Why don't comedies win Oscars?
Chris Hallam says the genre needs more respect
29/02/2012 … Why don’t comedy films win more Oscars?This may seem like a strange time to be asking this question.
Latest Opinions
Chortle's Opinions section is an arena for fans to share their views on any aspect of comedy.
We invite general comment pieces about particular aspects of the comedy scene (although reviews of individual shows or performers tend not to be suited to this section except in very rare circumstances). Contributions should be at least 500 words in length, in a similar tone to something you might read in a broadsheet newspaper, and emailed to steve@chortle.co.uk
We reserve the right to edit pieces – although we will be careful not to change the meaning of anything – or not to use them at all. By submitting an article you grant Chortle indefinite licence to use it freely; though you retain the copyright on it to use it elsewhere.
Wed 29 February 2012
Comédie, Egalité, Sororité
Marcel Lucont offers a personal, Gallic perspective on the sexism in comedy debate
29/02/2012 … While the debate rages once again about women in comedy, with reference to the Chortle and Funny Women awards, it seems to have almost gone unnoticed that I, a French…
Sat 25 February 2012
Shall I compere thee...
Ted Shiress learns a lot from MCing
25/02/2012 … I remember my first few gigs, I’d go on stage with a list of funny ideas with a vague idea how to waffle up a narrative between them.
Fri 24 February 2012
We didn't have a gender agenda
Chortle editor Steve Bennett on the dearth of women on our awards shortlist
24/02/2012 … It’s a storm we never saw coming.
Thu 23 February 2012
Overnight success isn't the real story
Marc Blake on the reality of stand-up
23/02/2012 … A month ago I was approached by a PR company to ‘train’ five journalists who had never performed before to each do a five-minute set for the Dave channel at…
Wed 22 February 2012
Don't read the reviews!
They won’t always give your spirits a lift, says Al Cowie
22/02/2012 … I believe it was Andy Warhol who said ‘don't read the reviews, count the column inches’ The debate about whether or not to read my own reviews hadn't been one…
It's not who you are, but who you know
Paul Rickets wonders whether comedy really is a meritocracy
22/02/2012 … I am going to start off this article by saying this is NOT a competition.
Tue 21 February 2012
Good for its age?
Chris Hallam wonders why some comedies date better than others
21/02/2012 … Why does some comedy date so much worse than others?Why, for example, is the groundbreaking Fifties radio series The Goon Show now almost entirely incomprehensible…