Unfunny Irish comedians <<MOD note in OP>>

TheRiverman · 25-11-2016 9:31pm

All of them.

Sam Kade · 25-11-2016 9:33pm

Deleted User wrote: »

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

He was never funny.

TheRiverman · 25-11-2016 9:36pm

Dick phelan wrote: »

Never seen his stand up but the Savage eye is one of the funniest shows RTE have had imo,

:eek::eek:

railer201 · 25-11-2016 10:25pm

Bring back Spike Milligan

I remember seeing him on tv with an old washing mangle - if you don't know what it is ask your grandmother. He was standing beside one on stage holding sheet music in the other hand. He started winding the handle, feeding the sheet music through the rollers and humming the music. Wit or madness, I don't know but it cracked me up watching it.

Sorry - the thread was about unfunny Irish comedians - oops !

brickmauser · 25-11-2016 10:28pm

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!.

The best Irish comedians are Brendan Grace and Brendan O'Carroll. Their comic timing is fantastic and they both leave audiences rolling with laughter although have different brands of humour.

None of these supposedly cool hip comedians come close.

You make people laugh or else f*ck off the stage.

Bernard Manning could make people laugh.

Roy Chubby Brown can make people laugh.

Peter Kay can make people laugh.

Jimmy Carr can make people laugh.

Young Irish comedians so called can't make people laugh.

JKerova1 · 25-11-2016 10:34pm

Weird. I was only thinking this to myself today that Ireland must be the easiest country in the world for a stand up comedian to make a living given that there are so many bad ones clogging up the airwaves and tv schedules all the time.

To be fair to Tiernan he was a great talent (one of the few Irish comics to do well outside of Ireland) and still shows the odd glimpse of his genius but his stand up routine has definitely waned badly.

Dylan Moran stands head and shoulders above everyone else and not just other Irish comedians.

Leinster.R126 · 25-11-2016 10:44pm

David McSavage, when he was doing his routine in the city centre a few years back.

Skommando · 25-11-2016 10:51pm

Might be a much shorter thread if we listed the funny ones, are there any ?

Skommando · 25-11-2016 10:54pm

Deleted User wrote: »

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

You've summed it up perfectly, the sad thing is he nearly was the first funny Irish comedian in a generation.
Instead dried Tommy relies on being as twisted and lewd as possible to get some shock laughs. The lowest form of 'comedy' of all.

brickmauser · 25-11-2016 10:56pm

Skommando wrote: »

Might be a much shorter thread if we listed the funny ones, are there any ?

Brendan Grace. Criminally underrated.

fussyonion · 25-11-2016 11:03pm

Aisling Bea is so cringeworthy. She tries desperately hard to be funny..it's embarrassing. Don't know how she got that gig on '8 out of 10 Cats'..

Jason Byrne is painfully unfunny too, as is Andrew Maxwell and Ed Byrne.

Brendan Grace is of his generation...corny but the oul ones love him.

MPFGLB · 25-11-2016 11:07pm

JKerova1 wrote: »

Weird. I was only thinking this to myself today that Ireland must be the easiest country in the world for a stand up comedian to make a living given that there are so many bad ones clogging up the airwaves and tv schedules all the time.

To be fair to Tiernan he was a great talent (one of the few Irish comics to do well outside of Ireland) and still shows the odd glimpse of his genius but his stand up routine has definitely waned badly.

Dylan Moran stands head and shoulders above everyone else and not just other Irish comedians.

Dylan Moran was 14th on Channel4 's top world wie comedian of all time
https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/284/billy_connolly_channel_4_poll/

brickmauser · 25-11-2016 11:09pm

fussyonion wrote: »

Aisling Bea is so cringeworthy. She tries desperately hard to be funny..it's embarrassing. Don't know how she got that gig on '8 out of 10 Cats'..

Jason Byrne is painfully unfunny too, as is Andrew Maxwell and Ed Byrne.

Brendan Grace is of his generation...corny but the oul ones love him.

Grace makes me roar with laughter. I mean when the whole family are laughing that's fantastic.
I saw a big surly looking guy busted over laughing and tears rolling down his cheeks.

So called comedians can't do that. It's giggles and tittering. Crap.

Dave Allen was a genius. Nobody like him now.

frozenfrozen · 26-11-2016 11:38am

I think it's ironic how Dave Allen requested to not be replayed for the rest of eternity, like the comedians on 'Dave' the TV channel are now.

SterlingArcher · 26-11-2016 11:50am

fussyonion wrote: »

Aisling Bea is so cringeworthy. She tries desperately hard to be funny..it's embarrassing. Don't know how she got that gig on '8 out of 10 Cats'..

Jason Byrne is painfully unfunny too, as is Andrew Maxwell and Ed Byrne.

Brendan Grace is of his generation...corny but the oul ones love him.

I once told Jason Byrne the only good gag he has is when he sucking D. He didn't deny it.

Bracken81 · 26-11-2016 2:03pm

Jason Byrne, Bernard O'Shea, Ed Byrne, Neil Delamare..........................Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo painfully unfunny!!

But we did produce Dylan Moran & Dave Allen at least

The_Mac · 26-11-2016 2:27pm

Surprised by the Al Porter hate, I find him absolutely hilarious. His Live at the Apollo set had me in stitches. I can see why people dislike Dara O Brian but I think his crowd work ability is top notch.

Kadser · 26-11-2016 3:21pm

The_Mac wrote: »

I can see why people dislike Dara O Brian but I think his crowd work ability is top notch.

I was at his gig 15 years ago in Dublin when the British agents came over to check him out. There were better acts on that night.

schizo1014 · 26-11-2016 3:33pm

I beginning to think the problem here is the unhumorous Irish people, the majority of comedians here mentioned are actually funny one way or another.

Cortina_MK_IV · 26-11-2016 3:52pm

No... They're not.

Gwynplaine · 26-11-2016 6:19pm

Karl Spain. I can't stand the sight of him.

Dannyriver · 26-11-2016 7:14pm

Stonedpilot wrote: »

+1.

My point there, these guys get good salaries, TV shows, slots on God awful panel shows, DVD specials etc etc etc and yet have little to no comedic ability whatsoever. I mean in any other job to excel you have to at least be competent. Not so with comedians in Ireland. I sometimes get the impression that RTE and the like are TRYING to give comedians who aren't funny platforms. Christ I see a new show for Des Bishop advertised for RTE. Cue more self righteous ego masturbation on how profound his observations are pointing out how defunct Irish society is all while simultaneously trying in vain to be funny.

Ugh round and round we go, but certainly they seem to be getting worse and worse, like to the point where anything they say is not even remotely funny.

'cue more self righteous ego masturbation on how profound his observations are' now that is funny and not just ironically so....are there any mirrors in your house?

26-11-2016 7:25pm

Dick phelan wrote: »

Never seen his stand up but the Savage eye is one of the funniest shows RTE have had imo,

He's brilliant. Was in Thurles a few weeks ago. Well worth a go. Best show ive seen though is Foil, Arms and Hog. Couldnt recommend their show enough.

26-11-2016 7:30pm

schizo1014 wrote: »

I beginning to think the problem here is the unhumorous Irish people, the majority of comedians here mentioned are actually funny one way or another.

We are just mad to knock our own. Yes plenty of terrible irish comedians but there is plenty of terrible comedians all over the world. Like music its a subjective matter. Nationality doesnt make a good comedian rather what they can bring to the show or how they interact with the crowd

Aineoil · 26-11-2016 7:37pm

I just don't get Tommy Tiernan jokes. I'm not knocking him but I don't find most of his stuff funny. Maybe that says more about me than him? I like Al Porter, I think he's very witty.

Dannyriver · 26-11-2016 7:47pm

Deleted User wrote: »

We are just mad to knock our own. Yes plenty of terrible irish comedians but there is plenty of terrible comedians all over the world. Like music its a subjective matter. Nationality doesnt make a good comedian rather what they can bring to the show or how they interact with the crowd

'Like music its a subjective matter.' Well said, of course it is for **** sake. In other words if someone finds something or someone funny its because they found it funny, standing there telling someone who is clearly laughing that what they are laughing at isn't funny is beyond stupid. Not far off asking someone who likes brocolli why they are eating brocolli 'it's disgusting' These people exist also I know of one.

All the comedians mentioned got to where they are because they are talented in one way or another and appeal to certain comedic sensibilities of a certain populace in one way or another. If they hadn't talent they might be on here giving out instead.

thee glitz · 26-11-2016 7:56pm

Maybe we're all super intelligent and our sense of humour has evolved so far that we're goin round with broken funny bones, impossible to please. Or maybe it's easy to get a gig now, or set up a youtube channel to get some exposure, and those most talented are lost in the crowd. Then there's individual preferences too.

It's impossible to please everyone. I think Dylan Moran and Dave McSavage are the best we have now. Daire O'Briain's a really smart fella and makes some brilliant obsevations. Tommy's not as funny as he was, but hoping to get to his show in the new year. I went to see Pat Shortt a while ago and he owned the room.

We need our own Frankie Boyle or Jim Jeffries. Is McSavage in that bracket at stand-up?

mackeire · 26-11-2016 8:00pm

As bad as all these 'comedians' are, they all seem to make a decent enough living from comedy.

Either their mothers are buying all the tickets to their gigs or normal people actually want go to see them!

coathanger · 26-11-2016 8:05pm

The rubber bandits, who ever 2 eejits with plastic bags over their heads are funny .....

snipey · 26-11-2016 8:06pm

John Bishop is gone very stale

Cortina_MK_IV · 26-11-2016 8:08pm

Thought he was a scouser.

Dannyriver · 26-11-2016 9:03pm

mackeire wrote: »

As bad as all these 'comedians' are, they all seem to make a decent enough living from comedy.

Either their mothers are buying all the tickets to their gigs or normal people actually want go to see them!

No Irish comedian is making a decent living, especially ones working for RTE or TV 3 . This idea that because you are on TV you re making money is a myth. People who have been there for years like Tubridy, Duffy etc are on huge money Camera men, lighting techs who are unionised also get paid but musicians, artists etc they are all on one off contracts and get a pittance for it. Someone mentioned DVD s and box sets , are you kidding me? No one buys these items anymore ? The musical acts on the medium sized stages at Glastonbury have day jobs. The link to the article I ve posted is from 2014, and that refers to UK bands, in 2016 its even worse and worse still for Irish artists. Entertainment is free on the internet its just that some people don t seem to have noticed yet. Fame is no longer synonymous with fortune end of .

https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/our-favourite-bands-and-their-day-jobs

Jimmy Garlic · 26-11-2016 9:07pm

mackeire wrote: »

As bad as all these 'comedians' are, they all seem to make a decent enough living from comedy.

Either their mothers are buying all the tickets to their gigs or normal people actually want go to see them!

People who go to comedy gigs in Ireland laugh because they feel obliged to, not because something is funny. They paid for the ticket and decided that the show is going to be funny, even if it isn't. Irish people accept a lot of crap and mediocre stuff without question.

Jimmy Garlic · 26-11-2016 9:09pm

Dannyriver wrote: »

No Irish comedian is making a decent living, especially ones working for RTE or TV 3 . This idea that because you are on TV you re making money is a myth. People who have been there for years like Tubridy, Duffy etc are on huge money Camera men, lighting techs who are unionised also get paid but musicians, artists etc they are all on one off contracts and get a pittance for it. Someone mentioned DVD s and box sets , are you kidding me? No one buys these items anymore ? The musical acts on the medium sized stages at Glastonbury have day jobs. The link to the article I ve posted is from 2014, and that refers to UK bands, in 2016 its even worse and worse still for Irish artists. Entertainment is free on the internet its just that some people don t seem to have noticed yet. Fame is no longer synonymous with fortune end of .

https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/our-favourite-bands-and-their-day-jobs

Is that why Karl Spain is on operation transformation?

Dannyriver · 26-11-2016 9:17pm

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

Is that why Karl Spain is on operation transformation?

I don t know the guy but Unfortunately yes, Id say so, any exposure might help sell gig tickets, but realistically you re still not going to make enough money from gigs on their own. Even moderately successful wedding bands have day jobs.

myshirt · 26-11-2016 9:37pm

Karl Spain is undoubtedly the most appallingly bad comedian out there. Met him once as it happens, over 15 years ago, and the young lad said aren't you the guy I seen on the telly.

Karl was smiling ear to ear, as proud and smug as they come. 'Yeah, that was me' he said.

Quick as a flash the lad said 'Well, you were sh!te', and we walked off.

Have since stumbled on this man's stuff over the years. Bad. Very bad.

Jimmy Garlic · 26-11-2016 9:48pm

myshirt wrote: »

Karl Spain is undoubtedly the most appallingly bad comedian out there. Met him once as it happens, over 15 years ago, and the young lad said aren't you the guy I seen on the telly.

Karl was smiling ear to ear, as proud and smug as they come. 'Yeah, that was me' he said.

Quick as a flash the lad said 'Well, you were sh!te', and we walked off.

Have since stumbled on this man's stuff over the years. Bad. Very bad.

He relies a lot on ''I'm from Limerick'' then he goes on to reel off all the Limerick cliches that most of us have heard dozens of times now. I'm sure he is nice enough and all that, but funny? nah, sorry.

BuilderPlumber · 26-11-2016 9:52pm

I am sick and tired of all these guys who come on Tubridy, Ray D'Arcy, etc. imitating Enda Kenny and the like. Really at this stage this is past its sell by date. Those half hour comedy shows on RTE2 are more examples of poor Irish comedy. PJ Gallagher is also very overrated. Surely someone can do something better than that? As with music and all the rest the Irish media are clueless and give breaks to the poorest comedians all the time.

Dannyriver · 26-11-2016 9:58pm

myshirt wrote: »

Karl Spain is undoubtedly the most appallingly bad comedian out there. Met him once as it happens, over 15 years ago, and the young lad said aren't you the guy I seen on the telly.

Karl was smiling ear to ear, as proud and smug as they come. 'Yeah, that was me' he said.

Quick as a flash the lad said 'Well, you were sh!te', and we walked off.

Have since stumbled on this man's stuff over the years. Bad. Very bad.

Hilarious story, young fella must be a chip off the old block is he?

Zooouma · 26-11-2016 11:35pm

They're all terrible!

MPFGLB · 26-11-2016 11:44pm

myshirt wrote: »

Karl Spain is undoubtedly the most appallingly bad comedian out there. Met him once as it happens, over 15 years ago, and the young lad said aren't you the guy I seen on the telly.

Karl was smiling ear to ear, as proud and smug as they come. 'Yeah, that was me' he said.

Quick as a flash the lad said 'Well, you were sh!te', and we walked off.

Have since stumbled on this man's stuff over the years. Bad. Very bad.

Very rude I'd say...what happened to manners ....You donlt have to like someone but calling them ****e to their face??.....and as a parent are proud of this kind of behaviour ?
If I said anything rude to an adult when I was young I'd wouldn't do it again

DEFTLEFTHAND · 27-11-2016 12:05am

Limerick's greatest pseudo intellectual.

The desperately average Blind Boy Boatclub.

markfla · 27-11-2016 12:08am

Deirdre o kane did a free gig in work a while ago. We were emailed to try turn up due to low interest. Says it all.

darlett · 27-11-2016 12:27am

myshirt wrote: »

Karl Spain is undoubtedly the most appallingly bad comedian out there. Met him once as it happens, over 15 years ago, and the young lad said aren't you the guy I seen on the telly.

Karl was smiling ear to ear, as proud and smug as they come. 'Yeah, that was me' he said.

Quick as a flash the lad said 'Well, you were sh!te', and we walked off.

Have since stumbled on this man's stuff over the years. Bad. Very bad.

MPFGLB wrote: »

Very rude I'd say...what happened to manners ....You donlt have to like someone but calling them ****e to their face??.....and as a parent are proud of this kind of behaviour ?
If I said anything rude to an adult when I was young I'd wouldn't do it again

Indeed. It seemed at first reading that 'proud and smug' was a criticism of Karl Spain, but it turned out to be the goal. A real 'mic-drop' moment.

...__... · 27-11-2016 1:54am

Patrick Kielty I wish the Columbians had disappeared him
And June Rodgers not sure if she falls in the category of comedian but if I hear that stupid laugh on the radio again this year for her xmas pantomime Ill throw the radio out the window.

Dannyriver · 27-11-2016 2:04am

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Limerick's greatest pseudo intellectual.

The desperately average Blind Boy Boatclub.

God forbid an artist should have an opinion. I doubt for a second that blind boy sees himself as an intellectual in any sense of the word, that statement says more about you than it ever could about him, but deep down you probably know that already Id say.

chicorytip · 27-11-2016 2:55am

The Apres Match team are talented, original, comedic performers and writers.
I also enjoy Paul Woodfull.

27-11-2016 6:23am

Dylan Moran is excellent - has a few misses but very many more hits.
Dara Ó'Briain is very good - very intelligent and is excellent at improv, playing off the crowd etc.
Ed Byrne gets a lot more hate than he deserves imo. He's not the greatest or most original comic ever, but he is quite witty and has some good stuff in his repertoire.
Aisling Bea is ok, nothing groundbreaking but she has her moments.
Maeve Higgins is not side-splittingly funny but I find her very likeable as a person - her delivery isn't always the best (supposedly she's quite a shy and unassuming individual, not the type you'd normally associate with comedy) but her material isn't half bad.

Andrew Maxwell, PJ Gallagher, Katherine Lynch and Jason Byrne are as funny as cancer (and not in an ironic "Rhythm is a Dancer" way). They may be lovely people for all I know but they cannot raise so much as a light titter from me.

topmanamillion · 27-11-2016 7:22am

Oliver Callan. No idea what people see in him. He throws a load of fake tan and a plastic forehead on and he`s Marty Morrisey. WOW.
He`s also delved into the hack comedian pursuit of giving his view on everything from water charges to feminism.

Jerichoholic · 27-11-2016 7:31am

I'll tell you whose not funny, not funny in any way. Rories Stories. This lame garbage is on Republic of Telly now. RTE needs to shut down.

Unfunny Irish comedians <<MOD note in OP>>

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