Comedy: an opiate for the masses
Two big things in my life are music and comedy. During the long Covid-19 lockdown, I cited a different song each day that has meant something to me over my lifetime. In 2022/203 I did something similar with comedy sketches; again searching Youtube for videos I have particularly enjoyed over the many years I have watched the output of talented comedians who often critique the dark realities such as government corruption through the medium of laughter.
However, please note that comedy is a tricky thing and what can be funny for one person can be insulting to another. I personally do not find strong language offensive when it is used for comedic effect so I may from time to time cite sketches that contain strong language. When I do this I shall warn the reader so they can skip over these sketches if they are offended by strong language.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a Youtube video which contains the comedy sketches in the order I have cited them on this website that you can play for your enjoyment.
List Sketches by: Comedians
Sketches categorised by Weeks
A random set of seven sketches from the Comedy collection (Month 1: 1st April 2022 — Week 53: 31st March 2023)
Week 9: The Beatles, Morecambe and Wise (Month 2)
This clip combines one of the most naturally funny comedy duos with one of the greatest rock bands to ever grace our planet. Unfortunately, the footage is restored and quite old as it was filmed in 1963. However, it is still really iconic footage to watch and for both Beatle and Morecambe and Wise fans will make you feel very nostalgic.
Week 11: Advanced War Tactics, Blackadder (Month 3)
This video is a brief compilation of the final Blackadder series which was set in World War I. Although at one level it is very amusing, I guess, as is so often with humour, it is funny because it is only a relatively thin parody of the utter stupid strategy that the British ruling army class employed in World War I.
Week 14: Mastermind, Morecambe and Wise (Month 4)
So going back again into the early 70s here is another classic sketch from Morecambe and Wise. I must confess it is quite interesting looking back at the comedy of the seventies because it clearly demonstrates how humour is very generation and time specific. Morecambe and Wise were considered comic geniuses of their time but in some ways this sketch now appears almost quaint in its lack of parodic sophistication compared with more modern work that I have recently cited.
Of course as I have looked back at some of the old comics from the seventies, much of it would now be considered highly offensive. For example, there was a driving instructor sketch by Dick Emery which while it had some funny moments, also had moments that I would no longer find funny and which many would probably find offensive. To me this demonstrates how our sense of humour is deeply influenced by what our society considers to be inside the moral zeitgeist of acceptability for a particular generation.
Week 16: Nadine Dorries Conservative Party leadership campaign video, Sooz Kemper (Month 4)
So last week I shared a comedy video which was a parody of de Feffel's resignation speech. This week we of course now must be subject to the spectacle of those who supported Johnson's car crash vying to replace him. Given that Johnson created a strong evolutionary selection pressure to reward those who were least likely to present any threat to his leadership into cabinet positions, the choice the country has, in relation to the field of possible Tory replacements, is (as the LBC radio presenter James O'Brien stated) a bit like trying to chose a portaloo toilet at the Glastonbury festival.
Thankfully, probably the worst
Week 38: Going around for a birthday tea, Peter Kay (Month 9)
Peter Kay is a master of observation and so much stand up comedy relies on observing the funny little things that we all do as foible-ladened human beings.
Week 42: Information, Armstrong and Millar (Month 10)
This compilation of sketches parodies certain modern work environments where everyone competes for patronage from the alpha male that occupies some senior position in their company. As with so many workplaces, there is always the poor Declan who never can find a path into the in crowd no matter what juicy information titbit he brings his boss.
Armstrong and Miller in their comedy series often ran the same sketches for several weeks in a row developing the theme each time as this compilation demonstrates. However, this series of sketches has quite an amusing punchline to it which is the subject of next week's comedy post
Week 50: Moments of Wonder: Computers, Philomena Cunk (Month 12)
So Philomena Cunk aka (Diane Morgan) is a bit of an acquired taste. The concept of the character is that of someone with very little education producing a documentary. The series covers many varied topics including history, science, philosophy, music and politics. In this particular episode, she explores the computer and the history of its development. Part of her USP is to ask experts in the field rather basic questions which sometimes can almost seem profound in their simplicity (or stupidity) although of course, in this context, it is for comedic effect. In some ways, it reminds me of the ancient philosopher Socrates who was said to upset the learned men of his time by constantly asking why. The harsh reality, of course, is that by constantly asking "why" one is led to what is known as the infinite regress where we all are forced to the limits of human knowledge and left with that uncomfortable realisation that none of us really understand at all the strange reality in which we happen to find ourselves.
Year 2023: Occasional Post
RIP Matthew Perry (1969 - 2023)
RIP Barry Humphreys (1934 - 2023)
Month 12: March 2023
Week 53 - The final Sketch: Head to head discussion of the Beatles, Alas Smith and Jones
Week 52: Aeroplanes, Dave Allen
Week 51: Tunnel Contractor, Alas Smith and Jones
Week 50: Moments of Wonder: Computers, Philomena Cunk
Week 49: Happy Couples, Armstrong and Miller
Month 10: January 2023
Week 44: The work outing Part 2, The IT Crowd
Week 43: Striding Man - Fired, Armstrong & Miller
Week 42: Information, Armstrong and Millar
Week 41: Morecambe and Wise Christmas show 1978
Month 8: November 2022
Week 35: Boys are always more popular when they are murdered, Diane Morgan
Week 34: Dating a Republican, Garfunkel & Oates
Week 33: Cabinet Ministers Charity Appeal, Larry & Paul
Week 32: Braverman Shanty, The Marsh Family
Month 6: September 2022
Week 27: Mr Bean goes to the Dentist
Week 26 Butler of the Year, Morecambe & Wise
Week 25: Dr Death, The Two Ronnies
Week 24: Small Talk, The Two Ronnies
Week 23: Work outing part I, The IT Crowd
Month 11: February 2023
Week 48: Flight Announcement, Saturday Night Live
Week 47: Northerner terrifies Londoners by saying "Hello", The Mash Report
Week 46: Enlightenment - The little flowers, Armstrong and Miller
Week 45: Silly Money - Investment Bankers, Bird & Fortune
Month 9: December 2022
Week 40: The Private Eye The Year In Review 2022
Week 39: Blackadder The Third's Cunning Compilation, Blackadder
Week 38: Going around for a birthday tea, Peter Kay
Week 37: The Guys Who Wrote Frosty The Snowman, Ryan George
Week 36: Karaoke, Peter Kay
Month 7: October 2022
Week 31: Liv Truss Final Speech as Prime Minister, Nerine Skinner
Week 30: The Market are Spooked!, Matt Green
Week 29: The Room Next Door - Liz Truss and the Big Pie, Michael Spicer
Week 28: Why everyone on Strictly sleeps together, The Mash Report
Month 5: August 2022
Week 22: Honest Government ad PG Version
Week 21: Liv Struss Campaign Video, Nerine Skinner Comedy
Week 20: The Scammer Broke his phone after losing $2,000, Kitboger
Week 19: Hacker Lies In PMQs, Yes Prime Minister
The videos below will play all the Youtube videos in the order they were added.
If you click on the button in the top right
corner of the video below, it will bring up the full play list of videos and you can scroll down to select whichever one you want to play. Enjoy!