Michael McIntyre: Comedy Without Perspective
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2024
- Michael McIntyre has become one of the most oddly polarising comedians in recent memory. He has legions of fans all over the world but has been written off as a lesser comedian by many of his peers and rivals.
In this video we break down one of the reasons behind this divide: the way he writes premises.
For educational purposes only. You can donate or support the channel at:
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Michael McIntyre Criticism:
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Stewart Lee, 'What I Really Think About Michael McIntyre':
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I was chatting to a guy who knew Michael McIntyre early in his career.. We were talking about generally about comedy on the BBC.
He pretty much summed up MM perfectly.
"he knows it will be funny, but he doesn't think it's funny". The audience will love it, he will do his best to perform it.
I call it brain out comedy. Sometimes even intelligent witty people don't want to think
I would love to hear your thoughts on the differences between UK and US stand up as a whole
Great idea
Difference is the UK is funny and the US isn’t
UK humour is humorous US humour is not..."Simples"
Next question?
Difference is UK couldn't drop class as part of their cultural structure if their lives depended on it. US, on the other hand, couldn't drop racism if their life depended on it.
@@Talismaniac77 Shots fired in the comedy department.
His comedy to me always seems like the type a middle class couple from Reading would like.
You can't do Reading like that man c'mon
Hes an easy, basic, paint by numbers, middle class home counties comedian
In the same way Peter Kay is an easy, basic, paint by numbers, working class northern comedian.
That either have been given illustrious careers for their troubles is quite depressing if I'm honest.
& Adéle fans.
He seems privileged and speaks to the people who connect to that privileged world, people who have shallow adversities, like the challenges of going to work or grandparents are coming over tomorrow and I haven't done any shopping problems, he not for me at all but he's a very good at what he does but he's not my kind of people...
@@anthonyholroyd5359 They haven't been 'given' their careers. They worked damn hard honing their craft. Their genius is not to be found in their act - it is born out by their fleet of Bentleys and off shore accounts. They realised early on that the worst example of any given thing usually appeals to the vast majority of the proletariat and decided to cater specifically for them.
The Sun outsells every newspaper. Reality shows get the largest viewing figures. Every Macdonalds drive through has a turnover that Michelin Star chefs can only dream of.
You should be grateful to them. They provide a useful shibboleth when meeting new people.
"So what comedy are you into?"
"Stewart Lee."
"Don't know him. Michael McIntyre is hilarious though. We saw him at Wembley. Only cost 300 quid. Great seats too. We were only 100 yards from the stage. He told this one joke about a man-drawer. Oh my God you should have heard... er... where are you going?"
"Oh sorry... have to mingle."
I've been watching McIntyre for a while now and I have to say I always find him funny and entertaining to watch, as the vast majority of people commenting on your video. That being said, I found your analysis and reasoning incredibly well-founded and clear. I'm not an expert in comedy, but I perfectly understood your point.
I don't really get why all these people in the comments section are getting offended and fired up over what you said. It's undeniably true. That doesn't mean that McIntyre isn't funny, he's just mediocre from the technical point of view.
Howdy. Yes! It's all become slightly hilarious. I went out of my way to put the analysis in the context of how he's viewed by other comedians. Regan is loved. McIntyre is hated. Why? Obviously there are parts of the video that are based in my opinion, but I was hoping the video wouldn't devolve into raw vitriol haha. Ah well, can't win them all :)
@@ComedyWithoutErrors from what I've read they just miss the point of your reasoning. People have the tendency to take critiques and opinions as personal, even when criticism isn't directly directed towards them but to something/someone they like, as it is McIntyre in this case.
I'd take it as a compliment; it just means that you have a fact-based opinion.
@@martinamilli9677 not entirely true. In the video Mckintyre not being funny is not just stated as 'what other comedians think' but more like a general point of view, like 'why do people laugh when this is not funny'? I'm not offended in any way by the way, that would be ridiculous, but I do think this particular video is very onesided and prejudiced. At one point where the maker quotes another comedian he leaves out 'brilliant wit' where in the quote it is quite clear it was said. That's not entirely fair to Mckintyre now, is it? The other videos on this channel don't feel biased at all, this one does and that's a bit of a pitty.
@@anotherf-invideo2784 " At one point where the maker quotes another comedian he leaves out 'brilliant wit'"
10:36 No, YOU are being disingenuous. He read 2/3 positives, then reads 2/3 negatives. He's clearly not reading the entire quote. In addition, the guy says McIntyre doesn't always have no premise, but that he often doesn't have a premise. pretty fair actually, save your pity.
I was going to write a comment, then I read yours and thought... "well, that's just saved me some time." 👍
The fact there's no premise or challenge to expectations is one of the reasons he is successful. A large number of people don't want expectations challenged. It's "safe" comedy that they can take their granny and their children to see.
If you're paying good money for a gig, you'll know what they're about.
He's popular for the same reason swathes of people read the Sun and the Mail... They're idiots
Fucking love your bait and switch when introducing Brian Regan with a picture of Seinfeld.
The problem with McIntyre is that you’ve misjudged the audience. His premise doesn’t change from show to show. His premise is that we are all the same. Nothing divides us. He’s not a comedian for outcasts. Brian Regan is. He’s the comedian for people looking from the outside into society. McIntyre isn’t an outsider. He’s one of the audience.
I might be off on the Regan bit.
Walker1812 ..... well said ! I agree
@@LL-lj1kq 24 hours later i'd phrase it a little differently.
Its a core difference in that the comedy isn't of an outsider showing us how ridiculous our lives are when you look at it from the outside, the comedy is from the inside and shows us all the ridiculous things we share together and find amusing.
No need to setup a premise when you just have to let the audience see things as they would naturally, there is nothing to explain or complicated to create.
Walker 1812, you’re absolutely right!
I agree. McIntyre is just plain funny, it's the whole package that makes brilliant. I've watched that Brian guy, I didn't find him that funny.
By George, I think he’s got it!
McIntyre isn't a comedian so much as a conductor of manic energy. His comedic craft may be lackluster or even absent, but he's mastered another style of entertainment that many people enjoy.
declup ...bingo 👏👏
He reminds me a lot of the sort of music hall comedians my granddad used to love. There's definitely a comedic craft at work there, it's just not working on that cerebral level which is more quickly praised.
He’s being a clown. His physicality is what sells the joke. I don’t like his stuff but I don’t have anything against him. There will always be a physical clown playing to the largest audience, it’s just human nature.
@@Hoopla10 define praised. Because I think selling out the O2 on several occasions counts as "quickly praised.", at least in the way stand up comedians usually work. Stewart Lee on the other hand has generated a significant enough level of hate that he can devote a section of his website to it. you could argue that many people don't like McIntyre either, but tats not what his check balance says.
Yeah, it's still performance.
I'd like to see something on Rhod Gilbert. I think his anger management series and book of John stuff made some incredible stuff. He has a way of making mundane life sound hilarious
“Have you seen those Muslims they have these days?”
Nope.
Im no fan of Mac but that 'punchline' of yippyakay' was completely and utterly unfunny.
I tried to watch one of his specials a few months ago (didn't know him as I'm not Brit) and got bored pretty quickly, after 10 mins or so. He seems to me more like a funny guy rather than a comedian. I think you're spot on in all your points.
I think the gap you describe in McIntyre's comedy, where there's no perspective, is actually the key to his success. He allows the audience to insert themselves into what he's saying, and that's why he'll always be the people's comedian. He just articulates in a much more energetic way a lot of what we've all experienced, or what he can assume we've experienced. He trades in recognition, not introspection. Not my cup of tea but he's got a smile out of me a few times, and as Lee has pointed out, anybody who makes standup a viable form of entertainment can't be wholly condemned.
Ugh, terrible
What difference is it if comedians like him ? The whole point is does the public laugh and will they return to see him. The answer is yes !
Premise, elegance, perspective, setting expectations, subverting expectations, point of view, depth ... it's comedy, does it make you laugh or not, everything else is pointless, including these 13 minutes of intellectual self pleasure
it's youtube, do you enjoy the video or not, everything else is pointless, including these 32 words of intellectual self pleasure
@@dannysatchell3408 you actually counted.
@@augustyntchorzewski7615 I didn't find counting to 32 overly laborious.
@@dannysatchell3408 good work, keep it up! Might as well be my typewriter.
Sure, if you find it funny, go ahead and laugh, end of story. The point to make is that there is comedy that you can go back to years later and get hung up on a thought you didn't quite understand before, because you are older and smarter now. And this kind of deeper experience is only possible with people whose jokes are not as shallow as McIntyre's.
I know this is months late, but as others have said, his humour comes from being an insider, rather than an outsider. He's very deliberately not challenging with his humour, and doesn't seek to use it to critique or challenge, because that's not what his style is. He is, for lack of a better comparison, the equivilant of soup. It's not the most exciting meal in the world, it's not going to blow your mind or revolutionise your world view, it's not going to make you realise something amazing. But it's warm, it's filling, it's comforting, and it's amusing. Michael McIntyre is, as you said, very safe in his comedy, and that is a huge part of his success. His lack of a premise feeds into this, as without that structure, his stories come across far more like a friend telling a story - simply rambling on, but still making you feel warm, and comforted, and amused.
The ability to do which is honestly amazing, and I'd make the argument worth a video essay in and of itself. Analysing how he sets up a show, and how he gets the audience onboard with the joke without a specific premise. How he's able to tie in that physical comedy, and act, as others have already said, more like a jester than a pure comedian. He is less "prose without poetry", and more "poetry without form". His jokes lack a definition, and yet they manage to land all the same. It is, I'd imagine, something which takes an incredible amount of skill (something easily observed from family attempting to replicate his jokes).
tl;dr: McIntyre is a comedian who uses comedy without telling jokes, and who's writing skims over the top in a way which delights and comforts. Rather like soup.
Exactly he's just different not bad
Yeah it's somehow more relatable because it's not imposing a view.
There is a massive slice of snobbery in this video, and amongst critics of McIntyre. Don't get me wrong...if I personally had to choose to watch Bill Burr's new special or Michael's...I'd choose Bill's. But that is MY choice. It doesn't point to McIntyre being less valid just because I prefer a different style of comedy. Millions of people get joy out of the work that he does. He provides them with the ability to turn off their brain for a few hours and just relax with a laugh. I'd argue that in itself makes his work totally valid. On top of that...it is comics like McIntyre that are often people's first exposure to comedy...and from there they can explore other artists. He's the gateway drug as it were.
Finally, McIntyre put in the hard work. He's not some rich dude (well, he's rich now but he wasn't at the start) who used his privilege to jump the queue. He did the hard work in the UK comedy club scene alongside a lot of the alternative comedians. And for the record...I've heard many of them praise him...it's only a handful who knock him down. He, in turn, doesn't denigrate their work...he just gets on with his. Personally I respect that, and I hope that those who enjoy him can continue to do so for many years to come.
💯 percent! Well said
I dont get the comments of this video. If you dont want to think about how and why comedy works - then dont watch videos that talk about how and why comedy works. "You are wrong, he is funny" is not an argument. There was no where in the video said - "He is not funny". If his comedy shows are enough for your taste - good, I watch him too, but this is a video about the inner mechanics of the combustion engine and your argument is "Who cares what is the fuel, or how it works, This car is fast".
The reason American "comedians" have to use premises, i.e. keep repeating the theme of the joke, is so that they, and their audience, don't forget it in their boredom.
Well said. I'm American born and bred, but would prefer a Michael McIntyre show over any current American comedian.
Haha haha, casual racism. Sooo edgy. And it's about a primarily ethnically white country so that means it's not even racism
Oh my sides!
obvious troll is obvious
no it's because repetition is a common language technique that can be used to create, in the instance of comedy, something funny
@@fionnsterr you mean like when dane cook says his punchline five times in a row
You come across as just plain jealous. Some people in this Comments section have mentioned 'sour grapes' and I would agree. Plus WHY does anyone need to follow some sort of template? Because you say so? I can't stand most stand up comedians. They come across as arrogant and not particularly pleasant people either. MM, on the other hand, is so original because he's this joyous gentlemanly person, full of life. He's clearly well-educated with a slightly posh accent and I suspect some of the "hostility" you talk about is linked to these two points. He doesn't do dead pan, or rely on swearing, sex or toilet jokes to get him through. He can do accents, pull faces and brings an energetic theatrical element to the act. He makes people laugh over little things that are part of everyone's daily life in some kind of tale or yarn. That's his style - storyteller. No sleaze. Now THAT, my friend, is a talent! 😅😂🤣👍☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🤩🤩
If something makes me laugh, it’s funny. I don’t care if it’s not using the prescribed formula.
That's fair, I think the problem of MacIntyre is that his stuff is often kind of cheap and lacking artistic value - he's like catchy pop music, nothing wrong with liking it but with an underlying assumption that he's not revolutionary or really doing anything except scratching a basic itch.
Hagmof, I agree.
He's done pretty well for someone who doesn't always follow a formula !
Maybe that itch is what kept someone from topping them self yesterday? Why can’t Michaels stuff be a symphonic orchestral piece that relates to people’s hearts? Why can’t it have its own intrinsic artistic value that doesn’t have to be judged by an ‘artistic value standard’. Art is subjective anyway.
Just because it’s pop music to some, doesn’t mean it’s pop music to others. Everyone’s different, we’re not cookie cutter humans. Art is in the eye and the opinion of the beholder. And most of the time we’re all a mixture with different opinions and experiences.
As humans we don’t have to prescribe to anything. We are human be-ings :)
@@popstargirl79 sure but on that view no art can be held in any higher regard than another. I'm not saying it doesn't have value, rather there are a lot more talented comedians who don't get the same recognition. I guess it's often the case that the most artistically relevant and valuable things and movements are rarely the most popular in their time though idk
Instantly liked when I heard the MF DOOM instrumentals
Rip DOOM :(
Sometimes shallow banal comedic observations delivered well with wit and enthusiasm can be funny. I don't always need to know what a comedian truly believes about something or a unique perspective to laugh out loud and enjoy myself. He's mainstream but it's still valid credible comedy.
I appreciate the technical observation here but what I could throw back to you is the unspoken assumption/judgment you're making here, which is that comedians are people who tell jokes, as opposed to people who make people laugh. This is, I guess, fine. But there are a huge range of performance styles - Mighty Boosh and Stewart Lee and Dylan Moran to give some examples. Some people like McIntyre, some like Jimmy Carr, some like Boosh, some like Lee.
Not everything is equal. Just because you like something doesn't mean it's good!
Some people like mcdonald's some like heston blumenthal, i can't decide which is better food
...
@@harunosmanovic 'Better' is subjective therefore irrelevant and a shit system of measurement. Heston's food is shit to people who either can't afford to eat there or don't like the taste.
Same with Mcintyre vs more "acceptable" comedians. Generally the people who go to Mcintyre shows want a cheap easy laugh, whilst Stewart Lee audiences expect layered humour and subtext.
Either way as long as the audience laughs, it works, no?
Comedians tell jokes and its called a joke for a reason. If its light and funny enough - especially the way Michael tells it - then it works for me
He is making sympathy humor. Wanky is specifically British humor. The milk in the coffee is an Archimedes joke. He APPEARS to be meandering, and then in the end ALWAYS ties it all together. Regan regards other people as stupid. McIntyre rarely insults other people, often channeling only simple frustration with his wife and children, which other parents and spouses can SYMPATHIZE with. I find Regan grating. He is ALWAYS Brian Regan. McIntyre changes characters without making me irritated or annoyed.
Strange, I find his transitions, facial expressions, constant meandering and silly voices rather insulting. Like he thinks the way to make full grown adults laugh is to infantilise them by jingling keys in our faces.
@@g___________v6850 Watch this video. Then tell me why the audience always laughs hardest at hodge podge. Always. Its exactly what George Carlin did with his word humor about the english language. Or Robin Williams talking about the origins of golf, or riffing with Carol Burnett. Break the audiences expectations, and you keep their attention.
th-cam.com/video/iPuqNBeL7_0/w-d-xo.html
It’s not fair to say what’s comedy and what’s not different comedy suits different people it’s just preference
I could easily see the difference in the hotel joke. However, one made me laugh and one didn't. I couldn't care less if a joke has a premise explicitly stated or not. I have a life I like to occasionally switch off from and be simply entertained. I'm not interested in seeking out the clever, thinking person's comic - I just want to laugh. Keep doing what you're doing MM and I'll keep watching and laughing! This video came across as several minutes of sour grapes.
ah yes the old "just switch your brain off and consume the content" response
Thinking make brain hurt
@@BathroomTile there is a time for gourmet food and there is a time for cheese on toast, no need to overcomplicate things
@@BathroomTile That's not what he said, he was saying it's nice to sit down, relax, and enjoy some entertainment and laugh.
Who cares? People are laughing at McIntyre. That’s the only thing a comedian should do
The difference is that some people prefer theatre and others prefer dancing monkeys.
Greg Skl that’s so pretentious
I think its just frustrating for smart people to see the bulk of humanity enjoy lesser more primitive work, it represents what humanity is as a whole, which is frustrating to some people who want to live in a more sophisticated and intelligent world but have to accept a more basic and primitive collective existace, its that deep lol
@peter van who said my comment was about myself? that video was 14+ years ago, was quite surrealist in its stoned stupidness
@peter van there's alot worse than that on my channel btw
I see you struggle a lot with copy rights, almost all your videos I couldn't watch at first. Thank you for persisting and for your great effort.
Just letting you know that you're much appreciated!
Ya, I really hope he pursues this content. He is underated and it is unfortunate that he has to deal with these copyright issues.
Thanks! That's much appreciated :) There's yet to be one that hasn't had some kind of copyright problem but they've all been sorted out eventually. Fingers crossed it'll happen less as time goes by!
Michael McIntyre's style is standup in its most basic form: "person stand on stage, say funny things". He's the definition of a mediocre comedian, no craft, no finesse. Doesn't mean he's not funny, he's funny and I like his shows. But as an artist he's about as mediocre, mass-appeal, middle-of-the-road as you can get. You can watch his routines while flicking through your phone or half asleep and you'll get exactly the same out of it as if you were paying full attention
Comedy does not have to fit a formula. If it makes people laugh, the comedian has done his job. I fully understand the points of this video, and if comedians are more fulfilled by sharing stories and perspectives fro their own life, or following a set formula, that's great. However, if a comedian can just take observations and be a good story teller that makes us laugh, that is all that matters in the end. Everything beyond that is just academic nonsense that no non-comic should even care about.
I think good jokes don't need any formulas, they only need to make people laugh. I think the jokes with formula are often not funny at all. Jokes have to be creative, not solidified. I think our life should also be creative, otherwise we won't have any difference from robots. Once again, I think good jokes don't need any formula or main idea, the important thing is whether the comedian make you laugh or not. I think it is good to have connections, and we shouldn't prevent it.
I think it's very telling that a lot of McIntyre's fans in the comments seem to have taken this criticism personally, reacting with insults or accusations of jealousy to a video that is less of a critique and more of an exploration of the elements of McIntyre's humour. It definitely speaks to points that others have made about identification & the idea of McIntyre as a member of the audience as opposed to a comic; a dissection of McIntyre's comedy is felt as an attack because the crux of his comedy is quintessentially tied to the audience indentifying with him; his humour is their humour, projection of their own values is implicit.
tl;dr not everything is a personal attack, learn to seperate your personal identity from media and art, you are not the things you consume etc etc
I see that as well in these comments. I myself am a McIntyre fan, but I understand the different views this video is trying to make. It's fine to support whoever's comedy you like, but it doesn't mean other peoples criticism is outright wrong. It's just a different view and that's up to you whether you agree with it or not.
I agree that Regan's is better according on a technical level. However, it's important to note that just because two jokes are of differing impressiveness, but that doesn't mean that McIntyre is shit and everyone who enjoys him is stupider.
To make an analogy: McIntryre is James Patterson, or maybe some basic, thrift-store cookie-cutter thriller whatever, and Regan/seinfield/insert-more-skilled-comedian is like F Scott. Fitzgerald: Anyone who reads both of those authors would agree that Fitzgerald is getting at something deeper, has more complex and lucid and beautiful prose, etc; however, people will usually prefer one over the other, or maybe they'll like both or neither. Aesthetic critique is important and good to do, but I'd argue Patterson is incredibly skilled at churning out Thriller and Romances that the everyman can enjoy; and, sure, lots of those people could also enjoy Fitzgerald, but maybe they don't want that all the time, they want the easier stuff. Nothing wrong in wanting easier stuff. I do admit the analogy is weak in the sense that it's not "hard" to enjoy a Seinfield bit, but I think the general gist about entertainment holds.
At what point in the video does he accuse McIntyre fans of stupidity? I must've missed that part
And yet, he's still remarkably popular and funny. His delivery and personality are only part of his appeal.
Wow, I totally disagree... Michael M is the only one that makes me laugh out loud! Everytime! Each to their own!
Nikki Maurer ....yes absolutely ! 👏👏♥️
Yes! He makes me laugh!
lmao, the video didnt say :' He is not funny", the video says - "He is funny in a boring way". McIntyre is obvs a great performer, but a lot of times his "comedy" is bare bones that comes to life only based on the magic of his stage act.
Alfredo Pine healing vibes to you ❤️ 😘
Don't worry, it's not your fault.
I’m glad my doctor doesn’t think like that. Or any other specialist. Michael can read an audience. That is skill
If comedy sticks to a formula... where is the room for growth?
You can't "read an audience" of 20,000 people. Reading an audience only works in intimate gigs
I'm glad my doctor doesn't think like you- if Doctors took their patients advice to heart, we would still be dying of bubonic plague and cholera because they don't like the idea of getting vaccinated. oh wait, that already happens.
not to mention the fact that, compared to "out of touch" comedians like Stewart Lee, McIntyre and both the Carr's are the most formulaic out there. they have been telling the same music hall jokes for hundreds of years.
It is NOT a formula
@@BeyondSideshow Observational comedy is the definition of formulaic comedy
@@NickHunter You're right, of course. I wrote that in a hurry which was pointless.
What I wanted to say (I guess) was it's not a question of adhering to a formula, it's perhaps a question of understanding the rules before abandoning them. Is that fair?
Having read Michael’s first book and laughing our loud at some great moments - and feeling pretty sad at the less than funny times. He glosses over his mum’s affair, his mum and dad’s incompatibility and subsequent break up of his family. He also makes light of his struggle to ‘make it’ as a comedian. I suppose that’s the way he copes. Thank goodness it is, as his take and look a life is just so very, very funny. He’s good to look at, good to listen to, great to watch and has every one in stitches - no wonder some of the less talented and older ‘comedians’ on the block had to make nasty remarks and show the Green Eyed Monster that was lurking beneath. Great work Michael - keep it coming. Even Tom Wrigglesworth mentions him and his ‘man drawer’ in his radio comedy show (well his mum does). It’s been along time since we had someone so funny to entertain us.
If he is so bad, then why is everyone laughing?
YOU don't like his comedy, so that makes it bad / wrong?
He does what he does well enough that he fills large halls with people paying good cash to be there.
That's what's good about comedy - it doesn't HAVE to follow a formula. if people find it funny, then it IS comedy.
To say that 'a pun has no place on a stand up stage', is extremely unfair. Many comedians, including prominent ones you have covered, have been able to use a simple pun to masterful effect and either elevate a joke, or as a perfect button for the punchline.
As with most things, it's all about execution, and even those 'low-level' type puns found in a joke book can still be used to great effect. Stewart Lee, for example, has used puns of that nature numerous times in an ironic and satirical nature, befitting his on stage persona, to great effect. Most of the humour may derive from the deconstruction of that joke, or his ridiculing of the audience, but the pun itself will most likely still have been used, and it's his delivery that will turn it into something more.
I get what you're trying to say in regards to McIntyre's brand of comedy, and I agree that a lot of his material feels cheap. However I feel that to make a sweeping generalization insinuating that puns have no purpose is potentially harmful to any discourse breaking down how comedy works, and more importantly, how comedians work.
Only a small point, hope this doesn't come across too conceited, still really enjoying your videos, keep it up! :)
I really don't understand what is this "premise" that you're talking about, but I find Michael McIntyre to be one of the funniest people ever.
I find that his comedy does not have many jokes, and that the jokes he does have seem unclever. Despite this, I often laugh aloud (which is rare) at his comedy simply because of how well he presents them.
Also, I think his success is also partially due to how his comedy is almost entirely clean of vulgarity. A lot of people who look for that in comedians can only find that in Micheal.
Howdy Jared! This is a great point. I think McIntyre is a more a great performer than a great comedian. I actually think a lot of his earlier material is quite brilliant. I remember watching his interview on Top Gear when I was a kid and having tears streaming down my eyes. I guess over time he's become more telegraphed and that personal element of his comedy has kind of evaporated. But there are still flashes of brilliance.
I agree with his status as a clean comedian, although I was actually quite surprised with how frequently he dips into more adult material. His language isn't always that clean either. Brian Regan is far closer to an actual 'clean' comedian. There is next to zero vulgarity/foul language in any of his specials. But it's an impressive feat nonetheless :)
Comedy Without Errors Yeah I agree - my take on McIntyre has always been that his early stuff is superb and his later stuff much lazier and cut and paste. The premise theory is really well observed. Do his bits earlier in his career have clearer premises in your opinion? Which make better routines overall?
@@alexkitson577 Yeah, there are way more traditional jokes in his earlier specials. Live & Laughing has a great combination of drawn out stories and really punchy quick observations. I remember a joke about passport photos, where it's a sheet of things 'not' to do. McIntyre sets up a clear premise and delivers 3 really funny punch-lines in the space of about 40 seconds. In his newer stuff that never happens. Every joke is 3+ minutes...
I guess as long as he's telling you something that feels like it's coming from a genuine place then it's all good. I find McIntyre is at his best when he contains his observations within a kind of story or situation. There's another joke in Live & Laughing about Farm Traffic (2:08 th-cam.com/video/RxBkPEOzN0Y/w-d-xo.html ) where he makes a series of observations, but contains them within a story. It's relatable and personal at the same time.
Whereas in the Hotel joke, there's just observations but no story. It's relatable, but disconnected.
Cut & Paste is a perfect description. It's the same kind of thing but missing (for want of a better word) a 'soul' haha.
"It's not funny but I laugh bc if how well it's presented"? That sounds really fucking stupid. And wrong. His presentation is garbage too.
@@winterc.2476 Is there some kind of golden standard or procedure to which each joke must abide for it to be funny?
Please write them out so every single comedian can work from them to please you.
This is utterly ridiculous. And pretentious. Calling him a comedian of the lowest common denominator just reeks of jealousy. There is no one formula for comedy. And there doesn't need to be a premise. The judgemental description of the hotel joke is such an elitist attitude. Humour doesn't always have to be witty or thoughtful. If you're not able to have a laugh at something as simple and silly as McIntyre's "wankie" joke, I feel sorry for you. And it has nothing to do with maturity. The world is a messy place these days, and sometimes it's nice to just be able to have some laughs with someone who's clearly having fun.
Alright, a second thought...I have no idea how I'd not seen McIntyre before a few weeks ago. I live in Canada, but still. Anyway, I immediately liked him. He's obviously a very charming person and is just fun to listen to. I love some intellectual comedy just as much, but I also want fluffier stuff in between. I mean, look at Frasier. That was an intelligently written show that didn't underestimate its audience or spoon feed them anything, but they interjected moments of physical comedy and silliness here and there and it worked. Because not all of us have sticks up our asses, and are able to enjoy it all without demeaning it.
I get your point, but I think it's unfair to play the Wii theme over his joke and fast edit to make your point. That just makes whatever you are showing downgrading.
I like to take a break from reality and laugh at a guy who make jokes about every day activities. I like that kind of humor, instead of having a premise that (often) need to insult someone else
You think McIntyre is lazy. Yet you can’t be arsed to turn off your Wii for the duration of the recording.
You state in the video that, in your opinion, puns aren't your preferred style of comedy and that you find them a rather lazy approach.
However, do you still maintain this opinion if take comedians such as Tim Vine? Despite his style being very repetitive, I find his puns to be very clever and his punchlines quite unpredictable
Haha this is true. Tim Vine does have some really funny jokes. I also remember Stewart Lee saying a pun about Kofi Anan that's so terrible it kind of goes straight through into funny:
(About 30 secs in): th-cam.com/video/OTfcWd8Ygg8/w-d-xo.html
I think you're right; some comedians are still innovating with puns. But I will maintain that 99% of puns just make me want to throw a book through a wall. I think a lot of that segment is just me venting my anger at the pun gods haha
Kinda have to disagree with your point. I even think the example you gave contradicted your point. McIntyre's premise of "a lot of hotels are shit" is vague but clear, and he did back that premise up by giving examples of the flaws of these hotels by making up scenarios. E.g kettle, swipe card and lack of entertainment apart from a bible. I think personally these SCENARIOS make mcintyre comedy extremely well done and very unique. I think his comedy is more like a sketch comedy show but done on a stand up stage. He might not be telling "jokes" in the traditional sense but is exceptionally successful in meeting the criteria of comedy, which is to make people laugh.
Your premise here is that the only 'good comedy' is one that uses a specific premise (that you find satisfying). McIntyre makes observations on a shared set of experiences (that he has in common with a lot of us). The moment he says 'you should not have to fill it in the bathroom' I think: wow, I've had the same thought. His brilliance is to have us see our own experiences in a new light, and to make us laugh at ourselves and I think in these times, with people battling over ego territory, that is a great thing.
They say, if you are loved and hated at the same time, it means that you are really popular. Go, Michael!
I would pay money to see Micheal McIntyre . No money would leave my palms for that other. Michael is laughing all the way to the bank.
As someone who just casually stumbled upon Michael M. with no bias or idea of who he was. He made me laugh out loud with his cadence expressions and funny stories. Sooo yeah
If that's how he is described, I guess that's what's my type 😁. The only comedian I bother subscribing to.
This is a very disappointing video. It purports to explain why McIntyre is so popular and successful and yet equally hated, but does nothing except fixate on one aspect of conventional comedic structure. So why is he so successful? Because the audience is stupid?
I think McIntyre’s popularity stems from his specific take on the surreal nature of mundanity. And his audience is specific, yet vast. They are not arrogant or particularly self-involved. There’s very little of McIntyre in his routines, whereas if you go and see someone like Stewart Lee, the material is not about the subject itself, but rather about the character Lee is playing. In McIntyre’s approach, he is you. I would even call it a form of experiential identification. In this case, you don’t need a premise because a premise is the opinion of the comic. When the comic is removed from the equation, the concept of even having a premise would imply too much structure in the bizarre world of the everyday.
I’d like to see a more insightful study into McIntyre; One that accepts the chaotic and seemingly disorganised nature of his premising approach, but also aspires to examine why he resonates so much with people. Simply implying the people are wrong for liking him is a cop-out.
So tired of the snobbery in all forms of entertainment and the arts. Comedy snobs, music snobs, art snobs etc. I would suggest that if you enjoy something, don't let others ruin it for you with snobbery. Personally I find Chris Rock continually repeating the premise of his joke over and over a little annoying. Life is too short, enjoy what you like, not what others tell you to like.
And yet, you took the time to watch this video and make a comment.
No-one is stopping you from going to see shit art, comedy, music or movies.
Snob, as it usually does, means anyone with standards. Art is not objective, but McIntyre isn't art. He's a mass produced commodity. He does it to make money, people hire him to make money for their theatres and stadiums, to get advertising revenue for their tv programs. He is a safe pair of hands, they know that most people with find him funny or at least funny enough to continue watching. His jokes are, frankly, unoriginal, simplistic and predictable to anyone with two braincells to rub together. They don't make me laugh in the slightest. Can you watch Macintyre? Yes, but don't expect me to respect your opinion about comedy, or for that matter Francis Bacon, Scott Walker, or any of the shit that calls itself Reality TV.
@@hamishwhitehenderson5197 would you care to share what / who you do find funny
@@seth1455 Stewart Lee, Henning Wehn, Milton Jones, Michael Redmond, George Carlin. outside of standup- Brass Eye, Four Lions, Time Trumpet, Peep Show, the Thick of It. Eric Andre, Dril, Ken M, The Onion, David Firth, The League of Gentlemen, Inside No.9, Cabin Pressue. Jonathan Meades.
I didn’t even know there is a definition for a joke before this video. There is no surprise that comedians have their professional views of being a good comedian, and perhaps McIntyre is one of those ‘unorthodox’ comedian. But in regular audiences’ eyes, isn’t just acting funny and brings joy to people enough? McIntyre is just a funny guy and it’s perfectly okay to purely sharing little things in life without implying anything deeper on stage. He’s not trying to be someone we look up to, he’s just a very positive, regular funny guy among us, he’s never trying to make a speech while on stage and that’s what makes him special, as a comedian I suppose.
Yes but what makes the duvet, the UHT, The kettle and that you have to fill it in the bathroom are representations of how bad Hotels are and all these are relatable to every day people who are his audience hence why people find them funny. Also why are you comparing two completely different people from differenrt countrys and from two completely different social climates i mean how are these comparisons valid....
As a Brit, the early Brian Regan show I first saw on here is absolutely hilarious and even I could relate to his observational comedy. Michael McIntyre on the other hand...
You probably have a point according to various academic textbooks. But... In my view you are missing the point. Michael McIntyre is incredibly funny and the reason is that he talks about relatable subjects. You can identify with him and he’s a proper actor when it comes gesturing and moving about the stage. I love him and his jokes.
Love McIntyre. He pulls in thousands of people . Your criticism is unfounded.
McIntyre is "Mum Comedy". It's the stuff that your mum, your aunt, her friends will share clips of on facebook. It's the mum equivalent of guys sharing pictures of Tom hardy or Cillian Murphy with quotes they never said as if they're some sort of deity. The best is when it's a picture of a lion. With a quote and no attribution. McIntyre is essentially a variety act or cabaret host. His hosting of his comedy roadshow proved that he is a great host and a crowd pleaser but there is always a clear difference in the room when an act ends and his filler begins.
You’re not normal if you find no relation to his comedy
Thanks for giving me words to accurately express why McIntyre's work just doesn't hit me
I don’t care about premises etc. Michael is by far the best comedian ever.
I see this professionally and in my hobbies. People who think if you're not following the rules, if it's not industry best practice, if it's not following the formula, it's rubbish. From my experience, these are the most unimaginative, uncreative, and under performing group of people. The comedians job is to make you laugh, not follow a formula.
I don’t see why his lack of a message or opinion is a bad thing. If a comedian makes the audience laugh, they’re doing a good job. Why does there need to be anything any deeper than that?
I get what you’re saying and to a certain length i agree, however i think the point he was trying to make centered less around the audience enjoyment and more around the perfection of craft. Take, for instance, music. It’s great if a musician can make a song enjoyable and catchy, but this does not make them great. From a public perspective artists that fill the top 40 are great artists but proffesionals may say that what they do is easy and not well crafted. This shouldn’t discredit their ability to make a decent tune but it is the planning and structure of the song that seperates your top 40 one hit wonders from your david bowies. So although mcintyre is funny and does make people laugh, other comedians probably resent him because his comedy is not well planned or structured (i.e. his flimsy premises) and yet he continues to dominate the mainstream comedy scene. It doesn’t make him an objectively bad comedian i can see why it would be frustrating for those who are less successful with more well thought out, cleverly structured jokes. (No hate to mcintyre though, i have enjoyed a lot of his stuff, just like i’ve enjoyed a lot of top 40 stuff! ;))
I suppose most of us are bright enough to understand that if a comedian is going to talk about hotels, it won't be to praise them.
I love Michael McIntyre and his humour..never fails to make me laugh.
Love this channel, man. The scripts are well written and well thought out. I guess you just need to game the infamous TH-cam algorithm somehow to get your hits and subs up to where they should be.
It an interesting video and if anyone is studying how jokes are constructed then this would be very helpful.
I just struggled with how it made out that Michael McIntyre was a lesser comedian because he did not follow the structure. It also made me feel that the thousand of people who have been to see him who laugh at his jokes are in some way not as sophisticated as the people who get the jokes of the comedians who follow the rules.
Sometimes it’s nice to watch something that isn’t trying to change your opinion or educate you it’s just trying to make you laugh.
LOL I loved the Jerry Seinfeld burn at 4:15. Beautiful.
The audience likes him, but other comedians don't? Could it be that they're simply jealous of his success. Especially, if his jokes are as lazy as you describe, his success is even greater then.
You're wrong, Michael is one of the funniest comedians there is out there .So he doesnt always have a premise. so the hel what. He's extremely funny and its not all about him , He truly makes ppl happy , unlike a lot of others. who are full of themselves.. as for the other guy you mentioned on here , He was about as funny as watching grass grow.
Michael keeps inventing things to make ppl laugh and laugh we do!..He fills rooms with laughter and thats a good thing. GO MICHAEL whoohoo :)
The cut at 8:17 killed me hahahaha
I guess you can analyse all you want. The bottom line is: is it funny and does it make people laugh? The answer is MM's case is yes. Or maybe you just have to be British to understand! But, judging from the international comments on all of his clips on youtube, even that doesn't seem to follow. So, sorry mate, but this analysis would appear to be in vain. (I suspect you secretly work for Brian Regan's promo team, lol).
How would you apply this theory to a comedian like Robin Williams. McIntyre seems to string together comedic “bits” like a 1 man performance and not sets of premise-punchline jokes.
The key point is that you don’t actually need a premise to be funny - and MM is proof of that. At the end of the day, many things can be funny - from visual comedy to audacious comedy to - finally- simple observational or situational comedy which either resonates or is objectively funny in an anecdotal way. And that is fine. Leave each to their own, and please stop pouring pompous scorn on people who use their own methods or who don’t subscribe to a formulaic ‘premise’ approach around premises. The proof is in the pudding: many people find MM funny, me included, and they are entitled to do so.
The only analysis required is, “am I laughing? Yep, ok that’s a comedian”
That's like saying a doctor should just ask if you're breathing
Your analysis is insightful and so is the comparison with Regan, but simultaneously I feel the final comparison could equally be made in McIntyre's favour; "where comedians like Regan rely on a novel perspective to surprise the crowd and make their jokes work, McIntyre sells out theatres with jokes that seem to need neither a novel perspective, storyline, or even a premise."
Surely comedy is subjective? McIntyre isn't my favourite comedian by any stretch but I find him fairly inoffensive. If people laugh then who cares?
Norm McDonalds theory about Standuppers selling their big rooms to crowds of people, not because they're funny, but because they're likable easily explains McIntyre
Skipping across the surface is exactly right. No depth, no insight, no controversy, not really even any genuine content. Just bare anecdotes that could have happened to anyone, so are accessible and relatable to everyone. The only thing that makes it funny to the masses, as far as I can tell, is the presentation. He skips around, he pulls funny faces, he does silly voices, and that's enough for them to elevate those anecdotes to the status of comedic genius. It's tailor-made for the kind of people who watch soaps, Strictly, X Factor, game shows (in fact he often strikes me as a game show host or MC rather than a headline comedian). The BBC1/ITV Saturday night mainstream audience who want safety, comfort, and familiarity, rather than anything new or challenging. I'm not saying those people are wrong or inferior - they want what they want. But it's why those of us who prefer the new and challenging don't like him, and neither do other comedians.
Yet, I routinely belly laugh at Michael and the excerpts used as examples in this video left me cold. I will watch Michael over and over again and be entertained. I don’t give a rat’s patooty what you think. Jealous are we?
MM is fabulous! Very clever use of language. Jeanne from Singapore
I like this channel a lot but this video is pretentious, prejudiced and very one-sided. You should be focusing on why McIntyre is so successful and why he is funny, not why he is not or not just why he is not. Now you just focused on what he doesn't have or doesn't do. I saw him do a bit on spices and herbs and it couldn't be a more mundane subject, yet, it made people laugh hysterically. Try and explain that.
I think everyone is jealous of Michael McIntyre’s success! He’s much more likable, energetic, and funny!
Just started watching this video and fully expect the phrase “spoon feeding his warm diarrhea” to appear at some point!
I'd really enjoy a dissection of why, in spite of his theoretical shortcomings, why his comedy clearly works for such a large audience.
Because there are a lot of people that enjoy this kind of stuff, regardless of how weak it may be. Simple as that
@@BeyondSideshow I understand that, I'm more interested in why it is that it appeals to so many people.
@@TF-bi8ru Very low common denominator
People like mediocrity. Why is Justin Bieber so high. Why are top selling movies so crap... Books are the worst... If a book is a best seller you can almost by definition tell it's going to be shite.
@@TF-bi8ru you could ask the same for forexample junkfood
Absolutely Michael McIntyre is the lowest common denominator's comedian. He's meant to be a people's comedian, not a comedian's comedian. He knows that & he fully embraces his vague, deliberately rambling, overtly inoffensive & mundane type of comedy that relies more on entertaining comic delivery than subversion & highbrow writing. It's lack of seemingly authentic emotional investment and narrow range of topics can be claustrophobic, & doesn't make for extended consumption, but it garners the broadest, most generic audience & the most ticket sales. It gets him major commercial success. He knows what works for him and and he sticks with it using his own formula, not everyone else's.
It's highly unlikely this is all an accident & McIntyre is unaware of what he's doing. In fact, this only makes him a more intelligent comedian, even a maverick in his industry, choosing to do the exact opposite of what the traditional rules of comedy define as "good material" & still finding major success with it despite what other comedians may dismiss as a bad comic. It's similar to how Craig Ferguson was famous for tearing up his talking point cards before every interview, in his signature punk rock, middle finger approach the entertainment industry itself.
This channel only seems interested in pushing their narrow-minded idea of what SHOULD qualify as good comedy, ignoring any evidence that contradicts or challenges these opinions and inadvertently treats the art as if it were a rigid, uncreative technical skill rather than a complex, subjective & nuanced craft. Nearly every point they make in this video is directly contradicted with all the points & the entire premise of their James Acaster video essay.
This channel would be so much more valid if they just focused on solid creative analysis & cut the intellectual selectivity & off-the-mark critiquing. Ironically, this video & whole channel would actually be interesting and educational if you literally just subtract the bias, in this case the premise that Michael MacIntyre is a bad comedian. Then the rest of the essay would become a relevant analysis about the different styles of comedy and how even non-traditional structures can work. Otherwise this channel is just one that thinks of itself as insightful & discerning while displaying a fundamental lack of understanding of the subject matter
Mcintyre has brilliantly British waffle style. He is great comedian.
Though at the same time Brian Regan tells joke on subjects he actually cares.
A Lot of comedeans simply take Them selfes waay to seriosly. Mcantire is funny becouse he dosnt. When you are done with one of his shows, you feel like youve talked to a funny Friend All night and your cheaks Hurt from laughin and smiling.
I totally agree. He makes me laugh. Period!
Sekita Bøg ....so true, very well said !
M C ...👏👏👏♥️
The consistent quality of your first 6 videos excites me so much. I really appreciate your work man, this is my new favourite channel
Give me Michael McIntyre every time. It seems that Americans need their comedy explained to them.
Does it matter? MM makes me and so many other people laugh out loud. That's exactly what we want from a comedian.
There should be a law against putting up a video that contains Jeremy Clarkson without posting a warning; even if the appearance is only for a few seconds.
He is funny.Stop trying to make it anything else.Sounds like typical British Snobbery.And he gets the last laugh...with a checking account Full Of Cash.
He is funny to some people. Other people can't stand him - I am one of them. This video is an analysis of comedy as an art form.
@@gergonikk Pretty sure you could say that about any comedian.
Jesus Christ, not everything has to be deep and meaningful. its like saying nothing but writing on the level of Literary Master pieces should exist. its just snobbery. there's room for all kinds of comedy. I like Jim Gaffigan as much as Jimmy Carr, and in between I squeeze in some Regan and McIntyre. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this.
TOTALLY disagree. Reagan doesn't make me laugh... MM makes me laugh every time and I subscribe to him. Why the sour grapes? Jealous?
To me michael mcintyre is one of the best comedians at physical comedy wich is a must when your doing stand up shows because the best physical comedians doing stand up are able to take the audience in to the situation they are describing and they do that by basically being physical and exaggerating in a funny way and thats an art that michael is the best at in my opinion:).
Regan simply isn’t funny. McIntyre is a laugh a second. I can’t get enough of him!
Catherine Doull .....honestly couldn’t agree more !
I think youre McIntyre’s target audience in fairness.
John Simonson Michael is hilarious. It is boring to listen to someone setting up his joke over and over like he is talking to a retarded audience.
Catherine Doull Oh the irony.
Michael McIntyre doesn’t need a premise because he’s literally the most charismatic personality I’ve ever seen on a stage. It’s about the performance, not words on a piece of paper. If he’s a world renowned comedian, there’s clearly a reason for that.