Television – Page 190 – ComedyNews.Org :: Comedy News Organization

Beyoncé to Black Mirror; the culture that defines 2016

December 30, 2016TheGuardian

How better to make sense of this turbulent year than through the art and literature it has produced? Our critics choose the works that sum up the last 12 months

If there is one film that holds a political key to understanding 2016, it is Ghostbusters: that funny, good-natured, easygoing female remake of the 1980s original. The movie, and the way it was received and viciously attacked online, told us something vital about the hive mind of the US’s reactionary right. It starred Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. Wiig and McCarthy were already well known; McKinnon was the upcoming SNL superstar who was later in the year to become famous for her Hillary Clinton impersonation – but it was the African-American comic Jones who became the particular object of unpleasant abuse, reminiscent of #gamergate vitriol, naturally with a racist slant, though everyone was attacked, and all for daring to remake and allegedly “spoil” the original with a gender switch.

Comedy in 2017: Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and the French Seinfeld

December 30, 2016TheGuardian

The next year promises a wealth of standup, from old favorites and much-buzzed newcomers, and small screen comedies to watch out for

Comedy is hard to predict – young stars arise from nowhere, old favorites fall from grace, and tastes change quicker than a six-second Vine (RIP). With that crucial caveat, here are few comedic things piquing our interest in the new year.

Whether you’re heading out to a show or curling with Netflix, there will be plenty of standup to see in 2017. After his sharp turn at the Oscars last year, Chris Rock is returning to his roots with his first standup tour in nearly a decade. That tour will eventually result in two Netflix specials for anyone who can’t catch him on the road.

Why I love… comedian and actor Mo’Nique

December 17, 2016TheGuardian

Her jokes can be uncomfortable, but then they come from uncomfortable situations

Do you remember that TV channel, Trouble? In the late 90s/early 00s, it was a colourful graveyard for American teen and young adult shows of the recent past, repackaged for young British eyes. It brought me TV shows no other channels would have thought to – and is how I came to watch The Parkers, and fall for the comedian and actor Mo’Nique.

The Parkers, a sitcom about a mother and daughter attending college together, was a nice break for Mo’Nique, now 48, but it was hardly her first outing in the business. She was doing stand-up before the siren call of TV, and if you haven’t watched her (filthy, hilarious, repeat: filthy) sets, particularly her turn on The Queens Of Comedy, I urge you to. Her jokes can be uncomfortable, but then they come from uncomfortable situations, and I appreciate that edge; her riff on “skinny bitches” will always make me laugh. Her raspy voice is like a shot of something strong and oaky, and her laugh is contagious, even when you’re semi-scandalised at the joke.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: