In case you missed it
Excellent response to my appeal for underused words yesterday. See the Comments for yourself. I will compile a list of greatest hits in due course.
The daytime TV slot went pretty well thanks to a motherly phalanx of hosts who had seen me before and liked me and were encouraging. And also a studio audience who laughed loudly in a non-daytime TV sort fashion. In the front row there were two women who were about eighty and I did sort of think ‘this could be awkward’, but it shows how wrong you can be about your audience. It also shows that maybe I should exclusively perform to women. What would happen if I did a show that was women only? Would it be fun and slightly controversial? Or just pointlessly elitist and gimmicky? Who knows?
But thanks to reader Georgie, here is the clip. So although there’s not much in the way of a blog today, you have something better: actual comedy by me. You’ll have seen the jokes before. But on Aussie daytime TV? I don’t think so.
http://ten.com.au/the-circle-video.htm
Posted by AlexY on April 21, 2011
If you did a women-only gig, it would generate a LOT OF HEATED DEBATE, with many articles arguing both for and against, mainly in the Guardian, along the lines of whether women need women-only gigs, because they are, essentially, still being crushed by the patriarchy, or whether it’s patronising in this day and age to identify women as needing exclusive gigs. This works very well every year for the Orange Prize.
On the plus side, you could then do a men-only gig, using exactly the same material and monitor the differences. And invite some transvestites if you want to mess with people’s heads.
Posted by Rachael on April 15, 2011
Excellant picture Helen!
Posted by Lydia on April 15, 2011
I couldn’t watch the video, but I think Helen’s picture made up for it
I think an all women audience would be fun. It kind of seems like a lot of comedy is a bit male orientated, so I think a show for women would be an interesting thing to do.
Posted by Helen on April 15, 2011
It seems that you can’t view the clip if you are outside Austrailia. So, because I can not sleep, I have instead decided to draw a picture of what I imagined it looked like, which as we all know, is definitely the same as a video of what actually happened:
http://img535.imageshack.us/i/unledmt.jpg/
Posted by Georgie on April 15, 2011
Oh, I found the direct link… This could help
http://ten.com.au/the-circle-video.htm?movideo_p=40522&movideo_m=102068
Posted by Georgie on April 15, 2011
The video is at that link… I just checked. It’s in the bit at the bottom labelled Thurs 14 Apr Mark Watson – Melbourne international comedian. Maybe it’s different when looking from the UK? not sure.
Posted by Misha on April 14, 2011
I can’t appear to find you on that clip?
I think a ladies night would be quite fun. I was once genuinely asked to do a gig on the grounds of “not having a cock” so I think that says something about how male dominated the comedy industry is.
Posted by LisaD on April 14, 2011
I think an all women audience, even for one night, is a great idea. Most comedians don’t put a lot of thought into how their material goes down with the women-folk. It’d be nice to see someone really paying attention.
Posted by Tracey on April 14, 2011
Mark, I think more male comedians should perform exclusively for women. Not all the time, obviously just some of the time – men telling jokes about things that affect and apply to women is often hilarious and appreciated! The occasional women’s night out with a comedian is a geat idea! Tracey x
Posted by Tibbs on April 14, 2011
Unfortunately that link only seems to have clips of The Circle from Thursday, September 19th. =(
But I’m glad to hear it went well!
Posted by amycool on April 14, 2011
I’m stumped. Where do we find the video with you on? Apologies if I’m being thick.