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**E10 Rifle** · 16-02-2009, 17:51

They think it's all over the Internet...

A skint one, probably.

It's classic hypocrisy on the part of the big corporations though - they tend to be notorious rights-grabbers when it comes to dealing with individual contributors, then bleat about it and set the terms of the debate when other people do it to them. The result being that those "creators" who do need the value of their work protecting - and who indeed rely on it to put food on their table - end up getting overlooked and, or, shafted.

The old order is clearly over though, for good and ill, but a basic principle still holds: if someone somewhere is making money out of someone's work, the person who created it should too.

**Ginger Yellow** · 16-02-2009, 17:56

They think it's all over the Internet...

The 46-year-old told the court he was furious because footage of his gigs end up on websites such as YouTube. He accused other writers of recording his material to copy his jokes and sell them to television shows on channels including the BBC and ITV

If this is a serious problem as he claims, shouldn't he be happy that somebody is recording the show so he can establish copyright?

**Hofzinser** · 16-02-2009, 18:13

They think it's all over the Internet...

What concerns me here is that the comedy of Lee Hurst may be being distributed to anyone other than people stupid enough to go to see Lee Hurst shows and, worse, that some of the jokes may end up on TV.

I agree with him - this must be stopped.

**E10 Rifle** · 16-02-2009, 18:15

They think it's all over the Internet...

He's better as a live stand-up than on the telly to be fair.

He's being daft here - because in this area, publicity via youtube and the like has a chance of increasing your paid-for custom, in the same way writing good sharp stuff on blogs for nothing can occasionally land you paid work.

**Guy Profumo** · 16-02-2009, 18:18

They think it's all over the Internet...

He accused other writers of recording his material to copy his jokes and sell them to television shows on channels including the BBC and ITV

Just how deluded is this man?

**Tubby Isaacs** · 16-02-2009, 19:06

They think it's all over the Internet...

Hurst's club in Bethnal Green is quite good. He himself though was unimpressive. When a gag went wrong, someone shouted out "Move on!", a mild enough heckle (not to mention exactly what the rest of us were thinking), but he didn't like that at all.

**ian.64** · 16-02-2009, 19:26

They think it's all over the Internet...

Are you sick or having your material stolen or are you with the downloaders?

The first.

**ian.64** · 16-02-2009, 19:29

They think it's all over the Internet...

I was surprised by Hurst's actions, partly because it seems a mite pathetic on his part, but mainly because I'd wondered what happened to the bloke after They Think It's All Over. He dropped off the radar big-time after that.

**Lucia Lanigan** · 16-02-2009, 21:04

They think it's all over the Internet...

Stand up comedy might be the area I'm least concerned about when it comes to unscrupulous rip-offs. The culture already mings, as far as I can tell: you can actually make a good living (in London, at least) from peddling total crap to drunk people, and I think those tossers have come to think that's the way it should be. It's like indie in 1991 or something: your Neds, Kingmakers, Mega City Fours of comedy are getting paid major label wages despite being absolutely useless.

One of the few comedy nights I've been to was at Hurst's Bethnal Green club, and it was a shockingly bad, physically uncomfortable, dispiriting experience. The rest have been even more insulting. He already has too much of my money, wheras Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer have too little.

**Mumpo** · 16-02-2009, 21:16

They think it's all over the Internet...

I was surprised by Hurst's actions, partly because it seems a mite pathetic on his part, but mainly because I'd wondered what happened to the bloke after They Think It's All Over. He dropped off the radar big-time after that.

The ironically-titled They Think It's All Over was something of a route to the dumper, wasn't it. Nick Hancock gave it up to become an Estate Agent.

**Lucia Lanigan** · 16-02-2009, 21:29

They think it's all over the Internet...

Really? If so, it's hard to feel the appropriate schadenfreude when you realise he must have have gained enough capital to open up the world of property in the first place. I mean, it's the profession he was born to do, but still.

**Danger Mouse** · 16-02-2009, 21:41

They think it's all over the Internet...

At some point he (Hancock, not Hurst) was involved with the former Rotherham United sponsors, Earth Mortgages. Whether he actually ever had a proper job with them rather than just being "the face", I don't know.

**Nishlord** · 16-02-2009, 22:32

They think it's all over the Internet...

Lee Hurst is currently writing on someone's blog at the moment.

**E10 Rifle** · 16-02-2009, 22:50

They think it's all over the Internet...

I agree with Lucia L about modern stand-up in general. I'm rarely impressed when I go to comedy clubs - which is normally only for someone's birthday or something - and it seems like, as LL says, we're in the age of 'landfill indie' comedy. It's achingly conservative too, for the most part, touching on the same predictable subjects with no great wit - not sharp, not original, not innovative, not cutting edge in any way.

**Bored Of Education** · 16-02-2009, 23:33

They think it's all over the Internet...

The thing is that stand-up can be be a piece of piss if all you want to do is make people laugh. People who go to stand up clubs want to laugh. It is actually easier to make them laugh than your mates down the pub who are going to be more critical.

If you want to make a career out of it and/or be original, that is a different matter altogether

**Guest** · 16-02-2009, 23:56

They think it's all over the Internet...

Nick Hancock gave it up to become an Estate Agent.

Out of the frying pan and into the incinerator.

The last stand-up gig I can remember going to was back in 2000 or 2001, the Cuban Brothers at the Laughter Lounge on Eden Quay. As far as I can recall, most of the routine was soundtracked by 'All Night Long' by Lionel Richie.

I am in the fortunate position that most of my friends make me laugh fairly frequently, so it's been a long time since I needed to go to a comedy gig.

**tracteurgarcon** · 17-02-2009, 01:08

They think it's all over the Internet...

Bored of All the Beasts wrote:

The thing is that stand-up can be be a piece of piss if all you want to do is make people laugh. People who go to stand up clubs want to laugh. It is actually easier to make them laugh than your mates down the pub who are going to be more critical.

I'm not sure that my flabber has ever been quite so ghasted as it was reading that, especially the opening statement (why else would you want to do stand up?).

I book for several comedy gigs and if you want to prove your theory then send me a private message and I can get it arranged, I look forward to hearing from you.

**tracteurgarcon** · 17-02-2009, 01:15

They think it's all over the Internet...

Lucia Lanigan wrote:

Stand up comedy might be the area I'm least concerned about when it comes to unscrupulous rip-offs. The culture already mings, as far as I can tell: you can actually make a good living (in London, at least) from peddling total crap to drunk people...

...

One of the few comedy nights I've been to was at Hurst's Bethnal Green club.

Sorry to pick you up on this but how can you make an assumption about something that you admit you know precious little about?

Would you go to see "We Will Rock You" and a couple of Am-dram productions then pronounce that all theatre is rubbish?

It's fucking hard to make a living (good or otherwise) performing comedy, even in London.

**amp** · 17-02-2009, 01:48

They think it's all over the Internet...

ian.64 wrote:

because I'd wondered what happened to the bloke after They Think It's All Over. He dropped off the radar big-time after that.

He opened up a comedy club in Bethnal Green and made a fortune.

**Toby Gymshorts** · 17-02-2009, 13:36

They think it's all over the Internet...

Speaking of comedy.....

The Invisible Dot Club

(No, I'm not on commission. It just looks like a quality lineup for those who like live stand-up)

**David Agnew** · 17-02-2009, 16:38

They think it's all over the Internet...

Mumpo wrote:

I was surprised by Hurst's actions, partly because it seems a mite pathetic on his part, but mainly because I'd wondered what happened to the bloke after They Think It's All Over. He dropped off the radar big-time after that.

The ironically-titled They Think It's All Over was something of a route to the dumper, wasn't it. Nick Hancock gave it up to become an Estate Agent.

Until recently, Nick Hancock was the anchor of the ITV midland midweek sports shows.

And there's a PM for tratorello (not one volunteering to do a turn, I may add).

**ian.64** · 17-02-2009, 18:23

They think it's all over the Internet...

because I'd wondered what happened to the bloke after They Think It's All Over. He dropped off the radar big-time after that.

He opened up a comedy club in Bethnal Green and made a fortune.

He'll lose it all by fucking about in impromptu fashion with the telecommunications industry.

Until recently, Nick Hancock was the anchor of the ITV midland midweek sports shows.

Nearly right.

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