Political incorrectness I do miss it!

I agree with you Nankate. Years ago we used to have a good laugh at work with quite a few risque jokes but now everybody has to be so careful. We used to run pubs so I have had every sexist comment going but I had some great responses of my own. Why can women no longer stand up for themselves? My favourite comedians are the ones who talk about situations I can identify with. I like Billy Connolly, Peter Kay and Victoria Wood.

I don't think that calling a woman "Blondie" can be compared with the portrayal of black people as golliwogs. If I were blonde, I might not mind being addressed as "Blondie" or I might prefer to be called by my name. I may well find jokes about "dizzy blondes" very irritating. But if I were black I feel sure I would find it deeply insulting and demeaning for my race to be represented by the crude caricature of a golliwog.

I don't particularly like lots of four letter words in comedy sketches because I feel they are often just used to demonstrate how "edgy" and "down with the kids" the comedian is. But it bores, rather than offends, me. I find some comedians far too "blue" for my liking and I don't find that sort of explicit humour very funny. But Billy Connolly can be quite "blue" at times and he swears a fair bit, and I find him very funny.

I think the funniest guy of the moment is Kevin Bridges from Glasgow. If you haven't seen him yet it would be worth looking him up on u-tube. And I haven't heard him swear. Comedians can be quite different in a club situation.

I find Russell Brand very frustrating, at times he comes over as very intelligent and worth listening to, then someone flicks a switch and he's back to being a mindless prat.
Round The Horne used to be wonderful, they really don't write them like that any more I have occasionally caught Old Harry's Game and it's often really funny ( funny - you know, what comedy used to be!)

I think Ana is right. I can accept young comedians telling stories I don't find funny for an audience of young persons but Russell Brand, for example, and even more Jonathan Ross should be well past the stage of saying things merely to shock. And that goes for a number of very popular comedians. Unless they are pandering to the lowest sense of humour just for money?

Andy Hamilton was mentioned earlier. I find his 'Old Harry's Game' on R4extra is extremely funny. Very clever and occasionally ignores the political correctness agenda. Have never listened to an episode without a good guffaw! I enjoy his tv work too.

I don't think our age group is Russell Howard's target audience!

I agree that Russell Howard is awful and not in the least funny. My favourite comedy show is the Now Show on BBC 4, not on at the moment. It's the nearest the broadcasting media come to satire nowadays.

We went to see Ken Dodd a few years ago. He was absolutely hilarious. Quite daft jokes but SO funny. We also saw Little and Large in the late '70s. I wasn't expecting much but they too were hilarious.

NanKate I do think we have become on the whole, a joyless country. I cannot bear most of the 'comedians' (and I use the term in its loosest context) today. I do think sometimes they go too far. Having said that, I'm a great fan of Lily Savage!

NanKate

Holly I have never heard of Russell Howard - you have missed absolutely nothing. He rose to 'fame' on Mock the Week and the BBC, for some bizarre reason, gave him his own weekly show; he is one of the unfunniest people imagineable.

Dick Emery, NK. Do you remember his vicar with the big teeth character and the skinhead?

Ken Dodd as a stand-up comedian would keep his audience helpless with laughter whilst teetering on the edge of decency, and he had a wonderful voice. I don't think he ever offended anybody. There were also many times at home in the old days, NK, when my brother and I were in stitches over Sunday lunch at the antics of Julian, Sandy, Rambling Sid and Kenneth Horne on the radio, but our parents couldn't understand what we were laughing about (thank goodness).

We went to a club back in the mid 70s, to see Tom O`Connor. It was a fantastic night, he kept the whole place in stitches for an hour and a half, with not one swear word or dirty joke, so it can be done.

My Grandad who was a stand up comedian, dancer and entertainer in the Music Hall said 'if you have to swear to make people laugh, you are not worth your salt'.

Holly I have never heard of Russell Howard shows how behind the times I am.

However Papaoscar Kenneth Horne was brilliant - I used to love it when he trolled round to see Julian and Sandy and varder their dolly old eek - whatever that meant. If it's rude everyone ignore me.

As Dick Emery would say

'Ooo you are awful' and then trip up - I get more and more like the character everyday.

When people were setting up the PC rules, it's a shame they didn't include foul language - there is way too much of it in so many things now. If Jack Dee, Michael McIntyre, Jason Manford, Lee Mack etc., can manage to make people laugh without using it - why can't others?

I've just looked up UK Top Ten Comedians:

www.thetoptens.com/british-comedians/

How the heck is Russel Howard No. 1 - the man is positively obsessed with his erm, dangly bits!

So glad that the truly awful Russel Kane didn't appear anywhere so there is hope after all!

Yes, dear old Humph, sadly missed, tho' Jack D is doing a good job in his stead. The 'double-entendres' and the mysterious Samantha, who I thought was a computer, continue to amuse. I think the wit equals that of Kenneth Horne and his mates in the old days, and Dick Emery, who could amuse without causing offence and without the use of foul language. Thank goodness they are all still alive on YouTube.

I will imagine the blow up doll next time I listen to the show Anno what a sight !!!

In the good old days of the late, great Humphrey Lyttleton, I always thought that Samantha was a blow-up doll! My son and DiL went to a recording of the programme and were able to disillusion me on that. They said the recording session went on for hours and had to be very strictly edited because 'Humph's' jokes went way beyond what was broadcastable!

I agree Elegran shall we put this on a banner and we can parade it up and down the High Street.

I do so agree about foul language Sue.

We need a "Leave Samantha alone, she is doing a great job as she is" campaign.

I don't enjoy PC much although somethings need not to be said e.g. racist/sexist jokes and comments. However the door is now wide open for all sorts of profanity on TV the f word used all the time. I enjoy the programme Episodes on BBC2 but on Wednesday evening Stephen Mangan uttered the c word in a very loud way - not for me- a step too far but I expect we will be hearing more of it.

Morning all, after everything quietening down last night, my dander is up again this morning I'm afraid!

In the paper today I was reading about one of my favourite comedy radio programmes 'I am sorry I haven't a clue'.

In this programme there is a fictitious score-keeper Samantha who the chairman Jack Dee makes jokes about. The programme is full of double entendres and she is the butt of many jokes.

There has been a complaint that the comments are 'demeaning women'. It is a comedy programme, meant to be fully of risqué jokes and innuendo.

It is said that the BBC has had to talk to the chairman and panellists about the content. I just hope sanity prevails and the programme continues in its usual irreverent way.

I am a women and I am not demeaned.

Get a life and have a laugh.

I love Paul Merton, Ian Hislop and Andy Hamilton their humour is just my cup of tea.