Newstalk to air comedy panel show

Mr Pseudonym

Pat O'Mahony joins Newstalk for comedy show|Radio Today

The first show in the 10-week series of You Couldn’t Make It Up airs next weekend (Sun 1st December) at 6pm. Each half-hour show will see two teams of comedians perform satirical sketches and improvise around topical issues.

Good news, I think. It might spur RTE into being more innovative.

mike65

6pm on a Sunday? This is the trouble will slabs of chat, there are no slots during the weekday for this sort of thing. It better not be a Funny Friday end of the pier type cast.

robbe

If it doesn't have a panel with Fionn Davenport and Shane Coleman I'll be amazed. That Bobby Kerr too - he's a funny guy.....

Seriously though, this could actually turn out alright if they try to do it properly - love the newsquiz on BBC - hope it's not the same Newstalk heads being pressganged into some more unpaid overtime

SEPT 23 1989

Ivan & Dil is the dream team

Heroditas

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Ivan & Dil is the dream team

That would be great! Mr Un-PC with Dil would be hilarious.

mike65

Bump 6 pm tonight.

Mr Pseudonym

What idiot wrote the synopsis?!

You Couldn't Make It Up|Newstalk

You Couldn’t Make It Up in association with Vodafone, Sundays at 6.00pm from December 1st on Newstalk for 10 weeks.

Hosted by Pat O’Mahony, and featuring the best of Irish and international comedic talent, each half-hour show lets two teams loose on all the week’s events, whether major or minor, serious or less so, riffing irreverently on contemporary Irish and global culture, characters and events, all the while analysing, debating and/or ridiculing them as they see fit.

For the last act Pat assigns both teams characters, quotes and scenarios plucked from the opening rounds which the teams will then have to incorporate into a pair of satirical sketches which they have to perform as the climax to the show.

It promises to be a funny, frivolous and fabulous. Or should that be amusing, articulate and amazing? Or maybe mad, moving and marvellous? Oh, never mind…

The format is pretty vague - that second paragraph says everything and nothing. And I'm not sure I like the idea of the third round improv (the show seems to be a combination of Whose Line is it Anyway? and The Panel).

I suspect it won't be world beating. In fact, I'd bet on it being distinctly average. But, I'm very excited that there's more comedy on Irish radio.

mike65

Well it certainly won't be on time! NT always cut it fine with the 4 pm KO.

mike65

First joke falling flat within 60 seconds.

Mr Pseudonym

Was the audience not warmed up?

mike65

Well these things take time to develop - I bet "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" didn't work very well in April 1972

Mr Pseudonym

I muted at the ads, and forgot about it! Audience laughter is essential, and it was missing. They need more warming-up or more alcohol. Perhaps it wasn't full, either.

I might tune in next week.

force eleven

I thought it was fine, raised a chuckle or two, will give it another spin next week.

Amirani

I enjoyed the final "round-up" type piece. The rest was quite flat though.

Lovely Bloke

NiallSparky wrote: »

I enjoyed the final "round-up" type piece. The rest was quite flat though.

The "comedy sketch" part? Absolutely woeful.

In fact, the presenter spent more time shoe-horning in pre-written, unrelated one-liners - nothing seemed natural.

Mr Pseudonym

"It's called You Couldn't Make It Up...which is ironic, because that's what we did!" How much time did he have to prepare his script?

StaticNoise

I completely forgot that this was being broadcast yesterday, and I tuned-in just in time.

The idea of bringing a 'comedy' show to Irish radio is good, and there hasn't been one for quite some time. However, I feel that it missed the mark yesterday. Like all radio shows, they have their initial teething problems, and hopefully they'll clean things up a bit for next week, but it seemed as if it wasn't structured well. The jokes were quite forced, and there were a number of moments where I felt embarrassed or cringed on behalf of the comedians. The audience must have been fairly sober at recording.

The only joke that I really laughed at was the play on words for Shane Filan ('filan for bankruptcy'), and that wasn't even very funny. I do have a sense of humour, I swear.

TL;DR - A comedy show on Irish radio in 2013? That's very welcome. Was it good? Meh. Needs tidying, but an honest effort. Lose the structured scripts and forced humour. Did it do the sponsor any good? ('Vodafone - Proud Sponsors of Irish Comedy) Not really. Was it the HIGNFY on Newstalk? No way. Nowhere close.

PS. I didn't know that this programme was funded by the Sound & Vision. Hmm...

If you’d like to attend our next recording and can be in The Helix for about 6pm on 6th December please email comedy@newstalk.ie clearly stating how many tickets you would like.

constitutionus

forgot all about this too.

will have to stream it to see what its like.

padd b1975

I gave up after the News of The World "gag" was met with deafening silence.

Mr Pseudonym

padd b1975 wrote: »

I gave up after the News of The World "gag" was met with deafening silence.

That's satire, mate.

mike65

padd b1975 wrote: »

I gave up after the News of The World "gag" was met with deafening silence.

That never stopped Stuart Lee! (I like Lee for the record)

dulpit

dulpit wrote: »

Has anyone heard You Couldn't Make it Up? It's on Newstalk on a Sunday evening, it started 2 or 3 weeks ago, and is a "comedy" panel show which also includes some sketch comedy at the end.

When I heard about the show I was hopeful, expecting an Irish version of Have I got news for you or something similar. Instead we got comedy at it's loosest definition, the jokes fell flat, the editing was awful and the structure of the show is strange:
3 rounds, the first about people, the second about quotes and the third about places (all based around topical news stories). At the end of the show the 2 teams have to come up with a sketch based on the people, quote and places discussed.

Utterly let down, the main comedy aspect they kept going back to was funny accents :rolleyes: I only listened to the whole recording of episode 1 because it was on my phone (podcast) and I was out walking with stuff in my hands stopping me getting at the phone, otherwise I would have deleted very quickly.

Anyone else hear the show and think better of this?

I posted about this in a new thread (couldn't find this thread), see my thoughts above.

Glad to hear I wasn't the only one the think it wasn't good. Has anyone listened to all 3 episodes? Does it get better?

Mr Pseudonym

Here are links to all the programmes so far. Don't try to rewind, because the player just resets.

• 01/12/13 - Tara Flynn, Karl Spain, Colm O'Regan and Morgan C Jones
  
• 08/12/13 - Colm O'Regan, Eric Lalor, Michelle Read and Joe Rooney
  
• 15/12/13 - Colm O'Regan, Niamh Shaw, Michelle Read, and Garry Cook
  
• 22/12/13 - Karl Spain, Gearoid Farley, Tara Flynn, and Colum McDonnell
  
• 29/12/13 - Eric Lalor, Niamh Shaw, Joe Rooney, and Gary Cooke
  
• 05/01/14 - Colm O'Regan, Paul Tylak, Eleanor Tiernan, and Colum McDonnell
  
• 12/01/14 - Colm McDonnell, Ian Coppinger, Joe Rooney, and Michelle Read

Evan DietrichSmith

Mr Pseudonym wrote: »

Here are links to all the programmes so far. Don't try to rewind, because the player just resets.

• 01/12/13 - Tara Flynn, Karl Spain, Colm O'Regan and Morgan C Jones
  
• 08/12/13 - Colm O'Regan, Eric Lalor, Michelle Read and Joe Rooney
  
• 15/12/13 - Colm O'Regan, Niamh Shaw, Michelle Read, and Garry Cook
  
• 22/12/13 - Karl Spain, Gearoid Farley, Tara Flynn, and Colum McDonnell
  
• 29/12/13 - Eric Lalor, Niamh Shaw, Joe Rooney, and Gary Cooke
  
• 05/01/14 - Colm O'Regan, Paul Tylak, Eleanor Tiernan, and Colum McDonnell
  
• 12/01/14 - Colm McDonnell, Ian Coppinger, Joe Rooney, and Michelle Read

I made it thought about 5 mins of the first one.

Woefull stuff,sound fluctuations,about as entertaining as a funeral.

I'll say no more really.

SEPT 23 1989

Listened to another repeat of this crap early this morning

its like an IKEA version of comedy

constitutionus

its god fecking awfull.

BUT.

Its better than off the fecking ball repeats which is whats usually on in that repeat slot in the morning

the weekend is just appalling across all the talk stations TBH.

Radio is for life

constitutionus wrote: »

its god fecking awfull.

BUT.

Its better than off the fecking ball repeats which is whats usually on in that repeat slot in the morning

the weekend is just appalling across all the talk stations TBH.

Just had a quick listen and as much as I admire some of the guests for their comedy skills, this show was top of the leaderboard of cringe factor. It was embarrassing to listen to as I almost felt sorry for all involved because it was so bad. Lack of preparation and no natural chemistry between the guests. I only lasted 10 minutes I'll be honest as I was sure I left some paint drying somewhere that could be watched.
I'm not really sure that it could work on radio. WithTV panel shows you can see the guests and as one speaks you know who they are and their facial expression can make the line funnier.
A good PD warned me many years ago about attempting this kind of programming and listening to this show all his warnings were in the money.
Be clear it has no reflection on the individuals involved but I think panel shows on radio just don't work as a rule.

grenache

Where did Pat O'Mahony go after presenting Head 2 Toe on RTE all those years ago? He seemed to disappear into thin air.

I like the show but I zone out when Karl Spain comes on talking. I don't know what he is, but a comedian he certainly ain't.

Skid X

Radio is for life wrote: »

I'm not really sure that it could work on radio. WithTV panel shows you can see the guests and as one speaks you know who they are and their facial expression can make the line funnier.
A good PD warned me many years ago about attempting this kind of programming and listening to this show all his warnings were in the money.
Be clear it has no reflection on the individuals involved but I think panel shows on radio just don't work as a rule.

Panel shows are very popular on Radio 4, but they have a long track record with them over there. When you start from scratch, It's hard for everyone involved to gel immediately and have a polished sound.

If it got a second series, it would probably evolve into a better programme.

neris

Beats funny friday

Bard

Skid X wrote: »

Panel shows are very popular on Radio 4, but they have a long track record with them over there. When you start from scratch, It's hard for everyone involved to gel immediately and have a polished sound.

If it got a second series, it would probably evolve into a better programme.

Agreed... many are too eager to shoot it down so early. Personally, I hope they renew it and give it a chance to evolve and grow.

dulpit

neris wrote: »

Beats funny friday

Barely.

Mr Pseudonym

Bard wrote: »

Agreed... many are too eager to shoot it down so early. Personally, I hope they renew it and give it a chance to evolve and grow.

Agreed...I exchanged posts of derision with a few on this, after the first episode. But, I think it has grown stronger - helped by better comedians - and I hope it is renewed.