h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Punt and Dennis - A66925867
Author: mikeyc0312 - U612358

I have decided to make my next few entries ones related to the Now Show since my entry on Mitch Benn seemed to go down well, so here is an entry on the hosts, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis

Hi mikey,

nice to see you returning, with another Entry

This seems to be another good subject, but a tad short I would recommend you try to find a little more information - or if that is not very easy - how about actually focussing on the radio show itself? - then you would have a much easier task.

As a guideline, you should really be thinking of writing around 1,000 to 2,000 words. At the moment you are only just around the 450 word mark.



Lanzababy

bit short

maybe you could expand the idea to include newman and badiel and the you would have the whole mary whitehouse experience and a lot more material to work with

Maybe it's also worth saying something about the respective strengths and contributions. Punt tends to be the 'straight man' or narrator, whereas Dennis tends to interject or comment.

Punt is more of a satirist and is more like a conventional standup comedian, while Dennis more of an impressionist/character comedian/catchphrase/physical comedian. Punt's humour is in what he says, Dennis' in how he says it. Or something like that.

Hugh Dennis' velosoraptor(?) impression is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

"Milky, Milky."

Hi Mikey:

Have you had a chance to have another look at this entry - it's a great start, and would be good to see it turn into a proper entry.

Hi mikey, are you going to be working on this anytime soon?


BMT Scout

It's a bit of a distant memory, but I thought they started out as writers for Jasper Carrot, and later got elevated to support act.

It's interesting the breadth of comedy types that they have (together or individually) been involved with. Working with Jasper (old-school stand-up), then Mary Whitehouse (alternative stand-up / sketch show), Now Show (satire) then there Hugh's work in My Hero and Outnumbered (sitcom).

They've been a double act for, what, 20 - 25 years now? They've been together for quite a while, and I kind of get the feeling like they are a couple of workhorses in the background. Not quite sure why I think that, but I get the impression that they write for other people a lot more than is immediately evident. Like Barry Cryer. I may be wrong.


Geggs

Hi guys,
I can only apologise for not working on this for so long. With my first set of exams at uni, things have been a bit hectic for a while now.

I just realised that I can still remember a couple of the sketches they did in Carrot's show. Dear me, I may be old.


Geggs

This is a really good start, but like the others I'd like some more detail. There's a fair bit more that can be added about the type of shows they're involved in, for example. Does Steve Punt ever act, as Hugh Dennis does, or does he stick to the comedy shows?

They've also written a sitcom. The Party Line it was called, and it turned up on Radio 4. The continuity announcers went out of their way to state that it was written by Punt & Dennis, especially as neither of them actually appeared in it.

Link to a BBC page about it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00drsrs

Fairly useless page, mind. Tells you almost nothing. The show followed the life of a backbench MP, mainly during the weekends, since that is when they are in their constituencies. IIRC, and I may be wrong, the MP's agent was played by Geoffrey McGivern (Ford in the original HHGTTG radio series).

Of course, most people think that Punt played Ford in the TV series. He didn't, but he doesn't unlike the person who did (whose name I can't now remember).


Geggs

David Dixon - that was the TV Ford.


Geggs

Thank you for that, Geggs. I'll put in some information on that in a few days after I've listened to an episode.

How are you getting on, Mikey?

lil xx

I'd suggest that the entry needs to give more of an idea of their type of humour; for instance they use a lot of nerdy (or amusingly retro) pop-culture references. They also show a love of running gags and indeed characters such as Dennis's revolting 'milky milky' man.

I think mikey is still working on this? hope so

If nothing more is going to happen here it will have to return to Entry. Any comments?

I would agree with you h5ringer, if it went back to Entry, then Mikey could finish it when he has time/enthusiasm

Eds emailed