Unfunny Irish comedians <<MOD note in OP>>

Chris Martin · 25-11-2016 3:59am

Can't stand slapstick comedy and impressionists.
Therefore was never going to fall in love with Rubberbandits or Rosenstock.
Not a fan of Republic of Telly either, didn't like Podge and Rodge back in the day.

Am a massive Dara fan, particularly when he's with Ed Byrne, although I'm not a huge fan of Ed on his own, they really do get the best out of each other.
Tommy Tiernan's best days are sadly behind him, can tell even by his stand up shows.

Am a big fan of comedians, like the clever, witty and sarcastic stuff.. never going to get people who like everyone, you can't force yourself to like someone.
I tried so much to like Lee Evans but I really couldn't.

Mena Mitty · 25-11-2016 7:35am

mosstin wrote: »

That PJ Gallagher has only been mentioned once is remarkable.

Ha ha you mean ha ha P.J. ha ha Gallagher ha ha.

fizzypish · 25-11-2016 11:12am

My GF always looks at me funny when I say Brendan Grace is fantastic. I'm delighted he isn't getting shat on here. For what he does its brilliant. Niall Tobin had a great show too. I'm remember both of these fondly from childhood so I'm a bit biased. I seen Brendan Grace on the TV last X mass and thought it was still pretty good. A lot of Tommy bashing. His early stuff was excellent but he then went through a shouty phase. Anyone remember the show where he made the girl cry for taking a video of him on stage. That was not a funny show.

razorblunt · 25-11-2016 11:17am

Cake Man wrote: »

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?

I saw him at the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time in years last August and I thought he was very good. Sold out show too into the 3rd week, something seemed different about him too, a lot more relaxed.

Ed Byrne would be my pick, he has a lot to be thankful for, then again Dara O'Briain is a big guy!

Joe_ Public · 25-11-2016 12:50pm

Oliver Callan isn't the unfunniest comedian out there, that's a very competitive category, but I'd say he's one of the most deluded. He seems to be under the impression that his caustic brand of satire is the reason he hasn't got a tv show and why the establishment is supposedly hostile towards him (assuming it even cares). This, of course, is rubbish. Public figures love being satirised by comedians, it keeps them relevant and somehow makes them seem more human. Thatcher loved her portrayal on Spitting Image, for example. The more biting the satire, the more public figures lap it up. Callan seems to be the only one who fails to recognise that he lost whatever tiny relevance he had years ago.

My heart sags whenever I hear the words "Oliver Callan" on radio one and I know a very unfunny Enda Kenny skit is about to unfold. The term one trick pony immediately springs to mind though, in fairness, he's far from on his own in that.

Widdershins · 25-11-2016 1:16pm

Thanks for the recommendations, Op. I had never heard of Romesh

yosser hughes · 25-11-2016 1:19pm

razorblunt wrote: »

I saw him at the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time in years last August and I thought he was very good. Sold out show too into the 3rd week, something seemed different about him too, a lot more relaxed.

Ed Byrne would be my pick, he has a lot to be thankful for, then again Dara O'Briain is a big guy!

I couldn't agree more, him and Andrew Maxwell. Not only are they not funny, they are utterly charmless. Sneering and smug would be the two adjectives I'd use.
Oh, add Colm O'Regan to that list.
PS:
Why do all comedians have exactly the same political outlook? There's a niche there for someone.

andekwarhola · 25-11-2016 1:19pm

Just don't get that shouty Tommy Tiernan style either. Kinda like Pat Shortt though.

Stonedpilot · 25-11-2016 1:20pm

Aidan Killian is another crap comedian who springs to mind, hasn't been mentioned yet as no one probably has heard of him but a real spiteful character. Often goes on big unfunny conspiratorial rants and tries in vain to berate those in the audience who don't agree. I like truthful and social commentary comedy but this guy is just so so awful at it like a incoherent street preacher mixed with the barstool drunk babbling. No clarity or wit whatsoever.

Easy Rod · 25-11-2016 1:22pm

suicide_circus wrote: »

That young fella whose whole shtick is that he's gay and now that he's depressed. Not a single glimmer of originality.

I don't think he's funny in the slightest but being depressed is not a 'schtick'. Fair play to him for talking openly about it.

The best Irish comedians working right now are Foil, Arms & Hog.

There's also a few smaller Twitter/Facebook comedians like Chap's Eye and Brilliant Shane who are fantastic and very original.

frozenfrozen · 25-11-2016 1:23pm

I'm very sympathetic to comedians, it's a hard gig and depression is nearly a job requirement.

Out of everyone else listed so far I think most of them could probably be funny in the right setting. You can't blame them for trying anything to make money any way they can.

If anyone has a real interest in comedians listen to "An Irishman Abroad" podcast hosted by Jarleth Regan. A really good insight into their lives. A particularly good one (which I wasn't expecting it to be) was Bernard O'Shea. Him talking about being hated and moving from gig to gig where the response was just so bad was a really good listen.

If anyone thinks all female irish comedians are bad have a listen to Aisling Bea, she's great.

Nidom · 25-11-2016 1:23pm

I second Foils, Arms & Hog, some brilliant stuff.

Stonedpilot · 25-11-2016 1:26pm

Nidom wrote: »

I second Foils, Arms & Hog, some brilliant stuff.

Have funny moments alright, my favourite Irish short sketches is Sminky Shorts. Though they are few and far between.

Jrop · 25-11-2016 1:32pm

I don't find Mc Savage or Alison Spittle remotely funny. I can't understand the D'unbelieveables.

razorblunt · 25-11-2016 1:43pm

frozenfrozen wrote: »

Out of everyone else listed so far I think most of them could probably be funny in the right setting. You can't blame them for trying anything to make money any way they can.

If anyone thinks all female irish comedians are bad have a listen to Aisling Bea, she's great.

I agree on Aisling Bea, I like her.

With regard to the "right setting", comedians as a job seems to have evolved from doing a run of comedy gigs, to doing some for a while and getting a spot on tv and trying to hold on to tv as long as possible.

In the UK now there seems to be a band of comedians that do nothing but jump from one panel show to another, by the time you go to see them live, they don't have any new material.

That's probably the one thing Bea needs to avoid, but from what I've seen so far, tv wise she seems to be a genuine funny person rather than a "read from the script of the panel show and wait for the gap for your material" funny.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 25-11-2016 1:48pm

PJ Gallagher is a complete dose, even when being interviewed he has that stupid fake laugh that he puts on no matter what the question. He is not funny, never was and never will be.

frozenfrozen · 25-11-2016 2:06pm

razorblunt wrote: »

I agree on Aisling Bea, I like her.

With regard to the "right setting", comedians as a job seems to have evolved from doing a run of comedy gigs, to doing some for a while and getting a spot on tv and trying to hold on to tv as long as possible.

In the UK now there seems to be a band of comedians that do nothing but jump from one panel show to another, by the time you go to see them live, they don't have any new material.

That's probably the one thing Bea needs to avoid, but from what I've seen so far, tv wise she seems to be a genuine funny person rather than a "read from the script of the panel show and wait for the gap for your material" funny.

I agree. It is such a strange world for comedians now. Before they could write material and then go perform it and get paid for the gig, then do a comedy album and burn the material after using it for the previous 12 months.

But now they need to constantly be tweeting funny things, writing material for upcoming panel shows where they will need 3 or 4 funny jokes per topic. They need to be up to date on political issues and be ready to spout from their soap box any time they get a few hundred retweets on a joke. They are asked to go on the radio and comment on serious issues, and go on TV to do documentary/serious programs when the producers think the boring idea is just missing a funny host to liven it up. Then they go to the few remaining comedy clubs and they have people who have only seen their tweets, have only heard them on the radio, have only seen them on panel shows from 2009 because they're on Dave. And they have to deliver a set to accommodate all these different people. Combine that with the fact that some people in the room will be uploading clips to youtube, comedians are expected to be producing jokes and burning them after one single use.

For as bad as some Irish comedians are, there are a lot of them giving a really good effort at the above, and a few of them even managing to pull it all off convincingly.

I say fair play to any comedian, even the **** ones.

25-11-2016 2:15pm

Im biased cos hes from my home town but i genuinely think Fred Cooke is halirious.

Detest Tommy Tiernan, that Kevin McAleer gets on my nerves as well

paulbok · 25-11-2016 3:10pm

Senor Fancy Pants wrote: »

That Dermot Whelan guy from the radio.

D1ckhead

This is about unfunny comedians.
Whelan is just some t1t off tv who said one day "I'm going to be a comedian now", and somehow people think he is one.
Bit like a guy who buys a fancy calculator and sets himself up as an accountant.

Austria! · 25-11-2016 3:12pm

kildare lad wrote: »

jason byrne is the worst comedian i have ever seen. He tries so hard to be funny its cringy.

They all try hard to be funny. And they spend years playing **** gigs to drunk crowds to try and get there. What are they supposed to do, stop making the jokes that demonstrably work? If they are making a living from it you cant say they aren't funny, because they clearly are to enough people to make a viable career.

I don't see why comedians get this level of hatred, compared to almost any other harmless profession. Do people assume not liking a comedian makes their humour more discerning and sophisticated? You are allowed to not like things. Just change the channel and move on.

Cupcake_Crisis · 25-11-2016 3:23pm

yabadabado wrote: »

Al Porter is absolutely terrible.

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

I think he's hilarious. Saw him twice in the laughter lounge and he was the only one who got a laugh either time.

Comedy is subjective. I can't abide the the likes of Rosenstock or the rubberbandits, but I love Al Porter or Dylan Moran. Whatever makes you laugh!

Glenster · 25-11-2016 3:27pm

Stonedpilot wrote: »

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!.

Yer man from Damo and Ivor is the modern Oscar Wilde in fairness.

Kadser · 25-11-2016 6:12pm

MadDog76 wrote: »

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

Just think if there were gender quotas in Irish comedy and we had a dozen Deirdre O'Kanes!

DEFTLEFTHAND · 25-11-2016 6:15pm

Not Irish obviously but Joan Rivers was an excellent female comedian.

I loved the non PC, sharp witted New Yorker persona she developed for himself. People were aghast that a WOMAN, yes a WOMAN could say such things.

Kadser · 25-11-2016 6:21pm

A Joan Rivers-type comedian would never get anywhere in PC Ireland.

fryup · 25-11-2016 6:26pm

murpho999 wrote: »

This thread is just going to lead to every known Irish comedian and how unfunny they are despite having successful careers as comedians.

Why can't people accept that different people have different tastes?

yep, comedy is subjective...we all have a different sense of humour

take Al Porter, some people on this thread don't like him...but i think he's brill and i have no doubt in my mind he'll be a huge TV personality on british TV ala Graham Norton

darkdubh · 25-11-2016 7:43pm

Three words. Noel V Ginnity. Most of the people posting here are probably too young to remember him luckily. He was kidnapped and held to ransom by a Dublin criminal gang in the mid 90s. After he was freed he appeared on the Late Late with Gaybo where he subjected the nation to several of his stand up routines. If theres been an unfunnier so called "comedian" to emerge from Ireland then my names Donald Trump.

MadDog76 · 25-11-2016 7:44pm

Chris Martin wrote: »

Am a big fan of comedians, like the clever, witty and sarcastic stuff.. never going to get people who like everyone, you can't force yourself to like someone.
I tried so much to like Lee Evans but I really couldn't.

Why????

Kadser · 25-11-2016 7:53pm

MadDog76 wrote: »

Why????

Have you seen the movie The Fifth Element?

MadDog76 · 25-11-2016 7:54pm

frozenfrozen wrote: »

If anyone thinks all female irish comedians are bad have a listen to Aisling Bea, she's great.

You must be f*cking joking!!??!!! :eek:

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 25-11-2016 7:56pm

Dave mc Savage I think he is very funny. The savage eye brilliant piece of comedy tv. Seen him on the late late show brilliant.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 25-11-2016 7:57pm

I remember flicking on to one of those Lee Evans specials years ago. The comedy routine was not to my taste but at the end of the show a piano was brought out on stage and he sang a lovely song with his Dad.

He was bloody brilliant, he should have focused his showbusiness ambitions towards music not comedy.

lawred2 · 25-11-2016 7:59pm

Liam28 wrote: »

Al Porter anyone? Best I can say about him is that he is not as bad as Oliver Callan. And the original and worst unfunny comedian, Brendan O'Carroll. Say 'feck' enough times and some people will laugh. Still he has made his fortune in the UK.
Agree about Tommy Tiernan and Des Bishop who have not been funny in 10 years. And Jason Byrne never was and never will be funny.
There are some good Irish comedians. Dara OBriain is funny and witty. Mario Rosenstock is talented and funny some of the time. Eh, I'm sure there are more.
Here's a classic sketch from the late, great Dave Allen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upEBdKFGlPg

Rosenstock is the furthest thing from funny

Cortina_MK_IV · 25-11-2016 8:01pm

darkdubh wrote: »

Three words. Noel V Ginnity. Most of the people posting here are probably too young to remember him luckily. He was kidnapped and held to ransom by a Dublin criminal gang in the mid 90s. After he was freed he appeared on the Late Late with Gaybo where he subjected the nation to several of his stand up routines. If theres been an unfunnier so called "comedian" to emerge from Ireland then my names Donald Trump.

Throw "Mr. Comedy Himself" Sil Fox in as part of that era.

micar · 25-11-2016 8:05pm

Brendan grace.....purely awful

lawred2 · 25-11-2016 8:07pm

Chris Martin wrote: »

Can't stand slapstick comedy and impressionists.
Therefore was never going to fall in love with Rubberbandits or Rosenstock.
Not a fan of Republic of Telly either, didn't like Podge and Rodge back in the day.

Am a massive Dara fan, particularly when he's with Ed Byrne, although I'm not a huge fan of Ed on his own, they really do get the best out of each other.
Tommy Tiernan's best days are sadly behind him, can tell even by his stand up shows.

Am a big fan of comedians, like the clever, witty and sarcastic stuff.. never going to get people who like everyone, you can't force yourself to like someone.
I tried so much to like Lee Evans but I really couldn't.

Rubberbandits and Rosenstock are almost at opposite ends of the spectrum. It's an insult to the bandits to be mentioned in the same breath as Rosenstock.

Slapstick? Are you sure you were watching the right act?

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 25-11-2016 8:18pm

lawred2 wrote: »

Rosenstock is the furthest thing from funny

I couln'd agree more just the same old sketches all the time. Tries to take off Miriam o Callahan, Michael D and Enda Kenny. How he makes a living out of trying to be funny is beyond belief. As for that other egit Oliver Callan he couln'd make a clown laugh.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 25-11-2016 8:19pm

lawred2 wrote: »

Rosenstock is the furthest thing from funny

I couln'd agree more just the same old sketches all the time. Tries to take off Miriam o Callahan, Michael D and Enda Kenny. How he makes a living out of trying to be funny is beyond belief. As for that other egit Oliver Callan he couln'd make a clown laugh.

MPFGLB · 25-11-2016 8:30pm

mfceiling wrote: »

No he isn't.

Dylan Moran is seriously funny. Kudos also to David O'Doherty.

Dylan Moran's Monster standup gig (dvd) circa 2004 is actuallyl genius..Up there with Richard Pryor and Bill Hicks for me....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5tiSbTlGVg

tonycascarino · 25-11-2016 8:35pm

Dara Ó Briain....About as funny as picking up aids...

The Humble Sausage · 25-11-2016 8:35pm

Aisling bee. Deirdre okane. Jarlath Regan.

ArnoldJRimmer · 25-11-2016 8:42pm

micar wrote: »

Brendan grace.....purely awful

In fairness, I cant imagine his act has evolved that much since the eighties when he was a huge star. His target audience still love him, same with Brendan O'Carroll, even though I don't find either very funny.

I just cant get my head around how anyone could find Maeve Higgins or Jason Byrne funny in the first place. I know comedy is subjective, but its painful watching them.

I like Dara O'Briain and Dylan Moran. Dave McSavage might be a bit of a knob, but I did find parts of the Savage Eye entertaining

Thundercats Ho · 25-11-2016 8:43pm

Kevin Gildea. The comedic equivalent of kidney stones.

I quite like some Irish comedians, just not as stand ups.

Tommy Tiernan is funny giving interviews, but is way too shouty doing stand up.

Surprisingly, Brendan O Carroll is funny in interviews too, but woefully unfunny when trying to be funny!!

Ed Byrne, Dara O Briain, Des Bishop, Andrew Maxwell are just painful.

Sharon Horgan and Ashling Bea are quite funny too, but I've never seen them do standup.

I think there's plenty of funny Irish comedians. They're just not very good at standup..

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 25-11-2016 9:12pm

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

In fairness, I cant imagine his act has evolved that much since the eighties when he was a huge star. His target audience still love him, same with Brendan O'Carroll, even though I don't find either very funny.

I just cant get my head around how anyone could find Maeve Higgins or Jason Byrne funny in the first place. I know comedy is subjective, but its painful watching them.

I like Dara O'Briain and Dylan Moran. Dave McSavage might be a bit of a knob, but I did find parts of the Savage Eye entertaining

Brendan Grace is for the older generation. My mum went to see him in our local arts centre €25 a pop and sold out. He was pissed doing the same old jokes and bottler. Did around sixty minutes and looked like he couln'd wait to get to the pub. Handy money.eh

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 25-11-2016 9:12pm

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

In fairness, I cant imagine his act has evolved that much since the eighties when he was a huge star. His target audience still love him, same with Brendan O'Carroll, even though I don't find either very funny.

I just cant get my head around how anyone could find Maeve Higgins or Jason Byrne funny in the first place. I know comedy is subjective, but its painful watching them.

I like Dara O'Briain and Dylan Moran. Dave McSavage might be a bit of a knob, but I did find parts of the Savage Eye entertaining

Brendan Grace is for the older generation. My mum went to see him in our local arts centre €25 a pop and sold out. He was pissed doing the same old jokes and bottler. Did around sixty minutes and looked like he couln'd wait to get to the pub. Handy money.eh

tipptom · 25-11-2016 9:13pm

There used to be a show on RTE a few years back that was a rip off of "Have I got News For You",it had the motherload of seriously bad "RTE type comedians" trying to be witty and failing miserably.

RTE has a lot to answer for forcing some of these people on us.

K-9 · 25-11-2016 9:19pm

MPFGLB wrote: »

Dylan Moran's Monster standup gig (dvd) circa 2004 is actuallyl genius..Up there with Richard Pryor and Bill Hicks for me....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5tiSbTlGVg

Moran is a step above the others.

A lot of the comedians mentioned here are on the road 10 or 20 years, must be hard to keep it going, Tommy Tiernan a perfect example of that.

Ed Byrne would be the one I don't rate at all. Patrick Kielty was funny for about 2 years.

25-11-2016 9:23pm

tipptom wrote: »

There used to be a show on RTE a few years back that was a rip off of "Have I got News For You",it had the motherload of seriously bad "RTE type comedians" trying to be witty and failing miserably.

RTE has a lot to answer for forcing some of these people on us.

The Panel? Sure Mairead Farrell was one of the contributors on it thats how bad it was. That idiot Maxwell was on it and Colin Murphy hosted it.

Dont feed the Gondolas with Moncrieff, Brendan o'connor and Dara o'bhrian was better IIRC

Jimmy Garlic · 25-11-2016 9:28pm

tipptom wrote: »

There used to be a show on RTE a few years back that was a rip off of "Have I got News For You",it had the motherload of seriously bad "RTE type comedians" trying to be witty and failing miserably.

RTE has a lot to answer for forcing some of these people on us.

Colin Murphy has been making exactly the same faces and telling exactly the same jokes for years. Irish comedians never evolve, they are incredibly stale. Des Bishop still plays the ''Yank in Ireland'' shtick on a loop despite the fact that he has lived here most of his life.

Dick phelan · 25-11-2016 9:30pm

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

Unfunny Irish comedians <<MOD note in OP>>

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