Mark the weak
Mock The Week is back. You might have seen me on the advert for the new series. And you might have seen me on the show numerous times in the past. The chances are that three-quarters of this blog’s readers have. So around the time a new series begins, I normally get messages asking when I’m going to be on. I’ve not been booked this time. I have a complicated relationship with Mock The Week. I thought it was time I did a blog about this rather than endlessly making reference to it in my live shows.
Mock The Week is an extremely well-executed show which has been successful beyond the wildest dreams of most panel shows, and made major stars of pretty much all its regulars. This is pleasing to someone who knows and respects and likes them all. Dara is one of the best stand-ups I’ve ever seen. Russell is brilliant (my mum doesn’t like him, but my mum doesn’t like anyone who’s not me). And so on. The core of the show has been in place for eight series or something now, and it does the trick perfectly. It is not the type of the show I would normally watch, but then, as I’ve said before, I don’t watch a lot of comedy, because it makes me feel like I’m at work.
Unfortunately I’ve never really got the hang of Mock The Week. Since the dynamic between the regulars is so well-honed, it’s not easy for guests to come in and make an impression – there are already enough talented people on the show (Dara, as I’ve said, could quite easily carry a half-hour show on his own, and that’s just the host). The people that tend to do it well are confident, fairly bullish comics with a lot of one-liners.
When I first went on the show, I was pretty nervous, said very little, and appeared very little on the TV as a result. (The recordings are two and a half hours long, so most of what happens is never seen.) As time has gone by, I’ve tried to get more and more involved when I’ve been on – supported by everyone who’s a regular on the show, because they are all really nice people and there is no element of trying to outdo each other, not on a personal level.
The trouble is that the show dictates a certain ‘trying to outdo each other’ agenda anyway, because it’s just the way that shows are bound to go, when everyone’s trying to get jokes in at the same time. So although everyone gets on well, some people will predominate, some people won’t. I’ve tended to be quite happy with my role, chipping in now and again. But there has been the odd show where I’ve struggled to say anything of note. When that happens, you feel a bit of a tool.
As a result I’ve always had mixed feelings about Mock The Week. Normally at the end of a recording, I feel pretty drained and unhappy and like I’m a shit comedian. However, when it’s on TV you tend to get a lot of positive comments. And there’s no doubt that I owe most of what popularity I have to my appearances on this show. And essentially, I’m a live stand-up, not a TV personality: my hope is that if people glimpse me doing a good joke on the telly, they will come and see me on tour, and then discover there’s much more to my act.
So, of course, I want to be in shows like Mock The Week, I think they’re good, but at the same time, I often feel a bit threatened by them.
However, in the last series (I think it was in January) I experienced what felt like a breakthrough of sorts. I had my best appearance on the show to date. I forced myself to be confident, got quite a few jokes into the edited version, and felt proud of myself.
But then, when it came to booking acts for this series, the producers told my agents that they still weren’t convinced about me. They felt I was ‘holding back’. I’m sure I won’t shock too many people if I say that shows like Mock The Week are mostly pre-planned, with each comedian knowing what material they’re going to do in each round. The people who make Mock The Week always feel that I’m not giving them my best material. In actual fact, I do try to, but it doesn’t always work, because my ‘material’ is mostly rambling stories and they want jokes about the news. And I also like to improvise and banter, but there isn’t much space for that on a show like Mock The Week, so it gets cut out, and then my contribution looks a bit puny. So, the producers went for a couple of other acts instead of me (I won’t name them, but they’re the ones who are usually on shows ahead of me).
As a result of all this I feel rather odd about Mock The Week. It has given me a lot of my popularity as a comedian. The producers booked me when I hadn’t really been on TV, and as a result I’ve been able to go on and do quite a lot of shows (Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Have I Got News…) which I feel I AM better suited to. Yet I always felt I hadn’t quite done myself justice. And then the one time I did feel I’d done myself justice, I got dropped. All in all, confusing.
I guess Mock The Week for me is like the brother you always looked up to, but could never impress. Not being in this series is like when you go out to the pub with the brother, think you’re doing a good job of seeming 18, but then you get thrown out and everyone disowns you. However, people do tend to come back bigger and stronger from such experiences. Perhaps in the end I’m cut out for slightly different things anyway. I hope in the meantime this has been interesting. And I hope tonight’s Mock The Week was good, if you watched it. Say hello to it from me.
Posted by Are TV Panel Shows Good For Stand-Up Comedians? | Tom Beasley on September 29, 2011
[...] News For You require a certain amount of battling to be heard. Stand-up comedian Mark Watson, in this blog post, said that Mock The Week works best for “confident, fairly bullish comics with a lot of [...]
Posted by Andrew on October 26, 2010
What I find frustrating about Mock The Week is precisely the way it is structured to make the atmosphere so barbed and competitive (right down to the ludicrous awarding of points and announcing winners). I’m thoroughly unconvinced that this is conducive to good comedy. The format works wonders for mediocre stand-ups (such as Andy Parsons, and yes, Frankie Boyle) who can deliver a blunt, rabble-rousing one-liner on cue, but it’s not so good for thoughtful, subtle comedians such as you.
It also frustrates me because it fakes spontanaeity where there so obviously is none. I hate that they think we’re so dumb we can’t tell the difference between an ad lib and a minute of someone’s routine.
All in all, though you might not feel the same, you’re better off out.
Posted by Some Words and Images. « Wassup Rockers on July 31, 2010
[...] with no guarantee they’ll get a favorable edit. And then there are those, like Mark Watson, who haven’t been invited back even though they’ve been good and likeable guests, if not always at the top of their game. [...]
Posted by Jen on July 8, 2010
late but who cares. 2 [related] opinions: I stopped watching MTW cos I found the relentless harshness of it wearing. It may be that the pressure to get a gag in the edit leads them to say ‘outrageous’ [ie nasty] things but I think that jokes based on the fact that Harriet Harman isn’t to be taken seriously cos shes not attractive to Russell bloody Howard are pretty rubbish jokes to be honest.
Also, I saw you live at Manchester and remember that gig as one of the best I’ve ever been to – lovely warm atmosphere, decent support acts, great night out. So, sod em. I’d take it as a compliment if you don;t make the edit.
Posted by glamlovinkitty on June 29, 2010
I haven’t been at all impressed so far with the new series. A few of the guests have been absolutely appalling.
Therefore, if it’s going to continue to be this bad for the rest of the series, I’m glad you’re not going to be on it.
)
Posted by Jonty Larr on June 28, 2010
Mark, if you ever need proof that TV execs don’t know what they’re talking about, look at the fact that Cowards only has one three episode series.
If I was in the business, I’d give you a television version of Substantially Better, as that is clearly your strong suit and plays regularly on my ipod, as it is funny time and again. But I’m not, so the best I can do for you is a bit of administrative work if you happen to take a holiday with the company for which I work.
Posted by James on June 28, 2010
I much prefer you in other things. I became a fan of yours after hearing Makes the world substantially better which gave you a full focus. MTW never did complement your style. Plus slightly cynical I always assumed production would cut out guests comments more and try to feature the regulars so that the audience watching at home would think they had more funny stuff to say.
Posted by Rachael on June 27, 2010
I always get bad marks on the assignments I think are the most interesting and spend the most time on, but the ones I think are bad turn out better. It’s sort of like that, but not really.
Posted by Tom Beasley on June 26, 2010
I adore Mock The Week. It’s one of my favourite shows on television at the moment. It does great things for its regulars and various comics (Milton Jones being a good example) thrive with its format.
I must say that Mock The Week doesn’t really suit you. As you say yourself, your comedy is more along the lines of rambling anecdotal stories than quick, topical jokes about the news, so you haven’t really found your feet there.
Shows like Never Mind The Buzzcocks suit you a lot more because there is a lot more opportunity to stray from the point and just chat about stuff. The entire quiz show part of it is less defined and that suits you.
So yeah, I wouldn’t mourn the lack of appearance if I were you. There are far better arenas for your talent.
Posted by Stuart on June 26, 2010
Hi Mark,
I was the cameraman down the front filming you at yesterday’s Employee Benefits Awards at the Park Lane Hilton.
Fantastic job sir, I shoot a lot of these awards things and there was a great atmosphere in the room, I loved your infomal way with the procedings, not really sure what the awards were for, but I know you went down really well!
oo, also filmed you a few years back at a corporate thing at the Four Pillars hotel by the lakes near Oxford with John Bishop. Weird builders conference, I seem to remember the pigeon story fell on the ears of drunken buildery types…
Much better today, enjoyed it so much, had to be careful not to wobble camera through laughing!!
Thanks!
Posted by Gilly on June 26, 2010
Right. Mock the Week. Being a Brit in California, I was not up to date on MTW (or most other panel shows) until I found secretive and not entirely legal ways to watch all of them. So I spent a few weeks catching up on Buzzcocks, MTW, Would I Lie To You (still haven’t been able to find We Need Answers) etc… and, knowing that, here are my thoughts.
Like many other people, I discovered you through Mock The Week. I also credit it for my discovering Adam Hills, Milton Jones, and Dara O’Briein (although admittedly I had seen him previously). Being too far away to really be able to watch live stand up, these shows are basically my only view into British comedy, so shows like WILTY, The Bubble, QI, as well as those already mentioned are the only places to find new people. And that is how I ended up here.
That was a very inarticulate way of saying that I am glad you did the show, and I enjoyed you on it. In case you couldn’t tell. Having said that MTW is definitely a regulars show, in a way that most other panel shows try not to be. HIGNFY and WILTY tailor their shows to the guest, it is ABOUT the guests, while MTW is invariably Russell, Dara, Hugh and Andy (who I do enjoy, some more than others) and a few others (no matter ow talented they may be). So really, as much as I’d love to see you on it, it’s not really the kind of comedy environment that is welcoming to your style (unlike, for example, Milton Jones, whose style fits perfectly).
As to the Producers decision, I’m not hugely impressed with their choices thus far anyway. There have been a number of comedians appearing on the show whose performances were dismal except for a few moments when Dara or Hugh was able to run with something.
My last exam seems to have fried my brain into rambling mode. Stop it, Gilly.
In summary: We like you, Mark. You amuse us endlessly. Don’t worry about them.
*hug*
Posted by Suz on June 25, 2010
I usually enjoy it, but Mock the Week was a bit pants last night. Dara was good (as always) but otherwise.. meh. Jack Whitehall was dreadful. ‘Hur hur, the Williams sisters are men’ jokes, really? Really? My God.
I don’t think it’s a bad thing not to be suited to the format. Frankie B and Andy P’s styles worked/work well on the show, but I wouldn’t go and see them live. It seems to be an efficient joke machine, whereas I prefer your warmer, rambling type of comedy. It’s more interesting, varied, and it has more personality.
For what it’s worth, I always thought ‘Ooh! Great!’ when I saw you were on the line up.
Posted by helen on June 25, 2010
i would say that it’s probably best to avoid stuff that makes you feel bad about yourself, which is why i don’t shop in topshop xx
Posted by Lydia on June 25, 2010
You are like the most human comedian ever. I know that’s a stupid thing to say, but it’s true. I usually find you guys seriously intimidating but I don’t feel like commenting on here is a massively scary thing to do. Which is a really good thing [:
I also think that it’s probably good you’re not doing Mock The Week if it makes you feel this way. I know that it is important to push boundaries or whatever, but the fact is you are a good, funny comedian and you shouldn’t take part in something that makes you feel any different.
I have a question for you, which kind of relates to Mock The Week because something Jack Whitehall said last night got me thinking about it again.
I’m basically just wondering what your opinion is on comedians making jokes to do with people with special needs.
My brother has autism, dyspraxia and epilepsy so obviously it’s a pretty sensitive subject for me. As much as I try and ignore it every time I hear any kind of joke, whether it’s said by a comedian or someone at college, I get angry. I can’t stand the way that the word “retard” is used now, and I find it really hard not to tell someone to shut up even when they’re using it in a casual sense.
But having said that I know I laugh at things in comedy that would insult other people, like jokes to do with religion or whatever. Because of that I know I probably don’t have the right to get offended just because someone said something personal to me.
I don’t know whether you make any jokes about this subject, and I’m not having a go at you or anything if you do, I just wondered what your opinion was either way. And I felt like it was okay to ask, ’cause of the not scary-ness and everything.
Thanks x
Posted by Sam on June 25, 2010
Interesting to hear your view on MTW, Mark. I’m a bit ambivalent about it. If it’s on and I catch it, it can be fairly amusing in parts – but I wouldn’t make any special effort to see it. Don’t think I’ve ever seen any episodes when you were on though, so can’t comment on how you came across.
I was first turned onto you a few years ago when you were doing your tour which had a title something like “I’m starting to worry that I think everything’s a bit shit” (sorry, I’m pretty sure that’s not the right title). You were playing The Stand in Glasgow as part of the Glasgow Comedy Festival and I went along with a friend as the title of your show appealed to me. We both thought it was great and I’ve been a fan ever since. You probably remember me, I was in the audience laughing. Not ringing any bells? Tut!
Posted by Linsey on June 25, 2010
I’ll admit I was looking forward to seeing you on this series! But as many of the wise people on this blog have said, the show has served it’s purpose, and it’s led onto much greater things for you.
It’s interesting to see comedians “speaking out” about the show – Milton Jones recently said how stressful and strange it is, and I’ve heard they find it difficult to find female comedians to go on it because of the pushy and rather male-dominated atmosphere (although it goes without saying there are amazing female comedians such as Sarah Millican who seem to take it in their stride). It does make watching it more interesting though when you hear it being spoken about in this way, and highlights more of the mechanics of the show. That’s about the only interesting part of this series, it seems to be suffering so far…
xx
Posted by (Magnificent) Josh on June 25, 2010
I agree with everyone in several respects.
1. It’s not really you
2. It’s not that good any more
3. You’re awesome
That’s all really
Posted by amycool on June 25, 2010
This reminds me of the summer production in primary school. I never auditioned because I was nervous and always got rubbish parts like “Fagin’s gang”. Then in year 6 I auditioned, thought I’d done well because I got through to the second round, and got the part of……
…a streetwalker. I was a 10 year old prostitute whose job it was to walk on, sing the opening song with about 30 other people, and then sit at the back in the chorus.
Okay, so admittedly, this probably wasn’t quite as upsetting as your situation. But at least you’re not being dressed up as a whore.
Posted by Laura on June 25, 2010
You’re too nice for it, and there are far worse things to be than too nice.
Posted by Anji on June 25, 2010
I, like ChrisP, am slightly pleased (possibly a better word could be used) you aren’t on MTW. I don’t watch it weekly, and then would feel bad when everyone would be saying you were great, because I hadn’t seen it. So thank you from saving me from guilt and inadequate feelings!
And as many have said, what suits one isn’t for all. Easy to say, knowing you should feel that way and actually accepting it 2 very different things. I’m having a wobbly morning accepting things that I can’t change. I know it’s th best thing for me. But damned if I can accept it, smile and move on. Bah.
And by the way, I image if years later you asked that older brother if he remembered the kicking out part, he’d say no, but tell you he was dead proud you gave it a go and took the results like a pro!
Posted by Phill on June 25, 2010
Personally I’m not a massive fan of Mock the Week. It does seem a bit abrasive, and it does seem most suited to comedians who do one-liners the best.
I think one of your gigs is far more creative than an episode of Mock the Week and I’d much rather see you live.
Incidentally I first found out about you via your radio 4 show (substantially better)
Posted by Ed Holroyd on June 25, 2010
I did watch last night’s Mock The Week. I laughed a couple of times, but didn’t think it was very good. All the people on it were too similar and were very much in the MTW mould. It was like watching occasionally funny stock market traders. It needs someone like you or Milton Jones to change the rhythm of it, otherwise it becomes one paced. I’m surprised the producers can’t see this.
To be honest [starts rant], I’m a bit tired of TV execs being obsessed with formats which they try and crowbar performers into. Why employ stand ups who are skilled in building hour long sets where they can take risks and then give them less time than you’d get for an open mic spot. They seem to have a very low opinion of the audience’s attention span. I think they should borrow some balls from Radio 4 and back comedians to do what they do best. When they do – I’m thinking of things like Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, The Dave Gorman Collection or the one off BBC 4 did of Demetri Martin’s If I – I find them much more compelling and just plain funnier than any of the 3 blokes sitting in a row, panel shows.
Posted by Corey on June 25, 2010
Mock The Week is how I first came across you. Must have seen an episode with you on, then at the Adelaide Comedy festival a few years ago we had one night and needed to choose one act to see. It was a straight ‘shootout’ between you and David O’Doherty, and you won!!! because I thought I’d seen you on MTW, and found you funny. Then as you say, seeing you live is seeing you at your best and saw a great show.
MTW is great, but it is what it is, its made for easy one liners, and it does come across as Hugh, Andy and Russell have their material ready, often Russell consults his notes, then the guests have to sneak their stuff in….must be hard.
Posted by Someone on June 25, 2010
I’ve seen Mock the Week live once and I have to say I thought it was hilarious and that they should broadcast the whole 3 hours of it instead of just 30 minutes, but I can completely see what a difficult environment it must be to work in.
When I saw it (back with Frankie, who really did seem to make the show what it was, and whom without, the show seems to have dwindled a bit into mediocrity) there was a comedian who I won’t name, not that anyone’ll probably read this but I’m just not meaning to be mean about him, but basically he was a bit rubbish at the recording and the environment built up in the studio after a while was just horribly tense and a bit vicious (at least i felt) and some of them actually seemed to get quite angry with each other as they struggled to get their own jokes heard.
There seemed to be a lot of negativity and I heard Russell mumble something to Ed about how he was unhappy or something and this dude just didn’t seem to be getting any laughs at all. Anyway in the edited version you can’t tell anything was up but as far as I know that was his one and only appearance on the show! And I’ve heard many other comedians mention how horrible it is trying to get a word in on the show too.
Basically anyway, I agree with a lot of the people here that I prefer you on most other shows to MtW just because you are able to get yourself across a lot better … say on Buzzcocks and of course your own shows. So no loss! It’s served it’s purpose and I don’t think it’ll last too many more series anyway… but I don’t know. It’s very late.
Posted by Kate W on June 25, 2010
Happy though I always am to see you on TV, I think all concerned are right – it’s not your format. The show’s set up to be fairly aggressive and definitely favours acts who major on one-liners. I think guests inevitably have a harder time making the final edit than the regulars, and quite a few people have said they found it a slightly bruising experience.
If being on MtW in the past’s helped people discover you and see your live work, that’s great and probably means you’ve got what you needed from it. It doesn’t sound as though it’s something you’ve particularly enjoyed and I agree it’s not the programme that shows you/your material to best advantage. Consider it like not being offered a job at Macdonalds – works out brilliantly for some people, but means you can get on with something that suits you better.
Posted by Lauren on June 25, 2010
I absolutley love Mock The Week but i must admit this season hasn’t been as good with the departure of Frankie and now that i’ve just found out you won’t be popping up during it *sadface*. I do think it’s not very fair that guests don’t get such a say in the shows and i actually have a dvd where you pop up in it a lot.. and you are a genuinly good comedian
I first saw you on an episode and thought ‘wow this guys really good’ and ever since then i watch you on nearly everything you appear in.. so you must be doing something right! I hope you appear on our tvs soon, be it on Mock the Week or (more hopefully) you’re own show 
Mark
Posted by Steph on June 25, 2010
I thought tonight’s Mock the Week was pretty poor. I rather liked last week’s but probably only because Milton Jones was on, and I find him absolutely barmy!
HIGNFY and Buzzcocks beat Mock the Week any day of the week
Posted by Daniel on June 25, 2010
Mock The Week is where I first came across you and you were instantly my favourite comedian. And it does seem like a bit of a bear pit there.
Posted by ChrisP on June 25, 2010
ooo SNL just appeared as I commented! That’s interesting, I love Chris Rock too, and the SNL digital shorts (and The Lonely Island stuff) but I didn’t realise there was such a clash there too.
Interesting.
Posted by ChrisP on June 25, 2010
I personally am not that sad to hear you won’t be on Mock the Week this series, because I think it is a big pile of poo and I now know I am not missing out on anything at all. what is the point of it? It’s basically, as far as I can see, HIGNFY for people who didn’t know what the N was that week anyway.
And as you said Mark, it is clearly very set up and I really hate the way it comes across as being so false. Every joke is pretty much spelled out, just as if in case nobody got it; there’s none of the subtlety or charisma of your more free flowing material in any of the shows. I would rater watch the Magners advert 60 times, I think that was funnier than the average MTW. I do like Dara though and a few other panelists are OK but not all of them by any means.
I’ll keep my eyes on the TV schedule for appearances of QI/Buzzcocks/FightingTalk/YHBW/LiveAtTheApollo endless list of better shows…
Posted by LisaD on June 25, 2010
You know, Chris Rock says the same sort of thing about Saturday Night Live. Hm, perhaps that’s too obscure a reference. Chris Rock? Nice little fella, bit of a potty mouth. I’ve often wondered what happened to him.
In a seriousness, when you were on MTW I used to get annoyed at some of the regulars. I think it made them seem a bit like comedy bullies. I’m sure they’re not at all like that, but the illusion that they were just being clever off the top of their heads certainly gets ruined under those circumstances. It’s a pity really, because I think the more off the cuff moments on the show are actually better than the more obviously planned material.
Posted by A lot of Rach[a]els on June 24, 2010
As everyone else has said it is a shame you won’t be on MTW this series.
I still can’t decide if I’m a fan of it, I’m not overly keen on the regulars as there are other comedians I by far prefer to them and they do take over the majority of the episodes. There are times when you wonder why the guests are on as they get cut off every so often.
But you were def. one of my fave guests to be on the show.
Posted by Gabi on June 24, 2010
Mark, like all of the readers of this blog, I am sad to hear you won’t be on MTW this series. I think your appearance on Argumental was amazing, and played up to all of your strengths. Like many people have said, the format for MTW is becoming a little tired, with certain regulars trying to fulfil other’s roles. You don’t need them! You rock
Posted by Megan on June 24, 2010
What Alex said.
I like Mock the Week, but I prefer Buzzcocks (for its ridiculousness and inclusiveness) and HIGNFY (for its sharp intelligence and general laid backedness/only vaguely competitiveness) and think you’re great on all three. I hope you don’t beat yourself up about it too much.
Posted by Alex on June 24, 2010
“my hope is that if people glimpse me doing a good joke on the telly, they will come and see me on tour, and then discover there’s much more to my act.”
That’s exactly what I did.
Posted by LaurenJ on June 24, 2010
It’s sad but understandable, you wouldn’t put up with something that made you feel tired or undervalued in any other career.But I always really did enjoy your appearences on the show!
But to be honest I was starting to get tired of Frankie Boyle dominating the show and I just don’t find Andy Parsons funny.
Posted by Laurs on June 24, 2010
Misha, I’m so glad someone else didn’t think MTW was great this evening. I did wonder whether the format has become tired and the regulars too big for the series…?
And Mark, I often find that the celebrities who do well on MTW seem to be quite egotistical, and that’s not a trait I admire, therefore, seeing as though you don’t come off as being egotistical in any way, shape or form, you shouldn’t want to be a part of that set up!
I tried to write in something that resembled coherent sentences, but I’m not sure I succeeded.
To summarise: I think that you are fabulous and brilliant!
Posted by Alice on June 24, 2010
By the way Aislinn, lovely link! All my friend live apart from each other now so I think I’ll suggest the same to them for when one of us is down.
Posted by LisaBrunders on June 24, 2010
Before I read this I put MTW on, but when I saw you weren’t on I turned over!
Thanks for explaining, it’s very interesting and good of you to share.
I don’t really know what else to say. I’m sure it’ll all work out for the best, things usually do. As one door closes … and all that.
Posted by Alice on June 24, 2010
Hello Mark,
it is a shame we won’t be seeing you via MTW, it’s a show I love but having seen and loved one of your shows there is so much more to a full show than a half hour of wisecracks. In fact I use this previous line of argument about Dara O’Briain, the first comedian I saw live, when I occasionally encounter those put off by MTW’s style.
That’s not to say that the story and the banter don’t work for tv, DVD recordings wouldn’t be made if they didn’t, and that is good news to me as it means hopefully I’ll get to see you on tv before long.
Posted by Shep on June 24, 2010
Watching ‘Mock the Week’ (which I like) reminds me of being in meetings at work and everyone being very competitive and trying to be clever. It all feels a bit contrived and I don’t think that suits you. I agree that you are funnier and seem more at ease on HIGNFY but I think your forte is, as you point out, stand up. I wasn’t sure about going to see you live but went on my own to the Lowry last year and liked your rambling stories and your joke about the tactical victory over the bear is still one of my favourites. Going to see you at the Apollo and looking forward to seeing you in your natural environment again.
Posted by Marie on June 24, 2010
I don’t think there’s any shame in not being invited on to MTW as a guest this series. Different people suit different formats.
I am a massive David Mitchell fan, and I think he’s brilliant on ‘Would I Lie To You’, but I don’t generally enjoy him on ‘Mock the Week’. I adore Stephen Fry and I think he’s a wonderful host on QI, but I didn’t enjoy his appearance on ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’.
For what it’s worth, I agree with you. I think you’re much better suited to shows like ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’ and I loved your appearances on it. That’s not to say that I didn’t like watching you on ‘Mock the Week’, and indeed, that’s how I first became a fan of yours.
Even as a viewer though, it’s very clear that MTW is a kind of dog-eat-dog format, where the object seems to be talking over the other guests to get your jokes out there. Dara does an amazing job of mediating, which is probably why the show is so successful, but it can be a tiny bit uncomfortable to watch on occasion. Especially if you see someone start a joke, but get talked over or during the final round, where it’s literally a case of racing to get to the microphone first.
As I said, different people suit different formats. A lot of the people who do ‘well’ on ‘Mock the Week’ would never survive an episode of ‘Argumental’.
I really hope this comment didn’t come across as patronising in any way.
Posted by Misha on June 24, 2010
Honestly, me Zoe and Katie (sorry, that should probably be Zoe, Katie and I grammar fans) were actually quite worried waiting for tonights blog. Seriously. Although we’re not sure if the nausea is hayfever or worry, since it hasn’t gone i’m assuming hayfever.
Anyway, it’s sad that we probably won’t see you on MTW, purely from a selfish point of view because I like seeing comics who make me laugh on my telly. It saves me having to go out and things. But as you’ve explained it probably makes sense, it’s a bit too, bolshy. For want of a better word. In the extended edits that are on the two dvds (nerd me?) there’s more of you on it. Which is nice.
Where am I going with this essay of a comment? I’m not sure. Anyway, the point stands it’s a shame, because I do enjoy the programme, and I like you. But I can also understand it. What the telly needs is more whimsical panelly games like The News Quiz.
Oh and tonights episode was just a bit shit. But then I have issues relating to Jack Whitehall, and his godawful voice.
Posted by fuzzy_ducky (Laura) on June 24, 2010
I watched some old Mock the Week episodes online after you mentioned it in one of your blogs. The only ones I looked for were with you in them, and they were pretty good. You did seem as if you somewhat uncomfortable, but when you did say something, like you said in this blog, the other comedians expanded on it, and you looked fantastic.
You are wearing The Famous Red T-shirt in one of the episodes.. well, I think it’s famous, because I’ve seen some Youtube videos with you wearing it.
(I swear I’m not a stalker)
Mock The Week, is fantastic…. the idea of it is genius, and the comedians that appear on it make it what it is…. whether they are a guest or not.
2 and a half hours of recording is draining anyway…. so I would imagine.
Even though, at the time, you felt like shit, the TV and editing made you seem like a God
I hope you appear somewhere in this series!
Posted by Aislinn on June 24, 2010
Oh, um, P.S. As a first comment, can I just ask what your favourite episode of WNA was to make? I don’t want to request anything too long-winded as you always seem busy, but… I loved the series. Bloody loved it.
Posted by Aislinn on June 24, 2010
Hello.
A present, for you, from a few of us:
http://fuckyeahnothingmuch.blogspot.com/2010/06/another-small-attempt-to-cheer-up-mark.html