- Culture
- 22 Jan 04
John Henderson on what’s upcoming in comedy in 2004 – including, it seems, the funniest joke ever!
So what exciting things are in store for Irish comedy for 2004. Well as Bill Murray once said ‘It’s Groundhog Day … again.’
Hang on that’s not entirely fair. This year will be a bit different from last year. 2004 will be the same as 2003 but with 100 new shit improv shows. A piece of advice. If you want to go and see some improvised comedy this year, go to the International Bar in Dublin on a Monday night.
Irish comedy in 2004 will continue with the retro feel that’s been established over the last year or so. Irish comedians have been having a bit of an eighties revival, in that everyone’s being going to London to get work.
I feel I may be in for a quiet year on the work front. Due of course in part to the slowing of the economy, and the increased competition but mainly because Santy brought me an Xbox for Christmas. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that he also brought one to my writing partner Jason Byrne. As if we didn’t have enough excuses for doing fuck all. Although I would like to point out to anyone at Microsoft or involved in Xboxness that I will mention the brilliance of said game at every gig I do this year in exchange for all manner of freebies (except baseball caps or key rings) and furthermore I think Bill Gates is a wonderful human being with impeccable dress sense.
Now back to business. I fear that this year Pat Shortt, Tommy Tiernan and Aprés Match will continue to attract the wrath of Sex guru Sting as the printing of their vast amount of concert tickets causes the destruction of more rain forests, while hopefully Brendan Grace can make do with recycling his Christmas tree.
This year Jason Byrne, PJ Gallagher and myself plan to take our Edinburgh show ‘I Hate…’ out on the road around Ireland but hey, we also planned to feed the dog. Too much getting up and stuff. So if you don’t see it coming to a theatre near you in next few months you’ll know we’ve been Xboxed. (Did I mention it was brilliant?)
Speaking of PJ Gallagher. The running of the Comedy Cellar at the International Bar has been passed to the self-proclaimed King of Clontarf for this year. This has generally been welcomed by the comedy community. But do not be fooled. This is indeed grave news. Gallagher is an evil man. He plans to use the club to launder roubles. He will also be smuggling in Eastern European Immigrant Comedians to play at the club for little or no money. The Irish open spots will be forced to turn tricks in the Phoenix Park in exchange for gigs. The whole place will be burnt out for the insurance money within six months. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Now for another warning. It is very likely that this year David O’Doherty will write the funniest joke ever written and it will be like that Monty Python sketch where the joke will be so funny that upon hearing it everyone will die laughing. Thus David O’Doherty will be responsible for the almost total obliteration of the world. I say almost because only people from Cork will survive. Their natural instincts will kick in and they won’t be able to laugh at the joke when they find out it was written by some laaaanger from Dublin.
This year in TV land comedy fans everywhere will be worshipping at the altar of The Mighty Boosh, as Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett bring the hippest comedy on the planet to BBC2. 10 years after all that bollix about comedy being the new Rock n’ Roll, Noel Fielding remains comedy’s first and only Rock star.
At home, it’s business as usual. I’m sure there’ll be another series of the Panel cause it was great. On the live front outside of the Apres, Tommy/Pat Shortt thing, well, we can only hope Daniel Kitson and Ross Noble come back. Otherwise it’s the same old jokes or new jokes that seem strangely old and comics sitting around wondering how did that talentless bastard get that gig with RTE … ah hey how are you, good to see you, congratulations on that gig with RTE.
It’s Groundhog day … again.