Judge The Judges

[Kromm]

Season 8 style to start!

 

So do we come down like a ton of bricks on Roseanne for not seeming to get that Ben Kronberg was totally Andy Kaufmaning her? (or getting it and not playing along)

 

Also, who's more useless, Russell or Keenan?  At the very least, outside of her ego moments, Roseanne at least has something to say.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Kromm

[millahnna]

I fell in with Rosanne with that guy.  I think, given the extremely short amount of time the contestants had for their sets, the particular gimmick he went with was really dumb.  I totally agreed with the disrespectful to the audience criticism under those circumstances.  It seemed like something that could work if you had more time but Russell was spot on that it was an old joke, so I guess maybe it couldn't.

 

Compared to the last season of this I remember watching (which I know wasn't season 7 but can't recall when I stopped, 5 or 6 I think), I actually liked all three judges on average, and was pleasantly surprised to find Rosanne to be the best of the bunch.  I think Russell and Keenan traded off on uselessness.

 

One thing they kept bringing up that I thought was weird was wondering if the performers really talked like that or were portraying characters.  I get that the character thing can be super gimmicky in a bad way but it seemed inherently dismissive and there have been some strong comics who made that sort of thing work for them.  I'd be curious to see them really like a comic who did approach their set with a character and then see what they said then (surprise? noting an exception? whatever).

[Monty]

Russell's more useless than Keenan. I thought Keenan had a couple of useful comments, but Russell just seemed to cycle through the same vague praise every time. I guess Russell was in charge of asking if people's funny voice was "a character," and being pleased when they denied it.

 

I'm already sick of the judges praising people for being edgy. It's easy to be edgy!

[DrSpaceman]

I actually agreed with Roseann about the annoying guy.  Save that bit for until you are further in the show.  Or make it shorter. 

 

But then the rest, I didn't find Roseann's comments all that useful.  I actually thought Keenan gave the most useful comments of all them. 

 

 One thing they kept bringing up that I thought was weird was wondering if the performers really talked like that or were portraying characters.  I get that the character thing can be super gimmicky in a bad way but it seemed inherently dismissive and there have been some strong comics who made that sort of thing work for them.  I'd be curious to see them really like a comic who did approach their set with a character and then see what they said then (surprise? noting an exception? whatever).

 

I noticed that as well and I asuume it has to do with the fact they are trying to find people that are good for a TV show in the future, so they want to know if they are "acting" this character or if its just them.  Whether its good or bad if they are acting rather than being themselves, I don't know, but I think thats part of the reason for asking

[bilgistic]

I'm tired of Keenan telling women their beauty is "distracting" from their comedy or whatever sexist bullshit he's spouted at least twice.

[millahnna]

I've gathered that's a rather common bit of bigotry in the industry.  Not excusing it (it's bugging me too) but apparently it's a thing.

[car54]

I've missed Roseanne on my TV!

I know she can be as nutty as a fruitcake, but I love her nonetheless.    She is someone who is aging well--I loved her show Roseanne's Nuts and I wish she had something else on so I would see her more often.

I think so far she's been fair, and accurate in her judging.   I am not impressed with Russell, and Keenan ...I can take him or leave him.    

[SPLAIN]

There was only one Andy Kaufman. I don't want an Andy Kaufman 2.0  I don't think Roseanne wanted to see that as well.  I backed up Roseanne on her assessment 100 percent. He was full of shit and not funny at all.  I miss Roseanne on my tv screen. I too adored her on her reality show. She was recently on The View, and only because she was on there did I watch it. She looked great.

[Monty]

Andy Kaufman would not have been caught dead on a televised "Best Comic" show, and if he had, he would have been cut at the first opportunity.

[Cramps]

Andy might have done LCS if he were a young comic today. And I for one would have tremendously enjoyed watching him do Mighty Mouse (or a modern day equivalent) for his whole five minutes.

The guy Roseanne squabbled with was no Andy because he wasted a big chunk of his set doing a hack joke. And while Andy might have chosen to do a bit where he fought with the judges, he was ALWAYS innovative.

[Kromm]

Andy Kaufman would not have been caught dead on a televised "Best Comic" show, and if he had, he would have been cut at the first opportunity.

If Andy was on such a show, he'd have been on it as a stunt, to make a huge scene/deliberate fool of himself, and he'd have arranged to have been tossed as dramatically as possible.  He wouldn't have just been a dick to the judges, he would have been a MEGA dick.  On purpose.

 

Then again, it's hard to gauge by him, because nothing we really feel about him is based on what he was like before he had the power of success.  SNL caught onto him really early in his career (he'd only been doing clubs for like a year or two at that time).

Edited June 9, 2014 by Kromm

[Cramps]

Actually Kromm, after Andy was successful and well known, he got himself in a "fight" and thrown off the TV show Fridays and pissed off a ton of women with his wrestling matches.

ETA: Whoops sorry, I misunderstood your post the first time I read it. I just agreed with you! The one thing I do think, is that he would have done one of these shows if he were starting out today, and whatever he did, would have been original and memorable!

Edited June 12, 2014 by Cramps

[Ohwell]

Just googled Andy Kaufman's Mighty Mouse routine and found it on youtube.  I remember when he first did it, and watching it all these years later just makes me happy.  (The fact that I watched Mighty Mouse cartoons as a kid made it even more special.)

[MV713]

As for judges, I personally never heard of Russell Peters (have no idea how that can be), but I did go and watch his 2008 Red, White and Brown on Netflix and it was one of the funniest shows I have ever seen.  Im a new fan!  He is great.

 

I really like Roseanne and Keenan I can take or leave.

[Kromm]

Norm MacDonald Does Roseanne. (on his online talk show--get your mind out of the gutter!)

[Actionmage]

Okay. We have gotten to the next to last episode of LCS and Keenan goes passhole/aggresshole (tm Miss Allie) on Joe Machi for gaining confidence? Which Keenan doesn't like and says so in those words? "I don't like" was the phrase. 

 

I don't see how that helps Joe- knowing 1/3 of the judges weren't really thinking of you as good based on the material, but rather on how comfortable they were with how comfortable you became in bigger places. I cannot comprehend how a person wishes that another human stays scared/nervous in their line of work. Glad Keenan isn't a judge on The Cutting Edge- Top Surgeons from med schools around the country! Or Rookie School- folks wanting a chance to be police officers.  (Yes, comedian isn't anywhere as physically dangerous as a police officer, or as potentially damaging as a surgeon, but those folks also have to get through a period of nervousness in order to gain confidence in their line of work.) Taking what Joe said after his set and the talking head segment (about playing to mostly empty venues), it makes Keenan seem like a douche. Which is disappointing, because he seems like a nice enough guy.

 

If Keenan had said it to any of the four, I'd be mad, so it's what Keenan said, not who he said it to that gets me angry.

 

Other than that and telling Aida, in essence, to stop being so pretty while doing comedy, I haven't had a problem with Mr. Wayans as a judge.

[Kromm]

Okay. We have gotten to the next to last episode of LCS and Keenan goes passhole/aggresshole (tm Miss Allie) on Joe Machi for gaining confidence? Which Keenan doesn't like and says so in those words? "I don't like" was the phrase. 

 

I don't see how that helps Joe- knowing 1/3 of the judges weren't really thinking of you as good based on the material, but rather on how comfortable they were with how comfortable you became in bigger places. I cannot comprehend how a person wishes that another human stays scared/nervous in their line of work. Glad Keenan isn't a judge on The Cutting Edge- Top Surgeons from med schools around the country! Or Rookie School- folks wanting a chance to be police officers.  (Yes, comedian isn't anywhere as physically dangerous as a police officer, or as potentially damaging as a surgeon, but those folks also have to get through a period of nervousness in order to gain confidence in their line of work.) Taking what Joe said after his set and the talking head segment (about playing to mostly empty venues), it makes Keenan seem like a douche. Which is disappointing, because he seems like a nice enough guy.

 

If Keenan had said it to any of the four, I'd be mad, so it's what Keenan said, not who he said it to that gets me angry.

 

Other than that and telling Aida, in essence, to stop being so pretty while doing comedy, I haven't had a problem with Mr. Wayans as a judge.

I agree that Keenan revealed himself as a total fucknugget, although I actually think it happened the episode BEFORE the one you've highlighted (where he first mentioned the thing with Joe and clearly already wanted him to go).  I hadn't remembered the thing with Aida until you mentioned it, so I guess he's been that way all along and a lot of us blocked it out.

Surprisingly, after a shaky start. Russell has grown on me.  I like that he apparently realizes that most of America has no idea who the hell he is, and can find humor in that.  

 

Roseanne I go back and forth on.  I legitimately like that she laughs so readily out loud at stuff, and am just hoping it's all legit and not for show.  Like Keenan I think she has some totally arbitrary standards though, and while she does sometimes talk about the construction of a joke and stuff like that, she somehow succeeds in making it sound like gobbledygook.  I just HOPE she isn't making half that shit up.

[Cramps]

I've actually been surprisingly impressed by how on point Roseanne has been. I was expecting her to be a bit nutty, because her tweets can be really rambling, but I thought she's been very insightful.

I've really enjoy hearing the three judges talk comedy, because they're coming at it as seasoned comics, who seem to genuinely still have a respect for the art of stand up, not as network execs who are just looking for whoever got the biggest laugh.

[trow125]

I don't always agree with the judges, especially their dumping of Joe Machi last week, but I suspect he wouldn't have gone as far as he would have if he'd been relying on audience votes. Overall, I think NOT having the public vote and dumping the "wacky auditions" format were the two smartest changes made this season. It's really kept the focus where it belongs, on the comedy. I hope all 3 return next summer.

[Cramps]

Trow- I agree on all counts!

Edited August 11, 2014 by Cramps

[SweePea59]

If the same three judges return next season then hopefully they will have learned from this experience and be better at it next time. I mean that in a good way. But maybe Wanda has other comedian friends who want to take a shot at being a judge. It's good exposure for them as well. Honestly, I never heard of Russell before.