@Midnight - General Discussion

[possibilities]

Have cats told Carly Fiorina to smile more?

[zxy556575]

Have cats told Carly Fiorina to smile more?

 

Remember when it was Big News that Clinton went on Arsenio Hall and played the trombone? Can you imagine someone like Eisenhower being a guest on a talk show? I kind of feel sorry for candidates these days, the way they've forced to show us how "regular" they are by participating in idiotic and demeaning bits like this.

 

Okay, so maybe Hillary is able to have comfortable repartee with Fallon or Colbert, but how does that make her presidential? I guess if younger people thought Clinton was cool and voted for him after seeing him on TV, it did work, but most candidates aren't Clinton. I think ultimately, trying to be overly accessible detracts more than it helps.

[ABay]

Another good show, I thought, except the hair bun game and the end. I loved the movie titles game.

Edited December 17, 2015 by ABay

[possibilities]

Star Warts

[DeLurker]

Star Warts Episode III: Revenge of the Seth

 

Jurassic Lark

 

The Man with two Braids

[possibilities]

Nothing we come up with will top the show's "4 year old virgin" though.

[zxy556575]

Funny panel last night! Justin gave it an extra fillip with his impressions. Chris couldn't stop himself from taking over Justin's Mario accent and running it into the ground, but that's expected now.

 

Also amusing was the chick who couldn't figure out where all her new Twitter followers came from and the baby who looked like a Bond villain.

 

Buzzfeed list: "Nine Pills I Took To Deal With This Christmas Party"

[attica]

Aww, ABay, I got a big chuckle out of the man-bun game. Seeing old G.W. made me smile.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Just catching up on this week's shows -- Meaghan Rath is always adorable.

 

I liked Justin Long's Marty McFly impression.

[fastiller]

Remember when it was Big News that Clinton went on Arsenio Hall and played the trombone? Can you imagine someone like Eisenhower being a guest on a talk show? I kind of feel sorry for candidates these days, the way they've forced to show us how "regular" they are by participating in idiotic and demeaning bits like this.

Maybe not Ike, but Nixon did show up on Laugh-In and gave the camera the old "Sock it To Me".

[iMonrey]

Ugh, a whole week of Doug Benson? I cringe whenever I see him on the panel anymore in just one episode. It's gotten to the point where I'm literally repulsed by the sight of him. 

[xander874]

Yeah I don't get Doug Benson either. I don't hate him or anything, but I don't need him for a whole week. I know he's a pothead but I wonder if he acts super stoned for effect. He does come up with some clever things but I am glad he didn't win (Day 1 at least). Don't know much about Jonah Ray, but I do like him.

[attica]

It sometimes bothers me when the best joke of the night can only garner the same amount of points as the other, run-of-the-mill quips. Such was my dismay at how "Schindler's Spliff" got robbed. There's nothing about that joke that isn't perfect.

[Judois]

I think I've officially given up on this show. It's become so one note and I think they need new writers and a new host. It was fun while it lasted,though.

[zxy556575]

I wonder if they'd allow the star of a special week to be eliminated...

 

I don't think Funches lost during his week.

 

According to Wikipedia, Doug has had the most appearances and Ron is second. If the producers are going down the list, Nikki is next up for her own week.

[Racj82]

Just watching this weeks episodes. With the white people meet website, there are dating websites specifically for certain religions based people to meet and there is a black people meet type website so...shoulder shrugs.

[ZoqFotPik]

I don't think Funches lost during his week.

Funches lost to John Hodgman during "Bunches of Funches".

[ganesh]

As Chris said, sarcastically, (paraphrasing) yeah, white people need their own website to meet because they're such a minority in this country, so where would they find other white people to date? (The Trader Joe's joke was funny). I mean, 'where white people meet' is essentially, 'walk out the front door.'

 

So, the one to one correspondence isn't technically an apt comparison. Even white people who saw the billboard ad irl were like, "huh?"

 

Additionally, the web site only allows you to register as heterosexual, but you can list your relationship status as married. So maybe it's a safe space for straight white people who want to cheat on their spouses. 

 

Clinton plays the saxophone btw. 

[trow125]

Funches lost to John Hodgman during "Bunches of Funches".

Speaking of Funches, last time he was on, some people here commented that he appeared to have lost weight. I saw Funches (and Hodgman too, for that matter) at SF Sketchfest this weekend and he mentioned during his set that he'd lost over 100 lbs. last year.

[Irlandesa]

On Undateable Live, they had a little bit around his weight loss.  They had an old photo of him up and the skinnier him ran through it.  I guess The Biggest Loser does something like that?

Edited January 10, 2016 by Irlandesa

[ottoDbusdriver]

Speaking of Funches, last time he was on, some people here commented that he appeared to have lost weight. I saw Funches (and Hodgman too, for that matter) at SF Sketchfest this weekend and he mentioned during his set that he'd lost over 100 lbs. last year.

 

On Undateable Live, they had a little bit around his weight loss.  They had an old photo of him up and the skinnier him ran through it.  I guess The Biggest Loser does something like that?

 

They even mentioned on Undateable that Ron had lost 100 lbs.  And yes, the Biggest Loser used to do that whole 'run through a huge psoter of when they were fatter' thing.  They haven't done it so much lately.

[fastiller]

Funches lost to John Hodgman during "Bunches of Funches".

Do you think Hodgman would do a full week?

[trow125]

I would bet the next logical person to do a full week would be Nikki Glaser in advance of her new Comedy Central series. I'm sure she'll be on soon to promote it.

 

I didn't know Funches' weight had been a topic on Undateable Live. I'm not much of a sitcom fan, so despite the fact that he's my #1 favorite @M panelist, I've never watched it. (Plus the series seems a little overly "millennial" for this Gen X'er.)

[ABay]

I'm in love with last night's panel.

I will not kiss a ginger beard, but I will eat gingerbread.

 

Bret Gelman's glam shot from the other night was Bret Hart! I squeed. He is/was a professional wrestler but that photo was from his recurring role as Luther on Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years, a series that filmed in Alberta where the Hart family lives. 

[attica]

Confession: I did a spit-take at "Pooty Taft." That's just not right.

 

I also adored the old-timey photos and the accompanying old timey voices. "Well, Warren..." Hee!

[ABay]

Pooty Taft was hilarious.

 

Chris is going to be devastated by Severus Snape dying.

[zxy556575]

What did I miss about the matching turtlenecks last night?

[ae2]

Only seen a few episodes. Tuned in tonight for Adam Savage. (And I love Funches from Undateable.) With both Rich Eisen and Savage, it seems a bit of a stretch to call them comedians. But they were all good.

 

Is the scoring in this supposed to make any sense?

[zxy556575]

Chris is going to be devastated by Severus Snape dying.

 

I was a little surprised that he didn't mention it.

 

Good show on Monday. Adam Savage did great. Do we really think Chris is friends with Rich Eisen? I'm not that familiar with him and assume he's much more than just sports, but it seems an unlikely match.

 

ae2, the scoring is consistent but the show is heavily edited and we don't see all the questions and points given. Chris will also assign points at whim sometimes. It's not something either the panelists or viewers are meant to take very seriously. The panelists often include comedic actors -- the show provides jokes/joke ideas for its guests and nobody is set up to be embarrassed.

[Princess Sparkle]

I was a little surprised that he didn't mention it.

 

Good show on Monday. Adam Savage did great. Do we really think Chris is friends with Rich Eisen? I'm not that familiar with him and assume he's much more than just sports, but it seems an unlikely match.

 

ae2, the scoring is consistent but the show is heavily edited and we don't see all the questions and points given. Chris will also assign points at whim sometimes. It's not something either the panelists or viewers are meant to take very seriously. The panelists often include comedic actors -- the show provides jokes/joke ideas for its guests and nobody is set up to be embarrassed.

I actually think they know each other from when they did I Love the 80s; they were both talking heads for that, and I think that was back when Rich Eisen was trying to dip his toe into comedy.

[ae2]

 

ae2, the scoring is consistent but the show is heavily edited and we don't see all the questions and points given. Chris will also assign points at whim sometimes. It's not something either the panelists or viewers are meant to take very seriously.

 

Thanks! That's what I assumed, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. 

[biakbiak]

I was a little surprised that he didn't mention it.

They tape Thursday's show on Wednesday and they probably thought by Monday it would be old news.

[ganesh]

I don't find it particularly strange that Chris and Eisen would be friends. He's not only allowed to have geeky or comedy friends. I'm sure everyone has some 'unlikely' friends. I don't think the show necessarily only should have comedians on it. Obviously, one has to be rather internet-savvy and know current online memes and stuff, but if you're sharp and witty, that should be good enough.

[Demented Daisy]

They tape Thursday's show on Wednesday and they probably thought by Monday it would be old news.

 

He talked about David Bowie on the 14th -- 4 days after he passed.  

 

I liked the show better when they didn't talk about sports and politics.  I have zero interest in sports and I can find political humor anywhere.

[biakbiak]

He talked about David Bowie on the 14th -- 4 days after he passed.  

 

I liked the show better when they didn't talk about sports and politics.  I have zero interest in sports and I can find political humor anywhere.

I love Alan Rickman but their cultural impact and more importantly for a show like this the reaction to their deaths isn't comparable.

[Demented Daisy]

I love Alan Rickman but their cultural impact and more importantly for a show like this the reaction to their deaths isn't comparable.

 

I don't....  I don't know how to process that.  Apples and oranges.  Telling a generation that an actor that helped shape their childhood isn't as culturally impactful....  My daughter, for example, who is in college and is part of @midnight's target audience, was upset over Bowie's death but was devastated by Rickman's.

 

Whatever.

[biakbiak]

I don't.... I don't know how to process that. Apples and oranges. Telling a generation that an actor that helped shape their childhood isn't as culturally impactful.... My daughter, for example, who is in college and is part of @midnight's target audience, was upset over Bowie's death but was devastated by Rickman's.

Whatever.

I didn't say any of those things, my point was four days later Bowie and people's reaction were still all over the Internet and news and based on your own example Bowie's death impacted multiple generations to varying degrees and was different than the reaction to Rickman's death. Of course different people have different reactions but there is a reason that nearly every night talk show mentioned Bowie's death and most did not reference rickman.

[Demented Daisy]

I didn't say any of those things, my point was four days later Bowie and people's reaction were still all over the Internet and news and based on your own example Bowie's death impacted multiple generations to varying degrees and was different than the reaction to Rickman's death. Of course different people have different reactions but there is a reason that nearly every night talk show mentioned Bowie's death and most did not reference rickman.

 

You said that their cultural impact wasn't comparable.  I took that to mean that Bowie's death had more cultural impact than Rickman's, as though Rickman's death didn't mean as much, nor should it.  If that is not what you meant, I apologize.

 

Apparently, we were watching different shows because I saw reactions to Rickman's death all over the place.  And considering Hardwick is a huge Harry Potter nerd (among other things), I expected him to say something about Rickman's death.  I was surprised that he didn't and I mentioned Bowie in response to the idea that too much time had passed.  

 

ETA  Rickman's death affected multiple generations as well, to varying degrees.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Demented Daisy

[ABay]

I expected Chris would say something about Rickman because he's such a huge Harry Potter fan.

[iMonrey]

If I live to be 1000 I will never understand Comedy Central's arbitrary censorship. Apparently you can't say "pu$$y" but you can say "jizz." Go figure.

[attica]

I actually heard it explained. You can say pussy, but you can't say it as part of an act. So "He's a pussy" or "He likes her pussy" are ok, but 'Pound her in  the pussy' is not. 

 

What I find worrisome is that Guy Fieri participates in Hashtag Wars.

[Uncle Benzene]

If I live to be 1000 I will never understand Comedy Central's arbitrary censorship. Apparently you can't say "pu$$y" but you can say "jizz." Go figure.

 

They do say "pussy" on @midnight (and on CC) all the time. I agree though that it's almost completely arbitrary. I seem to recall Hardwick trying to give a cursory explanation at some point. Something to the effect of... actions are deemed worse than things, for whatever reason... so you can't use "naughty" verbs as often as you can use "naughty" nouns. Which contradicts the example of bleeping "pussy" and allowing "jizz" (in this particular case, where "jizz" is used as a verb, if memory serves) but I think the bottom line is that it is in fact completely arbitrary, and applied on a case-by-case basis. I don't think any word is completely verboten (as far as I know, anyway) but it all depends on the show, the time slot, the day of the week, the advertisers, etc. etc. etc. It's all negotiated down to "you get 3 jizzes, 2 cocks, 1 pussy, zero fucks, and as many assholes as you want." And that could all change at any time, for any reason.

[ABay]

Elaine(?) was robbed. She was way funnier than Wayans. I wish I'd enjoyed his jokes as much as he did.

[ganesh]

I was going to say the same. I've never seen her before, but she stole the show. 

 

I cannot believe they missed the GOLDEN joke for Tom Cruise on opposite day: have sex with a woman. 

Edited January 30, 2016 by ganesh

[ABay]

The contest winner was really good!

[nachomama]

I'm glad the points me winner was more of a real dude not an up and coming comic. I wonder how much prep the contest winner gets? Or any of them really. I feel like they get the questions ahead of time, get to brainstorm then kinda regurgitate at the question time and the ones that land get used. 

[ari333]

Some of these answers cannot be off the cuff imo. I think they get the questions ahead of time. Also, I just started getting into this show (and I love it) but do the females lose... a lot? Maybe it was just their luck on the eppys that I happened to watch so far.

[attica]

I think they get the questions ahead of time.

 

It also would not surprise me if they (or some of them, at least) get (some) answers, too. Like when Kate Walsh was on. She's no standup. Sure, she's funny and has good timing, but that's not the same as being off-the-cuff (or on the buzzer).  Which, I hasten to say, I don't mind. As long as the jokes are funny, I don't care about their genesis. I don't liken this show to a Van Doren scandal.

[Monty]

They do get the questions ahead of time. A few hours before the show, the contestants come in and are assigned people from the show's writing staff to work with. Once you know about it, you can watch for the contestants glancing down to get their next joke. Their goal is to provide an entertaining show, which they wouldn't get if one of the panelists didn't have any material. And contestants are still free to come up with new jokes on the spur of the moment.

 

But even with the writers' help, there's a definite difference between people who are good at the show (Ron Funches, say) and people who aren't (I am too polite to put in a name).

[zxy556575]

The female panelists do lose proportionately more than the men, with the exception of a few women who are on a lot. I think it's more a matter of the women being unfamiliar with, or worse at using, the buzzer. They have their jokes prepared, just like the guys.