One of my dream ideas for a podcast/documentary series: people involved in a flop talk about it. Often you learn more about creativity from a flop than something that took off. (I fear contributors wouldn’t be queueing up though.)
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I can think of four comedians immediately who would be quite happy to appear on that and have talked about same on various podcasts as part of a longer career review, so it might have legs ...
sep 2, 2025, 7:55 pm • 1 0 • view
Have you heard "Fabulous Flops?" Brilliant wee radio series in which Paul Roseby investigates great theatrical failures (Mike Read's musical about Oscar Wilde, the Norwegian Rock Musical "Which Witch", that sort of thing). All the contributors are quizzical, defensive or proud.
sep 2, 2025, 6:06 pm • 3 0 • view
There's definitely mileage in covering flops in other areas. As you say, it's the stuff that went wrong that's sometimes more illuminating than the successes.
sep 2, 2025, 6:06 pm • 2 0 • view
The one thing I've found with music is that you'll never get anyone to actually say "We took a huge risk and it didn't pay off, oops". It's always "It would have been a smash but the label didn't get behind it!" (or "It WAS a hit actually, in Sweden and Denmark").
sep 2, 2025, 6:14 pm • 4 0 • view
I love the Godley and Crème quote re Consequences LP with Peter Cook in the Thompson biog: ‘We didn’t know what the fuck we were doing.’ That kind of thing.
sep 2, 2025, 6:16 pm • 2 0 • view
Like: The Wright Way. I’d love to know that full story.
sep 2, 2025, 6:19 pm • 2 0 • view
Refreshing honesty! Usually, I'm reminded of that Vivian Stanshall quote about musicians in hot air balloons: "You don't know where you are or what you're doing, but now you've told me you think it's my fault and my problem".
sep 2, 2025, 6:22 pm • 2 0 • view
There was a great podcast series a few years back about Bonfire of the Vanities, but it didn't have new interviews. It was a mix of archival stuff and narration based on The Devil's Candy book about it. It was still a great listen though.
sep 2, 2025, 7:34 pm • 0 0 • view
Have you seen this? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_Wo...
sep 2, 2025, 6:20 pm • 1 0 • view
When I taught my short lived sitcom course the best week was them analysing failed sitcom. Learned SO much
sep 2, 2025, 10:36 pm • 1 0 • view
That sounds fascinating, M. Did you have particular shows in mind? I think it’s so useful.
sep 3, 2025, 6:23 am • 0 0 • view
We did Joey, Heil Honey I'm Home, Blessed...can't remember the others...I stopped teaching sitcom after I felt it wasn't my place to. But it was 4th lesson I think after they'd learned all the rules so cd see how breaking them looks.
sep 3, 2025, 7:45 am • 0 0 • view