Live at the Apollo returns to BBC1 tonight. This has left me feeling conflicted. On the one hand I love the fact that stand-up gets more exposure on television. On the other hand I hate the fact that stand-up gets more exposure on television. Now that's what I call conflicted.
There are various issues with Live at the Apollo. It might give viewers the chance to see new comedians and it might even encourage people to go out to comedy clubs. But it has been said that clubs that do not have someone "off the telly", ie "as seen on Live at the Apollo" on their bills are being thumped in the box office goolies and finding it understandably painful. Some may even have to close as a result of a downturn in trade. So much for the comedy boom at the grass roots level. TV exposure is not necessarily a good thing for small clubs not booking TV stars. And any stand-up on TV is not going to be as thrilling as stand-up in the raw in a club anyway.
There is also the opinion the Live at the Apollo offers a very narrow version of what the art-form of stand-up really is. It's like imagining that permutations of One Direction and Miley Cyrus are all that music consists of. Observational quick-hit humour is what seems to work best on television and anything that takes a risk rarely gets a look-in. Even Comedy Central's Alternative Comedy Experience still largely features the accessible end of the more arty comedy fringe. As for the Apollo, the template was set when the series was moved into the Friday night slot when Jonathan Ross was suspended by the BBC following Sachsgate in 2008. One of the guests on that very first show was Michael McIntyre. Arena megabucks followed faster than you could say "man drawer".
This up-coming ninth, yes, ninth series does have a few acts who put a bit of a twist on the Route 1 format. Eddie Izzard hosts the first edition, while ventriloquist Nina Conti hosts the last edition. EastEnder Terry Alderton is one of the guests on episode four, so it will be interesting to see if he does his current deranged split-personality routine or whether he plays it safe with the rapidfire gags, crowdpleasing impressions and sound effects that he first broke through with.
But most of the line-up fits neatly into a McIntyre-shaped stand-up box. They include troupers Jack Dee, Sean Lock and Adam Hills and young turks Jack Whitehall, Josh Widdicombe and Seann Walsh. I should add that I don't have any issues with these performers themselves. I think they are all very talented and very funny. Some, obviously, more talented and funny than others. I just worry that the tyranny of Live at the Apollo does not offer the big picture to a public encountering stand-up for the first time. And I'd rather see any of the above in the flesh rather than onscreen. I also worry that it may generate further "indentikit" comedians who can now see a clear way of making a quick buck out of mainstream, entry-level stand-up and do this rather than hone their own distinctive voice. There is already one comedian, who shall remain nameless, who after a promising early start seems to have donned a sharp suit and headed down this road.
In an ideal world my dream series of Live at the Apollo would be compered every week by Daniel Kitson and would include sets by Stewart Lee, Richard Herring and Josie Long with maybe Dr Brown lobbing in a real curveball. This might make a possible line-up on Comedy Central's Alternative Comedy Experience, but could it ever be on BBC1? Some may doubt it. But this little anecdote illustrates how quickly comedy can change.
About five years ago I interviewed Michael McIntyre and after the interview he told me he was looking for acts for his new Comedy Roadshow series and asked me if I had any ideas. I suggested Rhod Gilbert, but then said something like "I guess Rhod Gilbert isn't really big enough for TV yet." Four years on Rhod Gilbert is so big he is reportedly considering giving up stand-up because he has so many TV commitments.
Which just goes to show how quickly TV comedy can change and how it is possible for different names to break through if only they get the primetime exposure. If Richard Herring or Dr Brown did get onto Live at the Apollo maybe they'd be the ones drowning in TV offers in a few years. The public can only choose based on what they see. If Live at the Apollo took a few more risks rather than play safe maybe the public would actually like the risks.
