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Peter Cook picked as world's top comic

LONDON (Reuters) - Peter Cook has been picked as the world's most talented comedian in a poll of more than 300 comics, comedy writers, producers and directors on both sides of the Atlantic.

The British comedian, who first rose to fame in the satirical show "Beyond The Fringe," took the title ahead of "Monty Python" star John Cleese.

Canadian Mike Myers, famed for his role as Austin Powers, said of Cook's quirky and distinctive humour: "I didn't know dirty words could be done that artfully."

Third in the poll conducted by Channel 4 television show "The Comedians' Comedian" was American film-maker Woody Allen.

A bit mental but I liked Peter Cook. His "High Court Judge" piece is one of the funiest things I have seen.

Never, ever heard of him/them.

Would like to, it seems.

Peter Cook.... excellent.

I cant believe that you havent heard of him Hobbes... Dudley Moore and he used to be a double act ;)

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Originally Posted by Rat Faced

Peter Cook.... excellent.

I cant believe that you havent heard of him Hobbes... Dudley Moore and he used to be a double act ;)

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Never heard of him, at all.

Americans' have heard of Monty Python and Billy Connolly. Billy Connolly only because Whoopi Goldberg bought him an HBO Special.

Who can forget one-legged Dud's Tarzan audition? As much British comedy folklore as "Fork Handles".

connoisseurs of bad language will have heard of them if only for the "f***ing C***" sketch, which is available on 7 inch vinyl

Never heard of him either.

I do remember Comedy Central's 100 best comedians and he wasn't on the list. I personally like Richard Pryor.

I will have to check out this Peter guy though.

It's unfortunate that most Americans have so many comedians here in the states that we don't bother to branch out but I guess this is obviously due to what is on TV here.

Billy Connolly, Yakov Smirnov, John Cleese, Eddie Izzard and a few others I've heard of.

They weren't terribly funny though.

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Originally Posted by vidcc

connoisseurs of bad language will have heard of them if only for the "f***ing C***" sketch, which is available on 7 inch vinyl

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You must mean "This Bloke Came Up To Me" from the Derek & Clive - Live! album... probably my favourite conedy sketch during my teenage years.

Much of his material was actually banned from the airwaves. Some was just so over the top that it wasn't that funny imho, but the more controlled stuff was superb.

Busyman,

Monty Python etc., built on the work of Beyond the Fringe which Peter Cook and others wrote. If you didn't like Monty Python you might not like Peter Cook.

DEREK & CLIVE (LIVE)

Official release of the bootleg tape that spawned the memorable catchphrase: "What's The Worst Job You've Ever Had?" regarding the extraction of lobsters from Jayne Mansfield's anus.

Banned from radio, due to high expletive content, it nevertheless (or as a result) went on to become a success world-wide.

Source

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Originally Posted by JPaul

I think Peter Cook was OK, but not the World's top comic, not by a long chalk.

He may very well have been influential, but so was Alan Bennett, Johnathon Miller and Richard Curtis, as were many others. With apologies to these gentleman if (as seems likely) I spelled any of their names incorrectly.

To my mind this result is based on pseudo-intellectualism, rather than what makes one larf. Which to my simple mind defines good comedy. That being the case and basing my decision on actual laughing out loud, with pain in the stomachal region one would have to consider Billy Connelly, Woody Allan, Peter Kay, Ricky Gervais, Eddie Izzard and probably many others who I have found funnier that the late great Mr Cook. Once again my apologies for crap spellage.

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I think it is probably his writing that won him the acclaim. He was a major force in that early group and coupled with running Private Eye in its infancy and a number of films (The Wrong Box, Bedazzled etc.,) he was quite prolific. His later years were quieter although I did like the Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling character. It was a gentler more thoughtful satire.

I think he probably won it because of his influence on the current comedians, rather than his comedy per se.

Much like Roy Orbison gets more acclaim off more contemporary musicians, than off the public in general.

He was funny, i liked him a lot... but the best? Nah, he may be in my Top 10, but would be near the bottom of the list.

I can see his influence elsewhere though...

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Originally Posted by JPaul

And there old bean is the point. He may have been a brilliant satirist (in fact he was). However does that make him a great comic, indeed the greatest ever comic. I think not.

I can appreciate satire, I really enjoy the chap. However a comic must make me larf. Hence the previous names I suggested.

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I thought the same of Peter Cook-

As an aside, I would characterize Lenny Bruce similarly; brilliant, indeed seminal and influential-beyond a shadow of doubt.

No belly-laughs, though.

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Originally Posted by JPaul

Indeed.

They opened doors, which others went tho'.

As Newton (I think) observed, those who followed stood on the shoulders of giants. However that meant that they saw further.

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Quite right, though I can't testify it was Newton.

As Bush the Elder said, "It's the vision thing..."