Important opinion poll on high-brow television entertainment

[donnaimmaculata]

A few weeks ago, I have started watching QI (because I got my hands on the pilot episode with Eddie Izzard, and I like Eddie Izzard), and it kinda snowballed. Now I'm through with the complete series 1-5 and watching series 6, and have branched out towards Have I Got News For You. I wonder: What do you think of any of the QI and HIGNFY participants? Alan Davies? Bill Bailey? Jo Brand? Dara O'Briain? Rob Brydon? Ian Hislop? Paul Merton's wit? The Angus Deayton scandal? David Mitchell? Andy Hamilton? Sean Lock? Jeremy Clarkson?

I went looking for, ah, in-depth information on both shows and the more regular participants, but so far, all that I could ascertain has been that Stephen Fry and Alan Davies are Totally Doing It, as are Ian Hislop and Paul Merton. And whilst I'm not entirely opposed to this idea, I'm more interested in casual chat, personal opinions (Alan Davies' hair - yes or no?), warnings ("Whatever you do, stay away from all Jimmy Carr material; he's fine on QI, but he's horrible in anything else."), recommendations and squeeing.

(Personally, I have become rather taken with Andy Hamilton - not in a crush way, I hasten to add. And went from finding Alan Davies an annoying twerp to "Hey, he's actually quite witty and squishable!")

Comments

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

I adore Alan Davies, especially in the series "Jonathan Creek" and in the mini-series "Bob and Rose (about a gay man who falls for a woman)

I also love Bill Bailey, who does quite a lot of stand up, as well as other panel shows (plus "Black Books," which is a fantastic comedy series...and I *hate* sitcoms *g*)

There's also a bit of QI RPF on the yuletide archive (under RPF: Quite Interesting), if you're into that.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm such an anglophile that my sense of judgement is seriously skewed when it comes to English performers, even when they're...not English *g* (like Dara Ó Briain, who...you can check out on youtube here) In fact, there are clips from almost all the QI participants on youtube)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Oh, I have checked out Alan Davies', um, body of work! I even bought the "Bob and Rose" DVD after I had already downloaded the show, because I needed to get my hands on the commentary with him and Russel T. Davies.

And I actually got into QI, because I liked Bill Bailey in the pilot so much that I had to see more of him being witty. Dara O'Briain is fabulous, too, but I didn't really like "Mock the Week" (the two episodes I've checked out so far). He seems so genuinely nice and adorable.

I'm such an anglophile that my sense of judgement is seriously skewed when it comes to English performers

Being analytical and all, I forced myself to watch a German comedian's stand-up routine yesterday and tried to determine why I didn't find him funny, whilst Alan Davies' cats bit from "Urban Trauma" had me in stiches. Obviously, I'm quite the anglophile myself.

[shocolate.livejournal.com]

Alan Davies is EDIBLE - my daughter and I adore him on QI.

Bill Bailey is a genius - you've seen his Kraftwerk impression??

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Ah, Alan! I found him unbearably annoying on the pilot, and then I hunted down series 5 and, two episodes later, I wanted to take him home and pat his hair and do unspeakable things to him.

I haven't seen Bill's Kraftwerk impression, but I'm sure youtube will provide. I saw him on Room 101, though, and his Cockney-ing up "Lady in Red" was sheer genius.

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

I heard that Bill Bailey's not doing any more comedy panel shows, which makes me sad. You should check out his stand-up shows, too.

David Mitchell is my absolute favorite panel guest (for everything... even the Jimmy Carr shows), and Dara O'Briain's always hilarious.

re: Jimmy Carr: One of the funniest things I've ever seen is the one year he did "Big Fat Quiz of the Year" with Russell Brand and Noel Fielding as guests.

I'm afraid I still fall into the "finds Alan Davies annoying" category.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

I'm slowly working my way through various shows, I'm sure I'll arrive at Bill Bailey's stand-up some time soon.

I've adored David Mitchell since his fantastic, elaborate and completely fabricated answer to the first question on QI "Europe", and he's the reason why I watched a couple of episodes of "Would I Lie To You?". I like his style, but I fear I can only take him in small doses.

I'm not sure about Russel Brand and Noel Fielding yet. But, y'know, working my way through British comedy, I'll get there sooner or later...

I totally get why you find Alan Davies annoying! He so is! But, for some reason, he amuses me and has very strokable hair.

[aubrem.livejournal.com]

I love QI. I used to watch all the eps on youtube until the BBC got heavyhanded and had them taken down. Now they just post little teasers themselves.

I love Stephen and Alan of course though I think they went from totally doing it to kinda being truly pissy with each other. Are they back doing it again? I love Bill Bailey and Dara O'Briain and Jeremy Clarkson. Of course I enjoy the rest as well. I miss watching it. : /

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Season 5 was the first one I watched (apart from the pilot ep, which sparked it all off), and they were definitely giving off "we're totally doing it" vibes there. I think season 4 was the weakest one, so perhaps you're right and they were being pissy with each other? Bill and Dara are always good value. And I disagree with Jeremy Clarkson on just about everything in the world, ever, but he does make me laugh.

[lyras.livejournal.com]

Bill Bailey is utterly wonderful: a brilliant stand-up comedian who is also a talented musician. Check out his Scott Walker/Jacques Brel/Slayer crossover parody. Also, I second shocolate's rec for the Kraftwerk impression. I saw him do that live, and I don't think anything will ever beat that moment when the audience realised what he was doing.

I miss the good old days of Have I Got News For You. Ian Hislop and Paul Merton sniping at one another and quietly taking the piss out of everyone else on the show...ah, magic.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

My only brush with Bill-the-musician has so far been his Cockneyed-up rendition of Chris de Burgh's "Lady in Red", which was utterly wonderful. I will have to check out his Kraftwerk impression, if only because it seems to be the pinnacle of German music as far as English comedians are concerned. (In the same way that Mr. Bean is the pinnacle of British humour as far as Germans are concerned.)

I saw only a few older HIGNFY episodes and was under the impression that Ian Hislop, Paul Merton and Angus Deayton were a good team and the hostile remarks between IH and PM on the one side and AD on the other side were only part of the show. And then I learned about the scandal and how the other two treated AD and was shocked. (Shocked! I tell you!) I couldn't bring myself to watch the last episode he presented.