Alternative comedy is a style of comedy that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and 1980s which would eventually go on to become mainstream in the 1990s and up to the present day. It has its roots in British nonsense writings of the Victorian Era, and their logical extension through the works of Canadian author Stephen Leacock and his influence over the Marx Brothers and The Goons. It coincided with other comedy movements of a similar style around the world, although the British scene had many unique aspects. A major alternative scene existed in L.A. during the early 1990s, in which David Cross and Bob Odenkirk, among others, rose to comedic promenence. There are currently two major "alternative" movements in English speaking North America, in Toronto and in New York (centred on the East Village). Comedy is the use of humor in the form of theater, where it simply referred to a play with a happy ending, in contrast to a tragedy. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1971 to 1980, inclusive. ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Stephen Butler Leacock, Ph. ... The Marx Brothers were a team of sibling comedians that appeared in vaudeville, stage plays, film and television. ... The Goons are a small internet community. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Cross portraying Tobias Fünke in the American T.V. show Arrested Development. ... Bob Odenkirk in a publicity photo for Mr. ...

It should be noted that for an alternative comic to rise to comedic prominence does not mean that they rose to any public consciousness.

Definition

Alternative comedy can be alternatively defined as a) any comedy style that make a conscious break with the mainstream comedic taste of a particular era (meaning that what was alternative 20 years ago might now be commonplace, and so no longer alternative) or b) in reference to a particular British "post-punk" comedy movement that relied not on punchline-based jokes, like traditional comedians. Instead a typical alternative comedian might rely on one, all or a selection of the following:

• Observational humour: Making humour out of everday occurrences, and also laughing at one's own foibles and weakenesses (traditional comedians laughed at other people, such as ethnic minorities or "the mother-in-law", while alternative comedians laughed at themselves, their situation, and at the human condition).
• Political satire: Or, at the very least, a radicalised political awareness rooted in socialism; if a comedian was floundering, he/she could get a cheer out of the audience by simply making a joke about Margaret Thatcher (Ben Elton, a well-known alternative comedian, referred to her as 'Mrs Thatch' and would often say, "Ooh, little bit of politics!" when he drifted into political satire). Nearly all female comedians described themselves as feminist to a greater or lesser degree.
• Breaking social taboos: Particularly those relating to sex and bad language; alternative comedians swore on stage and, continuing the theme of observational humour, often made jokes about sex acts and sexuality. Toilet humour was not uncommon either.
• Surreal whimsy: A comedian might start with observational humour and then drift into a degree of surrealism. For example, Paul Merton's Policeman on Acid sketch, or much of Alexei Sayle's material.
• Intellectual humour: Generally speaking, alternative comedy required an educated or knowledgeable audience. It required the audience to participate and understand the humour, rather than simply sit back and expect to be made to laugh.
• Extreme slapstick: People were often set on fire, had bricks smashed over their heads, or were flung through walls etc. This is arguably a less common trait of alternative comedy, however, and was only practiced by a handful of artists, such as Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson (and also Rowan Atkinson in the Blackadder television shows).
• Improvisation: Working without a script of plan and making-up comedy on the spot in response to audience suggestions. This was usually during nights dedicated to 'improv', however. See The Comedy Store Players.

Alternative comedy was radical, both for its time and even today. Alternative comedians were passionate performers. Many were not driven exclusively by the desire to entertain, but also by the fact they had a message to get across (or simply because they wanted to smash social boundaries). Observational comedy is a brand of humor based on making remarks about various facets of daily life. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... Benjamin Charles Elton (born May 3, 1959) is an English comedian and writer. ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Paul Merton on the Room 101 set Paul Merton (born January 17, 1957) is a British actor, deadpan comedian and writer, who is best known as a panellist on Have I Got News For You and Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4 and as the host of Room 101. ... Alexei David Sayle is a British comedian, actor and author. ... Rik Mayall Rik Mayall (born in Harlow, Essex, England, March 7th, 1958) is a British comedian and actor. ... Adrian Edmondson (sometimes credited as Ade Edmondson, born 24 January 1957 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England) is a British actor, comedian, director, and writer who gained fame as Vyvyan in The Young Ones in the early 1980s. ... Rowan Atkinson on promotion tour for his movie Bean in Hürth, Germany August, 1997 Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born January 6, 1955 in Consett, County Durham, England) is an English comedian, actor and writer best known for playing the title roles in the UK television series Blackadder and Mr. ... The Comedy Store Players is a goup of improvising comedy performers known for their performances at The Comedy Store in London. ...

Nearly all alternative comedians were university graduates. Many came from a middle-class background and most held strong political and/or social beliefs. Most weren't trained actors or experienced comics. They didn't come from a variety or show-biz background. The sought to redefine the rulebook on comedy entertainment. Considering the mainstream success of most alternative comedians today, it could be argued that they succeeded. Variety (linguistics) is a concept that includes for instance dialects, standard language and jargon. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

History in England

Alternative comedy was a product of its time. In the early 1980s Britain was a politically divided country, although alternative comedy also had a nihilistic streak running through its core. Margaret Thatcher had come to power and was pushing forward free trade reforms, but many still believed that Britain would one day be a socialist country. Punk rock had just come and gone in the late 1970s and Britain was changing forever in ways few people understood. From this melting pot alternative comedy was born. Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... Socialism is a social and economic system (or the political philosophy advocating such a system) in which the economic means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the people. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ...

It could be argued that alternative comedy was a natural progression of anti-establishment comedy which had started in the 1950s and 60s with the Satire Boom, the best-selling stage show Beyond the Fringe and TV shows like That Was the Week That Was. In addition, the bizarreness and surrealism of TV shows such as Monty Python's Flying Circus and Spike Milligan's Q5 (also known as Q6, Q7, Q8 and Q9) undoubtedly had an influence. The satire boom is a general term to describe the emergence of a generation of English satirical writers, journalists and performers at the end of the 1950s. ... Album of Beyond the Fringe Published by EMI in 1996 Beyond the Fringe was a British comedy stage revue written and performed by Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller. ... That Was The Week That Was, also known as TW3, was a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. ... It has been suggested that Monty Pythons Flying Circus (stage version) be merged into this article or section. ... Milligan in costume for his Q series. ...

With regard to the origin of the term "alternative comedy", pioneering alternative comedian Malcolm Hardee wrote in his autobiography "I Stole Freddie Mercury's Birthday Cake" (1996) that fellow comedian Tony Allen coined the phrase. He goes on to claim its origin was the series of 'alternative cabaret' shows staged in 1978 by the owner of the Ferry Inn at Salcombe, Devon. He advertised that his cutting-edge comedy was 'alternative' to the more mainstream comedy being put on by the local yacht club. Malcolm Hardee (born Lewisham, London, 5th January 1950 - died London, 31st January 2005) was an anarchic British comedian, author, club proprietor and compere. ...

But most would argue that alternative comedy found its home in London, in The Comedy Store and The Comic Strip clubs (later also Jongleurs as well as others). As alternative comedy became more popular, similar clubs were opened in most British cities. They were (and still are) live venues which presented nothing but comedy and, although described as clubs, membership was not necessary. The "stage" was usually a raised platform inches away from the audience, which made for intimate and less theatrical performances. This article is about the club in the United States; there is also a Comedy Store in London. ... The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, best known collectively for their television series The Comic Strip Presents. ... Jongleurs is a chain of seventeen comedy clubs in the United Kingdom, established in 1983. ...

A number of key alternative comedy performers had been students at Manchester University (a university in the north west of England), including Adrian Edmonson, Rik Mayall, and Ben Elton. University of Manchester Motto: Cognitio Sapientia Hvmanitas Knowledge, wisdom, humanity. ... Adrian Edmondson Adrian Edmondson (sometimes credited as Ade Edmondson, born 24 January 1957 in Bradford, Yorkshire, Britain) is a British actor, comedian, director, and writer who gained fame as Vyvyan in The Young Ones in the early 1980s. ... Rik Mayall Rik Mayall (born in Harlow, Essex, England, March 7th, 1958) is a British comedian and actor. ... Benjamin Charles Elton (born May 3, 1959) is an English comedian and writer. ...

Transition to mainstream

Spurred on by the actions of up coming television producers, such as Paul Jackson, Geoffrey Perkins and Jimmy Mulville (see also Hat Trick Productions), alternative comedy spilled onto TV in the 80s. It was supported by minority channel BBC 2 in the form of The Young Ones and other sitcoms. These were seen as cult programmes, although there was some mainstream success for shows like Not The Nine O'Clock News and French & Saunders, both of which eventually switched from BBC2 to BBC1. Paul Jackson (sometimes credited as K. Paul Jackson - his first name is Kevin) is a British television producer. ... Geoffrey Perkins has been a central figure in British comedy broadcasting. ... Jimmy Mulville (born James Thomas Mulville on January 5, 1955 in Liverpool) is a British comedian, comedy writer, producer and television presenter. ... Hat Trick Productions is a British independent television production company. ... BBC Two (or BBC2 as it was formerly styled) was the second UK television station to be aired by the BBC. History The channel was scheduled to begin at 7:20pm on April 20, 1964 and show an evening of light entertainment, starting with the comedy show The Alberts and... The Young Ones; Left to right: Jerzi Balowski (Alexei Sayle), Neil (Nigel Planer), Rik (Rick Mayall), Mike (Christopher Ryan) & Viv (Adrian Edmondson) The Young Ones was a British sitcom about four male students sharing a house. ... Not the Nine OClock News (DVD) Not the Nine OClock News was a comedy television programme shown on the BBC, broadcast from 1979 to 1982. ... French & Saunders is a British sketch comedy television show written by and starring by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, and also the name by which the performers are known on the rare occasions when they appear elsewhere as a double act. ...

The UK's other minority channel, Channel 4, hosted Saturday Live (UK) (later Friday Night Live), which effectively provided a TV platform for all those appearing at the Comedy Store at the time. Channel 4 also commissioned most of The Comic Strip pastiches as a central part of the channel's early development. Channel 4 is a public service television broadcaster in the United Kingdom (see British television). ... Channel 4 is a public service television broadcaster in the United Kingdom (see British television). ... The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, best known collectively for their television series The Comic Strip Presents. ...

The problem presented by alternative comedy on television was finding the correct format - a stand-up comedy performance was at odds with the needs of TV. Sketch shows, which relied on punchlines, were alien to the nature of alternative comedy. This lead to a very high quantity of failed TV pilots. If there wasn't an alternative comedy star or top-rated programme in the early days, it wasn't through lack of trying.

However, despite that, 'alternative' comedy would eventually become mainstream, with the likes of Absolutely Fabulous becoming prime-time BBC viewing. In the early 1990s Ben Elton presented the UK TV chat show Wogan, in the host's absence, signifying that alternative comedy was to be thrust upon mainstream audiences whether they liked it or not. When comedy duo Rob Newman and David Baddiel played the largest ever stand-up gig at Wembley Arena, alternative comedy was hailed as "the new rock and roll" and acts made significant sums from merchandising, recordings of their TV shows and live performances. Patsy and Eddie Absolutely Fabulous (popularly referred to as Ab Fab) is a British sitcom written by Jennifer Saunders and starring Saunders and Joanna Lumley. ... Rob Newman Robert (sometimes Rob) Newman (born July 7, 1964) is a half Greek-Cypriot British stand-up comedian, author and political activist. ... David Baddiel (born May 28, 1964, Troy, New York, USA) is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter. ... Wembley Arena is a world famous live entertainment venue, located in Wembley, London. ...

Traditional comedy, characterised by Bernard Manning and Frank Carson, would be relegated to the sidelines in live venues such as working men's clubs. Nowadays traditional comedians appear on television only as curiosities in mockumentaries, or as game show hosts. Bernard Manning (born August 13, 1930 in Ancoats Manchester) is a famous working class British comedian who was at his most popular in the 1970s. ... Frank Carson (born November 6, 1926) is an Irish comedian and actor. ... Mockumentary (portmanteau of mock documentary. ...

Modern British alternative comedy

It's debatable whether alternative comedy still exists. Comedians have always been averse to describing themselves as alternative, even during the era's hay day. Comedians like Mark Thomas, Mark Steel and Jeremy Hardy still perform stand-up with a hard political and intellectual edge but their isolation makes them conspicuous, and they're far from being household names. Few of the original alternative comedians appear on stage any longer, least of all performing stand-up comedy. Ben Elton, arguably the epitome of an alternative comedy for much of the 1980s, now considers himself a writer, and has scripted several West End stage musicals. Mark Thomas Mark Clifford Thomas (1963–) is a British comedian, presenter and reporter from south London. ... Mark Steel is a British socialist columnist and comedian. ... Jeremy Hardy (born 17 July 1961) is a British alternative comedian. ...

There is certainly still a strong scene of underground stand-up comedians supported by the likes of the Edinburgh Fringe and various live comedy clubs up and down the country. Proponents include Boothby Graffoe, Ross Noble, Dominic Holland, Sean Lock and Dave Gorman. BBC Radio 4 sponsors many up and coming alternative comedians, such as The Consultants, via half-hour shows. Character comedy is also a large part of modern alternative comedy and modern alternative comedians are usually also actors. A street performer on the Royal Mile (2004). ... See also: Boothby Graffoe (comedian) Boothby Graffoe (population approx. ... Ross Noble performing his show Noodlemeister in Edinburgh, 2004. ... Sean Lock (born 1963) is an English comedian. ... David Gorman (born March 2, 1971) is a documentary-comedian and humorist. ... BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of chiefly spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... The Consultants are a comedy sketch team who first reached public prominence in August 2002 where they won the Perrier Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Fringe. ...

It's worth noting that the comedy clubs which sponsored alternative comedy are still in operation and a search of their Friday and Saturday night list of acts shows the contemporary scene off very well.

Modern alternative comedy tends to be more absurdist than previously, perhaps as a reaction to the pointed satire and deliberate intellectualism of the earlier generation which had become odious. It's also more international than previously, with Australian, Irish and American comedians mixing in well with what was at one time an almost exclusively British scene. One suggestion towards a definition of modern alternative comedy might be that it is popular but in a limited way (i.e. it achieves cult status). Recent examples include Brass Eye, The League of Gentlemen programmes or, from a previous generation, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer (Reeves & Mortimer). Brass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries which aired on Channel 4 in 1997 and was re-run in 2001. ... See: The League of Gentlemen (novel), by John Boland The League of Gentlemen (film) starring Jack Hawkins and made in 1959. ... Vic Reeves in the mid 90s Vic Reeves (born James Jim Roderick Moir January 24, 1959) is an English comedian, best known through his double act with Bob Mortimer. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Major Alternative Comedy Scenes (2001 - Present)

Currently, Alternative Comedy is experiencing a rennaissance. Necessarily, what is alternative to one generation is staid to another, and the young comedians in the East Village and Toronto have put their new stamp on what is considered "not mainstream." The idea of a "non-physical venue" is also on the rise, with downloadable information in the form of a video podcast using the viewer's iPod or computer as the new stage. Such groups as Lonely Island www.thelonelyisland.com and etc... www.opensourcecomedy.net and www.msdivine.net have been able to promote their unique brand of humor in the form of short skits and vinettes that you can either download or stream from their respective sites. Without the pressure of renting a performance space or getting a "bad performance time" the focus is put on providing a non-traditional form of comedy that not only plays with content, but with concept and medium as well. East Village Also known as Newmyers Seven Nuts, named for its inventor Chris Newmyer, East Village is a community card poker game. ...

The Toronto Scene

To understand the Toronto Alternative Comedy Scene, you must first understand that Toronto is a city renowned for creating comedy. Mike Myers, Jim Carey, Eugene Levy, John Candy, and others are all prominent Torontonian comedy names. Toronto has been dominated by Yuk Yuk's standup comedy club and Second City improvisational theater for quite some time. The success of SCTV, a Toronto produced television show based on characters developed at Second City became the benchmark for Canadian comedy. Yuk Yuk's, conversely, renowned for its genital humour and bawdy, office-night-out antics, caters to the lovers of traditional standup. Punchlines and "men are different from women because" jokes a-plenty. Another mainstream source for comedy that at one time were "alternative" are the Loose Moose Theater located in Calgary, which supplied many of the top improvisors to Toronto in the 1990s The Toronto Alternative Comedy Scene is the name given to a current group of performers and established shows taking place in Toronto entirely outside the commercial comedy establishments like Second City and Yuk Yuks. ... Michael Myers can refer to: The Rt Hon Sir Michael Myers was the sixth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. ... Jim Carey is a celebrity carpenter from the series Home and Family. ... Eugene Levy Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946 in Hamilton, Ontario) is a Jewish-Canadian actor, television director, producer and writer who is best known for his work in Canadian television series and American movies and television series. ... John Candy in the motion picture Brewsters Millions John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian comedian and actor. ... The second city of a country is the city that is (or was) the second-most important, usually after the capital or first city, according to some criteria. ... Second City Television, or SCTV, was a Canadian television sketch comedy show offshoot from the Toronto troupe of The Second City. ...

Because of this, "alternative comedy" in Toronto usually refers to that which is not Yuk Yuk's and not Second City.

The alternative comedy scene has been fueled partly by the financial disaster suffered by the Toronto Second City, and by the establishment of a comedy program at Humber College. The latter has drawn copious would-be comedians into the city, and lead to a hotbed of ideas and experimentation. Though, by no means is Humber College the only source of new comics; many alt. comics would tell you that Humber's program is specifically detrimental to alt. comedy. It's a matter of opinion either way. Other origins of the scene can be traced back to independent shows put on by two disparate groups. Rad Maneuvers put on by David Dineen-Porter, Chris Locke, Brian Barlow, Adam B. Picard, and Jennifer Warrens was an experimental night of solo performance, sketch, and standup which had ties to the art world, installation, and the old world of second city. Simultaneously, Tuesday Sketch Day with The Distractions and another group was pushing sketch to new levels. These two groups met, and in turn met the imprivisors at Catch 23. This formed a core of performers who shared similarly sacrilegious ideas (namely, that Second City wasn't funny, and that the audience deserved to be treated like an intelligent group, not mindless rabble). Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (generally referred to as Humber College) is a college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Founded in March 2002, this comedy show, originally held in the back room of the Cameron House, was arguably one of the most influential comedy reviews in Toronto in recent history. ... Brian Barlow is a Toronto comedian, a member of the comedy troupe the Gurg, and creator of The Loner Show. ...

The Toronto scene has been noted for its innovation on several fronts, with many prominent exemplars garnering awards and nominations at the highest levels in Canada. The group has blurred the lines between and excelled at sketch, improv, standup, monologues, multimedia displays, musical acts, etc... A majority of the performances of alternative comedy in toronto are performed at a limited group of specific venues.

Righteous Wednesdays Is a show established by Brian Barlow, Chris Locke (who together comprise the sketch/improv troupe The Gurg), Paul Schuck (from sketch troupe The Distractions), Mike Balazo (from sketch troupe Mr. Francis), and Jared Sales. The show, every Wednesday night at the Oasis, sports a different show every Wednesday, with a different style, different approach, and different rules. The most prominent of these is the second show of the month, The Loner Show which requires people to perform "solo comedy" which must not be standup. This regulation of avoiding what is considered "Traditional" is typical of the Toronto scene. The best elements of each show are available in a weekly podcast. Brian Barlow is a Toronto comedian, a member of the comedy troupe the Gurg, and creator of The Loner Show. ... The term podcasting is a portmanteau of the words iPod and broadcasting. ...

Catch 23 is an improv comedy show at Clinton's. It was formed by Becky Johnson, Graham Wagner who together comprise Iron Cobra, Kurt Smeaton and Julie Dumais as a place where improvisers, bored of the traditional humour of Second City, which relies mainly on references to local small towns, observations about local store chains, and comparing Canada to the U.S.A., could strut their surreal stuff. The show has specific rules, is a competition, and gives each competing team a total of 23 minutes spread over 4 scenes, with the audience and a judge voting on how well the scenes did. This show is likely to bore old people, as the humour is generally surreal, intelligent, and is not based on referencing the boring situations of day to day life.

The Joke Club is a show generally composed of standup and short films, held the first tuesday of every month at The Drake Hotel. This basement show, is hosted by toronto's uncle of alternative comedy Nick Flanagan, who cut his teeth touring with Neil Hamburger. The show features regular performances by some of Toronto's most innovative comedians and it is rare that you will find discussions about how hard bottles are to open, or why women can't drive. Nick Flanagan is a Toronto comedian, part of the current Toronto Alternative Comedy Scene, one of the oldest proponents of the New Sincerity, lead singer of The Brutal Knights, and founder of The Joke Club. ... Neil Hamburger is a stand up comedian, for lack of a better description. ...

Comedy and a... is a monthly sketch show featuring the sketch troupes Knock Knock. Who's there? Comedy! and The Distractions, with a musical intermission by Bob Wiseman. Knock Knock, or KKWTC as they are alternately called, are known for their quirky hick characterizations of a small town sketch troupe funded by a megacorporation. They blend elements of Andy Kaufman with Mr. Show often blurring the lines between what is meant to be the sketch, and what is not. Often the audience has little clue what is going on, or whether it's real. Two of the members, Adam and Dave, are filmmakers, and recently completed a project with some of the cast members of Mister Show The Distractions are simply put the three smartest sketch writers in Toronto right now, and have been the unofficial godfathers of the Abortive Toronto Sketch Boom from 2001 - 2005. They are awaiting confirmation of a television deal with The Comedy Network. Bob Wiseman is a Canadian singer-songwriterfilmmaker. ... Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman (January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984?) was a New York-born American entertainer. ... Mr. ... The Comedy Network logo (the yellow oval now usually appears by itself) The Comedy Network (colloquially often just Comedy) is a Canadian cable television specialty channel with comedy programming. ...

Key aspects of the Toronto scene are a fusion of intelligence and stupidity, delving into the macabre, and everyone appears to be losing their hair. Comedians tend to perform in a variety of formats, trying their hand at everything, and not being interested in "perfecting their schtick". Variability, adaptibility, and creativity are the three apparent grails of the toronto scene.

Prominent (to the extent that "alt. comedy acts" can be prominent) acts include

Standups/Solo Performers

• Levi MacDougall - of the Distractions
• Paul Schuck - of the Distractions
• Tim Polley - of the Distractions
• Chris Locke - of the Gurg
• Brian Barlow - of the Gurg
• Thomas Middleditch - of the Iliads
• David Dineen-Porter - of the Iliads
• Graham Wagner - of Iron Cobra
• Aaron Eves - Of KKWTC
• Katie Crown - of KKWTC
• Kathleen Phillips
• Nick Flanagan
• Rebecca Kohler

Sketch Troupes Brian Barlow is a Toronto comedian, a member of the comedy troupe the Gurg, and creator of The Loner Show. ... Nick Flanagan is a Toronto comedian, part of the current Toronto Alternative Comedy Scene, one of the oldest proponents of the New Sincerity, lead singer of The Brutal Knights, and founder of The Joke Club. ...

• The Iliads
• The Distractions
• The Gurg
• Knock Knock. Who's there? Comedy!
• Iron Cobra
• The Sketchersons

Major Works

Kurt Smeaton, Katie Crown, and Graham Wagner are currently developing a television show for the Comedy Network.

The Distractions have a pilot deal with the Comedy Network, and are working with Blair Powers as a producer.

Adam and Dave have completed a film with John Ennis of mister show. (please expand with correct title etc...) John Patrick Ennis (born July 14, 1960), also known as Sollog, is an American numerologist, mystic, and self-proclaimed psychic. ...

A cycle of radio plays by the Iliads is set to be released this summer, rumour has it, with major label support.

The East Village Scene

In downtown New York, comedy flourishes outside of the stand-up club circuit. Theaters that are more known for improv or sketch comedy, like the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCB), and The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT), as well as cabarets that do not exclusively offer any kind of comedy, like Rififi, have weekly comedy shows. The UCB Theater has Crash Test every Monday, hosted by Aziz Ansari. The PIT has Hot Tub every Friday, hosted by Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal. Rififi has Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions And Also There Is A Game and Invite Them Up.

The comedians at these shows offer character-based humor or surreal humor as opposed to observations of everyday life or more polemical themes. A growing number of comics (Demetri Martin, Slovin and Allen, Andres du Bouchet, Joshua Grosvent and Michael Ennis) do not only tell jokes, opting to play music, give Powerpoint presentations or act out sketches as well. It's rare to see these performers in a traditional New York comedy club much like it's rare to see a traditional "club comic" in an underground room. A few alternative comics (David Cross, Todd Barry, Patton Oswalt) have enough crossover appeal to play in more mainstream venues.

Comedy group Stella (Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain) and the sketch group Upright Citizens Brigade were heavily influential on the current NY alternative comedy scene. Stella -- a trio whose absurdist humor has been compared to the Marx brothers -- began doing their shows (in which they would perform along with other comics and sketch groups like Eugene Mirman and the Upright Citizens Brigade) at the NY club Fez in 1997. In 1999, the original Upright Citizens Brigade Theater opened in Chelsea. Four years later, in 2003, several performers at the UCB spun off their own theater, and formed the PIT.

Noteworthy East Village Shows:

• Invite Them Up - Wednesdays @ Rififi http://www.bobbytisdale.com/
• Thursdays w/ Nick and John - Thursday's @ Rififi http://www.nickkroll.com/
• Hot Tub - Friday Nights @ The PIT http://www.hottubvariety.com
• Slightly Known People is Seeing Other People - Saturday Nights @ RiFiFi http://www.slightlyknownpeople.com
• Comedy is for Humans - Every Other Wednesday @ Mundial http://www.comedyisforhumans.com
• Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions And Also There Is A Game - Tuesdays @ Rififi http://www.gianttuesday.com
• Oscar Night - Once a Month @ Rififi http://www.WolfangleFilms.com/OscarNight.htm

Criticism

Many people are critical of alternative comedy and there is a strong generational divide between those who like and dislike it. Older people in particular find the swearing and no-holds-barred nature of alternative comedy to be offensive. In the early days of alternative comedy, a frequent criticism was that nobody found a person standing on a stage simply discussing events in his or her life particularly funny. There was a joke said at the time: "I'm an alternative comedian... every other joke I say is funny."

The aggressive attitude of alternative comedians was also off-putting for many and shocking when compared to the measured and heavily styled delivery of traditional comedians. Modern British 'alternative comedy', if it can still claim to exist as such, takes the form of comedians like Graham Norton, who rely on sexual explicitness and strong innuendo. Many people find this upsetting. Because of the controversial nature of many modern comedy stars, some argue there is no longer the possibility of nationally appreciated comedy stars like Morecambe and Wise, Dick Emery, Benny Hill or Tommy Cooper. Although Eddie Izzard plays to huge auditoriums, and in spite of the relative success of Ricky Gervais' comedy The Office, many feel alternative comedy destroyed the much-loved light entertainment scene which predominated before. Graham Norton, real name Graham Walker, (born on April 4, 1963) is an openly gay Irish actor, comedian and television presenter. ... Morecambe and Wise Morecambe and Wise were a famous British comic double act comprising Eric Morecambe OBE and Ernie Wise OBE. The act lasted four decades until Morecambes retirement, shortly before his death in 1984. ... Dick Emery Dick Emery (February 19, 1919 - January 2, 1983) was a British comedian and actor, popular during the 1960s and 1970s. ... Alfred Hawthorn Hill (January 21, 1924 – April 18, 1992), usually known as Benny Hill, was a prolific comic British actor / singer, best known for his television programme, The Benny Hill Show. ... Tommy Cooper (March 19, 1921 – April 15, 1984) was a British comedian and magician born in Caerphilly, Wales. ... Eddie Izzard Eddie Izzard (born February 7, 1962) is a British transvestic stand-up comedian and actor. ... Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais (born June 25, 1961) is an English comic writer and performer from Reading, Berkshire, England. ... The main cast of the American version of The Office. ...

In North America, alternative comedy was slower to emerge, and is only now experiencing its fullest flower. The Surprise MTV hit Wonder Showzen, the HBO DVD success story Mr. Show, and other examples indicate that while American comedy remained relatively tame throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s (with notable exceptions, for instance Bill Hicks) that truly alternative comedy is finding a home. Wonder Showzen is a sketch comedy television series that began airing in 2005 on MTV2. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is a premium cable television network with headquarters in New York City. ... Mr. ... William Melvin Hicks better known as Bill Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994), was a controversial American stand-up comedian, satirist, and social critic. ...

The internet has played a major role in the rise of "alternative" comedy and its continually tenacious competition with mainstream network television and hollywood comedy films. Andy Samberg and his compatriots on the The Lonely Island disseminated their works which catered to a particular niche on the internet for a while, before being absorbed into the SNL machine. Their film Lazy Sunday about seeing the film adaptation of Chronicles of Narnia became a major internet sensation. Andy Samberg (born August 18th,1978 in Berkeley, California), also known as Ardy, is a stand-up comic and member of comedy group The Lonely Island. ... The Lonely Island. ... SNL could mean: Saturday Night Live Scots National League This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Screencap of Lazy Sunday from Saturday Night Live. ... The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by C. S. Lewis. ...

Many believe that this indicates that "alternative" comedy is no longer or never was alternative. It was an alternative to the comedy offered by major networks, but it was always part of the latent mainstream sense of humour, always something they would find funny, but it was merely ignored for fear or just for incompetence on the part of the networks. This theory has been given credence by the increasing number of breakaway internet successes that surpass network comedy in terms of overall viewers.

By their very success, they might forfeit the title "alternative" however, though some argue that "alternative" doesn't refer to success or popularity, but in the attitude taken toward the conventional distribution methods and messages. This is debatable and either side makes a strong argument.

Despite the ubiquity of alternative comedy on the internet, it seems to be more of a niche success than a broad success, especially with regard to live alternative comedy. Indian-American alternative comic Aziz Ansari was the star of a popular Internet viral video, but a cursory glance at White-American Dane Cook's MySpace profile will tell you that he is more popular than Aziz Ansari, who also has a MySpace page. Like popular indie bands, alternative comics might play to packed houses, but the packed houses are usually small and are not reflective of the broader youth market that prefers Dane Cook and Avenged Sevenfold.

Though alternative comics push the envelope and change the form for the better - Demetri Martin and Improv Everywhere come to mind - alternative rooms also have hack comics. While bad club comics often touch on hackneyed topics during their act (relationships, airplanes, the French), these hacks have made once-interesting alternative tropes trite (absurdist wordplay, cultural references to '80's pop, geek culture or hipster trends).

External links

• The Comedy Store (UK) http://www.thecomedystore.co.uk/
• Malcolm Hardee http://www.malcolmhardee.co.uk/
• Righteous Wednesdays http://www.righteouswednesdays.com
• Catch 23 http://catch23improv.com
• The Apiary, an alternative comedy blog for East Village scene http://www.theapiary.org
• The Sound of Young America, a public radio program largely focused on American alternative comedy http://www.maximumfun.org
• http://www.opensourcecomedy.net, a website by the experimental comedy troupe etc... that asks their fans to provide input over the internet that is translated into their improvisational stage work.
• http://www.wolfanglefilms.com, an innovative film production company that is the fore-front of the comedic short film movement in New York City.
• http://www.msdivine.net, a collection of comedy sketch one-lady films from the performer Ms Divine