Such a pity that the vile Ross Noble was on Good News Week tonight doing his usual take up as much space – physical and metaphorical – as possible thing. Maybe it’s just me, but I could deal with him not being in the slightest bit funny if only he actually occasionally let someone else get a word in. At times, it looked like Mikey and Paul shared that view… It was a particular pity that we got to hear so little from the wonderful Kristen Schaal. There’s a bit of cross-promotion going on from Ten (and not for the first time in the revived GNW) in that she’s one of the main characters in Flight of the Conchords – a sitcom which is giving New Zealand and Australia a whole new image for US HBO viewers. It starts later this year on Ten, but the enterprising might just figure out some way or other to get a preview. Anyway, Kristen is a stand-up talent in her own right, so by way of compensation for GNW viewers, here she is (some language NSFW):
17 Responses to “It’s Good News egotistical blokes’ Week”
Leave a Reply
Please read the comments policy. If you would like an icon beside your comment, please register a Gravatar.
There is a Comments Preview function below the typing box which activates when you start typing.
I dunno Kim – Ross Noble may talk too much in a group situation, but his ability to improvise several callbacks into the one spontaneous gag is something to behold in his solo standup work.
As for Ms. Schaal, her Comedy Festival show did win a Barry Award, and it was pretty damn good. Her closing sketch is a marvel of absurdist humour…
I reckon Ross Noble’s fantastic. This sort of group comedy is competitive. Some styles work better than others.
Yep Kristen Schaal’s was the funniest thing I’ve seen at the festival for many years. I felt pretty sure that every person in the very extensive audience had downloaded and repeatedly viewed FoTC, too. Channel 10 = bloody hopeless.
More proof of LP’s anti-Geordie bigotry.
You people disgust me.
I know Kristen has done one spot on the Daily Show. Not sure if she is to be a regular but she’d be a great addition to the roster of correspondents.
Oh , and does anyone know when FotC will air on 10?
Yep, she was great value on the Daily Show.
Each to their own re Noble. But he’s a rude bastard in taking up so much of the comedic space on GNW. I don’t think anyone could argue that he didn’t completely dominate the show and Schaal really didn’t have much of a chance to showcase her own talent.
It’s always instructive to note how far away the female guest (invariably in the middle on Mikey’s side) sits from the loudmouth on the end (when the end spot is occupied by a loudmouth).
I also feel that Claire Hooper often cops the wrong end of the pineapple.
Ross Noble is a complete tosser.
Overseas, so I didn’t see GNW, but I have to put in a vote for Ross Noble. He’s hugely funny doing standup live – there are few comedians I’d prefer to see if I had to choose. “Vile”? What on earth justified that?
What does wrong end of the pineapple mean, re: hooper?
I personally don’t think she’s very funny, seems mainly a cheap and easy cynicism, basically the worst of paul and mikey’s comedy. That said, I don’t think the show has actually been funny, per se, since maybe it’s third season on the abc.
She also doesn’t always get much of a word in, is all, patrickg. Though I’m not sure she’s all that good either. I think she’s a patronage appointment from Paul – she was sposed originally to only appear once or twice on his ABC show last year but ended up with a regular gig.
I’m another fan of Ross Noble’s solo work, and I only saw the final half-hour of GNW, but I agree he did take up more than his fair share of space. I would suggest that this also comes down to McDermott being a crap moderator when they do the show on stage – it’s much tighter when they do it in the studio, although of course it’s the producer there doing the moderating more than McDermott.
Adam Hills on Spicks’n'Specks seems to generally be a better moderator for the egotistical bloke comedian brigade, but that might also have something to do with the comedians on that show knowing that they are definitely not supposed to smother contributions from the musical guest stars.
“Adam Hills on Spicks’n’Specks seems to generally be a better moderator for the egotistical bloke comedian brigade, but that might also have something to do with the comedians on that show knowing that they are definitely not supposed to smother contributions from the musical guest stars.”
Also might be related to all 3 regulars on Spicks and Specks being almost unsufferably lovely people.
Take a look at it yourselves and make your own mind up. I honestly can’t see where the hostility comes from. Kristen Schaal is great, but her whole persona is that of a shy retiring socially awkward type. She is hardly likely to shine in a panel show like that.
The one who really gets up my nose is Paul McDermott. Gad. Haven’t we all seen enough of the Paul, Mikey & Flacco show?
If there’s criticism to be made, it should be directed to the producer. It’s his job to ensure there’s a mix of comedians that work in the particular context of a game show and in the context of the regulars (Paul, Mikey & Chloe). It doesn’t work to have comics like Schaal who’s a more of a gentle, storytelling type of comic. It’s not the job of the other comedians to ensure that everyone gets a fair go. The concept of ‘rude bastard’ doesn’t really apply.
‘Spicks ‘n’ Specks works in a different way. Compare Adam Hills with Paul McDermott. And I suspect that maybe related to Channel 10 and the ABC aiming for different audience demographics than each other.
“If there’s criticism to be made, it should be directed to the producer. It’s his job to ensure there’s a mix of comedians that work in the particular context of a game show and in the context of the regulars”
Lot harder to do if the producer has to satisfy the stations cross promotional ‘needs’ though.
Ross Noble stole the show. He was so funny that night that my husband and I purchased tickets to attend his Sydney show on Friday night. Such a funny and clever comedian, and well worth the 11 hour round trip to see him!!
Dont take yourselves so seriously.