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Tim Minchin's Comedy

Discussion in 'The Humor Mill' started by Howdy, May 4, 2012.

  1. Howdy

    Howdy Dark Lord

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    So I was going back through some of my YouTube favorites and ended up wasting a couple of hours watching Tim Minchin's songs and standup. This fellow is definitely one of my favorite comedians, and incredibly talented at that. I know that at least some of you here at DLP are familiar with his work, but in doing a search for him I only came across two of his pieces (Storm and Fuck the Motherfucking Pope) referenced here, neither of which are what I consider his best works.

    For those of you who don't know who Tim Minchin is, he's an Australian musician/comedian with a very strong skeptic and atheist leaning. I find him to be incredibly talented and amusing.

    If you're looking for something that's typical of his comedy, try this out:

    The Good Book (this song requires a boot)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtR6RS9XEw&feature=related

    A great example of how talented this guy really is:

    Dark Side

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xQmJ&feature=related

    My favorite Christmas song of all time, since it's exactly how I feel about the holiday:

    White Wine in the Sun

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q&feature=related

    And a rather nice not-so-funny song:

    Not Perfect

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDGuPp1np4o&feature=related


    If any of you folks out there are fans, please share your favorites, or even similar comedians you'd recommend.
     
  2. Seratin

    Seratin Proudmander –§ Prestigious §– DLP Supporter

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    Y'know, my girlfriend adores him, all my friends adore him. Even my mother and aunts adore him.

    I don't see what's all that great though. He's funny yes, but in now way is he funny enough to merit the acclaim he's constantly getting. Or maybe he's just not my thing.
     
  3. Howdy

    Howdy Dark Lord

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    If you're looking for gut-busting comedy then Minchin probably isn't your guy. By his own admission he's a good comedian for a musician and a good musician for a comedian. I think he's great just for the fact that he can do both and combine them so well to make something unique to him.
     
  4. redshell

    redshell Order Member

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    Unique to him? Hardly. There are tons of musical comedians out there. Rodney Carrington and Stephen Lynch immediately spring to mind. Bo Burnham isn't bad. Those are just off the top of my head, I'm sure there are others.
     
  5. Zerg_Lurker

    Zerg_Lurker Headmaster DLP Supporter

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    White Wine in the Sun is my absolute favorite. Here's another Christmas themed song that wasn't allowed to air.

    Storm is a brilliant ten minute beat poem that basically shits over new age crap. I think Vash had an avatar of this recently.

    F Sharp is a much shorter piece that's less ha-ha funny than Ah, I get the joke, clever, funny.

    The Three Minute Song
    is giggle-worthy, if a bit juvenile and self-referential.

    Then there's the hilarious Pope Song which has been posted before but is worth another mention.

    And his Lullaby is delightfully macabre.

    I agree that he's not uproariously funny like good standup comedians but his material is more musical satire than it is pure comedy. This bit is a follow-up to his song that ends with absolute gold.
     
  6. Howdy

    Howdy Dark Lord

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    I'm aware that he's not the only musical comedian. However, he's the only one I know that rocks a grand piano and has some serious musical talent, which is what I thought was unique about him.
     
  7. redshell

    redshell Order Member

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    Few can rock a grand piano and get away with it. Also, as far as musical talent goes, I'll give you that. You can only listen to so much Rodney Carrington and Stephen Lynch before it starts sounding the same.

    At least some stand-up comedians actually have their own style and flow to their shows.
     
  8. KHAAAAAAAN!!

    KHAAAAAAAN!! Troll in the Dungeon –§ Prestigious §– DLP Supporter

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    I remember a time when everyone I met knew the lyrics to Lynch's 'Special Olympics' by heart.
     
  9. redshell

    redshell Order Member

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    To be quite honest, a lot of his music isn't all it's cracked up to be. Each of his albums essentially has one great song, and then there's a handful of other ones that are amusing but just don't measure up.

    In my opinion, Crazy Peanuts was the best off Three Balloons, his most recent album (to my knowledge).
     
  10. Howdy

    Howdy Dark Lord

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    I just thought I'd go ahead and add that this guy wrote the songs and lyrics to the acclaimed theater interpretation of Roald Dahl's Matilda. He's kind of a big deal.
     
  11. Bill Door

    Bill Door The Chosen One DLP Supporter

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    While Minchin isn't as funny as most standups, or as talented musically as most pianists, he is by far and away the best musical comedian.
     
  12. Grinning Lizard

    Grinning Lizard Supreme Mugwump

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    Big fan of Minchin here - his funniest pieces (in context) were the songs he did on Jonathan Ross, though Dark Side really showcases just how fucking awesome he is. Inflatable You is another one that's simply marvellous in context, considering it was written for and performed at Tickled Pink. Storm is fantastic.

    His more-serious works are excellent also - namely Drowned and White Wine in the Sun.

    @Howdy: I've not seen Mathilda, but I can tell you that he's not exactly a household name yet. He's excellent, sure, but a lot of people don't know or for various reasons don't like him. Personally, he's the only musical-comedian I rate to any degree whatsoever.
     
  13. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Give him time to pop up on Mock the Week or QI, then he'll be truly famous.
     
  14. Rin

    Rin Oberstgruppenführer DLP Supporter

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    You just answered your own question.
     
  15. Skeletaure

    Skeletaure Magical Core Enthusiast ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    How could you not mention Bill Bailey?
     
  16. Dante

    Dante Slug Club Member

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    I like the guy a lot. Nowadays, he's the only guy I listen to on my iPod when I have to go somewhere. I wonder why people are so vary around me... Must be the loony grin! Fuck the Poor, at least for me, is very catchy: Fuck the Poor

    Prejudice strings you along in the beginning nicely, plus it's also too damn catchy: Prejudice

    Tim Minchin definitely isn't God's gift to Stand Up comedy, he's not a world-class singer or pianist, however, he's brilliant at what he does. There are standup comics who can sort of sing or play an instrument, there are singers or pianists who can tell a joke, but Minchin does all of it very well, which makes him awesome. Or something like that :D
     
  17. DarthBill

    DarthBill The Chosen One

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