[Goosegirl]

Ha-ha! Just been to our local Leisure Club where they have speakers every Monday except in their summer break. Today we had a chap who told us how he became one of the joke writers for Ken Dodd and it was brilliant! He even looked like a younger version what with the hair and pointy patent leather shoes. We got various bits of memorabilia to pass around including Doddy's funeral service card. Some of his stuff is in the DVDs of An Audience with Ken Dodd. If you want a good laugh get these then get your pants in the washing machine! My favourite by just a gnat's whisker is the Quasimodo sketch.

[Growster...]

Ha ha ha!

Just watched this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D-IkijK2OA&ab_channel=jasethehoo

He was just one of the best! Nice one GG!

[hamstergbert]

Famously his shows over-ran to a mind-boggling degree, close to shading into a mass hostage situation as his audiences risked missing trains home etc.  Indeed one of the best - as he once described someone else, it was like a fireworks display  - boom - kapow - zing - and it didn't matter if you missed one of his gags because there'd be another hundred along in a heartbeat!

(And didn't rely either on swearing, scatology or right-on whingeing about the wicked tories which is what appears to pass for comedy these days for a depressing number of 'comics' in lieu of actually funny material.  Thank heavens for people like Tim Vine keeping the flag of Doddy-style family rib-tickling still flying)

[Goosegirl]

Oh yes indeed. He did mention how today what passes for comedy isn't sometimes nice to hear, but those from the 50' onwards were suitable for all ages. Even though they sometimes relied on double entendres it was just brilliant stuff from brilliant and really talented people. Another one was Benny Hill with his cheeky smile when he said something "naughty" which is probabaly banned nowadays because of how he went after women. PFFFT. So innocent though.

[wighty]

I met Ken Dodd when I was in Liverpool doing a course at the Police College there.  All 'students' were encouraged to raise funds for charity and he came to receive the cheque on behalf of whatever it was.  This was back in the early '80s' so memory of what it was and what we did are now 'buried' under all the 'stuff' that has happened since.  He was exactly the same as he was on the telly and had all of us roaring with laughter from start to finish.  (I think he knew that he could be a bit 'naughty' considering his audience!)