resident s*****c antichrist Justin Lee Collins.  Personally I don't have an opinion about him though.

But what I will say is that Jimmy Carr's style comes quite close to being "dry, fairly cynical pisstaking" ;-)  You should Looooooove him.  Admittedly he comes out the other side of that and ventures into the realms of "sneering condescension" but he's closer to the style you seem to like than he is to Graham Norton's misogyny and face-pulling.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I guess I just think Brigstocke is a decent guy with a good sense of humour, wheras Jimmy Carr is (and I hope to develop the idea), a supercilious moral vacuum of sneering condescension. Even if Brigstocke isn't anything special, at least he doesn't have the pretence that he is anything special, and appears to be a nice guy. (I suppose you could argue that you need a high opinion of yourself to be able to perform comedy on stage or TV.) Isn't that enough?

-As for Justin Lee Collins, I think the comparsons are extremely inappropriate. 'JLC' is an extremely annoying individual who does little more than make devil horns with his hands whilst saying 'good times'. I have seen more than I want from him, and I have never, ever heard him say something funny about something else, which is a particular ability you need as a comedian, rather than surviving on extremely grating catchphrases and a regional accent.