Unfunny Irish comedians <<MOD note in OP>>

MadDog76 · 24-11-2016 8:19pm

Kadser wrote: »

The only thing wore than an Irish comedian is an Irish female comedian.

I've yet to laugh at a female, Irish or otherwise, stand-up comedian ..........

Paddy Porter · 24-11-2016 8:22pm

Spot on MadDog.....I have yet to hear anyone who is remotely funny !

Mister Vain · 24-11-2016 8:24pm

PoorAuldDivil wrote: »

I find Tommy Tiernan to be very funny in conversation, his radio/television interviews tend to be quite entertaining. Not the best at stand-up however.

I'd agree with this. I always find his interviews very funny. His stand-up is brutal these days.

I think Dara O'Briain is the most unfunny male comedian of them all.

Stovepipe · 24-11-2016 8:24pm

Maeve Higgins...funny once.Katherine Lynch is Brendan O'Carroll for culchies. Ed Byrne is talentless. Dylan Moran is basically playing himself. I saw him in the early 90s and his routine was unchanged for the next ten years and only a few TV slots saved him.Deirdre O'Kane; cancer is funnier.

padd b1975 · 24-11-2016 8:26pm

There hasn't been a decent Irish comedian since Dave Allen.

endofrainbow · 24-11-2016 8:27pm

Maeve Higgins, PJ Gallagher, Dermot Whelan

I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than listen to any of them

Stovepipe · 24-11-2016 8:30pm

I remember seeing PJ Gallagher doing his whistling taximan, rolled up newspaper routine on one of those candid camera shows and one of the targets, when tapped by Gallagher's character with the newspaper, said something along the lines of "touch me with that again and I'll ram it up yer hole". Gallagher had enough sense to get lost.

rhino_hunter · 24-11-2016 8:31pm

daire o brien is a smug t0sser of the highest order , he is also wogan like in his love of england

GavRedKing · 24-11-2016 8:32pm

Bernard O'Shea will forever be the unfunniest comedian.

Jennifer Maguire isnt far behind him although I dont think shes a comedain at all, shes just tragic, yet RTE keep pushing both of them with their terrible radio slot and also the TV show.

I've seen funnier armed conflicts on the news than Bridget and Eamonn.

foggy_lad · 24-11-2016 8:35pm

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

Tommy Tiernan.
Mostly because he obviously had talent when he first came out but then decided to waste it by tailoring his act for pissed up morons, - real lowest common denominator stuff.

Tommy Tiernan, Hector and every other son of a bitch from Navan who thinks they are a comedian because Naaaaaaaaaaaavaan

yabadabado · 24-11-2016 8:40pm

Al Porter is absolutely terrible.

I am genuinely shocked anyone would g to see a gig of his never mind paying for it.

Outlaw Pete · 24-11-2016 8:42pm

Dick phelan wrote: »

I'v never found low brow comedy funny, the jokes are often way too obvious and poorly delivered.

High brow humour can be equally as annoying though. What is it about sneering sarcastic material that makes some people think that it requires a higher level of intellect to perform it? Or that it's of higher quality. For me it's equally as obvious.

Stewart Lee is the perfect example of that. Went to see him once and he had a 20 minute routine about George Bush being an idiot but it was all based on something Bush had never actually said but Lee delivered it in his usual dean pan, mocking, snide and sarcastic fashion and so the audience, given that's what they came for, lapped it up.

I can't help thinking that the that prat funny are the type of people that would find him funny are the same type of people that would be in hysterics if they seen someone get corrected for a grammatical error. An intellectual and cultural bully is what I would sum him up as.

Not that sarcasm or satire based material is inherently smug, I don't think it is. Graham Linehan and Chris Morris are geniuses that shone in that sense but they don't have that arsehole smug factor that Lee excels in. Condemn him, or his "jokes" and then his fans will pompously suggest that perhaps one did not get the jokes. Course there can be poor low brow humour also. Bredan O'Carroll a prime example.

Overall I just hate snobbishness I suppose. Many would consider Frank Carson low-brow but he is without question one of the best comedians I ever seen perform and Dara O'Brien one of the worst. The style of comedy is probably not deciding factor on that though. More to do with talent and the lack of it and one being a twat and the other not.

MadDog76 · 24-11-2016 8:46pm

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

Stewart Lee is the perfect example of that. Went to see him once and he had a 20 minute routine about George Bush being an idiot but it was all based on something Bush had never actually said but Lee delivered it in his usual dean pan, mocking, snide and sarcastic fashion and so the audience, given that's what they came for, lapped it up.

I can't help thinking that the that prat funny are the type of people that would find him funny are the same type of people that would be in hysterics if they seen someone get corrected for a grammatical error. An intellectual and cultural bully is what I would sum him up as.

Not that sarcasm or satire based material is inherently smug, I don't think it is. Graham Linehan and Chris Morris are geniuses that shone in that sense but they don't have that arsehole smug factor that Lee excels in. Condemn him, or his "jokes" and then his fans will pompously suggest that perhaps one did not get the jokes. Course there can be poor low brow humour also. Bredan O'Carroll a prime example.

Stewart Lee is a genius!!! You just don't get his jokes ........ that's not how you spell Brendan by the way!

Dick phelan · 24-11-2016 8:55pm

I'v never found a female stand up i enjoyed, women can be funny in conversation but i'v never found any good at stand up.

osmiumartist · 24-11-2016 9:07pm

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

I have never laughed at anything Dara O'Briain has said. His smug (usually sarcastic) delivery, as he smacks his lips, laughs and says 'And eh..' drives me nuts.

How he so popular I'll never know.

That got me wondering though if the "comedians" who do more TV quiz shows and that are actually all crap. I can't stand Carr or O'Briain. It's all right-on twittering about hemp bras for lactating orphan dolphins or some ****.

cian68 · 24-11-2016 9:17pm

Stonedpilot wrote: »

jokes they wrote several days in advance whilst simultaneously letting on it's on the spot.

This is just how comedy works. Improv exists if you'd prefer that.

Mr. FoggPatches · 24-11-2016 9:21pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Tommy Tiernan used to be funny until he started trying to imitate the likes of Jimmy Carr & Frankie Boyle.

Apart from the bit in bold, you're spot on.

Irish Guitarist · 24-11-2016 9:34pm

I always get Jason and Ed Byrne mixed up. I had to Google to see which one Jason is. He is indeed the unfunnier of the two.

He was on Dictionary Corner on Countdown years ago, when Richard Whitely was still alive. It was the worst week in the programmes history up to that point. The Countdown audience aren't exactly known for being a tough crowd but they barely laughed at anything he said and you could tell Richard Whitely was getting really pissed off listening to him.

mosstin · 24-11-2016 9:35pm

Dick phelan wrote: »

Comedy perhaps the most divisive genre of all, few people have mentioned Dara O'Brian, personally find him very funny it's a mystery to me how the likes of Andrew Maxwell, Jason Byrne, PJ Gallagher and Neil Delamare have careers as comedians but i guess they appeal to some people. I'v never found low brow comedy funny, the jokes are often way too obvious and poorly delivered. I also don't like comedians who focus on one aspect, Al Porter for example seems unable to make a joke that isn't about him being gay or from a working class area branch out a bit with your jokes.

Says Dick Phelan.

trashcan · 24-11-2016 9:59pm

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Apart from Andrew Maxwell, Dave McSavage, Dylan Moran, and at a stretch David O'Doherty, all of them.

Actually remember seeing an Ed Byrne special that was ****in hilarious years ago. Also to be fair Jason Byrne can also be funny as ****.

Jesus, McSavage is awful, and has a serious ego/attitude problem to boot. Also dislike, Brendan O'Carroll, Pat Short, Jason Byrne.

Dara OBriain I do find funny, Dylan Moran has his moments.

LordSutch · 24-11-2016 10:01pm

Tommy Tiernan & Brendan Grace

darlett · 24-11-2016 10:01pm

Personally I like Tiernan in general, though I didn't enjoy his mick taking of Down's syndrome (Though I get it was to be inclusive I think he lost a lot of people with that), and his 'breaking America' shows just weren't much use either. Controversial I know but I think Mrs. Brown is fantastic entertainment. Have watched it with my mum several times and the tears of laughter in her eyes gives him my vote.

I tend to agree with the unfunny comedienne rule of thumn, but then there's the late Caroline Ahern as the exceptional to disprove the rule. Her commentary on Gogglebox, The Royle Family, and What first attracted you to (the also late) millionaire Paul Daniels?' Mrs. Merton beats the pants off many an established male comedians career.

Unrivaled unfunny man is Jason Byrne. From his earliest break as a member of the audience in the Late Late Show he has always been fully ****e.

Pat Shortt and his Killinaskully. Fair City is funnier.

I don't think Irish comedians are in anyway less funny than their international rivals. The dog**** pumped out by Leno or Letterman that americans laughed at? Russel Howard and Alan Carr condemn the English. Aussies best is Adam Hill? And foreigners, how can you tell really?! But in general it seems to be more slapstick childish material.

So just who are unfunny Irish comedians unfunnier than?

TheDoc · 24-11-2016 10:06pm

Saw Andrew Maxwell mentioned. Saw him at a comedy festival where he came out pissed and was embarrassing. Utterly rubbish.

At the same weekend I saw Neil Delamere who I didn't rate but enjoyed. Jason Byrne was there and his usual rubbish self

Have to say I enjoy Ed Byrne after initially not liking him and I've always got time for Dara O Brien.

Me and the misses are big stand up fans and there is definitely some decent acts doing the rounds. But as mentioned in the thread seems RTE 2 is deemed the standard and there is boody awful comics on there

Plenty of good talent doing the gig circuits.

Tilikum · 24-11-2016 10:12pm

Jason Byrne
Maxwell
Porter
Ed Byrne
Tommy T.

They're all awful. Why does anyone pay to watch them.

Mister Vain · 24-11-2016 11:49pm

Bridget & Eamon is terrible but I like Jen and Bernard on the radio. I think PJ Gallaghers stand-up is very good. I saw one of his live shows and thought he was great.

Muahahaha · 25-11-2016 12:19am

Defintely Jason Byrne, he has being doing his "arent I mad" schtick for well over a decade now, Id prefer pull my own teeth out than listen to him

dd972 · 25-11-2016 12:20am

I always get the impression that Dara O'Briain exaggerates his accent and reminds his audience every 5 minutes that 'he's Oirrrrish', as if just being from somewhere makes you funny.

Noveight · 25-11-2016 12:26am

Jason Byrne is worst of all. Intolerable.

lab man · 25-11-2016 12:28am

As all posted I think they are crap esp tommy Tiernan. .. I seen Joe looney yrs ago I thought he was a great laugh

Jimoslimos · 25-11-2016 12:34am

dd972 wrote: »

I always get the impression that Dara O'Briain exaggerates his accent and reminds his audience every 5 minutes that 'he's Oirrrrish', as if just being from somewhere makes you funny.

I like Dara Ó'Briain actually. Much prefer his comedic style to the usual "fire off 1001 unrelated one-liners" comedians.

He's also decent at "improv" when he interacts with the audience. Now it's probably "rehearsed improvisation" in that he has a number of stock replies for the most common audience professions and hobbies - but he's still good at it.

kildare lad · 25-11-2016 12:48am

jason byrne is the worst comedian i have ever seen. He tries so hard to be funny its cringy. Actually every comedian on RTE, or who has been on RTE is crap.

ShagNastii · 25-11-2016 12:49am

I'd plus one for Maeve Higgins. I've seen her twice as she was the warm up for both Rob Delaney and Reggie Watts a few years back.

The gig for Reggie Watts at the Vodafone comedy festival in the Iveagh gardens was a bit of a washout (low numbers) as a few of these festival can be. The minimal crowd was dead from the get-go. Maeve came on and was her "hilarious" kooky cork self and absolutely nothing hit making the crowd even flatter. Everybody (bar a women up front who was dying laughing - I think out of pity) couldn't care less.

At one stage a guy adjacent to me looked at me. Knowing our shared distain piped up with four word review "This is f*cking painful".

Ted111 · 25-11-2016 12:52am

Jason Byrne has different modes though. There is the crazy, absurdist style he is most well known for.
He can also do more traditional stand up.
I've seen him do long sets of structured jokes one after the next. And of a pretty high standard.

I also saw him once get on stage in the international and not really say anything for fifteen minutes.
But moved a rubber duck around the stage - occasionally making strange noises (him not the duck) to an audience that
resigned itself pretty quickly that this (the gag, not the duck) wasn't going anywhere. (and it didn't)

mzungu · 25-11-2016 12:54am

Noveight wrote: »

Jason Byrne is worst of all. Intolerable.

I think he is more suited to the TV roles that he does.

siblers · 25-11-2016 12:57am

Alison Spittle, she's not even a comedian...I dunno what the **** she is trying to be

nullzero · 25-11-2016 1:09am

dd972 wrote: »

as if just being from somewhere makes you funny.

I'm afraid it does to the British.

Exeggcute · 25-11-2016 1:12am

siblers wrote: »

Alison Spittle, she's not even a comedian...I dunno what the **** she is trying to be

Last time I saw her I think she was trying to be an ornamental flowering garden plant.

NufcNavan · 25-11-2016 1:16am

Al Porter. RTE's latest sugar spice and everything nice liberal test tube 'comedian'.

25-11-2016 1:16am

Stonedpilot wrote: »

What is it with people who are desperately UNFUNNY making lucrative careers in comedy in Ireland?. As far as I'm concerned the list here is endless from comedians who incessantly laugh at their own rambling barely coherent unfunny stories (Tommy Tiernan) to those that have humour for 2 year olds (Jason Byrne) to those that see themselves as edgy and sharp whilst simultaneously sucking on the teets of crap RTE shows (think anyone who's ever been on Republic of Telly) or worse the god awful Des Bishop. Incessantly speaking condescendingly about Irish people only for them to lap it up and think he's profound and funny for speaking about Ireland with contempt as if we were backwater primitive slobs.

It seems crap Irish comedians are 10 a penny now. All being 'edgy' sometimes getting up on their pedestal and preaching after being funny perhaps once (think Rubberbandits). It seems comedians are abundant but bereft of talent here. I suppose what I'm getting at is it has been so dumbed down comedy, these chancers know they don't need wit, or timing, or impeccable delivery or even to be funny. Just to get on some RTE show is good enough and then read out rubbish topical jokes they wrote several days in advance whilst simultaneously letting on it's on the spot.

Before anyone says I don't have a sense of humour I love comedy. Comedians I like well George Carlin is one of the greats, nowadays, Steve Hughes is amazing, Rich Hall is great, Greg Morton always cracks me up, Stewart Lee's dry humour is impeccably timed and Romesh Ranganathan is worth a mention.

Can I think of a single Irish comedian now who can lace their boots?. Nope, won't stop them getting a crap intelligence insulting comedy (Bridget and Eamon/Damo and Ivor etc) or guest spot on some awful panel show with scripted jokes and toilet humour.

Christ we gave the World Oscar Wilde for God's sake!.

We have some excellent talent in Ireland. David McSavage and Foil, Arms and Hog for starters are fantastic. Ive seen both and the former twice. I intend on seeing the latters new show after seeing Skiddlywup in Carlow
I love the Vipers videos on youtube and Bernard Casey does some excellent sketches.

Bridget and Eamon had brilliant 5 min sketches on ROT but then the suits got their claws in when they got a full show.

25-11-2016 1:21am

trashcan wrote: »

Jesus, McSavage is awful, and has a serious ego/attitude problem to boot. Also dislike, Brendan O'Carroll, Pat Short, Jason Byrne.

Dara OBriain I do find funny, Dylan Moran has his moments.

A desperate w@nker altogether but i kinda like that to be honest. he is anti establishment and very non pc.

Ive seen him in Kilkenny 2 year ago and Thurles last month and he had the crowd in stitches. And i love the fact he brings the spotlight and a bit of embarrassment on his family who are the Andrews political dynasty (cousin Ryan turbridy)

25-11-2016 1:23am

theteal wrote: »

Irish people have paid money to attend Pat Shortt gigs. . . .

I don't know where else to go after that

From our neck of the woods we can relate to D'unbelievables somewhat and got their humour but when they split it was downhill from there.

25-11-2016 1:25am

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

High brow humour can be equally as annoying though. What is it about sneering sarcastic material that makes some people think that it requires a higher level of intellect to perform it? Or that it's of higher quality. For me it's equally as obvious.

Stewart Lee is the perfect example of that. Went to see him once and he had a 20 minute routine about George Bush being an idiot but it was all based on something Bush had never actually said but Lee delivered it in his usual dean pan, mocking, snide and sarcastic fashion and so the audience, given that's what they came for, lapped it up.

im not being snide here, but you do know with stewart lee..... thats the joke? right?

Ted111 · 25-11-2016 1:29am

siblers wrote: »

Alison Spittle, she's not even a comedian...I dunno what the **** she is trying to be

She doesn't have a polished stage craft or anything but I find some of her ramblings quite funny.

Sound Bite · 25-11-2016 1:43am

Another plus 1 for Maeve Higgins.

It's the only time ever I felt a gig early and so did a lot of others. Not just unfunny but a painful test of endurance.

NIMAN · 25-11-2016 1:48am

PJ Gallagher can be funny at times, but I can't stand his mannerisms, I find them all annoying for some reason.

But comedians I don't find funny would be: Andrew Maxwell, Jason Bryne, Neil Delamere, Ed Bryne, Ardal O'Hanlon.

endacl · 25-11-2016 2:14am

osarusan wrote: »

Andrew Maxwell is the unfunniest person ever.

So Jason Byrne isn't a person then? That's jacist. :mad:

Arghus · 25-11-2016 2:27am

Andrew Maxwell is top of the list for me. Was at a show of his a few years back and I've never seen such a half hearted and uninterested performance. He could not have cared less. I've seen people bomb who were better. And from what I've heard and read that wasn't necessarily that unusual a night for him. He's just no good.

I can't say that I've ever once chuckled at Jason Byrne and his antics. He's loud and silly but he isn't particularly funny.

People on here saying The Rubberbandits are crazy. Their stuff is inspired and on a different level to most other Irish comedy!

I would have held the opinion that Karl Spain was just okay, I went to see him one night and he was grand. Exactly one week after that I went to see another comedy show in the same spot. The headliner cancelled at the last moment, and Karl was called in at the last minute as a replacement. I thought, jesus christ - all over again? Well, as it turns out he was legendary second time around. He said he couldn't do the same show twice in the same place, so he just winged it, throwing out improvised jokes, feeding off heckles and the atmosphere. It was one the funniest shows I've ever attended. I'll always like him for that - he turned up in front of an audience that didn't want to see him, with nothing prepared and he killed it. Contrast that with Andrew Maxwell...

GreenFolder2 · 25-11-2016 2:30am

Nobody has ever even come near the comic geniuses Zig and Zag. They need to come back and do standup.

Atlantic Dawn · 25-11-2016 2:32am

The recession cleaned some of them out as people and the halfwit fookwit entertainment buyers in companies they worked for were unwilling to blow money on unproven unfunny out and out **** entertainment.

Cake Man · 25-11-2016 3:41am

The problem with Tommy Tiernan is that he hasn't changed anything since his glory days 10-15 years ago. Went to see him here in Sydney a few months ago and most of his stuff was the same sh!te he was going on about years ago, some even the EXACT same jokes.
What's worse is he insists on doing more roaring, screaming and shouting which gets painfully cringeworthy after the first time and does this stupid thing where he hunches down nearly on his knees, what the fcuk is all that about?

Unfunny Irish comedians <<MOD note in OP>>

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