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"Ah fuck it - the cunt bit me" - a Steve Irwin tribute
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Bruce Forsyth - A Comedy Roast
Channel 4
Adopting the American tradition of the comedy roast, where a guest of honour is affectionately mocked by comedians, Jimmy Carr introduces this as “good -natured bullying". Three shows on consecutive nights that feature Sharon Osbourne, Chris Tarrant and kicked off with Bruce Forsyth. You have to ask if this was really worth importing. Has it produced a string of unforgettable comic moments? Aren't tribute and award shows in this country already littered with affectionate barbs? Questions like these hung in the air as Jonathan Ross, Sean Lock, Barry Cryer, Jack Dee, Jason "who he?" Manford, John "oh Christ not him" Culshaw and a couple of other mooks did their thing for Brucie.
"Man alive, this was grim. Peter O'Sullivan's commentary has been done to death since 1969 and there cannot be any one breathing who finds the observation that Bruce Forsyth has catchphrases of interest."
As you could easily enough predict there were jokes about his age. “When the dinosaurs died out he was taken in for questioning". Good one. "He's seen Haley's Comet three times" Right, OK. “The font on his autocue is so large you can see it on Google Earth" So, this Forsyth guy - he's old you say?
And the other thing we know about Bruce Forsyth? He has catchphrases, many of them, something John "no joke too obvious" Culshaw has observed and created a little comic vignette about. In it, he runs through a horseracing commentary describing a race between Bruce's catchphrases. Man alive, this was grim. Peter O'Sullivan's commentary has been done to death since 1969 and there cannot be any one breathing who finds the observation that Bruce Forsyth has catchphrases of interest.
"Manford knew it was desperate material and it showed in his delivery. He couldn't wait to get off - a sentiment he at least shared with the audience."
Sean Lock did a half decent turn which seemed to have a bit of an edge to it. Is that the right tone? I don't care, I just think it bears asking. Jason Manford absolutely stank the place out with a game of Play Your Cards Right. He knew it was desperate material and it showed in his delivery. He couldn't wait to get off - a sentiment he at least shared with the audience.
So what did we learn? Brucie likes catchphrases, has a once attractive wife, only does it for the money and was at school with Methuselah. Fine. They rib him and they rib each other but it's essentially a gigantic circle jerk with the payloads spraying off in every direction. Not often does it land on the bathroom rug of funny.
There's a place for this. It's just not in my viewing schedule.
The verdict on Bruce Forsyth - A Comedy Roast: Not really something that should concern you .
Marks out of 10: 5
Imagined: Friday, April 09, 2010
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REVIEWS (cont'd)
J-M
Jericho
John From Cincinnati
Jordan and Peter: Marriage And Mayhem
Joss Whedon's Dollhouse will be the greatest television show in history
Journeyman
jPod
Keys To The Vip
The Kill Point
Kings
King Of Shaves advert
Life
The Life and Times of Tim
Life on Mars
Lip Service
Live From Studio Five
Louie
Louis Theroux - The City Addicted to Crystal Meth
Loose Women
Lost
Lost Season 2
Lost Season 3 Finale
Lost Season 3: half-term report
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Lost Season 4 Half Term report
Lost Season 6 Premiere
Lost Season 6x09 - Ab Aeterno
Lost Series Finale
Luther
Luther Series One finale
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Mad Men Season 2
Mad Men Season 2 Finale
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Mad Men Season 4
The Madness of Boy George
Mars Believe World Cup Campaign
Man vs Wild
Martina Cole's The Take
Mary Archer
The Mentalist
Mercy Series Premiere
Michael Carroll: King Of Chavs
Misfits
The Mitchell Brothers' Return
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Monkey Dust
Morales v Barrera III
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
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My Name Is Earl
My Penis And I
My Supermodel Baby
N-R
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Neighbours 20th anniversary show
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Old Enough To Be His Mother
Oscars 2005
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Peaches Geldof: Teen America
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Prison Break Season 4 Half Term Report
Pulling
Pulse
Pushing Daisies series premiere...
Richard and Judy
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Rome Season One
S-T
Saxondale
The Secret Life of A Manic Depressive
The Secret Policemen's Ball
Seduction School: Size Doesn't Matter
Sex Addict
Seymour Butts
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Shameless Season 4
Shane
Sherlock
Sherlock series 1 finale: The Great Game
The Shield
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The Shield - Season 6
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Six Feet Under
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Skins Season 2
Smoking Room
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Sons of Anarchy Season 2 Premiere
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Space Cadets
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Spartacus: Blood and Sand Season One Finale
The Spy Who Stole My Life
State of the TV Nation Address
Stepkids In Love
Strike Back
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Take That... for the Record
Talk to me
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Ted Bundy - Natural Porn Killer
Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles
The Thick Of It
The Thick of It Series 3
This Life +10
This World: Kidnap Cops
Top 30 TV Shows of 2010
Tower Block of Commons
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True Stories - The Trials Of Amanda Knox
Too Ugly For Love
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TV's Naughtiest Blunders
U-Z
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A Very Social Secretary
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When Fearne Met Peaches
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The World Cup has been kidnapped and molested
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X Factor 2005
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MISC REVIEWS
40 Pupils Suspended For Bullying
606 with Danny Baker
Amazon Review Scum
Blowjob monologues and the like
Everything is retro, funky and kitsch on eBay nowadays
Floyd Mayweather v Carlos Manuel Baldomir
An Illustrated History of Dis
Fooled By Randomness
Hip-hop
Indie kids - munching on cock all day, every day, from now until forever
Listen up, douchebags: Larry Merchant KO1 murdering rapist hype merchant scum that constitute boxing's deal-making fight-avoiding turd elite
Love skunk Vernon Kay sprays his rat jism
Morales v Barrera III
Music Sounds Better With You(tube)
NME cool list
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Roid Jones jnr? You must be joking, Joke
Stan Collymore
The Streets
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War Winehouse!
We Expose Palace Security As A Bag Of Shite
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