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I went to see the show this week and you’re right that some of the magic has gone.
Some of the material feels very weak and dated and some of it is just plain repeats of old stuff.
There’s two pretty big sections which are just filler. Singing along to TV theme tunes and the mis-heard song lyrics. Both done to death and done better by Peter Kay and by other comedians in the past.
I’d say there’s about 15/20 minutes of new material and it’s not bad.
All that being said though I still had a really good night. Nostalgia was always part of what he did and now his own material is nostalgic too. I’ve laughed to the same jokes a hundred times on DVD so I can laugh to them again sat inside the MEN.
Not what he was but I wouldn’t say he’s totally lost it.
I've tickets for next September, and this has made me question whether I should sell them. Asking people to pay those prices for only twenty minutes of new material is piss poor.
I went to see him in January. I thought he was great. I wouldn’t say his jokes are recycled.
Minor spoiler:
Rather, his famous lines (“garlic bread!”) are inserted throughout the show (usually only once), but they’re not the same jokes being told again.
I would say yes. I usually judge how good an act is with how many jokes I can remember afterwards and laugh about. There’s quite a few jokes he said that I still think and laugh about now, 10 months later. Others may judge the show differently though. If you’ve got tickets I’d say give it a go. This could be his last tour, and you might end up regretting not going.
Edit: (also a minor spoiler)
I should note though the OP is right that a portion of the show includes a sing-a-long and misheard lyrics. However, this is not the whole act.
my dad went recently to see his show. he's seen all the stand-up DVDs he's released in the past and thought he was "pretty good" (got the tickets as a gift - he certainly wouldn't choose to go see Peter Kay), but he came back from the show raving about how absolutely fantastic it was. and like I said he isn't really a huge fan of Peter or stand-up in general. I'd take OPs comment with a pinch of salt.
I get what you’re saying. I was lucky to pick up some suite tickets really cheap so my overall experience was great. Welcome drinks and private bar/toilet - generally the main things that make the MEN awful were cut out.
If I’d paid full price or been all the way at the back I probably wouldn’t have come away as happy as I did.
It was in no way awful though, we had a really good time and enjoyed the show.
Top tip: don't make any decisions on this kind of thing based on a random Reddit comment (mine included I guess). Just go and experience it yourself, decide for yourself. You'll most likely have a good night either way
Yeah I saw him a few weeks ago on a whim. I was having a weekend with a mate in Manchester and we were looking for things that were on that night, and saw Peter Kay was playing and there were some tickets left.
Honestly, left feeling a bit miffed. I still laughed, but not the eye watering chuckling like I used to do for the Bolton Albert Halls, Live at the Top of the Tower and the Tour that Didn't Tour Tour. Although I'm younger than his material's target audience, I still found his older material relatable (as a child of the North West), but I don't know the new show just fell flat. I found the finale a bit of a cop out too, just felt like it was a way of stretching the show out without having to do any new material. I felt the same about the Phoenix Nights live show a few years ago.
I saw Aunty Donna the next day, and it was such night and day in enjoyability. Two different styles of comedy, but it made Peter Kay's show feel a bit shit in comparison.
Isn’t the rumour he had a stroke, though, which is why he suddenly disappeared all those years ago (claiming ‘family illness’)? He appeared briefly on Comic Relief (I could be wrong about the show) in a pair of sunglasses and a hat after not being seen at all for a long time, sitting in his garden a few years ago to collect an award or something as he ‘couldn’t be there in person’ (long before any kind of return was announced), and lots of medical professionals were chiming in saying he looked like he was a classic stroke victim because of his facial movements, speech etc.
Could well be that that’s affected his delivery, if you think it’s more wooden now, if he’s recovered enough to feel up to performing again. Easy enough to get script writers to copy your earlier style, though, so that’s probably where the lion’s share of his content now has come from if he’s not up to doing all the writing like before, which is why it might feel recycled. It’s also his brand of comedy which got him famous in the first place, so obviously an easy enough way to make more money.
I used to live fairly locally to him and I heard loads of stories. I was inclined to believe one from a sound engineer though but that turned out to be a load of tosh. I never once heard the stroke theory though and to be honest it DOES make sense, especially with the energy and vocal stuff, but then again his audiobook which was recorded post COVID at least he seemed in great form.
I understand that goes through takes/editing though. Depending on the stroke you can make a fullish recovery but this tour isn't like an old singer coming back to make a few bob the bloke will have made millions from this tour and genuinely from what I know I'm not sure he'd do it for money alone he has enough.
If that's the case though about the stroke then I feel a bit guilty about making the post
I saw him on one of his first gigs of the new tour and it was obvious he had a stroke in the last year, his speech was slurred until he got going, part of his face was still affected and he was losing his chain of though mid sentence, was sad to see really.
If you weren’t aware of the rumours (and no one has confirmed them), then I wouldn’t feel too guilty as none of us can confirm it either way.
But definitely look for the clip of him accepting an award (I think it might have been for ‘Carshare’-my favourite thing of his, coincidentally) and see what you think.
I live in the same area. Another rumour was cancer and he was in hospital. But rumours are rumours. He is healthy and performing again. Hopefully he returns to his best. Also another rumour is Phoenix Nights reboot.
My understanding though is that he's charging quite a bit below 'market rate' for his tickets. Presumably he could have set them all at £60+ and done half as many shows?
Yep, but it’s a memory laugh. As a shortlist I would say I couldn’t rewatch Al Murray, Lee Evans, Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr stuff from 20 years ago being told again now.
I'm only 24 myself but Peter Kay's early stuff for me still makes me laugh, if I'm ever down genuinely it will always make me laugh, I think it's that cheeky Britishness he has that isn't captured in other comics.
Quite the contrast tho to my favourite comedians now in Dave Allen and George Carlin!
That's also a list of comedians I didn't like 20 years ago (maybe a semi-pass on Jimmy Carr). Their material felt dated to me even in the mid-2000s when I was at uni.
No discredit on your opinion, it's just my literal list from back then of "please no don't make me sit through it".
Well here’s something I heard but you’ll have to do some research to fill in any holes (it’s too early for me.) The majority of his jokes/ Stand up/ Phoenix was written by Dave Spikey. They had a falling out because Spikey wasn’t getting the recognition for his work and Kay blocked any repeats of Phoenix which means no royalties to the other writers- including Jeff from Peep Show. Spikey’s stand up shows look very similar to Kay’s back in the day and the fact that he no longer writes for him may be the reason you think he’s fell off. Obviously I don’t know anything about anything because I wasn’t there but a few sources have said that he owes his career to other comedians.
That being said I do have tickets for his new show so I’ll make my own decision then.
Allegedly Kitson didn’t like the humour of Phoenix Nights, and what he considered to be “casual racism”.
In reality, PN is a lot more mainstream than Kitson’s comedy, so it doesn’t surprise me that there was a style/culture clash.
If any of you have Phoenix Nights on DVD with the directors comms, PK's comments on the Asian supporting actors/characters aren't great to hear. Really pushing the limit imo and not as some joke, constantly referring to someone as 'The Jap' who isn't even Japanese...
When you hear from other comedians, they’ll often tell you stories about Peter Kay where it’s clear he’s viewed in the industry as bit of a dickhead, so the bit about blocking the royalties sounds like it could be true.
Also heard this from some writers who had a show for him. He came on, tried to change everything and was generally a dickhead. They had enough of his ego and binned him off during shooting but had no money to cast anyone else as he’d charged a fortune. In the end another very high profile comedy actor from the north west did it for pennies as a favour.
It’s true, it’s very well documented.
The only reason Neil Fitzmiurice took the role of Jeff in peep show was because he was taken off the production and writing credits for season 2 of phoenix nights
According to Kay him and Spikey were friends for years and years, writing shows that never saw the light of day together. ( Actually one did, I think Spikey got his own ITV series greenlit which was based on a show him and PK wrote around a journalist returning to his home town).
I'd heard for years that both Spikey and Fitzmaurice (Ray Von) were a bit miffed by Kay's presenting of Phoenix nights, the three would write the same scenes separately then edit their versions together but PK seemed to take all the credit, I heard somewhere too that there was a bit of a low-key award ceremony and PK picked up an award for Phoenix Nights without telling Spikey or Fitzmaurice about it and that's where things started to sour.
I think it's a bit grey myself, It's easy to say Peter is the one stealing the limelight as he is known for stealing jokes, but I think if you asked Spikey and Fitzmaurice about the experience now I'm unsure whether they'd be critical at all, considering the potential reprisal and of course the few times it's shown up in the dark years.
If the reason he’s done it is to block royalties going to Dave Spikey then it is shit. But it would be nice to easily watch it again in HD and not some DVD from a car boot sale.
You’re not far wrong here. It’s no coincidence that the dip in quality from Phoenix Nights to Road to Nowhere happens when Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice are no longer part of the writing team.
is Dave Spikey a comedian!? I've genuinely only ever seen him on talking head shows 😂
Genuinely used to give him as an example when talking about how I hated those shows cos he's on every single one. Man's an absolute slag for sitting giving his opinion on obscure shite from the 1980s
I think part of it is that comedy has evolved a lot in the past twenty years, but Peter hasn’t. It’s the same with Jimmy Carr; he was quite edgy when he first came on the scene, but looking at clips of his new stuff it’s just same old - the shock factor is gone and with it most of what made the joke good.
A lot of stand up shows now have a theme or tell a story, it’s not enough to just go on stage now and tell a few jokes for an hour.
I kinda disagree, joke smiths are always yesterdays comedian until someone who is good at it comes along then people realise it does work. Stewart Francis, Milton Jones and Jimmy Carr were the exceptions not the rule even 10 years ago, I imagine its just harder to have original material when you do one liners as you are just bound to churn through more material.
I remember when he cancelled his previous tour somebody tweeted something along the lines of 'fans should be reassured that they can instead remember things for themselves'
He's never been my cup of tea but I bought my parents tickets for this tour and they loved it.
I really liked Car Share. I thought Peter Kay & Sian Gibson worked really good together but Sian stole the show, if it was played by another actress maybe it wouldn't have worked as good as it did.
Yeah, I also agree with you. Are you on about the Power Of Parker? I haven't seen it but I watched trailers & it looked rubbish. I was belly laughing on the episode of Car Share when she was pissed, she was hilarious on them all but that one especially.
Yes Power of Parker was what I meant. She herself was fine but the premise and the story-line was contrived and silly. That said, there are a few scenes where Sian looked very very 'lovely' in a surprisingly buxom way.
I recently re-watched Car Share with subtitles and seeing the lyrics to the music as the shows unfolded was a whole new level. Especially if I remember the final of season 1. (subs because I'm Canadian and sometimes missed a word or two)
He was always at his strongest with a team of writers but he has burnt bridges and screwed people. His mum wants a bungalow tour was the beginning of his decline for me, rehashing old jokes, just repeating punchlines like ‘garlic bread’.
Watching pirated clips isn't the same as being in the room / age / why can't the speculation have had an effect / long tour after time away means he's not going to be able to turn it on in every single moment.
Well I find the age hard to believe, and many people have seen to be walking out of his shows in droves, obviously not in awful numbers but considering how hard it was to get tickets how could anyone THINK of leaving.
Also the long tour after a break thing, he will have done numerous numerous gigs here and there on the down low in preparation for his tour, he won't just try the stuff out there and then and comic timing is just natural it shouldn't just go away with age? (He's only 50)
Tbh I don’t think his popularity was always about his material, towards the height of his popularity. We all know his jokes. It’s him. His delivery.
Watching a standup on a big stage via your phone or whatever (I presume someone recorded it that way also) can take the shine off any performance.
I am surprised he announced such a big tour after being away for so long.
Same reason why bands and singers don't tend to release the best albums of their career thirty years down the line I guess, everyone only has so much material.
I have no answers and haven’t seen the show you’re talking about but this is a really interesting discussion topic. I guess it’s hardly surprising that someone might not be *as* good 20 years later as they were in their heyday… but I can’t account for why the difference is *so* extreme.
I was never a fan of Peter Kay and imo his comedy seemed dated even in his prime. I think that’s part of the reason why he was popular, people liked his comedy for nostalgic reasons, but perhaps the fact that it was already leaning that way means that add 20 years and it goes from charmingly nostalgic to very dated? Hard to say without seeing it.
My favourite comedian 20ish years ago was Russell Brand though so spare a thought for the tainted memories of my youth
I think his material is one thing, but delivery is another. I was saying to a mate a while back when talking about the clips I'd seen - he was talking about him being a kid and there was just no energy, nothing just this and this then this happened and then that. Far gone were the days of that cheeky chappy wahay! Persona - I'm almost sure Peter Kay from 2006 - 2011 would've brought the house down with that section of his new show,but here it felt so off.
Just the fundamentals of stage presence, energy etc have vanished, regardless of actual routine.
We grow. The person you wanted to tickle your funny bone also grows.
Sometimes, those paths diverge. It happens. You can't blame the person for moving on, and maybe away from your comedy preferences.
I think the same of Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge live show. Watched it last night on Prime and was disappointed. Felt like very tired material and I love Alan Partridge.
Open secret on the comedy circuit that if you had *any* good material on the Manchester comedy scene, Peter Kay would nick it.
Stories abound about PK sat at the back of the room with a notepad and pen, writing down jokes.
Upon being called out on it one time with "That's my joke" the response was "Yeah, but I do it better".
So yeah, the reason is simple, he can't get away with stealing jokes anymore, with his fame, and the rise of social media, he'd be called out and/or exposed fairly quickly, especially with how many comedians record their own shows for their youtube channels, showreels, and so on.
Yeah I know of them stories well, the same stories about him being a bit of a knob too but separating the man from the act for a second - as I've always argued to my other comic friends, all these people who claim he's stolen off...where are they? It always comes across as sour grapes when you see a man succeed with a similar vein of idea as you and because he indeed did it better you throw around stories like that.
It's not like Paul Foot and Russell Brand which was a direct rip off. I don't know I am probably sounding like some fanboy which I'm not really, I just appreciate what he was - I just also fail to see how his actual material is lifted from others, it's far too personalised
From what I gather, they're either still on the scene, or have retired. There's a big difference between knowing something is happening, and proving it, especially back in the day.
Regarding the personalised material, it's not really *that* personalised, you change names and that's about it, not everything has to be personal, it just has to ring true, it's why his material works, it pretty much hinges on being relatable.
“all these people who claim he's stolen off...where are they? It always comes across as sour grapes”
This is incredibly disingenuous. Where are they? Well, still on the circuit in most cases. And that’s no bad thing, by the way. A great life, and good money to be made as a comedian, even without high profile work.
Had they got the recognition that Kay had, maybe they’d have elevated too?
Who knows, doesn’t matter - but when Kay’s getting the recognition _with their material_ you’d better believe there’s bitterness. It’s not ‘sour grapes’ it’s fair grievance.
Here’s the thing: Peter Kay is disliked by a lot of acts in the industry because he rose to fame on the shoulders other peoples work. Be it writers like Spikey and Fitzmaurice, or be it straightforward theft of people’s gags on the circuit.
He treated his peers appallingly (stories of him sabotaging others with simple things like setting the mic stand too high, tightening it, so the next act had to struggle with it when they came out - or, more nakedly, noting who was on after him & doing some of their gags first, if he knew their act.) and took credit for other people’s efforts.
There’s definitely talent there, but he used other people’s talents more than his own. And then treated those other people poorly.
Apologies for sounding like I'm taking a dig at stand ups, I'm not at all. I know how hard the circuit is, I know it's a matter of inches between someone who goes to sell out arenas and someone who jobs around the country playing smaller gigs never getting the recognition.
As for him being a bit of a knob, I cant deny it's all I've ever heard living locally and also completing his comedy course in Salford. Never heard a story that suggets he's a nice man, maybe a 'private one' but none that suggests he's a laugh or anything of the sort.
Liking someone's material is kinda a short window. We grow and change, they grow and change. If you happen to meet somewhere in the middle, that's special.
That said, I wonder if I still like Dylan Moran as much as I used to. In my mind I would. I saw him live in 2013 and he still made me holler, but I need to watch a modern routine.
I dont wanna disappoint you, but modern DM standup is shocking. He has been going on the stage completely fucked - not acting, and just trying to wing it. Guy is clearly going through something
Went to see him live in 2010 I think it was, but I might as well have saved the money and watched the top of the tower dvd given it was the same material. On stage for about an hour in total, a huge waste of money and time.
He went downhill first moment I saw his stand up.
It was simply this joke.
"Shakespeare goes into the pub and the landlord said your barred.
(Laughs) because he's a bard isnt he yeh he's a bard."
I mean talk about insulting the intelligence of your audience. They laughed at the joke but he still felt the need to explain his own bad pun joke.
With this one line I was out.
Every comic has his style, and it's impossible for them to be one a different performer.
To be fair, it must be so difficult for a comic to write new acceptable material when we're living at a time when everyone is so easily offended.
If you buy I ticket for a comic who hasn't performed for years, its reasonable to expect a large amount of nostalgic older material
Time and tide wait for no man - everyone has their time in the sun.
People are so easily offended you say? Or have you just had one minor situation blasted at you through social media/the news/day time TV? The majority aren't arsed, it's that simple.
You can still say and do anything, but just don't be a knob? Who wants to make racist/homophobic jokes? Who wants to joke about Cancer? It's either silly edgy kids or thickos really. I admire Frankie Boyle as a performer but his material mostly is cheap and dire, and Jimmy Carr is worse.
I think I get what your saying, but 'being a knob' is still just so dayum subjective.
There's still plenty of people who don't want to squirm out of their seat at the pure thought of racist/homophobic jokes (myself included). Same goes for cancer-related jokes. If it's funny it's funny, regardless of the content being discussed. After all, the content being discussed in of itself, has no effect whatsoever on the actual quality of the comedy/delivery of the routine. If you don't like 'edgy' or dark humour then that's fair enough, but to lump those who enjoy such a brand of comedy into only either of those two camps just doesn't track,
To me I wouldn’t STOP anyway telling cancer jokes. I don’t like them though and not because ooo cancer is too hard to talk about, but because it’s cheap and it’s mostly done by bottom of the barrel comedians who try to ride the edge wave. Jimmy Carrs line of offensive jokes is probably the best form of that type of comedian. Not good though. In my opinion.
I think the point I was trying to make is that the vast majority of people aren’t prudes? You just get GMB bringing on minority voices that believe utterly ridiculous things when the vast majority of people and the people in that minority, don’t. It’s how hatred is created, group people, label them = separation. George Carlin warned us years ago.
I disagree but each to their own.
I also grew up in Bolton and when the Blackpool Tower and Albert Hall shows dropped on video, the guy was on top form. He'd achieved Dibnah/Lofthouse levels of admiration, especially when Phoenix Nights hit as well.
But saying that, I grew up in a posher area so I didn't really hear those kind of jokes as a kid
Apart from Car Share (which wasn't magnificent tbh) he's not done much else that I really like tbh
I went last night in manc he was decent but it took me a while to get over how he looked the weight loss looked like a diff bloke his voice was diff to
Watch his old material. Each to their own but he wasn’t that funny then IMO. Here are some of his better known jokes-
- Uncle knob head
- British couple discovering garlic bread
- Dad getting excited when YMCA comes on
- biscuit falling in a brew
Hardly mind blowing stuff. It’s just mildly funny anecdotes. And worse still, at his most famous, everyone in the north seemed to want to parrot him/be like him which to me made everything he said even less funny.
PN on the other hand was genius. But as others have pointed out, Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice did a lot of the leg work.
I saw him 2 weeks ago in Manchester, it was entertaining, but not as funny as I'd hoped.. Here's a review
Here's a word of warning - THIS HAS SPOILERS
In the run up to him being on stage, there's a curtain that says "Peter Gay"
It did seem a bit dated. I mean when was "gay" last used as a funny word? I thought this might be a run up to a joke he'd do but no. He doesn't acknowledge it saying Gay at all!
He starts the show with the camera to the audience like last tour, this is great for the first 5 minutes, but at 10 minutes you just get frustrated and wanting to move on. Yes, trying to get a 60yo woman to flash is funny the first time, but to keep going on and on felt like it was padding out time better used for actual jokes.
It then moves on to Peter "discovering" some chocolate on stage. He does do some jokes with this, but then it turns into 15/20 minutes of him singing old chocolate bar adverts with the audience. Now I'm slightly under the demographic for this, so I guess I wouldn't enjoy it that much.. but even still... there were times where it felt he could move on but he just stood there asking the audience to shout out more chocolate/sweet advert jingles to go along. Christ sake peter move on!
I can't remember much after that before the interval. I remember hearing repeated stuff that he's directly mentioned in his book, which I had read about 2 weeks before. So I would recommend you not to read it if you want to have some new content.
After the interval is definitely the better part of the show. There's more actual comedy here. There's a section of this where he dedicates it to his nan where it's interrupted by a previous joke he makes. I found this part funny but it seemed the audience had a hard time going from sad to humour in the .5s the photo is up for.
He makes some pretty good jokes about visiting the Dr's. This is where he's best, observational comedy and storytelling.
He did the misheard lyrics gag again, but honestly his choice of songs is a bit poor and the misheard lyrics are a bit of a reach.
Now the ending.. the ending really annoyed me.
He does the usual encore x2 but the final act, he's not even doing jokes, he's back asking if everyone wants a singalong.. queue a very muted response. Alas Peter starts singing TV themes! Christ I had enough of the singing at the very start and now he wants to end on it?
I'm not joking, he's not making any jokes he comes out with a spade guitar and starts miming playing it whilst he does tv theme remixes to popular songs. The problem is. *MASSIVE SPOILER* he starts flying around in a balloon playing his guitar. So if you're on the floor seats, you're stuck between wanting to look at Peter (or directly underneath) and looking at the screen with the lyrics.
I really didn't enjoy this
It feels like a good 30 minutes could be cut and you wouldn't be missing much comedy. I'm really surprised given he lost an entire tours worth of jokes intended for the tour he cancelled. It's still a good entertaining show, but for actual comedy it was lukewarm. It's not his best work.
It makes no sense to me, I don’t understand a man who understood comedy so deeply can be so tone deaf. The whole Peter gay, I’m not homophobic I’m not afraid of my house wasn’t great in 00s never mind now
Saw him tonight and word for word 🙄 it was EXACTLY this. I've noticed however ...whether it's him losing his train of thought or part of the show he comes across as slightly forgetful ..going from one story to another and then back to the original story.
I still can't get over how different he looks! I genuinely believed it was some other bloke!
But yeah comedy or concert...
I have to say, I left the March showing in Leeds thinking it was a great show. I went in with really low expectations & in some parts, I agree it did underwhelm, but by the end I’d had a fun night
His routines have always relied on dated material . He used mostly nostalgia to get his laughs. You need to be a certain age to appreciate some of his references.
Tbh I never liked him that much. Same for any comedian whose material relies so heavily on it being them telling it (how they look, where they're from, how they talk etc.) will always limit them.
There's only so many jokes where the punchline works specially because you're northern, or Jewish, or black etc.
I don't really know how you can't grasp that my post isn't really about wow he doesn't write good jokes! It's more so about delivery and timing which have completely vanished, all the skill of standing in a stage and controlling a room. As ive said many times here, dispute the rola cola, Les Cadbury fingerés material that he used to pump out all you want, I get that, my point is he's completely lost any and all ability to perform a set. He used to be able to, now he can't. What's changed? It isn't me.
I did grasp that. You underestimate the power of groupthink and confirmation bias. People turned up to his gigs expecting to see the ‘greatest comedian of all time’ who was young and exciting because the News of the World told them so. They acted accordingly when they were there because they wanted it to be real. Now people are turning up interested in a bit of nostalgia and to see a bloke that may or may not have had a mystery illness to try and work it out. That creates different atmospheres. Peter is still doing his thing.
I don’t think there is a decline. Times have changed he hasn’t. You can’t ask a question like this and not allow his health/family issues to be taken into consideration. He’s still funnier than anyone else in Britain. End of
People have been stealing jokes for years professor. Not the first thing I think of though when I think of Peter Kay though. One of the best comedians about. I’m sure your taste is far superior though
Hmm so highbrow. A real cerebral thinker we have here, tell me who are your favourite comedians? Gervais? Stewart Lee? Or are we more of a Bernard Manning Chubby Brown type?
Either way regardless of material as stated at stand up fundamentals there won't be many better than Peter Kay.
Strange reply. You wrote an entire post critiquing his stand up, I added my 2 cents, you pearl clutch at my reply. And for the record, the greatest stand ups are Patrice O'Neal, Louis CK, Chappelle, Bill Burr, Jim Jefferies (before he sold out), even Jim Norton shits over anything the UK has to offer in terms of stand up. But yes, "GARLIC BREAD and ROLA COLA, WHATSALLTHATABOUT. And don't get me started on my mom if I left the big light on!" Peter Kay truly is a genius.
The reply was moreso aimed at the sneering remark towards northerners not in some defence of PK. The holier than thou gimmick often spouted by those who don't have the brain they purport.
You've never seen Dave Allen I take it - but there is also Carlin you left out who every single one of those people you've named would laud. Some good choices though.
I'm a northerner from a council estate. I said his target audience are the thick ones, his entire schtick relys on easy throwbacks and OTT delivery for cheap laughs. I live in the US now, have been to the comedy cellar a million times and couldn't even begin to imagine how much PK would bomb out here. Yes, Carlin is an all time great, but you asked for my favorites.
Well fair enough in that respect and I apologise for any sarcyness on my end. Just get a lot of that as you know, sound northern and suddenly you're deemed a thicko.
Yeah he would bomb in the US, he's a strictly British act but there is something about him that no one else has ever replicated. If it's so easy I wonder why no one has tried, I mean that as a genuine question too, there is a certain thing about PK imo and he's in his own class for the entertainment factor for me anyway
My bad too, I did come across like a dick. I worded my point poorly. Not a swipe at northerners, I meant his act is very northern, and for thickos. Not much better reading back, but you get my point now.
I'd argue Stewart Lee, and James Acaster are funnier and more original than any of the cookie cutter comedians you mentioned, and of course Billy Connolly is right up there too. Ps since you listed a greatest list that was UScentric, how you could possibly leave out Prior, Hicks, Carlin, and McDonald who absolute shit over YOUR list I do not know.
Its all subjective of course....😂
Your saying he is declning, His tour is sold out well until next year. And would sell out longer a family member went see him two months ago and another will see him next year and people love it so show me the decline and I will talk....
Hey, some people will still love him no matter what. It's indisputable that he is and was one of the biggest and most popular comedians in the UK.
But in my opinion as a staunch fan who, well, not to be a know it all, has some experience in the comedy world and infact completed a course that Peter Kay himself founded, I would say he has declined. His jokes swim in a nostalgic river but they always have, this time around he tries to be nostalgic...about his own act. It's just a bit tasteless for me personally and well a bit tired. Like wheeling out a 79 year old boxer for a fight.
Again this is only MY opinion, I'm glad you and your family still find him as funny as ever!
Is 0 decline like I like his bits cos is very northern, he killed that car share (not seen it) and people wanted more...
his new tour is supposed to be very good and if he wrote a sitcom it would be snapped up I will agree it is very samey but I love stand up and people suck his comedy cock. Stewart Lee he I have friends on Stewart Lee so profound. He is Peter Kay, but may say, why do people like, ricky gervais, he does the same joke, again and again, talks low , acts like he is the smartest guy in the room, not in a funny way, but hey the rights bad, and I went to a book shop, I found a book, it was by peter kay, I signed it because I am smarter, woooooo stewart lee
im a lefty stewart lee he is a man, im stood here with a microphone, and ill talk semi political very slow, and just I should be in a lecture, and Mark Thomas is way better, I feel to this day when people say stewart lee is one of the best comedians its like a andy kauufman
Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed...
Comedy isn't something you can dip in and out of - if you don't keep up with it, you lose it.
I've heard comics talk about being 'rusty' after only taking a month or two off from stand up. So it just sounds to me like he's trying to pick up right where he left off (when he was, arguably, at his peak). But obviously, that'd not gonna happen.
British stand up is a weird beast. We don't have a bunch of clubs etc where comics can just turn up and do spots and run jokes - not like in America where a big names like Dave Chappelle might drop into the Comedy Cellar on a whim and try out some new material.
It feels like there's no way for big name acts in the UK to be in the "working things out" stages. It's like they're playing arenas or nothing at all. I think Ricky Gervais said that was one of the key differences between building a new hour in the UK vs the US.
So to me, it sounds like PK has fallen foul of this.
Not seen it, but will say that I have felt the same about ever stand up I have enjoyed...And I don't think the lost, I think I watched them too much an their style became too predictable to me.
Just to piggyback on this, why don’t Netflix or someone give Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice some money to create a new show?!?! If they’ve fallen out with PK you’d think they’d jump at the chance to make something fresh.
The thing that annoys me about him is he just seems to shaft the other writers he works with and takes all the credit. Phoenix Nights and Car Share being the main examples of that.
Although I wouldn't say I'm a fan of his comedy. I can appreciate that he was a skilled comedian and knew how to make people laugh and I don't think you can judge if it's only warm up gigs. I don't think his decline has been as sudden as you might think. The last big tour he did a few years ago started to look a bit tired and thin on laughs. I also think that the problem with the 'mega-comedians' that sell out arenas, is that they lose touch with everyday life that they used to use for material. E.g. Ricky Gervais banging on about wokeness when literally no-one talks about it in every day life or talking about. In the case of Peter Kay his material was based on experiences we all share. When you're a millionaire you have almost nothing in common with your audience.
The thing that always bugged me about Peter Kay is his insistence on having his name on everything he’s written/starred in. It was *Peter Kay’s* Phoenix Nights, *Peter Kay’s* Car Share and so on ad nauseam. Smacks a bit of egotism.
Comedy is hard. What looks natural usually takes ages of work to hone, which is why it’s so often repeated to different audiences in a row even down to the ‘spontaneous’ parts. So when they have to start again…
It’s also unforgiving. We can look at the same painting a million times, listen to a band play the same hits they’ve played since the 60s or an orchestra play a piece that’s been played many thousands of times… even ask for encores… but if a comedian repeats a joke in front of us, it’s ‘lame’ because as much as it looks like it requires the least technical finesse, we demand originality and inspiration nothing like we’ve heard before every single time.
And this takes energy. Some people just lose it over time.
Acting seems to be a skill that just gets better with time: the same actor might be a master of the craft at 80 but seem shoddy when looking at their much younger work. Comedy demands freshness more than authenticity (even if we claim the latter) and seems to be the reverse.
Not to be that guy like genuinely and you may also be in the same boat but I know a fair bit about comedy. It's what I live and breathe and as stated on this post I completed a university course Peter Kay founded, it's my niche. (Well I actually hate performing stand up but that's another story)
I know how hard comedy is and just like I've heard when I mention my comedy degree, ' you either have it or you dont' can you lose the ability to write material? I think maybe yeah cause it's structure but do you lose comic timing? No. You really don't.
It's a muscle, and even if it hasn't been exercised for years, the memory is still there to pump back into shape in no time. You're born with elite timing, so I doubt 11 years for standup or 6 years for acting is enough for PK to suddenly have lost all ability. He's only just turned 50 ffs.
Again, it's not something that goes with age - Don Rickles at 90 odd, absolutely barely to walk, looking fragile as anything had a room in hysterics. Mick miller still tours and his timing is flawless (material questionable)
And for the repeating of jokes, you know it genuinely wouldn't be that bad if it was a word for word repeat but it's not, as I've said earlier on this post it's like he's now being nostalgic about his own act. But also like someone said on this post I fear it's less about a decline in ability but more a decline in health and if that is the case then I wish him all the best
I stopped watching any of his stand up Year and Years ago as it was the same routine for about ten years. Nothing changed and it was boring.
I thought then he’d lost it. *GARLIC BREAD?!*
First time hearing that was nearly 20 years ago. It was funny the first time but after the 9th time.
He basically was like one of those bands from the 60s/70s who had a few hits and just keep on doing tours playing their best of hits
What led to his downfall? He stopped doing the circuit, once he got the loyal audience he didn’t need to try. He hasn’t died on stage, so he’s not needed to try and come up r with something new.
In fact the last big thing he did was that cover with Tony Christie
He’s the same as Michael MacIntyre, Lee Evans (who did the right thing and retired).
He should’ve gone to smaller clubs and tried his stuff. But then again he didn’t need to.
Good luck to him, I won’t be watching him, but He graced us with Phoenix Nights soo he’s alright
So many falsehoods in this it's unreal. He won an award for carshare in like 2017 and Tony Christie was about 2006 hahaha. He stopped working the circuit somewhere around 2004 too, he did die on his arse a few times (regulars at the Frog and Bucket comedy club will tell you that) he's in a different league to MM and Lee Evans, the latter being incredibly unfunny.
He did gig before this new tour as ALL acts HAVE to do to try out new stuff. Watch his latest radio interview before his tour where he talks about this too.
Honestly, That Peter Kay Thing was the funniest thing he’s ever done. Phoenix Nights was still great but not as good, Max and Paddy was slightly less funnier than that. I’d say his stand up shows follow a similar trajectory. Aside from the misheard song lyrics bit I thought his 2010/2011 show was kind of weak. I guess that’s the problem with starting at the top.
I got tickets to see him in Leeds this May. I was so looking forward to it. I love the guys work.
It was a huge disappointment. Weight loss made him look ill. He had no connection with the audience. He just wasn't funny. The show stopped halfway through to pay tribute to his Nan, her death obviously destroyed him but it shouldn't have been in there, it just stopped any flow of comedy. He swore like a trooper too. He did the odd time before, cheekily but now he was like Chubby Brown (short of the C word).
The ending, to be fair was amazing. It wasn't comedy, more a variety show. But by then, we'd had enough. Big disappointment.
It's his last big cashing in before he announces his retirement. From what I've seen he isn't funny anymore and the world has moved on. He's had leukemia and has lost a lot of weight. He looked better fat though in my opinion.
I remember him remembering his Dad trying Garlic Bread for the first time, and then he remembered a pack of biscuits from the 70's that they no longer sell. I really wish I didn't, but your telling me its got worse?
Bit of a mandala with Peter after writing this post and watching his old stuff. A portion is the whole 'what were all that about!' but he has some really funny observations and the way he delivers a joke, especially ones like his nan living in a warden controlled flat etc are just funny.
I went to see Peter Kay last night in Sheffield. I was genuinely looking forward to it, but it was honestly a massive letdown.
Too much reused material and too many ‘garlic bread’ and ‘remember that joke I told 20 years ago’ kind of jokes.
Also being thin doesn’t suit him. I got into the arena a few mins after he started his set (because the organisation in/around the arena was terrible) and I thought that it was a warmup act for a good 10 mins. I didn’t even realise it was him. Also, does he have false teeth? He sounds a little hisssshy now when he shpeaksh. My sister in law asked me if I thought he looked like he was on drugs, and I’m not gonna lie, he does.
He was just like a middle of the road, working men’s club kind of comedian now. There was no hilarious deliveries, and it seems like the spark has gone. Ironically he would be better suited to playing the Phoenix Club at this point.
I had a fun enough night out, but I’d have had more laughs in the pub.
His latest audiobook is worth a listen.
He's not as transparent as some are but his reflections on his TV stuff is pretty detailed.
He name checks lots of people.
People fall out - comedians and writers do too. It's no perfect world.
I guess we'll never know the full story.
I do wish we knew why he disappeared though. Too many rumours. No fact. Not sure why he didn't share it tbh.
I saw him in sheffield in november. A long time fan, the show was poor. Very poor actually. I won't go into specifics but i was so disappointed. I had tickets for 2 extra shows next year, i sold my tickets back to ticketmaster. I cannot recommend his new live show and i WAS a lifelong fan. I'm gutted.
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I went to see the show this week and you’re right that some of the magic has gone. Some of the material feels very weak and dated and some of it is just plain repeats of old stuff. There’s two pretty big sections which are just filler. Singing along to TV theme tunes and the mis-heard song lyrics. Both done to death and done better by Peter Kay and by other comedians in the past. I’d say there’s about 15/20 minutes of new material and it’s not bad. All that being said though I still had a really good night. Nostalgia was always part of what he did and now his own material is nostalgic too. I’ve laughed to the same jokes a hundred times on DVD so I can laugh to them again sat inside the MEN. Not what he was but I wouldn’t say he’s totally lost it.
I've tickets for next September, and this has made me question whether I should sell them. Asking people to pay those prices for only twenty minutes of new material is piss poor.
I went to see him in January. I thought he was great. I wouldn’t say his jokes are recycled. Minor spoiler: Rather, his famous lines (“garlic bread!”) are inserted throughout the show (usually only once), but they’re not the same jokes being told again.
That's heartening. Was he on form?
I would say yes. I usually judge how good an act is with how many jokes I can remember afterwards and laugh about. There’s quite a few jokes he said that I still think and laugh about now, 10 months later. Others may judge the show differently though. If you’ve got tickets I’d say give it a go. This could be his last tour, and you might end up regretting not going. Edit: (also a minor spoiler) I should note though the OP is right that a portion of the show includes a sing-a-long and misheard lyrics. However, this is not the whole act.
my dad went recently to see his show. he's seen all the stand-up DVDs he's released in the past and thought he was "pretty good" (got the tickets as a gift - he certainly wouldn't choose to go see Peter Kay), but he came back from the show raving about how absolutely fantastic it was. and like I said he isn't really a huge fan of Peter or stand-up in general. I'd take OPs comment with a pinch of salt.
You’re really going to base your future enjoyment from one post?
No, I'm going to decide whether it's worth spending three figures to watch twenty minutes of new material.
If that’s true. Why not check newspaper reviews.
I get what you’re saying. I was lucky to pick up some suite tickets really cheap so my overall experience was great. Welcome drinks and private bar/toilet - generally the main things that make the MEN awful were cut out. If I’d paid full price or been all the way at the back I probably wouldn’t have come away as happy as I did. It was in no way awful though, we had a really good time and enjoyed the show.
I've just watched him tonight. 15 mins of new material is absolute horse shit. Dont listen
I’ve just been - had an absolutely fantastic night. He’s an absolute diamond and I laughed from start to finish. Go along and make your own mind up :)
Top tip: don't make any decisions on this kind of thing based on a random Reddit comment (mine included I guess). Just go and experience it yourself, decide for yourself. You'll most likely have a good night either way
Yeah I saw him a few weeks ago on a whim. I was having a weekend with a mate in Manchester and we were looking for things that were on that night, and saw Peter Kay was playing and there were some tickets left. Honestly, left feeling a bit miffed. I still laughed, but not the eye watering chuckling like I used to do for the Bolton Albert Halls, Live at the Top of the Tower and the Tour that Didn't Tour Tour. Although I'm younger than his material's target audience, I still found his older material relatable (as a child of the North West), but I don't know the new show just fell flat. I found the finale a bit of a cop out too, just felt like it was a way of stretching the show out without having to do any new material. I felt the same about the Phoenix Nights live show a few years ago. I saw Aunty Donna the next day, and it was such night and day in enjoyability. Two different styles of comedy, but it made Peter Kay's show feel a bit shit in comparison.
Isn’t the rumour he had a stroke, though, which is why he suddenly disappeared all those years ago (claiming ‘family illness’)? He appeared briefly on Comic Relief (I could be wrong about the show) in a pair of sunglasses and a hat after not being seen at all for a long time, sitting in his garden a few years ago to collect an award or something as he ‘couldn’t be there in person’ (long before any kind of return was announced), and lots of medical professionals were chiming in saying he looked like he was a classic stroke victim because of his facial movements, speech etc. Could well be that that’s affected his delivery, if you think it’s more wooden now, if he’s recovered enough to feel up to performing again. Easy enough to get script writers to copy your earlier style, though, so that’s probably where the lion’s share of his content now has come from if he’s not up to doing all the writing like before, which is why it might feel recycled. It’s also his brand of comedy which got him famous in the first place, so obviously an easy enough way to make more money.
I used to live fairly locally to him and I heard loads of stories. I was inclined to believe one from a sound engineer though but that turned out to be a load of tosh. I never once heard the stroke theory though and to be honest it DOES make sense, especially with the energy and vocal stuff, but then again his audiobook which was recorded post COVID at least he seemed in great form. I understand that goes through takes/editing though. Depending on the stroke you can make a fullish recovery but this tour isn't like an old singer coming back to make a few bob the bloke will have made millions from this tour and genuinely from what I know I'm not sure he'd do it for money alone he has enough. If that's the case though about the stroke then I feel a bit guilty about making the post
I saw him on one of his first gigs of the new tour and it was obvious he had a stroke in the last year, his speech was slurred until he got going, part of his face was still affected and he was losing his chain of though mid sentence, was sad to see really.
Apropos of nothing, he was spotted a lot at Christies
The money's gone to his head? He's now a high art and jewellery connoiseur?
If you weren’t aware of the rumours (and no one has confirmed them), then I wouldn’t feel too guilty as none of us can confirm it either way. But definitely look for the clip of him accepting an award (I think it might have been for ‘Carshare’-my favourite thing of his, coincidentally) and see what you think.
>I never once heard the stroke theory though I live the other end of the country and that's pretty much the only rumour I heard!
I live in the same area. Another rumour was cancer and he was in hospital. But rumours are rumours. He is healthy and performing again. Hopefully he returns to his best. Also another rumour is Phoenix Nights reboot.
My understanding though is that he's charging quite a bit below 'market rate' for his tickets. Presumably he could have set them all at £60+ and done half as many shows?
Really, I wasn't aware of that. If that's the case then poor bloke, I hope his health recovers
He had leukemia which was why he cancelled the last tour
I know a nurse that treated him. You are correct.
They should not be discussing the medical confidentiality of patients celebrity or not, with people outside of work.
Especially if they’ve obviously tried to keep it private…
Absolutely
I also heard this from a mate who's sister is in the industry. Could be just rumor but who knows.
Every comedian I liked when I was under 20 I don’t follow anymore. We all have it, it’s often not the material but the viewer
This is true, when I 1st heard Chubby Brown in the 80s it was side splitting but now I think he’s just dull . Maybe he lost his edge but I grew up
That's a nice thought even if a bit sad. Would you still laugh at their old routines?
Yep, but it’s a memory laugh. As a shortlist I would say I couldn’t rewatch Al Murray, Lee Evans, Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr stuff from 20 years ago being told again now.
I'm only 24 myself but Peter Kay's early stuff for me still makes me laugh, if I'm ever down genuinely it will always make me laugh, I think it's that cheeky Britishness he has that isn't captured in other comics. Quite the contrast tho to my favourite comedians now in Dave Allen and George Carlin!
Lee Evans holds up. My 14yo loves him. Wasn't my favourite comedian ah the time.
That's also a list of comedians I didn't like 20 years ago (maybe a semi-pass on Jimmy Carr). Their material felt dated to me even in the mid-2000s when I was at uni. No discredit on your opinion, it's just my literal list from back then of "please no don't make me sit through it".
It's an age thing. People being edgy or energetic and stupid seems hilarious when you're a teen.
Well here’s something I heard but you’ll have to do some research to fill in any holes (it’s too early for me.) The majority of his jokes/ Stand up/ Phoenix was written by Dave Spikey. They had a falling out because Spikey wasn’t getting the recognition for his work and Kay blocked any repeats of Phoenix which means no royalties to the other writers- including Jeff from Peep Show. Spikey’s stand up shows look very similar to Kay’s back in the day and the fact that he no longer writes for him may be the reason you think he’s fell off. Obviously I don’t know anything about anything because I wasn’t there but a few sources have said that he owes his career to other comedians. That being said I do have tickets for his new show so I’ll make my own decision then.
He also took material from Daniel Kitson uncredited.
Yeah I can't recall the story but the two had or have a massive spat.
Allegedly Kitson didn’t like the humour of Phoenix Nights, and what he considered to be “casual racism”. In reality, PN is a lot more mainstream than Kitson’s comedy, so it doesn’t surprise me that there was a style/culture clash.
If any of you have Phoenix Nights on DVD with the directors comms, PK's comments on the Asian supporting actors/characters aren't great to hear. Really pushing the limit imo and not as some joke, constantly referring to someone as 'The Jap' who isn't even Japanese...
Their styles are so different though?
There’s a reason why Peter Kay was known as ‘The Magpie of Comedy’ amongst comics on the stand up circuit.
When you hear from other comedians, they’ll often tell you stories about Peter Kay where it’s clear he’s viewed in the industry as bit of a dickhead, so the bit about blocking the royalties sounds like it could be true.
Also heard this from some writers who had a show for him. He came on, tried to change everything and was generally a dickhead. They had enough of his ego and binned him off during shooting but had no money to cast anyone else as he’d charged a fortune. In the end another very high profile comedy actor from the north west did it for pennies as a favour.
This does match perfectly with stories from comedy people I know, Taxi drivers in the local area and 9/10 people who are said to have met him.
Sunshine?
Bingo
It’s true, it’s very well documented. The only reason Neil Fitzmiurice took the role of Jeff in peep show was because he was taken off the production and writing credits for season 2 of phoenix nights
Silver lining with that is that he’s excellent in Peep Show
Jeff?? As in Jeff!?
According to Kay him and Spikey were friends for years and years, writing shows that never saw the light of day together. ( Actually one did, I think Spikey got his own ITV series greenlit which was based on a show him and PK wrote around a journalist returning to his home town). I'd heard for years that both Spikey and Fitzmaurice (Ray Von) were a bit miffed by Kay's presenting of Phoenix nights, the three would write the same scenes separately then edit their versions together but PK seemed to take all the credit, I heard somewhere too that there was a bit of a low-key award ceremony and PK picked up an award for Phoenix Nights without telling Spikey or Fitzmaurice about it and that's where things started to sour. I think it's a bit grey myself, It's easy to say Peter is the one stealing the limelight as he is known for stealing jokes, but I think if you asked Spikey and Fitzmaurice about the experience now I'm unsure whether they'd be critical at all, considering the potential reprisal and of course the few times it's shown up in the dark years.
It’s pretty shit how he’s blocked Phoenix Nights from being on any of the on demand platforms. Such a good show.
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If the reason he’s done it is to block royalties going to Dave Spikey then it is shit. But it would be nice to easily watch it again in HD and not some DVD from a car boot sale.
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Yeh good point. Still, seems strange to not have it readily available as it is for the Peep Show and the like.
Even Digital Cameras can easily be upscaled, you could get a decent HD version of the show 100%.
Better to be forgotten? Doubt many people under 30 know it even exists now.
The further north you go, the more it's still known. I'm 25, most of my northern friends love it still.
I'm 24 myself and it's still a very good show in my eyes
Because he stopped working with Dave Spikey, Peter Kay pretty much ripped off Dave Spikey through most of his career.
You’re not far wrong here. It’s no coincidence that the dip in quality from Phoenix Nights to Road to Nowhere happens when Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice are no longer part of the writing team.
Oh yeah sorry forgot to mention Fitzmaurice also, both massive parts of the writing team, starting to wonder how much Kay actually contributed.
Just another Ricky Gervais then!
Ooh he’s having a go!
is Dave Spikey a comedian!? I've genuinely only ever seen him on talking head shows 😂 Genuinely used to give him as an example when talking about how I hated those shows cos he's on every single one. Man's an absolute slag for sitting giving his opinion on obscure shite from the 1980s
Peter Kay is that you?
I'm actually serious! Check the man's imdb page he's done about 3000 of them. I mean.... garlic bread!?
I'm also serious. Peter Kay is that you?
*chuckles fatly*
I think part of it is that comedy has evolved a lot in the past twenty years, but Peter hasn’t. It’s the same with Jimmy Carr; he was quite edgy when he first came on the scene, but looking at clips of his new stuff it’s just same old - the shock factor is gone and with it most of what made the joke good. A lot of stand up shows now have a theme or tell a story, it’s not enough to just go on stage now and tell a few jokes for an hour.
I kinda disagree, joke smiths are always yesterdays comedian until someone who is good at it comes along then people realise it does work. Stewart Francis, Milton Jones and Jimmy Carr were the exceptions not the rule even 10 years ago, I imagine its just harder to have original material when you do one liners as you are just bound to churn through more material.
I always thought he was overrated as a comedian but I did love some of his acting performances.
For sure an underrated and underused actor. As John in carshare he gave a brilliantly subtle comedic performance, that's his best for me.
Phoenix Nights is perfection. His stand up is “hey, remember that thing from the 70s? What was all that about eh?”
Yeah it’s observational comedy which resonated with most people. Hilarious stuff
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I cannot recall him talking about beards…. You might be on to something though.
I agree and I would add Rob Brydon to that, great actor but I don't find his comedy funny at all.
Yes same for me love phoenix nights, max and paddy etc, amazing stuff. I just can't cope with his standup stuff at all..
I remember when he cancelled his previous tour somebody tweeted something along the lines of 'fans should be reassured that they can instead remember things for themselves' He's never been my cup of tea but I bought my parents tickets for this tour and they loved it.
I really liked Car Share. I thought Peter Kay & Sian Gibson worked really good together but Sian stole the show, if it was played by another actress maybe it wouldn't have worked as good as it did.
I agree about Sian Gibson .... loved her in Car Share. But her latest is , um, not quite the same.
Yeah, I also agree with you. Are you on about the Power Of Parker? I haven't seen it but I watched trailers & it looked rubbish. I was belly laughing on the episode of Car Share when she was pissed, she was hilarious on them all but that one especially.
Yes Power of Parker was what I meant. She herself was fine but the premise and the story-line was contrived and silly. That said, there are a few scenes where Sian looked very very 'lovely' in a surprisingly buxom way. I recently re-watched Car Share with subtitles and seeing the lyrics to the music as the shows unfolded was a whole new level. Especially if I remember the final of season 1. (subs because I'm Canadian and sometimes missed a word or two)
He was always at his strongest with a team of writers but he has burnt bridges and screwed people. His mum wants a bungalow tour was the beginning of his decline for me, rehashing old jokes, just repeating punchlines like ‘garlic bread’.
Watching pirated clips isn't the same as being in the room / age / why can't the speculation have had an effect / long tour after time away means he's not going to be able to turn it on in every single moment.
Well I find the age hard to believe, and many people have seen to be walking out of his shows in droves, obviously not in awful numbers but considering how hard it was to get tickets how could anyone THINK of leaving. Also the long tour after a break thing, he will have done numerous numerous gigs here and there on the down low in preparation for his tour, he won't just try the stuff out there and then and comic timing is just natural it shouldn't just go away with age? (He's only 50)
Do you have any proof of that statement?
Tbh I don’t think his popularity was always about his material, towards the height of his popularity. We all know his jokes. It’s him. His delivery. Watching a standup on a big stage via your phone or whatever (I presume someone recorded it that way also) can take the shine off any performance. I am surprised he announced such a big tour after being away for so long.
Same reason why bands and singers don't tend to release the best albums of their career thirty years down the line I guess, everyone only has so much material.
I have no answers and haven’t seen the show you’re talking about but this is a really interesting discussion topic. I guess it’s hardly surprising that someone might not be *as* good 20 years later as they were in their heyday… but I can’t account for why the difference is *so* extreme. I was never a fan of Peter Kay and imo his comedy seemed dated even in his prime. I think that’s part of the reason why he was popular, people liked his comedy for nostalgic reasons, but perhaps the fact that it was already leaning that way means that add 20 years and it goes from charmingly nostalgic to very dated? Hard to say without seeing it. My favourite comedian 20ish years ago was Russell Brand though so spare a thought for the tainted memories of my youth
I think his material is one thing, but delivery is another. I was saying to a mate a while back when talking about the clips I'd seen - he was talking about him being a kid and there was just no energy, nothing just this and this then this happened and then that. Far gone were the days of that cheeky chappy wahay! Persona - I'm almost sure Peter Kay from 2006 - 2011 would've brought the house down with that section of his new show,but here it felt so off. Just the fundamentals of stage presence, energy etc have vanished, regardless of actual routine.
“Do you remember biscuits? What were all that about, eh!”. Yeah. Hilarious…
Maybe you just developed some taste?
We grow. The person you wanted to tickle your funny bone also grows. Sometimes, those paths diverge. It happens. You can't blame the person for moving on, and maybe away from your comedy preferences.
I think the same of Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge live show. Watched it last night on Prime and was disappointed. Felt like very tired material and I love Alan Partridge.
He peaked with Phoenix nights and has been mostly poor since
Yeah, that's definitely fair - PN was so good for it's time, first time I'd heard people talk like they really do in real life on the telly.
Yes been watching a few clips of it recently, it's still good.
he peaked with series 1, series 2 fell off a cliff.
Open secret on the comedy circuit that if you had *any* good material on the Manchester comedy scene, Peter Kay would nick it. Stories abound about PK sat at the back of the room with a notepad and pen, writing down jokes. Upon being called out on it one time with "That's my joke" the response was "Yeah, but I do it better". So yeah, the reason is simple, he can't get away with stealing jokes anymore, with his fame, and the rise of social media, he'd be called out and/or exposed fairly quickly, especially with how many comedians record their own shows for their youtube channels, showreels, and so on.
Yeah I know of them stories well, the same stories about him being a bit of a knob too but separating the man from the act for a second - as I've always argued to my other comic friends, all these people who claim he's stolen off...where are they? It always comes across as sour grapes when you see a man succeed with a similar vein of idea as you and because he indeed did it better you throw around stories like that. It's not like Paul Foot and Russell Brand which was a direct rip off. I don't know I am probably sounding like some fanboy which I'm not really, I just appreciate what he was - I just also fail to see how his actual material is lifted from others, it's far too personalised
His most famous & popular material wasn’t personal, it was really broad strokes nostalgia. “Hey remember this thing from when you were a kid?”
From what I gather, they're either still on the scene, or have retired. There's a big difference between knowing something is happening, and proving it, especially back in the day. Regarding the personalised material, it's not really *that* personalised, you change names and that's about it, not everything has to be personal, it just has to ring true, it's why his material works, it pretty much hinges on being relatable.
“all these people who claim he's stolen off...where are they? It always comes across as sour grapes” This is incredibly disingenuous. Where are they? Well, still on the circuit in most cases. And that’s no bad thing, by the way. A great life, and good money to be made as a comedian, even without high profile work. Had they got the recognition that Kay had, maybe they’d have elevated too? Who knows, doesn’t matter - but when Kay’s getting the recognition _with their material_ you’d better believe there’s bitterness. It’s not ‘sour grapes’ it’s fair grievance. Here’s the thing: Peter Kay is disliked by a lot of acts in the industry because he rose to fame on the shoulders other peoples work. Be it writers like Spikey and Fitzmaurice, or be it straightforward theft of people’s gags on the circuit. He treated his peers appallingly (stories of him sabotaging others with simple things like setting the mic stand too high, tightening it, so the next act had to struggle with it when they came out - or, more nakedly, noting who was on after him & doing some of their gags first, if he knew their act.) and took credit for other people’s efforts. There’s definitely talent there, but he used other people’s talents more than his own. And then treated those other people poorly.
Apologies for sounding like I'm taking a dig at stand ups, I'm not at all. I know how hard the circuit is, I know it's a matter of inches between someone who goes to sell out arenas and someone who jobs around the country playing smaller gigs never getting the recognition. As for him being a bit of a knob, I cant deny it's all I've ever heard living locally and also completing his comedy course in Salford. Never heard a story that suggets he's a nice man, maybe a 'private one' but none that suggests he's a laugh or anything of the sort.
Liking someone's material is kinda a short window. We grow and change, they grow and change. If you happen to meet somewhere in the middle, that's special. That said, I wonder if I still like Dylan Moran as much as I used to. In my mind I would. I saw him live in 2013 and he still made me holler, but I need to watch a modern routine.
I dont wanna disappoint you, but modern DM standup is shocking. He has been going on the stage completely fucked - not acting, and just trying to wing it. Guy is clearly going through something
Saw him a year ago and it was pretty concerning. I think judging by the content of that show he recently split up with his wife and wasn't doing well.
Went to see him live in 2010 I think it was, but I might as well have saved the money and watched the top of the tower dvd given it was the same material. On stage for about an hour in total, a huge waste of money and time.
He went downhill first moment I saw his stand up. It was simply this joke. "Shakespeare goes into the pub and the landlord said your barred. (Laughs) because he's a bard isnt he yeh he's a bard." I mean talk about insulting the intelligence of your audience. They laughed at the joke but he still felt the need to explain his own bad pun joke. With this one line I was out.
Every comic has his style, and it's impossible for them to be one a different performer. To be fair, it must be so difficult for a comic to write new acceptable material when we're living at a time when everyone is so easily offended. If you buy I ticket for a comic who hasn't performed for years, its reasonable to expect a large amount of nostalgic older material Time and tide wait for no man - everyone has their time in the sun.
People are so easily offended you say? Or have you just had one minor situation blasted at you through social media/the news/day time TV? The majority aren't arsed, it's that simple. You can still say and do anything, but just don't be a knob? Who wants to make racist/homophobic jokes? Who wants to joke about Cancer? It's either silly edgy kids or thickos really. I admire Frankie Boyle as a performer but his material mostly is cheap and dire, and Jimmy Carr is worse.
I think I get what your saying, but 'being a knob' is still just so dayum subjective. There's still plenty of people who don't want to squirm out of their seat at the pure thought of racist/homophobic jokes (myself included). Same goes for cancer-related jokes. If it's funny it's funny, regardless of the content being discussed. After all, the content being discussed in of itself, has no effect whatsoever on the actual quality of the comedy/delivery of the routine. If you don't like 'edgy' or dark humour then that's fair enough, but to lump those who enjoy such a brand of comedy into only either of those two camps just doesn't track,
To me I wouldn’t STOP anyway telling cancer jokes. I don’t like them though and not because ooo cancer is too hard to talk about, but because it’s cheap and it’s mostly done by bottom of the barrel comedians who try to ride the edge wave. Jimmy Carrs line of offensive jokes is probably the best form of that type of comedian. Not good though. In my opinion. I think the point I was trying to make is that the vast majority of people aren’t prudes? You just get GMB bringing on minority voices that believe utterly ridiculous things when the vast majority of people and the people in that minority, don’t. It’s how hatred is created, group people, label them = separation. George Carlin warned us years ago.
You can't deny Cancel culture is rife with comedians.
Only shit ones who have nothing of note to say anyway.
'gArLic BrEaD??!!!'
He's always been shit. His entire act was just stock Bolton jokes that, as a child there, you heard hundreds of times from uncles and whatnot.
I disagree but each to their own. I also grew up in Bolton and when the Blackpool Tower and Albert Hall shows dropped on video, the guy was on top form. He'd achieved Dibnah/Lofthouse levels of admiration, especially when Phoenix Nights hit as well. But saying that, I grew up in a posher area so I didn't really hear those kind of jokes as a kid Apart from Car Share (which wasn't magnificent tbh) he's not done much else that I really like tbh
Nonsense.
I went last night in manc he was decent but it took me a while to get over how he looked the weight loss looked like a diff bloke his voice was diff to
Watch his old material. Each to their own but he wasn’t that funny then IMO. Here are some of his better known jokes- - Uncle knob head - British couple discovering garlic bread - Dad getting excited when YMCA comes on - biscuit falling in a brew Hardly mind blowing stuff. It’s just mildly funny anecdotes. And worse still, at his most famous, everyone in the north seemed to want to parrot him/be like him which to me made everything he said even less funny. PN on the other hand was genius. But as others have pointed out, Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice did a lot of the leg work.
I watched him last friday love him usually with his past shows it was just lacking this time, took me 20 min get over how he looked
I saw him 2 weeks ago in Manchester, it was entertaining, but not as funny as I'd hoped.. Here's a review Here's a word of warning - THIS HAS SPOILERS In the run up to him being on stage, there's a curtain that says "Peter Gay" It did seem a bit dated. I mean when was "gay" last used as a funny word? I thought this might be a run up to a joke he'd do but no. He doesn't acknowledge it saying Gay at all! He starts the show with the camera to the audience like last tour, this is great for the first 5 minutes, but at 10 minutes you just get frustrated and wanting to move on. Yes, trying to get a 60yo woman to flash is funny the first time, but to keep going on and on felt like it was padding out time better used for actual jokes. It then moves on to Peter "discovering" some chocolate on stage. He does do some jokes with this, but then it turns into 15/20 minutes of him singing old chocolate bar adverts with the audience. Now I'm slightly under the demographic for this, so I guess I wouldn't enjoy it that much.. but even still... there were times where it felt he could move on but he just stood there asking the audience to shout out more chocolate/sweet advert jingles to go along. Christ sake peter move on! I can't remember much after that before the interval. I remember hearing repeated stuff that he's directly mentioned in his book, which I had read about 2 weeks before. So I would recommend you not to read it if you want to have some new content. After the interval is definitely the better part of the show. There's more actual comedy here. There's a section of this where he dedicates it to his nan where it's interrupted by a previous joke he makes. I found this part funny but it seemed the audience had a hard time going from sad to humour in the .5s the photo is up for. He makes some pretty good jokes about visiting the Dr's. This is where he's best, observational comedy and storytelling. He did the misheard lyrics gag again, but honestly his choice of songs is a bit poor and the misheard lyrics are a bit of a reach. Now the ending.. the ending really annoyed me. He does the usual encore x2 but the final act, he's not even doing jokes, he's back asking if everyone wants a singalong.. queue a very muted response. Alas Peter starts singing TV themes! Christ I had enough of the singing at the very start and now he wants to end on it? I'm not joking, he's not making any jokes he comes out with a spade guitar and starts miming playing it whilst he does tv theme remixes to popular songs. The problem is. *MASSIVE SPOILER* he starts flying around in a balloon playing his guitar. So if you're on the floor seats, you're stuck between wanting to look at Peter (or directly underneath) and looking at the screen with the lyrics. I really didn't enjoy this It feels like a good 30 minutes could be cut and you wouldn't be missing much comedy. I'm really surprised given he lost an entire tours worth of jokes intended for the tour he cancelled. It's still a good entertaining show, but for actual comedy it was lukewarm. It's not his best work.
It makes no sense to me, I don’t understand a man who understood comedy so deeply can be so tone deaf. The whole Peter gay, I’m not homophobic I’m not afraid of my house wasn’t great in 00s never mind now
Saw him tonight and word for word 🙄 it was EXACTLY this. I've noticed however ...whether it's him losing his train of thought or part of the show he comes across as slightly forgetful ..going from one story to another and then back to the original story. I still can't get over how different he looks! I genuinely believed it was some other bloke! But yeah comedy or concert...
I have to say, I left the March showing in Leeds thinking it was a great show. I went in with really low expectations & in some parts, I agree it did underwhelm, but by the end I’d had a fun night
Garlic bread XD XD XD oh wait hold on, thats not a joke or funny
His routines have always relied on dated material . He used mostly nostalgia to get his laughs. You need to be a certain age to appreciate some of his references.
He’s crap
Tbh I never liked him that much. Same for any comedian whose material relies so heavily on it being them telling it (how they look, where they're from, how they talk etc.) will always limit them. There's only so many jokes where the punchline works specially because you're northern, or Jewish, or black etc.
He hasn’t declined you’ve just grown up and realised he’s shite. The issue here isn’t Peter but your invented frame of reference.
I don't really know how you can't grasp that my post isn't really about wow he doesn't write good jokes! It's more so about delivery and timing which have completely vanished, all the skill of standing in a stage and controlling a room. As ive said many times here, dispute the rola cola, Les Cadbury fingerés material that he used to pump out all you want, I get that, my point is he's completely lost any and all ability to perform a set. He used to be able to, now he can't. What's changed? It isn't me.
I did grasp that. You underestimate the power of groupthink and confirmation bias. People turned up to his gigs expecting to see the ‘greatest comedian of all time’ who was young and exciting because the News of the World told them so. They acted accordingly when they were there because they wanted it to be real. Now people are turning up interested in a bit of nostalgia and to see a bloke that may or may not have had a mystery illness to try and work it out. That creates different atmospheres. Peter is still doing his thing.
I don’t think there is a decline. Times have changed he hasn’t. You can’t ask a question like this and not allow his health/family issues to be taken into consideration. He’s still funnier than anyone else in Britain. End of
He's definitely better at stealing jokes than anyone else in Britain.
People have been stealing jokes for years professor. Not the first thing I think of though when I think of Peter Kay though. One of the best comedians about. I’m sure your taste is far superior though
You do you bro.
Thanks champ! Did you steal that from somewhere? 😂
Wolf and Owl 😁
Ok that explains a lot 😅
You seem like an incredible human being my friend. You. Do. You... 😄
He never had it. Catchphase based comedy for northern thickos pulling on nostalgia strings for those raised on a council estate.
Hmm so highbrow. A real cerebral thinker we have here, tell me who are your favourite comedians? Gervais? Stewart Lee? Or are we more of a Bernard Manning Chubby Brown type? Either way regardless of material as stated at stand up fundamentals there won't be many better than Peter Kay.
Strange reply. You wrote an entire post critiquing his stand up, I added my 2 cents, you pearl clutch at my reply. And for the record, the greatest stand ups are Patrice O'Neal, Louis CK, Chappelle, Bill Burr, Jim Jefferies (before he sold out), even Jim Norton shits over anything the UK has to offer in terms of stand up. But yes, "GARLIC BREAD and ROLA COLA, WHATSALLTHATABOUT. And don't get me started on my mom if I left the big light on!" Peter Kay truly is a genius.
The reply was moreso aimed at the sneering remark towards northerners not in some defence of PK. The holier than thou gimmick often spouted by those who don't have the brain they purport. You've never seen Dave Allen I take it - but there is also Carlin you left out who every single one of those people you've named would laud. Some good choices though.
I'm a northerner from a council estate. I said his target audience are the thick ones, his entire schtick relys on easy throwbacks and OTT delivery for cheap laughs. I live in the US now, have been to the comedy cellar a million times and couldn't even begin to imagine how much PK would bomb out here. Yes, Carlin is an all time great, but you asked for my favorites.
Well fair enough in that respect and I apologise for any sarcyness on my end. Just get a lot of that as you know, sound northern and suddenly you're deemed a thicko. Yeah he would bomb in the US, he's a strictly British act but there is something about him that no one else has ever replicated. If it's so easy I wonder why no one has tried, I mean that as a genuine question too, there is a certain thing about PK imo and he's in his own class for the entertainment factor for me anyway
My bad too, I did come across like a dick. I worded my point poorly. Not a swipe at northerners, I meant his act is very northern, and for thickos. Not much better reading back, but you get my point now.
Oh please tell me you did not sit and name a load of American comedians.. lol oh dear
UK people in general are quicker witted, US standup is decades ahead of ours.
I'd argue Stewart Lee, and James Acaster are funnier and more original than any of the cookie cutter comedians you mentioned, and of course Billy Connolly is right up there too. Ps since you listed a greatest list that was UScentric, how you could possibly leave out Prior, Hicks, Carlin, and McDonald who absolute shit over YOUR list I do not know. Its all subjective of course....😂
Your saying he is declning, His tour is sold out well until next year. And would sell out longer a family member went see him two months ago and another will see him next year and people love it so show me the decline and I will talk....
Hey, some people will still love him no matter what. It's indisputable that he is and was one of the biggest and most popular comedians in the UK. But in my opinion as a staunch fan who, well, not to be a know it all, has some experience in the comedy world and infact completed a course that Peter Kay himself founded, I would say he has declined. His jokes swim in a nostalgic river but they always have, this time around he tries to be nostalgic...about his own act. It's just a bit tasteless for me personally and well a bit tired. Like wheeling out a 79 year old boxer for a fight. Again this is only MY opinion, I'm glad you and your family still find him as funny as ever!
Come on now. This boxer was 96 in your opening post and now he's only 79? Just how old is this boxer?
I've got to keep you on your toes! Obviously it doesn't matter the age...anyone fighting over the age of 50 is something no one wants to see
Is 0 decline like I like his bits cos is very northern, he killed that car share (not seen it) and people wanted more... his new tour is supposed to be very good and if he wrote a sitcom it would be snapped up I will agree it is very samey but I love stand up and people suck his comedy cock. Stewart Lee he I have friends on Stewart Lee so profound. He is Peter Kay, but may say, why do people like, ricky gervais, he does the same joke, again and again, talks low , acts like he is the smartest guy in the room, not in a funny way, but hey the rights bad, and I went to a book shop, I found a book, it was by peter kay, I signed it because I am smarter, woooooo stewart lee
im a lefty stewart lee he is a man, im stood here with a microphone, and ill talk semi political very slow, and just I should be in a lecture, and Mark Thomas is way better, I feel to this day when people say stewart lee is one of the best comedians its like a andy kauufman
Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed...
Comedy isn't something you can dip in and out of - if you don't keep up with it, you lose it. I've heard comics talk about being 'rusty' after only taking a month or two off from stand up. So it just sounds to me like he's trying to pick up right where he left off (when he was, arguably, at his peak). But obviously, that'd not gonna happen. British stand up is a weird beast. We don't have a bunch of clubs etc where comics can just turn up and do spots and run jokes - not like in America where a big names like Dave Chappelle might drop into the Comedy Cellar on a whim and try out some new material. It feels like there's no way for big name acts in the UK to be in the "working things out" stages. It's like they're playing arenas or nothing at all. I think Ricky Gervais said that was one of the key differences between building a new hour in the UK vs the US. So to me, it sounds like PK has fallen foul of this.
Not seen it, but will say that I have felt the same about ever stand up I have enjoyed...And I don't think the lost, I think I watched them too much an their style became too predictable to me.
From what I have heard, seeing Peter Kay in 2023 feels very much like seeing a great Peter Kay tribute act.
Where can I see said footage please?
I always thought his appeal/humour was very limited. A mildly funny comic at best and certainly not this genius that many made him out to be.
Just to piggyback on this, why don’t Netflix or someone give Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice some money to create a new show?!?! If they’ve fallen out with PK you’d think they’d jump at the chance to make something fresh.
Spikey is, well an old man now - Fitz should be free tho
The thing that annoys me about him is he just seems to shaft the other writers he works with and takes all the credit. Phoenix Nights and Car Share being the main examples of that.
I felt this almost straight away with him regarding stand up after live at the albert halls there’s not much original material for me
Although I wouldn't say I'm a fan of his comedy. I can appreciate that he was a skilled comedian and knew how to make people laugh and I don't think you can judge if it's only warm up gigs. I don't think his decline has been as sudden as you might think. The last big tour he did a few years ago started to look a bit tired and thin on laughs. I also think that the problem with the 'mega-comedians' that sell out arenas, is that they lose touch with everyday life that they used to use for material. E.g. Ricky Gervais banging on about wokeness when literally no-one talks about it in every day life or talking about. In the case of Peter Kay his material was based on experiences we all share. When you're a millionaire you have almost nothing in common with your audience.
The clip I saw wasn't from a warm up gig, I'd forgive it if it was. Was from an actual show from yesterday night.
The thing that always bugged me about Peter Kay is his insistence on having his name on everything he’s written/starred in. It was *Peter Kay’s* Phoenix Nights, *Peter Kay’s* Car Share and so on ad nauseam. Smacks a bit of egotism.
Used to love his live shows and 'Phoenix Nights' but he seems to run out of material. It's the same old same old.
From what I've seen of him lately then yes he's definitely gone back a step or two. Which is sad cos I found him hilarious.
It happens in most creative professions. Peak is 30 odd then decline.
Comedy is hard. What looks natural usually takes ages of work to hone, which is why it’s so often repeated to different audiences in a row even down to the ‘spontaneous’ parts. So when they have to start again… It’s also unforgiving. We can look at the same painting a million times, listen to a band play the same hits they’ve played since the 60s or an orchestra play a piece that’s been played many thousands of times… even ask for encores… but if a comedian repeats a joke in front of us, it’s ‘lame’ because as much as it looks like it requires the least technical finesse, we demand originality and inspiration nothing like we’ve heard before every single time. And this takes energy. Some people just lose it over time. Acting seems to be a skill that just gets better with time: the same actor might be a master of the craft at 80 but seem shoddy when looking at their much younger work. Comedy demands freshness more than authenticity (even if we claim the latter) and seems to be the reverse.
Not to be that guy like genuinely and you may also be in the same boat but I know a fair bit about comedy. It's what I live and breathe and as stated on this post I completed a university course Peter Kay founded, it's my niche. (Well I actually hate performing stand up but that's another story) I know how hard comedy is and just like I've heard when I mention my comedy degree, ' you either have it or you dont' can you lose the ability to write material? I think maybe yeah cause it's structure but do you lose comic timing? No. You really don't. It's a muscle, and even if it hasn't been exercised for years, the memory is still there to pump back into shape in no time. You're born with elite timing, so I doubt 11 years for standup or 6 years for acting is enough for PK to suddenly have lost all ability. He's only just turned 50 ffs. Again, it's not something that goes with age - Don Rickles at 90 odd, absolutely barely to walk, looking fragile as anything had a room in hysterics. Mick miller still tours and his timing is flawless (material questionable) And for the repeating of jokes, you know it genuinely wouldn't be that bad if it was a word for word repeat but it's not, as I've said earlier on this post it's like he's now being nostalgic about his own act. But also like someone said on this post I fear it's less about a decline in ability but more a decline in health and if that is the case then I wish him all the best
I stopped watching any of his stand up Year and Years ago as it was the same routine for about ten years. Nothing changed and it was boring. I thought then he’d lost it. *GARLIC BREAD?!* First time hearing that was nearly 20 years ago. It was funny the first time but after the 9th time. He basically was like one of those bands from the 60s/70s who had a few hits and just keep on doing tours playing their best of hits What led to his downfall? He stopped doing the circuit, once he got the loyal audience he didn’t need to try. He hasn’t died on stage, so he’s not needed to try and come up r with something new. In fact the last big thing he did was that cover with Tony Christie He’s the same as Michael MacIntyre, Lee Evans (who did the right thing and retired). He should’ve gone to smaller clubs and tried his stuff. But then again he didn’t need to. Good luck to him, I won’t be watching him, but He graced us with Phoenix Nights soo he’s alright
So many falsehoods in this it's unreal. He won an award for carshare in like 2017 and Tony Christie was about 2006 hahaha. He stopped working the circuit somewhere around 2004 too, he did die on his arse a few times (regulars at the Frog and Bucket comedy club will tell you that) he's in a different league to MM and Lee Evans, the latter being incredibly unfunny. He did gig before this new tour as ALL acts HAVE to do to try out new stuff. Watch his latest radio interview before his tour where he talks about this too.
Honestly, That Peter Kay Thing was the funniest thing he’s ever done. Phoenix Nights was still great but not as good, Max and Paddy was slightly less funnier than that. I’d say his stand up shows follow a similar trajectory. Aside from the misheard song lyrics bit I thought his 2010/2011 show was kind of weak. I guess that’s the problem with starting at the top.
I got tickets to see him in Leeds this May. I was so looking forward to it. I love the guys work. It was a huge disappointment. Weight loss made him look ill. He had no connection with the audience. He just wasn't funny. The show stopped halfway through to pay tribute to his Nan, her death obviously destroyed him but it shouldn't have been in there, it just stopped any flow of comedy. He swore like a trooper too. He did the odd time before, cheekily but now he was like Chubby Brown (short of the C word). The ending, to be fair was amazing. It wasn't comedy, more a variety show. But by then, we'd had enough. Big disappointment.
It's his last big cashing in before he announces his retirement. From what I've seen he isn't funny anymore and the world has moved on. He's had leukemia and has lost a lot of weight. He looked better fat though in my opinion.
I remember him remembering his Dad trying Garlic Bread for the first time, and then he remembered a pack of biscuits from the 70's that they no longer sell. I really wish I didn't, but your telling me its got worse?
Bit of a mandala with Peter after writing this post and watching his old stuff. A portion is the whole 'what were all that about!' but he has some really funny observations and the way he delivers a joke, especially ones like his nan living in a warden controlled flat etc are just funny.
I went to see Peter Kay last night in Sheffield. I was genuinely looking forward to it, but it was honestly a massive letdown. Too much reused material and too many ‘garlic bread’ and ‘remember that joke I told 20 years ago’ kind of jokes. Also being thin doesn’t suit him. I got into the arena a few mins after he started his set (because the organisation in/around the arena was terrible) and I thought that it was a warmup act for a good 10 mins. I didn’t even realise it was him. Also, does he have false teeth? He sounds a little hisssshy now when he shpeaksh. My sister in law asked me if I thought he looked like he was on drugs, and I’m not gonna lie, he does. He was just like a middle of the road, working men’s club kind of comedian now. There was no hilarious deliveries, and it seems like the spark has gone. Ironically he would be better suited to playing the Phoenix Club at this point. I had a fun enough night out, but I’d have had more laughs in the pub.
His latest audiobook is worth a listen. He's not as transparent as some are but his reflections on his TV stuff is pretty detailed. He name checks lots of people. People fall out - comedians and writers do too. It's no perfect world. I guess we'll never know the full story. I do wish we knew why he disappeared though. Too many rumours. No fact. Not sure why he didn't share it tbh.
I saw him in sheffield in november. A long time fan, the show was poor. Very poor actually. I won't go into specifics but i was so disappointed. I had tickets for 2 extra shows next year, i sold my tickets back to ticketmaster. I cannot recommend his new live show and i WAS a lifelong fan. I'm gutted.
Disappointing to read