Tommy Tiernan: To Tell You The Truth

Barely There

Saw him in 2001 and thought he was going to be an amazing stand-up. Very witty, clever and knew exactly how to work an audience.

Saw him about 18months later and couldn't believe how bad he'd gotten - the wit was replaced with cursing and shouting.

I haven't followed his career with any real interest since, but anytime I've seen him, he seems to have continued on his downward spiral of quality.

IMO he just had too many people telling him he was brilliant too soon and he got a bit up himself. Combine this with the fact, that a lot of Irish comedy 'fans' are just drunkener's on a night out that will laugh if someone gets on stage and shouts out 'Cock', and you have a recipe for lazy career development.

I wouldn't look out my window to see him nowadays if he did a gig in my front garden,

A shame, as he did have some early talent which he completely wasted.

somesoldiers

ShagNastii wrote: »

It was painful watching alright. He has been gigging for over 25 years I’m sure it didn’t take him a tour to realise he can’t improv a show. Ross Noble, Dara O Briain and countless others can but that is just their way they do shows comedy. There was a reason Tommy seldom went on the panel, he is not an off the cusp guy. He used to be a Milton Jones-esqure joking fool then he morphed into a shouty poetic storyteller which when he was on form produced some hilarious stuff. I have tickets for one of his upcoming shows and I pray he has written a show. If not, it will be as flat as a pancake and the crowd will turn sour ASAP. None of this whispering b*llocks or shouting and blinding for the sack of it- a proper well written show.

He was drinking in the show. I know he wasn’t drinking for an age. Does anyone know if he has stated he is an alcoholic?

Don't know if he ever said alcoholic but from listening to his radio show with Hector a few years back he had definitely given up for years up until his stag night when he had a a few pints and a few games of pool. Not sure about since but at the time of the Galway radio show it definitely sounded like this had been a one off. By the way love him and used listen to the radio show pod casts all the time over and over again- maybe being from Meath helps.

Have been to see him 4 or 5 times over the years but don't think I'd be bothered now i didn't really enjoy the last time. I do really like when he pops up on D'Arcy always get a good laugh out of his interviews, especially one last year where he talked about Irish mothers back in the day, the equivalent of a spa day was booking into an asylum for a little break to get away from loads of kids, to walk round in their pjs and smoke fags all day. Think I still have the podcast.

Had recorded the programme last night but will be a quick delete when I get home. No good to see your heroes at their lowest

KCross

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Dara O'Briain does not improv a whole show. He improvs the 'talk to the crowd' section, the rest is tightly scripted.

Beyond Ross Noble (and even he has scripted sections for when the improv runs out of steam) I can't think of a single comedian who improvs a full show. They might make it seem as they're doing it but they're generally just working improvised stuff into their standard routines.

He wants to know what people will think of improvising a full show. Fair enough, but why does it have to be a full show of improv and over 11 cities. Thats a tour not an experiment.

Why not not mix it into a scripted show (50/50 if he wanted) and just determine if the improv bits worked or not by looking back at the recording. At least for those that hated the improv wouldnt leave saying that was s***. You need to have some respect for your audience as well.

FixdePitchmark

I'm just starting to watch it here - and you know what, fair ****s to him.

Improvisation is part of great comedy.

It is about trying and testing it. It is fearless and stupid - the drink aspect is a recipe for disaster. Is he drinking hard again.

I guess if you paid in - and it didn't work that night - you could kill him , but on others could be class.

FixdePitchmark

He is getting better as it goes on.

fabvinny

I'm a big fan of Tonmy Tiernan, but that show was a load of self indulgent ****e!! And what is this whispering crack about??? Hope he isn't having a meltdown!

noisenotmusic

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Dara O'Briain does not improv a whole show. He improvs the 'talk to the crowd' section, the rest is tightly scripted.

Beyond Ross Noble (and even he has scripted sections for when the improv runs out of steam) I can't think of a single comedian who improvs a full show. They might make it seem as they're doing it but they're generally just working improvised stuff into their standard routines.

A lot of the US comedians that have come out of places like Upright Citizens Brigade & Second City comedy schools are all about the improv and are really good at it. For example pretty much every episode of the podcast Comedy Bang Bang are improved with only a few details (such a character that will turn up) planned out. My feeling is that Tommy has never had that kind of training and you need to actually train pretty hard to make improv feel natural. So he ends up eating it the entire time.

rovert

fabvinny wrote: »

I'm a big fan of Tonmy Tiernan, but that show was a load of self indulgent ****e!! And what is this whispering crack about??? Hope he isn't having a meltdown!

Self indulgent isn't really a criticism to be honest. It is a documentary about him exclusively.

Farty88

Well Tommy is hardly gonna showcase his new material on a show for Rte. And then go on tour with the same material everybody has already heard.sure nobody will go to his show then. Very clever man I think people think he's having a break down when infact he's reeling people in to see what he's gonna do next??? More to come from Tommy he's fierce funny and I reckon he'll become the king of comedy in Ireland once again!!!!!!

yipeeeee

Having seen him recently his new material is brilliant.

I wonder is this going to be the same at his vicar street shows or is that exclusive new material.

If he put on the show in vicar street view seen he would be back on top.

Babooshka

I like Tommy. But he hit the nail on the head himself when he used the term "indulgent" to describe what he was doing. He went to Europe to experiment with improv as he would have more to lose in Ireland by doing it, he doesn't ever have to go back to those countries to fill seats again. He began to feel what he was doing was too "safe" and there was no excitement in it for him. I guess we all get used to same old same old every day, and there is nothing wrong with trying something new. But what i would say to Tommy is, try coming into one of those "Merkelified" (as he described industry in Berlin) type of offices every day for the rest of your life, and then tell me that what you do is boring. I don't think you'd find it so boring any more if you came and did my job for a few weeks. It would give you the inspiration you need again to go on. Honestly, wake up and see how good ya have it, making a living from reciting the rehearsed funny stories you tell, it really isn't such a bad thing Tommy!!

AnonoBoy

noisenotmusic wrote: »

A lot of the US comedians that have come out of places like Upright Citizens Brigade & Second City comedy schools are all about the improv and are really good at it. For example pretty much every episode of the podcast Comedy Bang Bang are improved with only a few details (such a character that will turn up) planned out. My feeling is that Tommy has never had that kind of training and you need to actually train pretty hard to make improv feel natural. So he ends up eating it the entire time.

That's true. But improv in those cases is in groups. Even the strongest of those guys would have trouble improving a whole standup show solo I think.

yipeeeee

Babooshka wrote: »

I like Tommy. But he hit the nail on the head himself when he used the term "indulgent" to describe what he was doing. He went to Europe to experiment with improv as he would have more to lose in Ireland by doing it, he doesn't ever have to go back to those countries to fill seats again. He began to feel what he was doing was too "safe" and there was no excitement in it for him. I guess we all get used to same old same old every day, and there is nothing wrong with trying something new. But what i would say to Tommy is, try coming into one of those "Merkelified" (as he described industry in Berlin) type of offices every day for the rest of your life, and then tell me that what you do is boring. I don't think you'd find it so boring any more if you came and did my job for a few weeks. It would give you the inspiration you need again to go on. Honestly, wake up and see how good ya have it, making a living from reciting the rehearsed funny stories you tell, it really isn't such a bad thing Tommy!!

You really shouldn't give out about other peoples profession just because you're unhappy in yours.

Instead of moaning why don't you do something about it.

Skid X

yipeeeee wrote: »

You really shouldn't give out about other peoples profession just because you're unhappy in yours.

Instead of moaning why don't you do something about it.

Give it a rest, Tommy Tiernan is a public figure and he has never been shy about giving out criticism to others.

That programme showed a man taking money off the public and getting precious
little in return. He gets plenty of praise and adulation but he is not above reasonable criticism.

yipeeeee

Skid X wrote: »

Give it a rest, Tommy Tiernan is a public figure and he has never been shy about giving out criticism to others.

That programme showed a man taking money off the public and getting precious
little in return. He gets plenty of praise and adulation but he is not above reasonable criticism.

By all means criticise.

But giving out because someone has a more enjoyable job than you and feeling sorry for yourself is something i could never do.

You make your own luck.

Skid X

yipeeeee wrote: »

By all means criticise.

But giving out because someone has a more enjoyable job than you and feeling sorry for yourself is something i could never do.

You make your own luck.

You are completely missing the point.

yipeeeee

Skid X wrote: »

You are completely missing the point.

In your opinion.

smellmepower

Mine too!

Babooshka

yipeeeee wrote: »

You really shouldn't give out about other peoples profession just because you're unhappy in yours.

Instead of moaning why don't you do something about it.

Thanks for the savoury advice, nice to see yet another genius on this wonderful site offering their sage advice up to all and sundry with smug retort.

yipeeeee wrote: »

By all means criticise.

But giving out because someone has a more enjoyable job than you and feeling sorry for yourself is something i could never do.

You make your own luck.

Yet again....see above.

Skid X wrote: »

You are completely missing the point.

Thanks Skid, yes you are.

yipeeeee wrote: »

In your opinion.

And mine

smellmepower wrote: »

Mine too!

And his/hers too.....but thanks for the input.

yipeeeee

Babooshka wrote: »

Thanks for the savoury advice, nice to see yet another genius on this wonderful site offering their sage advice up to all and sundry with smug retort.



Yet again....see above.



Thanks Skid, yes you are.



And mine



And his/hers too.....but thanks for the input.

Well that's me told!!

You go back to your as you put it miserable job, while Tommy goes back to his fantastically enjoyable job.

Babooshka

yipeeeee wrote: »

Well that's me told!!

You go back to your as you put it miserable job, while Tommy goes back to his fantastically enjoyable job.

You have just completely fabricated the meaning of my post, in fact, recreated it in a word, to your own interpretation. I didn't use the word miserable once. I gave my boring job as an example but I didn't mean it as a personal account of a / (anybody's) miserable life so you're barking up the wrong tree. I could easily have said insert boring office job / bin man / lorry driver / anyone working for the man....and I was comparing that to the likes of Tommy (who I like immensely) -a talented person who happened to have a lot of success, and he is lucky he did, as he is doing what he loves to do, and no, not everyone gets to do that (does not mean I am miserable and I hate my life, it means I have a boring job but it doesn't sum me up as a person, which according to you, it does...glad we're not friends somehow).

What I was saying is, isn't it a wonderful thing that he did and maybe if he got a job in Supermacs for a week instead of taking money off of people for ranting illogically in the name of art, that he might appreciate where he is a little bit quicker. I hope that cleared it up for you. You really sound like an unhappy camper if you get your kicks from putting strangers down that you know nothing about. Luckily I don't give a f*ck about you or your opinions - but I had to clear up your most judgmental and biased misinterpretation of my opinion. Adios.

Mr E

And that's the end of that.