Am I without humour if I can't see why a lot of 'new' comedy is funny?

No, we don’t all laugh at the same things and I’m not a fan of Sarah Millican either. Janet Godley has me crying with laughter and she’s been known to swear. Jonathan Pie is hilarious and absolutely loses it wit F-bombs when talking about some stuff.

I agree Rosina. Yesterday, heard on the news that one of my favourite funny men had died, Tom O`Connor. Years ago we went to a nightclub to see him. He was on for an hour and a half, not one swear word or dirty joke, yet he had the place in uproar, it was a brilliant night. Can`t see that happening these days.

I hope they put some of his stand up shows on tv Hellogirl1

I suppose part of the point is women can be uncouth now if they want to be. For decades (centuries?) certain behaviours have been expected off women which weren't off men and off the top of my head, swearing, talking about sex etc especially on a comedy stage was just not done by a woman.

That said, I LOVED Victoria Wood and it was always a 'nod to' iykwim this always springs to mind!

Don't underestimate how much harder female comedians have to work compared to their male contemporaries. It's fine if it's not for you.

I'm not overly fond of sweary acts but since f***ing became an everyday adjective for the lexically challenged it's not surprising that it peppers modern standup. In the 1970s, a member of my family still loved the smutty comedy of Max Miller. I just found it tired and dull.

I do like Sarah Millican. She's witty and good at observational comedy but can overdo the bodily functions. Not dissimilar to Jo Brand but with less man-hating.

Probably my favourite comedians nowadays are Bob Mortimer, Greg Davies, James Acaster and Rometh Ranganathan but he can be sweary too. Bob Mortimer on WILTY is hilarious as is Greg Davies. David Mitchell and Lee Mack are good too. It's the quick wittiness that I like rather than rehearsed comedy.

Jo Brand's sitcom Damned about social services was brilliant

We don't all share the same sense of humour, my husband &I hardly ever find the same shows amusing. I dislike slapstick and Monty Python type humour. Also comedians who swear constantly. Tom O'Connor was excellent as was Dave Allan.
I did like some of the Blackadder series and Not Going Out which my husband hates.

Definitely Victoria Wood for me as well JaneJudge

I didn't see the Jo Brand sitcom but I can imagine it would have some funny insights.

It had a very dry/deadpan humour

I struggle to find much to laugh at in most comedy programmes. I don't watch a lot of TV but I do listen to the radio and still enjoy "Sorry I haven't a clue" I also found repeats of "Cabin pressure" on BBC Sounds which I love, just wish they had done more episodes before moving it to TV where it rather failed! I also enjoyed the "Blackadder" series and the original "Spitting image" series. Our daughter aged about 5 used to love "Faulty towers". Her grandparents had the series recorded and if we visited she always used to watch an episode before bedtime. simple pleasures!

I remember being in a staff room when the younger staff were raving about 'The Young Ones' which I hadn't seen, so the next time it was on I watched it.
I thought it was dreadful, and still do. The staff were in their thirties, I was just forty, and I do remember thinking: this is the onset of middle age.
My parents couldn't see the humour in Monty Python, which I thought hilarious.
Just seen the mention of Jo Brand, another one who fails to amuse (me).
Must be an age thing.

Jennifer Saunders doesn’t think Absolutely Fabulous would be acceptable now.

metro.co.uk/2021/06/16/jennifer-saunders-on-whether-absolutely-fabulous-could-be-made-today-14780052/

Janejudge I agree about the late Victoria Wood. Extremely talented, and a very gifted writer too. I absolutely loved Dinner Ladies, the skilful mix of downright humour and pathos was brilliant. I like Lee Mack too. Some of the previous generation of comedians were very funny, but a lot of them were truly awful; vulgar, sexist people like Roy Chubby Brown and Bernard Manning. Every generation has its good and bad comedians, like everything else. I don't get too affronted by swearing as long as it is relevant to the point of the humour.

Horses for courses! I don't bother watching most so-called comedy programmes. A few stand-ups are OK, but when they expect us to laugh at sheer smut, it just sickens me. There's one woman whose name I can't remember, who drags everything down to level of her nether regions, even on Radio 4's News Quiz and on 'Would I Lie to You' which features comedians I really like.

Have recently watched the repeats of Fawlty Towers - and could not believe how many laugh out loud parts there were to this short series. Cann ot stand John Cleese but have to appreciate his brilliance as a comedy actor - timing, etc so perfect.
Would I lie to you' is a programme that is very funny, I keep several of those recorded and use them to cheer myself if I am feeling a little down.

There is still some good comedy on both TV and Radio. Enjoy things like The New Quiz and Dead Ringers on Radio 4

I’m not a fan of modern comedy at all.
I loved ‘Ghosts’ if that’s the right title, about the couple inheriting that crumbling stately home with all its past residents still there. And The Detectorists.
But a lot of modern comedy is cruel and unpleasant. As in Jimmy Carr making horrid jokes about people with disabilities, and the same with Ricky Gervaise.

Yes, I liked Ghosts, gentle humour, and The Detectorists and from the past The Detectives (Jasper Carrot.)
I always thought Billy Connelly was funny too in the past.
I have to say I don’t remember Tom O’Connor at all, so I obviously didn’t watch him on tv.
Would I Lie To you is always a pleasure to watch.
I must whisper the next thing though....I never found Victoria Wood funny or even a bit amusing.

Yep, I find sweary an absolute turn-off too. Maybe an age thing?

Ghosts is hilarious and very touching too. Same to Bob and Paul's fishing show.

I wonder if comedy is like pop music in that you have 'an era'. The comedy that went before my era and that after it generally don't appeal ...but then I don't think it is made for me or people my age in the same way that modern pop music isn't made for us.

When I think how we used to roar at Benny Hill and Dick Emery ! We’d probably be condemned to death for it now.
I loved Stanley Baxter - I think he was an amazingly talented man.

I find Sarah Millican offensive I used to love her, now I cringe. That’s not the humour I like . I enjoy David Mitchell, Lee Mack (yes I know he can use bad language) he is so quick witted and has an answer to everything, his timing is perfect. I rarely find Dawn French funny just the odd time she’s raised a smile. I also enjoyed Ghosts.

I remember when Monty Python was supposed to be hilarious.
I just didn’t get it at all.

Sarah Millican gave Joe Lycett her car when he was a young stand up

Shows I loved wouldn`t be allowed now, such as Love they Neighbour, and Mind your Language. Also Please Sir, and George and Mildred. I also loved Morecambe and Wise, but whereas Tommy Cooper would have my husband in stitches, he raised not a titter from me.