Stand Up Specials are Killing Comedy
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- čas přidán 28. 03. 2024
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“Satire is meant to ridicule power. If you are laughing at people who are hurting, it's not satire, it's bullying.” ― Sir Terry Pratchett
How is this not the top comment??
Exactly....Punch up, not down...
Power is everywhere. The people whom you say are "hurting" have power too. Just because you are unable to see it, does not mean it is non-existent. It is just a different form of power - see the works of Foucault for more details on this. Also, the purpose of comedy is to laugh at everything - even that which may cause offence to some people. Comedy should not have such special boundaries or lines - as to whether those we make fun of are powerful or not. As I said, the goal of comedy (as I see it) is to laugh at EVERYTHING in life - the good, the bad and the ugly - nothing is sacred in comedy. thanks
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@enlightenedanalysis1071 everyone has boundaries or lines for what they consider funny or worth mocking. Even you, though you may wish to deny it. To suggest otherwise is silly.
As for the rest of your comment, if you can't see a distinction between "speaking truth to all forms of power, even where you least expect it" and just picking on people, then that's honestly just a bit sad for your taste in comedy. Personally I like my comedians to be clever, rather than just dicks to people who already have high suicide rates due to being social outcasts, but that's just me.
@@enlightenedanalysis1071 "the goal of comedy is to laugh at EVERYTHING in life" - then why is nearly every stand-up special these days seemingly laughing at the same very specific, very small group of people over and over again?
I literally laughed involuntary at the submarine joke , better than most specials I've seen recently
I guffawed at that, as well. Shut the conning tower door, and the forward torpedo room opens the outer doors while the torpedoes are being loaded. Creases me up't that did. Aye.
Same
@@christopherwhittaker2620and me.
+1 😂
That joke was written and delivered better than anything that's ever come out of Amy Schumer's mouth.
Most comedy specials are just comedians crying about how they're actually the most important members of society for "telling it like it is" while simultaneously saying "it's just a joke bro". Like, which is it?
Satire is generally a mix of both. Not sure why you think you're being clever here.
@@joeberger3441what? Are comedy specials all satires then?
Some are but hey, we all make sweeping generalisations🤣🤣
YES!
Yep they want us to see them as modern philosophers but also not take what they say seriously. Also they will say things like "I'm just playing a character, it's not what I really think" - well fine but that 'character' still has to be funny.
"Something ain't reich" 🤣🤣🤣
It's a great line.
I did not see that coming.
I did Nazi that coming? Not my line, of course. 😂
@@designchik👏🏼
Aye, I died at that one lol
The Submarine joke was solid.
lol Made me chuckle too
Genius joke when you think about it. Making this old saying into something negative and so absurd. Makes me think about slapstick comedy, I can picture Chaplin going in circles from door to door. The joke could probably have landed more funny with a little more preparation.
Well, there were a few holes in it…..
Jimmy Carr made a pinched, annoyed face somewhere and he didn't know why
It actually happens with two of our kitchen doors. Closing one opens the other
Nothing says "i'm an edgy outsider" like getting paid $50million by Netflix to do a half-arsed rant for 55 minutes where you just agree with the UK government.
Lovely to see you here. 👋
Soon they'll be on Netflix telling us how they are silenced.
Yes come on fellow brits, let's fall into line behind our American overlords.
That's the thing that I think annoys me most: people pretending to be anti-establishment while basically reading a direct transcript of Rishi Sunak's briefing notes. Or complaining about being cancelled and unable to speak their truth while repeatedly saying the exact thing they were "cancelled" for on every single news programme in the country, in an extremely egotistical and pointless op-ed in a major newspaper, and on 3 successive Netflix specials called "The Cancel King", "2 Cool 2 Cancel", and "CANCELLED: The Comeback Tour"
That Rocket Salad joke was caught me off guard!
Easily the best thing about this. Give him a comedy Special.
Comedians being Pizza Cutters.
All edge and no f........ point.
Brilliant. Not heard that one before.
I can't think of a word starting with the letter f that's particularly associated with pizza....
@@HOTD108_ Fineapple
@@HOTD108_ Fiorentina mmmm my favourite
@@HOTD108_Favorite Food Forever
It is going to be awkward when Netflix inevitably asks Michael to do a comedy special.
I think it's going to take an image revamp though. Some colourful loose-fitting clothes, sunglasses indoors and a name upgrade like Michael 'Hot Sauce' Spicer should do the trick. It's only from that kind of position that he'll really be able to to 'tell it like it is'.
😄@@thesunreport
@@thesunreport I'm not sure if that's sensational clickbait-esk enough.
@@MPostma72 He'll obviously have a year of doing the comedy podcasts first. I'm sure Rogan will have him on to talk about Chimp-on-Chimp violence which should humanise Michael nicely as that's very relatable, so the views should be there.
We could also give him a hat.
And we can all call him a ‘sell out’ then.
It actually embarrasses me because at around the time that I started telling people I do stand-up was the time when Netflix started posting the worst specials ever, giving every comedian a terrible name
Can we see you somewhere, preferably on the internet?
As someone from the general public, I think it only gave those few comedians a bad name, not the entire lot of ya. I feel like the number of fans overall has been constantly growing since I was old enough to enjoy it.
Waiting for the punchline...
@@dariuszzukowski5244I would not bother. If you watch half a dozen videos on his channel you'll come to the same conclusion. This guy is a genuinely in need of medical attention. He's also possibly a rapist but that could just be the schizophrenia.
Submarine joke was A+
Yeah I liked that one as well, but on closer scrutiny Submarines have hatches and not doors I think, so it doesn't quite work.
'When one door closes another door opens CAN be classified as stalking and harrassment, according to the Judge'
'When one door closes another door opens, is the reason I was sacked as Prison Governor'
'When one door closes another door opens is the reason I'll never buy a (car brand) again'
'When one door closes another door opens is the reason my heating bill is so much'
And yet, even though the above are perhaps more accurate, they still aren't quite as funny as the Submarine one, ain't life strange??
@@thesunreport I thought it was funny. A hatch IS a door, being a little bit of a pedant. They are only called hatches because a sailor cannot spell door. It's the law.
@@Demun1649 Not true. Ironically, the plant where they build Submarines in Barrow-in-Furness apparently has the biggest door in the world, to get the Submarines in and out of the workshop.
So we can carry on being pedantic and say 'Well they are the Submarine engineers who use the door, not the Sailors', or we can simply agree that the 1980's sitcom Brush Strokes starring Karl Howman as 'Jacko', should never have been cancelled.
It's as simple as that.
It really just comes up from below unexpectedly.
@@thesunreport Sailors don't get taught to spell "doors".
Perfectly said. The more deflating aspect of this era of comedy is people championing the aggrieved comedians' perspective for them. People on stage being paid to whine and cry about people whining and crying having any subsequent backlash countered by oodles of other people complaining about "freedoms". Lost in all of this nonsense is the actual comedy.
yeah its like this sad mostly boys club of dudes who are literally paid millions to complain to us they are being canceled while they have a netflix special and the rogansphere to repeat their talking points about how no one listens to them. Like you want to feel no one listens to you work in customer service "no click on the god damn back button THE BACK BUTTON!"
I really like the direction this channel is going in. Well done, Mr. Spicer!
Agreed. Interesting, thoughtful AND funny.
I am mourning the loss of stand up comedy I thought I was alone. Fortunately we have YT to go back in time to the olden days. At least Michael - you are proof that satire is still alive and well. Thankfully.
Really? His stuff's pretty tame, nothing that upsets the establishment; he's even been given his own BBC show recently.
@@beingsshepherd You can be a great comedian without upsetting the establishment, not everything has to be political.
@@soundscape26 We're talking _satire._
Spicer's very political but he's no George Carlin.
I don't watch Netflix stand up.. It's so far removed from what goes on in comedy clubs. In my stand up I'm the butt of my jokes. I'm inclusive and ridiculous. It's a strange life
"Something ain't Reich I and II" were good, but the Third one wasn't so popular...
Norm MacDonald was a gem. He made jokes about anything and worked every angle. He made it as if other people said stupid stuff. A running gag was holocaust jokes told as if his co host, a jew, was behind it. He made simple gags about homosexuals about how bad his jokes was about them. He was a master of turning jokes on the head.
Spot on. What strikes me is that so much of it consists of people in front of live audiences and cameras spending half an hour moaning that they aren't allowed to say what they are saying while being paid, broadcast, and applauded for saying those very things. It's offensive in multiple senses: It's dishonest AND not funny.
Clickbait comedians: "they don't live in the stage, they live on your phone" amazing Michael! Absolutely amazingly insightful, funny.
The problem is that, nowadays, you can't call a spade a spade. Which is why I spent 3 hours in my local hardware store the other day doing a digging mime until they got tired of guessing what exactly it was that I wanted and kicked me out.
See this is a fucking good joke!
Aren’t you supposed to call it a bloody shovel?
Thank you for this. You and James Acaster. The best response to 'you can't say anything anymore!!!! we're too PC!!!!!' is: "why don't you just try and be funny'?
Because PC isn't funny. It kills imagination to the point that all we're left with is screaming morons like James Acaster.
PC isn't funny. It kills imagination to the point that all we're left with is screaming toddlers like James Acaster.
@@Evemeister12 Being non-PC by proxy isnt funny either.
James Acaster ist the best 😊
@@NeosSimp non -PC allows comedians to go into topics, no matter how sensitive, and find humour. Which is what comedians are meant to do, not give political lectures.
15 mins of Mandy beats an hour of stand up anyday
You mean with Diane Morgan? The spider smashing episode is amazing
@@piccalillipit9211 Third series just released.....and Michael is in it again :)
@@malcolmstockbridge2569- OMG I never even knew there was a 2nd series - I live in Bulgaria now so I have to think to go look for things.
@@piccalillipit9211 Nah, snorting MDMA.
@@Rr0gu3_5uture- Is that an episode or just a recommendation...???
You are smoothly evolving into a cleverly satirical culture war correspondent.
I'm new here but he sounds like another TV brainwashed NPC. Pushing the corporate agenda.
@@digbysirchickentf2315 You are right. You really are new here.
@@BenMooreBeanmimo Never heard of Spicer, seems like generic soy.
@@digbysirchickentf2315 "Generic soy"? lmao
Charlie Brooker vibes ❤
I've never heard of Matt Rife before.
EDIT: I just watched 3 minutes randomly selected from his "Special". It wasn't particularly offensive but it didn't make me smile. I think the one joke I came in half way through was a Chinese person had a big chin and was going to be a "Chinfluencer" (that seemed to be the big one line in that one).
I guess "CHINese"... "CHIN"... I mean, even Trump was better at it wtih "JGINA!".
And then he started rambling, for over two minutes straight without a single joke, about how much he works out and loves going to the gym and I thought it was leading somewhere but it didn't seem to.
So I closed the video.
Thanks for that, Michael.
You introduced into my brain something that didn't need to be there.
But now it is.
You're lucky
A very good reason not to waste your money on Net-flick.
And now social media algorithms know you’ve watched him… you’ll be bombarded with his content… each clip more offensive than the last… until finally you get annoyed enough to comment… your engagement with the platform is their endgame. Unfortunately, if people watch a clip of someone being funny they will watch it, smile, and move on… if they watch someone saying something that disgusts them they will react. It’s all so sad really.
@@sjlittler70 When you refer to "social media" what, exactly, are you including?
My best guess is that the Chinfliuencer joke was a half-baked attempt to do something with the old "you have more Chins than a Chinese phonebook" fat joke because Chin is one of the most common Chinese surnames. Even then it's an utterly shit adaptation of an already far outdated joke everyone's heard in the last 30 years.
Come on, we can see you were secretly proud of “Something ain’t Reich” 😄
This format of video really works for you. This one was great.
“Punching down is the easiest form of comedy … for the untalented” 🔥🔥🔥
I'll leave a comment because it makes the algorithm spread this more. Being fair, prudent, measured and relaxed is what we need right now - unfortunately versus watching people start fights it's comparably dull. Well done for making it entertaining - we need more people like that
Joe Rogan is a perfect encapsulation of everything wrong with modern alternative entertainment
I´ve never seen his shows or listened to his podcasts. I can´t see the point of him...Like at all? A fat middle aged dude who thinks he knows stuff? Might as well be me!
The submarine joke was legit funny
I’m a standup comic and it’s damn hard when you are female, straight and 58. But! I’m there to entertain and make people laugh and nothing else. We have a code of conduct “no punching down” when over and over again that’s exactly what happens. I have a huge advantage in many ways being my age. I don’t really care too much about fame and success and as a consequence I’m more relaxed about the whole thing
Something happened in the early 2000s where we went from shared human experience to shared awkwardness. From empathy to embarrassment.
True. If you look closely, awkwardness has developed into the standard American TV humor unfortunately.
Ok boomer
@@HigherSelfKoreaWelp, thank the brits for that. Nothing but cringe and awkwardness for the entire 90's... Which influenced the current generation and got exported..
@@LordDaveKoreshFawlty Towers was from the 70s and was more cringe and awkwardness than anything since. For every exporter, there has to be a willing importer.
When one door closes...
I can't stop laughing. That tickled me pink
My hearing isn't impared or anything, but man i love that you add captions! Its super nice to see and helps a lot
you can enable captions within CZcams though. Almost all videos have this enabled, even if the creator doesn’t add them manually CZcams will auto-generate them for you, and can auto translate to another language too.
Creators shouldn’t be adding burnt in subtitles on screen because it’s a distraction to some people like myself. Also now if someone wants to read translated subtitles it will be hard to read because they clash with the burnt in subs underneath. Burning in subs creates a lose-lose situation that should never be used for content distributed on a digital platform.
It’s easier to add captions to CZcams than on the video itself too. I don’t understand why creators have started burning them in on the video.
@@closeben you can just not look at the bottom of the screen. Auto captions are usually hot garbage. Videos (and content in general) being more accessible is only a positive in my eyes.
@@thesnowmiser6728 What I’m suggesting is Michael can add manual captions to the video so you don’t have to use auto-generated ones. It’s very difficult for me to not look at the bottom of the screen. Every time a caption changes, it draws my eyes to it, it’s very distracting because I prefer to be focused on the person talking. If he added manual captions and you turned them on you would have the exact same experience.
I'm not a fan of burnt in subtitles, but optional ones which the creator has done are great. This works particularly well for comedy as they still have control over the timing. I find them useful in some circumstances, but a distraction in others (particularly if someone is just speaking clearly like this) as I have ADHD. The option to get rid of something which for me is a distraction is lost. All I did was spend time trying to get rid of them and missing what was being said. Artist-created optional closed captions give you choice. 👍🏻
The other day Ive read a good piece by a writer named John Warner about Roseanne Barrss comedy show (not on Netflix), after she got kicked out of her own series. He had this good observatio: The people there dont laugh, they clap and holler. They know what bit the punchline is and react to it, but they dont laugh. Because the punchline is not funny, its offensive and it signals "Hey, we know the truth". A lot of that edgy comedy is signaling to the audience "Were owing the libs together!". The rest is just bullying people.
Sounds like a nightmare... I mean..what if you just want to be entertained....?
Crazy Wedding 3
Mad Reception 5
Zany Stag Night 7
Wacky Bridesmaid 4
Naughty Office Party 12
All starring Ed Helms pulling a funny face.
Listen to Dave Allen. The man told stories and the comedy came secondary but his timing was impeccable. Nothing was forced and said for shock value. Netflix would never sign him if he was born today. Just watch his bit on telling the time. I can't see a "netflix comedian" coming up with something as original or as simple as that.
I've just watched it. I was absolutely creased up with laughter. Brilliant. Utterly brilliant. I'd have to quote the whole thing to give examples - "I know I said there are 24 hours in the day" was one. "One and two is 12" Lmao
Also, don't forget Billy Connoly - the absolute MASTER. Three times I've seen him live, and three times I have left the theatre in pain, I laughed so much. Scottish National Treasure.
@@user-kl8fm5pw9j Aye, forget the gym.... Laughter can be a great work-out!
Jasper Carrott too. Fantastic story teller.
That can’t cool black eye joke was pretty funny tho lol
Thank you. I've been struggling with this for quite a while now. Are they being "edgy" or just being "douchy"?
Luisa Omielan said the same thing, got so fed up being overlooked for a comedy special that doesn't punch down she financed it herself!
Got to admit, I thought I was just getting old and not tuning in with younger comedians. Turns out I have a sense of humour after all. 🎉
All pretty much spot on but I do have to argue that Crazy Wedding Three was hard done by. You need to listen to the jokes they _weren't_ telling
As a former comedian, amen and god bless you for speaking on the proliferation of comedic horse manure 💩
Something aint reich 😆
I find especially tiring is these comedians' insistance that they are being "cancelled" etc, while getting paid by major platforms to do specials. You can't have it both ways.
I'm 100% stealing your standup material. That submarine joke alone is enough for a whole routine.
Completely agree. Comedy should kick upwards.
I feel that I do have to extol the virtue of Stewart Lee as a great comedian.
Oh, and I love you too of course Michael.
Stewart Lee has an Eskimo face from the nineties though.
I agree the fuck out of that
Edgy = Mean, spiteful, nasty, horrible these days.
And if you call them out, YOU are the baddie... No. I dont play that.
absolutely bang on the money, as always
Thank you finally someone said it
Crazy Wedding is a Ukrainian comedy that actually exists. And it's baaaaaaaad 😂
You absolutely nailed it! Netflix and Joe Rogan are responsible for these mediocre comedians getting such a high profile.
One thing that doesn't add up about 'offensive comedians' and lovers of 'offensive comedy' is that they are purposefully mean and offensive and then bitch that people are offended and upset. It'd be one thing if they just said the offensive shit, laughed about it and carried on with their life but there is always the third stage of moaning about how you can't say anything these days and that people need to stop being so sensitive.
You are quite correct Mike. Far too much of it sounds like someone reading out a Twitter argument and always about something I just can’t relate to. Trans issues are the prime example - very few of us know any trans people or have had our lives affected by trans people in any way. The intense level of feeling behind the twitter argument/stand up routine is completely out of kilter with reality. As a consequence any potential nuance or insight is obscured by outright hostility and basically bullying of a subsection of society that can do without it. As you say, this wouldn’t necessarily matter if the jokes were good but they are all either joke A or joke B. Joke A is “This person says they’re a woman but they have a penis” and joke B is “here’s a rehashed misogynistic joke from the ‘70s but I’ve inverted it so now it’s funny because the woman is actually a man”. It’s dreadful. All of it.
Hear hear.
Actually, joke B is often funny. Moreover, it sheds light on the ridiculousness of their logic.
James Acaster's bit about Ricky Gervais' trans bit was fantastic, well worth a look.
They're joking about ridiculous social norms, comedians have always done that.
@@MassimoAngotzi: Who's logic? What logic? Transgenderism is just a fact of life.
I’m loving these little video essays!! :))
Oh, come on! That submarine joke should have gotten way more laughs! 🤣
I love these new format of videos you are doing. They always hit the nail on the head. And I somehow find them comforting.
You're right, and you got yourself a subscriber
One of your best and most insighful /broadcasting common views. Thank you Michael.
It felt like there was a different level of emotion and honesty behind this video, with Michael being a comedian himself talking about these issues. Great watch as usual. 😁
30 years and I still miss Bill Hicks.
American comedy with the "Message" killed the funny.
Thankfully Britain still holds the line with people like david mitchell.
Espcially with that last guy it's like they work backwards to create the joke, they know they are going to make a joke in an attempt to offend women and then just shoehorn anything in. Like that black eye one, it's so poorly constructed and totally focused on this will offend women rather than this will make people laugh
Good point on reverting to comedy clubs - I'd go to them if it were not for the ubiquity of 'stand-up' on streaming.
There is no place scarier than the first 2 rows at a comedy club. Crowd work is evil and should be illegal. I may be overreacting just a smidge.
I’m a comedian and I do crowd work all the time but I’m nice and funny. I’m female and 58 so not the usual type of comic. I’m there to entertain and make people have a break from their sad anxious lives. I frequently feel sad before I go on but then I share the love that I’m unable to express anywhere else. Btw I ask people in advance if I can talk to audience members before I go on. Comedy doesn’t have to be nasty or edgy.
If you're in London, try to get to a Quantum Leopard gig. No punching down and only crowd work with people who are happy to be involved.
so spot on. Amazingly put
“Something ain’t Riecht” 😂😂
Ok, the submarine door joke was actually pretty fucking funny.
You know, it's funny because I'm actually being forced to cancel my Netflix subscription because me and my 3 kids are going through a no fault eviction thingy where we have to go into emergency accommodation. So yeah... was going to try and make a joke about being trans(ient) and we're just trying to live our lives - but it just sounds awful - so not going to.
Spot on once again and hilarious as always 👌🏼 Keep these coming they're brilliant and I think you've found a gap in the CZcams offering which I didn't think possible 👏🏻
Extremely well put, another well made vid!
The stand up comics I enjoy most generally treat 'specials' as the graveyard for their live sets. It's a way of documenting their recent material and ticking it off - in celebratory fashion, to say 'goodbye' to a solid hour or 45 minutes and start afresh. Because that's key for touring and club comics - to continually write new original material so you can come back in a year's time and you entertain your audiences with new jokes. At the same time the special can act as a sort of showcard for business meetings, pitch situations and or even just a way to get new potential fans interested in seeing you live.
Being able to enjoy free standup specials on youtube is an absolute privilege if you ask me, since there are many comedians from America, Canada and Australia I'd likely never get to see 'live' otherwise....
Comics I'd recommend all with 'free' specials on youtube:
Stavros Halkias
Phil Hanley
Sam Morril
Mark Normand
Jordan Jensen
Jerrod Carmichael (HBO)
Doing a netflix version of your tour or recent material is just the same as they used to do with making a DVD or VHS
OMG - I just searched for "Rife comedian" (I'd never heard of him before) in CZcams and watched a few minutes of his "routine". Jeeez - I see what you mean! I couldn't stand more than a few minutes and not even close to a smile because of something amusing he said. If that's the standard now then yikes - you're dead right. I may be biased but I really like Kevin Bridges. BTW, I was really impressed at your pronunciation of Reich. Well done! 👍
You are right. However I find assurance in that times will eventually change and this too shall pass. Now we have to endure this.
Being droll - also an art form. Sub and salad gags carved me up.
Look forward to each and every video you upload. You are SO right with this!
Sometimes watching bad stand up comedy is the best way to see Britain
I'm just popping in to say that although I've been subscribed to your channel for a while, I really enjoyed these latest videos you've put out. Besides funny, I realise you're a measured, intelligent content creator, and I appreciate your insight.
You’re very funny and look forward to your videos a lot. Thanks!
There's pressure to come out with lots of content and by extension specials. More content=more money. It's faster to do topical than truly funny
Bill Burr and Rory Scovel specials are pretty great others i did not watch
Rory Scovel is art.
I thoroughly enjoyed Neil Brendan's special. And obviously bo Burnhams but not sure that qualifies as standup
I recently discovered your channel from some of your funny skits, but this is such a thoughtful and wonderful video that I'm really a big fan of you now
Here, here ! Really enjoyed your contributions to series 2 of Mandy btw :)
You nailed what had been bugging me - As a lifelong lover of comedy I've tried watching a few recent "specials" and never made it far through any.
Looking at you too, Ricky.
Why? He is breaking records all over the shop. Not gonna stop now because some CZcams lefties are a bit miffed.
Great observations Michael 👍😂👍
I think you are so right, absolutely spot on, thanks
Came for the comedy stayed for the argument! Not especially funny, but very thought worthy and spot-on!
This is such a great video. Thank you.
That was my feeling about ghostbusters frozen empire: that it was so bad that it might kill movies entirely.
I actually liked it ☹️
Totally agree. Thank you for saying it.
I agree! :)
And thank you for another video, it was great.
I wish I could give this episode more than one like.
I love how so many Netflix specials now are just white guys saying "we cant make jokes anymore because everyone gets offended by everything", as they stand in front of an audience of 5,000 people.
Taylor Tomlinson's Netflix specials are actually gold. But generally I do agree.
spot on
Awesome, thank you Michael.
Spot on, Michael.
You are so right on. I’m glad someone is sticking up for comedy. Can you explain why there are no more good funny movies anymore? Or is the answer the same? Everything is trying to stay away from politics…. Surely, someone can make a comedy about each of the factions that are separating us all. Then, you don’t have to be politically correct, because you could cover all of the bases and be funny a portion of the time to each fractionalized community. Could be a hilarious gig. Just like real life. lol.