Topic: Best comedy team ever?

[Boid Brain]

That was well thought out.  

Give me some valid reasons why Laurel and Hardy don't hold a candle to The Three Stooges, and by valid, I don't mean, "'cause they're boring."  If boring is the reason, why are Laurel and Hardy boring?

Make up your mind. first you say L&H are the best, then you are miffed that few disputed you, now you want reasons (valid reasons) that the Stooges are better.

Screw that. I laugh more at the Stooges than L&H. OK? It's not any more complicated than that.

As to people that find Python (or any fucking British comedy) entertaining, you must have a comedy gene that I don't have, and don't want.

[Seamus]

As to people that find Python (or any fucking British comedy) entertaining, you must have a comedy gene that I don't have, and don't want.

I don't want your genes, poopy-head!

[middlenamewayne]

...with The Three Stooges it's very obvious who's who.

With Abbott & Costello, it's hard to tell which one was on first!

But I once overheard an old man muttering something like "Good old Manny, Moe and Jack! I really did like those Three Stooges!"

Say, do the Little Rascals count as a comedy team? When I was a kid (late 60s-early 70s), the indie channel showed nothing but Stooges, L&H, and Our Gang (not counting Popeye) in the 6-8am M-F slot.

   -- mnw

[metaldams]

I don't want your genes, poopy-head!

Calm down there, killer, them's fightin' words.

[metaldams]

Make up your mind. first you say L&H are the best, then you are miffed that few disputed you, now you want reasons (valid reasons) that the Stooges are better.

Screw that. I laugh more at the Stooges than L&H. OK? It's not any more complicated than that.

I think I've been pretty consistent in my stance that I want intelligent debate, so my mind's made up and always has been.

If you laugh more at The Three Stooges more than Laurel and Hardy, that's cool.  I just think threads are a little more interesting when they involve thought and reason as opposed to circle jerk fan boy "just because" answers.

[Boid Brain]

I think I've been pretty consistent in my stance that I want intelligent debate, so my mind's made up and always has been.

If you laugh more at The Three Stooges more than Laurel and Hardy, that's cool.  I just think threads are a little more interesting when they involve thought and reason as opposed to circle jerk fan boy "just because" answers.

Yes, sure...that is probably correct. OK, you want reasons? I don't like the hissing sound I hear on L&H films. I don't like the long pauses that go on between dialog. There is not enough pain inflicted. There are too few bad puns. The only music you ever hear is that Little Rascals tune. One of them is a Limey. Neither are Jewish, and they are just not that fucking funny!

[Boid Brain]

I don't want your genes, poopy-head!

Why the poisonal attack, Semen?

[metaldams]

Yes, sure...that is probably correct. OK, you want reasons? I don't like the hissing sound I hear on L&H films. I don't like the long pauses that go on between diolog. There is not enough pain inflicted. There are too few bad puns. The only music you ever hear is that Little Rascals tune. One of them is a Limey. Neither are Jewish, and they are just not that fucking funny!

The hissing sound is partially due to them being very early talkies and partially due to the fact the people who are supposed to be restoring these films aren't doing their job.

The long pauses, that's a matter of taste, fair enough.  I happen to like the long pauses, which usually involve Ollie looking into the camera and stating his reaction to the audience.  I like the way they break the fourth wall.

The pain inflicted, well, I seem to remember several exploding kitchens, lots of destroyed houses, hanging outside of tall buildings on a broken leg, violent car crashes and lots of hammer and nail stuff, so no, Laurel and Hardy have lots of pain.

I like the Hal Roach stock music, but I can see how it's not to everybody's taste.

The Jewish and British thing isn't worth commenting on.

[Boid Brain]

Metaldams said: I happen to like the long pauses, which usually involve Ollie looking into the camera and stating his reaction to the audience.  I like the way they break the fourth wall.

I said this very thing earlier in this thread.... And the Jewish/British thing that is beneath you to comment on: Are you going to tell me that you never noticed the lopsided proportion of Jewish comedians? The list is too long to even get into. Now name me some great British comics. It's a short list indeed. They have a cultural disadvantage. Too few Jews!

[metaldams]

Metaldams said: I happen to like the long pauses, which usually involve Ollie looking into the camera and stating his reaction to the audience.  I like the way they break the fourth wall.

I said this very thing earlier in this thread.... And the Jewish/British thing that is beneath you to comment on: Are you going to tell me that you never noticed the lopsided proportion of Jewish comedians? The list is too long to even get into. Now name me some great British comics. It's a short list indeed. They have a cultural disadvantage. Too few Jews!

There's certainly a lot of great Jewish comics, but in this thread alone, I'd throw Stan Laurel and the Monty Python group as great British comics....not to mention some guy named Chaplin.

[Boid Brain]

There's certainly a lot of great Jewish comics, but in this thread alone, I'd throw Stan Laurel and the Monty Python group as great British comics....not to mention some guy named Chaplin.

Chaplin was a walking, silent sight gag. It was ALL visual. Hard to compare miming to acting with dialog. As far as Python goes: I just don't see anything funny about them. I have watched and tried to like them, but I just don't.

When I was a kid I saw Dudley Moore and some other guy doing a routine on Ed Sullivan. Me and my brother just looked at each other. Was this supposed to be funny? What can I say, guys? I just don't get the joke.

[metaldams]

Hard to compare miming to acting with dialog.

Oy vey.

Yeah, because anybody can pantomime like Chaplin.  It's so easy.    

[Rich Finegan]

With The Three Stooges, it's very obvious who's who.

I've heard casual or new fans say they thought the one with the curly hair (Larry, of course) was the one called Curly.

As for Laurel & Hardy, there has always been some strange confusion over their names. I've heard and read them called Stan and Laurel, Oliver and Hardy and other inexplicably mixed up variations of their names. And often from people who really should know better! A few years ago TCM host Robert Osborne introduced one of their films as starring Stan and Laurel. And even in official studio documents such as scripts they sometimes got it wrong. For example, in the cutting continuity script for the 1930 MGM feature "The Rogue Song" the team is called Oliver and Hardy. And not just once, but several times.

[Boid Brain]

Oy vey.

Yeah, because anybody can pantomime like Chaplin.  It's so easy.    

I will take your "oy vey" to be weakening tolerance to my stupidity. But you assume much. I did not dis' on Chaplin. I merely pointed out the difference between silent films and talkies. Apples and oranges.

You think the Brittish Gentile is funnier than the American Jew. More power to you. Less credibility, but more power!

[flash70]

Let's not forget Peter Sellers, Peter Cook &Dudley Moore or Rowan Atkinson...  Their may be fewer great british comics, but it's also a much smaller nation....

[flash70]

There have been many times when I've read about the stooges only to have the writer claim to be self-conscious about enjoying the team as opposed to, say, the Marx brothers. I really don't see the need for this.  Stooge humour isn't "dumb"....low-yes..but not dumb. I admit that the Marx brothers were more original and unique but could their style of comedy be maintained in even half as many films? 

[Boid Brain]

Let's not forget Peter Sellers, Peter Cook &Dudley Moore or Rowan Atkinson...  Their may be fewer great british comics, but it's also a much smaller nation....

I think you are missing my point: The U.K. sense of humor just doesn't translate to me, for whatever reason. I don't find Sellers particularly funny. Talented, yes. Funny, no.

Dudley was funny in "10" and "Arthur" when he was drunk or stung on the nose by a bee.

Peter Cooke funny? When?

There is only on British comedian that has made me belly laugh. It's this guy:

&feature=related

I only "get" about 1/2 of the jokes, but I teared up at the ones I did get. He can deadpan, he can ad lib too. It was years before I found out that he was that other character, whom I don't find all that funny.

[OldFred]

There's certainly a lot of great Jewish comics, but in this thread alone, I'd throw Stan Laurel and the Monty Python group as great British comics....not to mention some guy named Chaplin.

May I add to that list David Nivens, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Terry Thomas, Marty Feldman, Benny Hill, Bob Hoskins (who's done both comedy and drama), and technically and historically you might want to throw in Bob Hope as he was born in England. Comedy transcends any nationality, so you had great comedians like Cantinflas from Mexico and Jacques Tati from France. One shouldn't limit themselves to just one group or nationality as being much funnier than another nationality since great comedy is universal.

[Seamus]

There is only on British comedian that has made me belly laugh. It's this guy:

&feature=related

I only "get" about 1/2 of the jokes, but I teared up at the ones I did get. He can deadpan, he can ad lib too. It was years before I found out that he was that other character, whom I don't find all that funny.

Oh man.  Used to watch the Ali G show and laugh my ass off during his interviews, while at the same time wishing like hell they would end.  So funny, but so painful.

Fred: Many a true word, although to be honest I can't fault anyone on this side of the pond for disliking British comedies in general (except for FAULTY TOWERS, because 'cmon!).  I'd be reluctant to sit someone down with an episode of BLACKADDER or RED DWARF or MPFC unless I knew they were already a fan.  There's a different cultural sensibility behind most British comedy writing that doesn't always translate over here, and if it does translate for some people it's almost by accident.  It's sort of like haggis...Scots love it, but it's unpalatable to most Yanks except for a few with strange taste buds.

Speaking of FAULTY TOWERS, and trying to pull the thread back on topic, how about Basil Faulty and Manuel as a comedy team?

[Boid Brain]

May I add to that list David Nivens, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Terry Thomas, Marty Feldman, Benny Hill, Bob Hoskins (who's done both comedy and drama), and technically and historically you might want to throw in Bob Hope as he was born in England. Comedy transcends any nationality, so you had great comedians like Cantinflas from Mexico and Jacques Tati from France. One shouldn't limit themselves to just one group or nationality as being much funnier than another nationality since great comedy is universal.

It's all just a matter of opinion. I don't know shit about Ali G., (I can't even remember his real name) but I'm guessing he was not raised exclusively in the U.K. If I'm wrong I'm sure I  will hear about it here!

BTW...I don't know who Milligan and Tati are.

[OldFred]

It's all just a matter of opinion. I don't know shit about Ali G., (I can't even remember his real name) but I'm guessing he was not raised exclusively in the U.K. If I'm wrong I'm sure I  will hear about it here!

BTW...I don't know who Milligan and Tati are.

Spike Milligan is considered one of the most influential comedians and comic writers in England. He wrote the British radio show 'The Goon Show' which starred Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe and created a lot of innovative comedy for British Television. The way-out, surrealistic humor Milligan wrote was a main inspiration for Monty Python and the humor of the Beatles and Milligan is still held in very high regard.

Jacques Tati is a French comic director who emulated the silent greats like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and others in his comedies and had great success from the 1950's into the 70's. His films include 'Mr. Hulot's Holiday', 'Mon Oncle', 'Trafic' among others. His influence can clearly be seen in the Mr. Bean comedies.

[Boid Brain]

Spike Milligan is considered one of the most influential comedians and comic writers in England. He wrote the British radio show 'The Goon Show' which starred Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe and created a lot of innovative comedy for British Television. The way-out, surrealistic humor Milligan wrote was a main inspiration for Monty Python and the humor of the Beatles and Milligan is still held in very high regard.

Jacques Tati is a French comic director who emulated the silent greats like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and others in his comedies and had great success from the 1950's into the 70's. His films include 'Mr. Hulot's Holiday', 'Mon Oncle', 'Trafic' among others. His influence can clearly be seen in the Mr. Bean comedies.

Thanks for the info. And for reminding me about BEAN! I saw that Bean movie, and when the idiot got that turkey stuck on his head I laughed so hard that I had to go out to the lobby because I was pissin' off the people around me!

That only happened to me once before in a movie house: "Cat Juggling"!!! I saw "There's something about Mary" on T.V. but the scene where Matt Dillon is trying to revive the drugged dog with live wires and tells it to "Stay away from the light!" hit that same funny bone like a sledge hammer.

[Liz]

As much as I love the Stooges, I have to say that I love Laurel & Hardy a little bit more.  It took me a little bit to get used to their slow-paced slapstick after watching the Stooges constantly hitting each other, but once I did, I grew to love them, and they are my favorite.

[FineBari3]

Spike Milligan is considered one of the most influential comedians and comic writers in England. He wrote the British radio show 'The Goon Show' which starred Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe and created a lot of innovative comedy for British Television. The way-out, surrealistic humor Milligan wrote was a main inspiration for Monty Python and the humor of the Beatles and Milligan is still held in very high regard.

Jacques Tati is a French comic director who emulated the silent greats like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and others in his comedies and had great success from the 1950's into the 70's. His films include 'Mr. Hulot's Holiday', 'Mon Oncle', 'Trafic' among others. His influence can clearly be seen in the Mr. Bean comedies.

I really like seeing people discover new comedians they never heard of. I remember hearing of the Goons while reading books on the Beatles and the Who. Hell, I knew about Buster Keaton, but only got obsessive about 2 years ago.

I still enjoy learning about how the silent comedians all are related to the Stooges in some way, be it directing, writing, or even co-staring.

We all have to start somewhere!

[OldFred]

Chaplin was a walking, silent sight gag. It was ALL visual. Hard to compare miming to acting with dialog.

Was going to respond to this sooner as it needed to be addressed. Chaplin was a great artist and comedian who was also a great actor. His performances in 'The Kid', 'The Gold Rush' and 'City Lights' are all award winning. If you're going to rate comedy just on the sound era, you're really limiting yourself. I recommend you see 'Modern Times' and 'The Great Dictator', Chaplin's first two sound films. ('City Lights' would count too, but it's mostly music and sound effects, Chaplin using the effects to good used to mock the 'Talkies'.) 'Modern Times' is mostly silent with sound sequences and Chaplin sings towards the end of the film.

This very dramatic scene from 'The Kid' is unusual for a comedy film. It shows Chaplin's ability to not only make one laugh to but also to elicit tears as well. The look on Chaplin's face as the Kid is being forcefully taken from him is heartbreaking. (The young actor playing the Kid is Jackie Coogan, who later became Uncle Fester in the Addams Family TV series.)

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'The Great Dictator' is Chaplin's first dialog film, and a very brave one too. While the Stooges were the first comedians to parody Hitler, Chaplin fearlessly took it to the next level, knowing that the best way to fight a monster like Hitler was to make him look like a buffoon. I would see the Stooges two Hitler films along with Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator' all together for an afternoon of laughs and something little bit more deeper as well.

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