No time to think of funny/interesting headline
October 3, 2008
The second studio recording awaits! (Ooh! Very important. Obviously if anyone is coming to the show tonight, please be careful about spoilers in the comments. Thankoo!)
Why, That\’s Delightful!
Graham Linehan\’s Hompendium of Dorithies.
Why, That\'s Delightful! 
I liked how, in the first half of the Times review, they criticised the show for copying The Office. And then, in the second half, they criticised it for not being enough like The Office.
I’ve rarely been in the situation of having to read a review of my work, but I imagine that it would be useful to watch this shortly after doing so:
i’ll be there! i’m looking forward to it a stupid amount :)
Really enjoyed the ‘jar glove’ sketch G posted; it really reminded me of his riff on the ‘you wouldn’t steal a movie’ ad in IT Crowd series 2. Or is it just me?
I’ll be there tonight!! Can’t wait.
Ironically, I start on-call for work today. So, will have a man-bag with laptop (my personal little Asus eee, as the Dell’s are too big/heavy) and 3G card.
Feel free to point at me, mock me, and call me a geek.
But, no stealing my lunch money or giving me a wedgie.
I particularly admire the NYT’s reference to “the writers”, their reviewer having failed to read the show’s credits, helpfully reproduced at the foot of the page, and therefore not realising that one man is responsible. That’s just the kind of detail that fills me with confidence in the guy’s perspicacity.
Not easy to ignore somebody saying nasty things about you, but when they’re as far off the mark as that, it must help slightly.
Me and the missus will be there Graham. Just can’t wait till tonight. Richard Ayoede, actually right there in front of us. This better not be the episode where Moss is away on holiday, that would be too cruel.
When talking about webcomics earlier in the week, you must have been referring to something like this:
http://www.theaterhopper.com/
I liked the bit you stole from The Office where they’re both on telly and use words being said by actual people.
There is a section of the population – globally, it now seems – who not only don’t ‘get’ the IT Crowd, it seems to annoy them. I feel similarly about ‘My Family’, for which there is a very loyal fanbase. They’re all dreadfully wrong though, so that’s a key difference.
Anyway. I’m going to see it at Pinewood next Friday – can veterans advise if there a risk of missing the last train back to London from Slough at all?
Hang on, it’s filmed near Slough, the Office is set in Slough…what a rip.
Of course the Times are right. EVERY show set in an office copied the Office. Even the ones that were made before it.
On an unrelated note, we’ve started selling these in Waterstone’s and there’s always one copy sitting on the staff room table for us to chuckle at: http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=6244735
I thought you, Graham, and my friend Jamie would enjoy it. I think I’m gonna have to buy it for him. My favourite strange comics in it are ‘Barnyard of Fear’ and ‘You Nazi Man!’
Have all the IT Crowd tickets been allocated now then?
Good day, everyone!
Good luck with the recording Graham! Wish I could have been there(couldn’t have filmed it in Cork no?? tut tut tut).
That review is a hilarious piece of shit! Don’t listen to them Graham!
Oh…Question…you know Fur Q’s song Uzi Lover from the Day Today. Did they record a full version of the song or only a segment for the show??
“uzi like a metal dick in my hand, magazine like a big testicle gland”
Priceless!
So when is the Office/IT Crowd Christmas Special?
noticed that the RTE guide has a countdonw of the 50 greatest tv shows of all time..leafed through it just so where The Wire was..it was 49th! wtf..however congratulationd are in order Graham cos Father Ted was voted numbero 1
aplogies the above comment was rushed
I concur with brendancanty…Why can’t you film in Cork? *sigh* Wish I could attend. I’m sure the recording will be a success though and I can’t wait to watch the new episodes! (Perhaps even in real time rather than after the fact like during the first two series when I was still living in the states!)
What does it feel like to be friends with ‘the coolest man in London.’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/oct/02/comedy.television
I like this line: Ayoade discovered grunge – “lots of people going into guitar shops and playing the first four chords of Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Lazy lazy journalism but nice to see Pete ‘nicest guy in the world’ Deagle get a namecheck at the bottom.
I hope, Peter, you posted that webcomic as something that represented the lower end of the scale. In keeping with Graham’s earlier post, I’ll offer another from the other end, The Perry Bible Fellowship:
Anyone else read this? I think Nicholas Gurewitch is a god damn marvel! Though he hasn’t posted any new ones for ages.
So ANYWAY, as I was saying in the last comments page (goddammit I hate when that thing just disappears after you’ve posted a comment!), Achewood = genius. Always has been, always will be.
1) Thanks for the Achewood link! I’d never read that before and now it has a new fan.
2) The NYT comparison to The Office is plain lazy and pointless. I don’t think most Americans pay attention to TV critics, though (for better or worse). I can see The IT Crowd getting good word of mouth here.
If there’s another season of The IT Crowd, I’ll fly across the pond to see a taping! For now, I hope tonight’s taping goes great.
When does the queue start forming generally? I’m flying in from Canada to see next week’s taping and don’t want to get turned away…
Ooh, fellow Canadian (Chadwick), how exciting! I wish I could go too.
Oh, I wanted to add re the NYT review: doesn’t it seem like the reviewer is actually just hostile to the whole sitcom *genre*?
I think the review was based on the very American idea that everything from “Englandland” is the same thing.
Yeehaw!
Graham: Had a great time tonight. Haven’t had that much fun in ages. Can’t wait for series 3 to air.
@Chadwick: We got there just before 6pm and were able to go straight through to the holding area (which means ‘tent’). And there were still plenty of seats to be had. Bring lots of money if you are expecting to be able to get your dinner/drinks there.
You mentioned on SMH about twittering, is your page private or can we follow?
I was at the recording, and I have to say it was amazing. Long at times, but the quality of the script and Graham’s energy kept everyone going, woo!
And I really had no idea that seeing a man about a dog had anything to do with peeing!
A friend of mine just got back from the recording and has told me something major. I’ll give nothing away, but I am VERY excited.
Ooh, and Bazza, did you not have a ticket?
Just back from the taping, very nearly didn’t get in. We were the last two in the line and I would have wept if we missed it. Especially as there were people in the audience who had never seen it – nice to see people getting turned onto the show, but still, sacrilegious!
Was amazing to see the guys in action. Fantastic performances from all the cast and seeing Graham in action, doing his thing – perfecting the lines live was the best part.
P.s. I also would love if you filmed in Cork, was happily representing the Irish in the audience tonight!
I hate the way your comedy is so broadly inauthentic.
I loved the strained pomposity of the NYT piece. I have to admit to chuckling at the image when I read “this is the kind of show in which a nerd will go on a date with a big smear of chocolate on his forehead, and the woman he is with will assume it is feces”. That is funny! Even a condescending description of it being portrayed in a puerile sitcom is funny! I bet this is the type of critic who gives a high-pitched little whinnying laugh at the drunken porter falling off a bench in Macbeth but turns her nose up at silliness and playing with stereotypes in modern comedy.
Yikes. CTRL-ALT-DEL sucks.
@kirstenin: I was there! If you were looking at the audience, I was in the far right corner. I live in Watford, so barely took any time to get home from Pinewood.
I was tempted to mention (during the breaks in filming) that 99-15 85. But, decided that would be a little bit “Moss” of me. I’m saying no more than that, for risk of spoiling things for people.
That last comment should read:
99 – 15 =/= 85
Can’t see the relevance of the Sarah Palin beauty contestant thing. God knows, there are plenty of reasons to take issue with her, but the fact that she has taken part in a beauty contest isn’t one of them.
Are we meant to feel that merely having taken part in such a contest makes her unsuitable as a vice-presidential candidate? Or is it just about having our prejudices confirmed that she must be vapid and idiotic simply because she once looked good in a swimsuit and high heels and was so gauche as to take part in such a vulgar display?
Smacks rather unpleasantly of old-fashioned snobbery/sexism to me.
Oh, sorry Bazza, I just asked because I thought you were saying that you got in without a ticket and I was getting hopeful ‘cos I’ve not got tickets!
@kirstenin: Ah. Well, my application for tickets (asked for last 3 shows) came up with nothing (so far?). But, I told a colleague at work, and his (first three) came through. So went with him.
You won’t get in without a ticket (via email). As the v.camp bloke on the gate will not “love you!”.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been at both this weeks and last weeks recordings and wanted to say a huge thank you for two excellent shows. The atmosphere last night was fantastic, a much rowdier audience as well (what a wonderful warm-up guy last night!). A most enjoyable evening! Thank you very much : )
@Trivet
I think it’s more about the fact that they’re attempting to censor it. It’s satisfying to see something which they don’t want you to!
Also, whilst open-minded individuals such as ourselves realise it should have no bearing on the election, it’s warm and comforting to know that a large portion of her republican demographic might feel differently.
Concerning Atl + Ctrl + Del:
All about this abomination of a web comic has been said here:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/108-Webcomics
Concerning The New York Times:
You cannot really take some named Ginia Bellafante seriously, can you?
Brilliant time last night Graham. The show was brilliant. Well worth the additional time to get the detail right. Matt Berry rules. By the way, we did hear what Moss said and we did laugh, it just carried on from the previous gag!! It was very pythonesque to hear the stampeding hooves of the angst ridden writer pounding down behind our seats, only to have you appear out of nowhere and apologise countless times for our not laughing in the right places. Happy memories! You are a legend!
Naomi Klein on the Colbert Report:
http://tinyurl.com/3fthqv
“Are we meant to feel that merely having taken part in such a contest makes her unsuitable as a vice-presidential candidate?”
Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! OBVIOUSLY, yes! Are you INSANE?
Thanks all for the nice comments on the show, everybody!
@ Sarah What? How did you manage that? Twice? Are you a member of the crew or married to someone in high places?! I’m plagued daily by emails about Alan Titchmarsh’s new show and have wasted many hours thinking of plausible reasons why I need a Friday off work at short notice, to find that so far I have no tickets, yet some people have been twice. I’m inclined to write a letter! (or throw myself on the ground and beat the floor with my fists while screaming, but I think that would be a little undignified!)
I’ve just re-read that and it sounds horrid and negative. Sorry….. all the excited comments have me very excited about the transmission of series 3, even if I can’t go to a filming and am horribly jealous!
@ Jolene Sorry! I just know a lot of fans of the show and, since they know I am as well, they’ve been nice enough to offer me a ticket each time. I couldn’t bring myself to refuse! I promise I didn’t apply multiple times or anything naughty : )
I don’t have a friend in Jesus, we’ve never been introduced, but despite my better judgement I love that song. Is it only me?
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/bossa-nova/43748/
I posted an snl thing last week, but I don’t care. There is something about this sketch I really love, it’s very ‘other’, and he joins the band at the end, out of pure sadness. Also, I find the office too cold, life is a bit shite most of the time as it is (Like UHT) I’d rather watch someone kick a dwarf into a bush or something.
Tim, you posted a sketch and said what happens at the end. You hated on someone’s work. And on dwarves. And life’s a bit shite? Good sketch though.
Graham, can you please tell kirstenin that she needs to come to the filming on Friday? I think you’re the only person she’ll listen to. I need to book flights so she needs to be convinced quicksmart! I refuse to accept poverty as an excuse.
The problem with “The IT Crowd” and Americans is that the humor is at once too cerebral and subtle and at the same time too silly and slapstick for American viewers. I say this as an American viewer, and I apologize if I’m insulting other Americans (I don’t mean to; it’s just an observation). Americans are used to television programming that’s packaged in a neat little box. There’s the medical drama, the quirky family sitcom, the competitive reality tv program, the sitcom about young, single people, the evening soap opera, et al. Shows like “Arrested Development” fail while programs such as CSI version 10,000 are heralded as creative triumphs even though they’re merely copies of “Law and Order” which is merely a rip-off of “The Bill.”
“The Office,” to the inattentive American viewer, is the quirky British office sitcom. “The IT Crowd” is set in an office, it’s British, and a tad quirky, so the inattentive American viewer would like to shove it in the same little box. The problems are two-fold. First of all, “The Office” never was not just a British sitcom about an office – it was so much more. Second of all, “The IT Crowd” is a much more dynamic television product than American viewers are accustomed to. Many American viewers can’t handle a show that can be intelligent, silly, surreal, and uncomfortably familiar all in one half hour. It’s much easier to say, “Ah! They work in an office. This is just like that other British comedy!”
The Times missed the mark by a mile. I was embarrassed for the author when I read that review; she sounds like an idiot. If she wanted to pan “The IT Crowd,” she could have at least made a good-faith go of it. I don’t even believe that she watched the whole program. I bet she just watched a trailer.
If it’s any consolation, her other reviews are crap. She spent more time detailing the fine subtleties of the reality shows “Top Design” and “The Rachel Zoe Project” than she did on “The IT Crowd.”
Sorry to go off on a rant! Here’s a link about a student who was arrested for photoshopping Osama Bin Laden and the devil into a picture of the school superintendent (he sued and got a bunch of money). http://volokh.com/posts/1222806599.shtml
“Jesus is my friend” has definitely got to be Father Noel Furlong & the Saint Luke youth group’s Song for Europe. Catchy and iritating in equal measures. Infectious.
It is annoying when someone doesn’t “get” you. But hey, many millions do. So that’s got to count for something.
Looking forward to new IT Crowd. When does it go out on channel4?
Ta
I came to IT Crowd on the strength of Father Ted, which also suffered spotty treatment by American broadcasters and audiences, but which I and many (not all) of my friends found brilliant. I bought a region free DVD player and series I and II of IT Crowd and showed it to all of my friends, who LOVED it! None of them watch or care for The Office, so that should settle that.
I’m thankful the NBC version didn’t get off the ground, because it would only have reduced how brilliant your show really is. There is a substantial American underground of early-adopters of IT Crowd, and we’re all anxious to see series III. Keep em comin! (when are the region 1 disks coming out?)
Graham, thanks so much for Jesus is my Friend. I’m a stranger to him too, but like Bob I properly love this and the band (who are *tight*, innit?). If we had had more ska-lite and less “Come and Praise” as kids it could all have been very different for me…
Does he say “Zap!” when he points at the camera? Love it.
@Somon: We asked when it goes out on Friday, and were told this November.
My favourite moments during last Friday’s filming (contains *no* filming spoilers):-
1. The audience members singing the new emergency phone number.
2. The floor manager calling the warm-up guy ‘Sean’. Needless to say, that wasn’t his name.
3. Hearing the door to the control room open, then the mad pitter-patter of Graham’s feet down the metal stairs, before he’d appear in the studio….
4. … when he’d then get the mic from the warm-up guy and tell us that we’d missed what he thought was a good line, and to watch the VT again and pay more attention next time!!
5. When the cast ‘took a bow’ at the end, I make no apologies for noting that Katherine has possibly the most pert behind in show-business!!
They played this at a pro life meeting in Alaska recently. Sarah Palin did a little dance to it as it played over the cheap sound system, kicking her legs to it as far as her pencil skirt allowed. Her pregnant daughter stood to the side sipping gatorade and holding a six foot crucifix with a baby doll nailed to it. She raised her glass to her mom as she briefly caught her eye. Sarah’s eyes momentarily lost their “you betcha” confidence as she remembered the tawdry compromises of her beauty pageant days.
Flann-Man- You’re right. Though I am a dwarf (as is the whoever wrote sketch, possibly) So have free reign to kick away, which I do. The bugger is the finding of a bush without much density, so I can achieve penetration. Unless the kickee’s wearing a pointy hat, when it’s really just a case of getting the angle right. The posting has become more relevant and interesting since my link, so hopefully I will get away with being this silly. Life is a BIT shite, no?, on balance.
Thanks, Yanks! Very kind of you to write.
Oh, and the reason I ask people to listen again to bits of VT is because, unlike the live stuff, the actors can’t pause during an unexpected chortle, and sometimes key lines get lost under the laughter. Please don’t think we’re against the unexpected chortle, though! Keep em comin’!
we shouldn’t have played the whole VT package though–that was just a mistake.
Dear Graham,
Please can you come and film in my bathroom whilst I am having a bath.
I think I would like that very much.
I next plan to have a bath on Wednesday afternoon. Please be prompt.
It’s no good Brendan, I just watched it again and it still made my morning. “Jesus came and found me and he touched me down inside”, indeed.
Sarah Palin is satan
Re. New York Times review:
I think we should kill her. No not kill, what’s the word? Ignore! I think we should ignore her.
Liked the post about web comics, I just wanted to share another web comic that I find hilarious:
http://www.pbfcomics.com/?comic=random
The IT Crowd on the secret policeman’s ball…. Fantastic. “I can just see skinny men thrashing about” I’m still having involuntary fits of giggles, roll on series 3.
Tim, no sweat. Thanks for the SNL link. I live there now.
Life is very rarely truly shite. That’s just an illusion in which we all collude too often. This link really helps. Posted it here before. Mr. Linehan will probably bar me. Worth it.
*struggles to cram unwanted link into board*
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/20/fiction
Just in case this one missed you. Although I doubt it.
Peter Serafinowicz’s – fifty impressions in two minutes
http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/videos/cd2462fae2
Graham, you must have the inside track on all things Peter… is his show coming back on the BBC?
Hi Graham,
If my memory serves me correctly, when the first series of ‘The Office’ appeared, I was immediately reminded of a sketch from ‘Big Train’, filmed to look like a documentary, in which a character was, I think, made to apologise to the rest of the staff for pleasuring himself in the toilets. So there.
Sarah Palin in 30 seconds
Somon, I think they’re filming a Christmas special edition of Peter S’s show in the immediate future (if they haven’t already), though I dunno about another series. Still, I guess that means it hasn’t been entirely ruled out…
Actually, not to make a big thing of it or anything, but Ricky once told me that ‘Big Train’ was an influence on ‘The Office’, so yes, as you say, so there.
The wanking sketch?
oops somebody already mentioned the wanking sketch but yes similar tone to the Office
Don’t pay attention to the N.Y. Times review. America is a big place, and most of us do not read the N.Y. Times or care what its writers have to say. I found myself laughing out loud at the premiere episode of the “IT Crowd,” just as I did at every episode of “Father Ted.”
We have been hearing a lot about “The Office” over here in America, because once something is a commercial success, they beat you over the head with it– until you hate it!! I have noticed that for some reason, more Americans seem to be aware that “The Office” was originally a Britsh show, so that seems to influence their view of any other TV exports, like “The IT Crowd.” As though every British television program should be like “The Office.”
I say keep up the good work! The “IT Crowd” is a great show.
Thank, you, sir, but don’t worry. Series 3 is chugging along nicely as we speak, and even if I wanted to stop it, I couldn’t.
Oh and here is a random Web site that is stangely addicting. Who knew there were so many Kennys out there
http://www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com/
Re: “Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! OBVIOUSLY, yes! Are you INSANE?”
What’s insane about not being happy to judge a woman based on something she chose to do decades ago? God help us if we were all to be judged by the decisions we made at that age.
I don’t like her, but neither do I like cheap shots. I perceive an unpleasantly misogynistic undertone in many of the attacks on Palin – of which I couldn’t help but feel the posting of that footage was an example.
I just watched the TV coverage of the Secret Policeman’s Ball – loved the IT Crowd bit! Don’t know if it was deliberate, but I liked how when Moss came on at the end, there was a second where he was backlit, and you got this moment of seeing a silhouette of an afro with a parting, and everyone figured out he was there and whooped. That was very cool.
Graham,
I’ve noticed that Noel’s on tour during most of the filming, does that mean he’s not in this series ? Or has he pre-recorded his bits ? Apologies if this has been asked/discussed elsewhere,
Lux
For those of us in the U.S. who aren’t complete fuckwads, we have known about this show for ages, as we illegally downloaded it off the Internet before IFC got its grubby hands on it!
Now, I’m off to shit in a policeman’s hat and mail it to his grieving widow…
Chris Morris (Brass Eye, The Day Today) is looking for funding from fans for his new feature film! It’s a comedy about four young jihadists in the north of england.. It was originally intended to be a TV movie but Channel 4 and BBC turned it down for unspecified reasons (Cowardice) so Chris has decided to release it to cinemas instead. He’s asking for a donation of £25 which will also get you a part as an extra!
http://www.warpfilms.com/#page=NewsPage.30
This is what the Warp Films site says: “Following rumours in the press and online Warp Films can confirm that Chris Morris’ comedy about british jihadis is being made by Warp Films as an independently funded cinema feature. The script has been written by Chris in collaboration with Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain [Peep Show!] and is now ready to shoot. Production will begin as soon as we are fully funded. To that end we are running a number of investment schemes including donations which give you the chance to be in the film. Mail enquiries to: fundingmentalism@warpfilms.com Please pass this on to ten people”
Also, here’s more from Chris where I believe he makes reference to you yourself, Graham: http://sotcaa.net/blogcaa/?p=20
Please put this on your blog and spread the word!
The wanking sketch from Big Train was similar to the Office. But the Jesus vs Devil office sketch is even the same style as the office. I always thought it was a brilliant parody of the office. Did it come first?
Yup.
Yeah the Office alway reminded me very much of that exact sketch.
“Haha you twat” written on his plate. Excellent.
Three cheers for mysterious and pure comedy! I’m never going to read the explanation. I’d like to think that three years ago that naked Japanese man was once like you and me until he refused to sign the release form for some magic documentary team, from which moment he began to develop this Gollum-like, webbed meniscus of anonymity and now all that’s left of him is this river-dwelling, face-envying Grendellish blur.
I read the explanation after watching the video. Disappointing. Although I want to know how trying to retrieve a bag turned into that…
The best part is when they’re pointing sticks at him… Gold.
Even if canned laughter is a myth, is it still alright to find laughter tracks jarring sometimes?
I mean… not always! Some places, they absolutely fit. I thought they fit fine in Alan Patridge even though I wasn’t aware that the viewers (for most scenes) weren’t actually just watching pre-recorded bits (only for the location scenes, I guess?). I thought they weren’t watching it live because the sets looked “complete”, rather than having a missing 4th wall. In fact, the actors were being filmed inside sets, and live feeds were broadcast out to the audience, but the actors could still hear the audience and thus respond to it. Worked well!
But what if you just think the audience are twats? The Daily Show has a live audience, but there’s this one woman who seems to turn up to almost every recording, and her distinctive whooping is really getting me annoyed. She never actually seems to laugh. She just applauds jokes, regardless of how funny they are. It’s… distracting.
Busting the myth of canned laughter is a good thing, but I think typically, people are just misappropriating the term to mean “laughter tracks” in any form.
I’ve got 9 legs.
Sorry. 8 legs.
garfield minus garfield: quite depressing, really
(http://garfieldminusgarfield.net/)
I hate reading comedy reviews in print, the writer usually looks like an arsehole. Especially if he/she is reaching hard to find things to be critical about.
Also why do they spend so much time lying in wait for material they don’t find funny and then bombard us with those ‘have they lost it’ pieces?!
Irritating.
he’ll always be dwayne benzy to me
Dwayne Benzy my foot, he’s better working his own material. Why is Look Around You not more universally adored? Graham, Peter Serafinowicz is your bro in law? You lucky sod! Wasn’t mad about World of Pub but everything else is gold.
Thanks ants, thants (had to be done)
yeah, that was a bit harsh alright. i haven’t seen look around you. spaced is just one of my favorite shows. i thought he was amazing in that role.
Wait… the genius behind “Father Ted” is also Darth Maul’s brother-in-law?
Jeeebus H. Tapdancin’ Eastwood!
That’s so cool…
I bumped into Peter at the Snuff Box dvd launch, where I think he was a bit tipsy. I told him he was one of my heroes and he looked genuinely touched and like he might be about to cry! Why, that’s delightful!
I think the first thing I ever saw him in (although probably around the same time as Spaced series 1) was “Hippies”. He was excellent as the Robin, the bullying Hippy.
“Clever boys…”
I didn’t see Hippies, must check it out.
Love this though.
Is that Graham rocking the dodgy Louis Walsh wig?
Definitely one of the highlights of that show! By the way I didnt mean to describe the character as “the Robin”. It’s just Robin!
No. Tis Paul Putner, I believe.
Right, I’m off to catch a bus to take me into town to catch another bus that will take me the 12 hours it’ll take to go to London in order to see you film some televisual delights tomorrow evening. What a sentence!
I. Am. Ex. Ci. Ted.
ah carbags cmon that dont look like graham! by the way that aha video was great..