The British Comedy Awards 2014 Review
I felt somewhat justified this year after claiming British comedy was a dead parrot.
Even more so after giving the lifetime award to the Monty Python team and not rightly to the late and great Rik Mayall who only got a two second flash up on screen with other comedians that had sadly passed away this year on the end of show credits.
I can't even begin to let the venom flow from my keys as I sit here rocking in my chair.
As Rik would say "You utter bastards".
Rik Mayall, teamed with Ade Edmondson, brought us some of the greatest comedy over the past 30+ years that tickled and tortured our funny bones to the brink of heavenly delight.
Most of the show wasn't even a show due to a large number of winners not being there due to work obligations and rather fake ungrateful pointless pre-recorded footage was showed in its place.
Jonathan Ross tried his best to sail this rather limp and knackered old vessel through the night by showing us old VT of the Comedy Awards of past golden years when it really was a funny and great viewing experience. Even bringing on the village idiot, Joey Essex, couldn't help this ship find harbour, but there again, if you're going to wheel out Joey Essex, the lights are never going to be on.
Naturally The Inbetweeners collected the giant paperweight award for best Comedy Film and rightly so. Although it must be pointed out that Joe Thomas has a touch of the Dorian Grey about his person and should be studied for his secret of youth. The man just gets younger looking every time he appears on TV - what is his secret?
Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist was awarded to Nick Helm which I was happy to see. The man brings a fresh and much needed style of the downtrodden clown with a dash of Norman Bates as he flares from fool to psycho as his character unfolds.
Best Sketch Show and Best TV Comedy Actor, went to Ducky Harry Enfield. One of old boys that knows the ropes and played with his minions as he collected his awards. It was nice to see Harry have fun and poke fun at his ducky friends.
And what of poor lonely Matt Berry... Up for six awards and only got handed one! In the form of Best New Comedy Programme. I felt slightly sorry for this beefy bear of a man who it seemed was up for one hell of a night of winning awards left right and centre, but it was not to be for this gently bearded giant.
So we move onto what was an incredible night for Irish comedians it would seem. With two awards presented to Graham Norton, one handed over to the very funny Aisling Bea, and the much deceived award of the Writers' Guild Of Great Britain Award going to Brendan O'Carroll, who rightly pointed out that comedy is the hardest business in showbusiness on which I think we can all agree... And with that said, perhaps British comedians need to work a little harder next year, or should we change the title of the show to the Irish Comedy Awards as stated on the show.
So let us round this off and finish with a few comedians that didn't make the grade in this list of winners that most of us didn't watch on the telly for 2014.
Simon Day, Adam Buxton, Micky Flanagan, Rik Mayall, Richard Ayoade, Lee Evans, Greg Davies, Robin Ince, Sean Lock, Dave Spikey, Michael Pennington (aka Johnny Vegas), Sean Lock, Stewart Lee, Roisin Conaty...
Naturally I can keep typing and typing these great names... But I think you get the point...! We can only hope in 2015 that the show picks up the pace and keeps up with not only British comedy and comedians, but just comedy in general. 4/10 - you lost a point because you didn't put stairs in the middle and everyone just kept climbing up on stage.
lOki
