Bernard Manning dead
/Bernard Manning Obituary
I'll leave it to others to discuss his alleged racism and bigotry. One thing is certain, he was a master comedian admired even by professionals who were appalled by some of his content. He was up there with all the great British comedy giants. Perfect comic timing and flawless delivery is what made him great, as well as some blindingly funny material, much of which had no racial overtones at all.
He's been called the last of the joke tellers and joke telling has become so old hat, darhlings. It's all observation and comedic narrative now. All I know is this. Given a choice of a Manning gig or one with Jeremy Harding, Mark Thomas, Marcus Brigstocke or Eddie Izzard, I'd take Manning every time.
He wasn't always predictable either as the obit points out:
No politically right-on, anti-Thatcher alternative comic of the time could have done it better.
BernardManning.com
I'll leave it to others to discuss his alleged racism and bigotry. One thing is certain, he was a master comedian admired even by professionals who were appalled by some of his content. He was up there with all the great British comedy giants. Perfect comic timing and flawless delivery is what made him great, as well as some blindingly funny material, much of which had no racial overtones at all.
He's been called the last of the joke tellers and joke telling has become so old hat, darhlings. It's all observation and comedic narrative now. All I know is this. Given a choice of a Manning gig or one with Jeremy Harding, Mark Thomas, Marcus Brigstocke or Eddie Izzard, I'd take Manning every time.
He wasn't always predictable either as the obit points out:
...while Manning's routine made little attempt to be topical, he could occasionally hint at subversion. As when, soon after the Falklands war, he told his audience that two soldiers from the conflict were present. As the jingoistic cheers rang out, Manning embarrassed the audience by adding: "They're Argentinians."Although that account doesn't do him justice. He cranked the audience up by telling them that two brave young lads were amongst them , Fauklands veterans who had fought for their country under appalling conditions and had seen their pals killed alongside them etc etc. Then he demanded applause from the audience for the two lads and as the cheering and whooping died down he turned and with perfect timing added the throw away line , "They're Argentinians."
No politically right-on, anti-Thatcher alternative comic of the time could have done it better.
BernardManning.com
