Talk:Harry Hill

POV
These sentences

Despite the delight from fans in the audience, many say that the appearance of other characters broke the flow of the standup routine and cheapened the act.

and

Many say that this promotion to ITV essentially marked the end of quality Harry Hill performance.

need support - who says these things? Paul Tracy 12:01, 7 Sep 2004 (UTC)

I personally can't stand the man - but from the circles I'm in, TV Burb is very popular. Perhaps that should be removed. After all, its success is why further series were commissioned.Barneyboo 17:32, 12 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Yeah, when I first read the article, those two comments grated with me a little. He's become one of ITV's more commonly-seen faces lately, so the comment about TV Burp especially seems somewhat strange given his current popularity. Fruity Gonzalez 22:11, 1 Nov 2004 (UTC)

It's true that once you've seen his act, you probably don't want to, or need to see it again, but despite the fact, Harry Hill is definitely one of the best and most original comedy acts of the 1990s. Not only does he manage to combine the "constant string of gags" routines of the more "traditional comedians" with a fantastic sense of surrealism, but he manages to avoid either "alternative right-onism" or "political incorrectness" thereby avoiding alienting anyone.

The original TV series didn't work brilliantly, predominantly because it was the same stuff every week - anyone wishing to partake of Harry's work should have simply gone to see him live - once. However, the "TV Burp" series is, in my opinion, superb. It is one of the few TV comedy programs of recent times to leave me in absolute hysterics. However, and I say this at the risk of being labelled "elitist" (although I couldn't give a flying fuck if you think I am) it does seem to be appreciated mainly by people who have sufficient intellect to grasp the subtlties of Harry's comments on the program clips. The clips themselves are naturally not specifically that funny per se.

Enjoy.

Simon Moore

Removed weasel words
I've removed the following as per Avoid weasel words;  Despite the delight from fans in the audience, many say that the appearance of other characters broke the flow of the standup routine and cheapened the act. Psychonaut3000 04:08, 23 June 2006 (UTC)

Gratuitous Avalon plug
"Harry Hill is one of many alternative British comics associated with the Avalon Promotions comedy family. Other careers launched from this company include Richard Herring, Stewart Lee, Dave Gorman, Simon Munnery, Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and Al Murray."

Firstly, I don't think this is relevant to an article about Harry Hill. Secondly, many of these people were working in comedy before signing with Avalon, so it's factually incorrect. I suggest "Harry Hill is associated with Avalon Promotions" would be sufficient.

Repetition
Upon viewing this article, I was surprised to find that there was no section on criticism. I bet he's received reviews that state how much he has rested on his laurels after he developed the original act, so surely there would be a way to include statements about how repetetive Harry's work actually is (in a critical response section). He has quite literally found a formula (one reliant on not much more than sarcasm) and done it to death at the expense of actually creating much that is new. His Channel 4 era TV show was the same stuff each week, tweaked slightly, ad-infinitum. The concept for TV Burp was pretty new at the time but any variety in that is generated by the clips chosen. The general format and much of the joke angles are still the same as they were years ago - "only one way to find out..." and "isn't it funny how people end up looking like...". You only need to see how he believes Prodigy's Firestarter being sung by old people is the source of much amusement, a decade later. I actually think Harry's quite a laugh at times (the gags he writes are the really good thing but these too often take a back-seat to almost cringe inducing lowbrow humour, such as song and dance routines) and I used to watch him religiously but now I'm older, I've recently gone back to him and realised how 'same old' it all is. Others must agree....? Mr.bonus 01:04, 25 January 2007 (UTC)


 * I don't. Do I win £5?--Crestville 17:46, 25 January 2007 (UTC)

Stand up
"...his humour appears grounded in petty 'old time' attitudes and conservatism."

Eh? Not really. This is POV, and a pretty odd POV at that. Suggest removal.

I'd agree with that. Hill fits the role of a more traditional family comic but I don't think he's conservative or grounded in petty old time attitudes. Whatever the heck they are. 81.178.75.47 (talk) 10:56, 7 January 2008 (UTC) tetrisrock

also suggest removal, clear POV and pretty inaccurate POV too - his stand up and Channel 4 shows were far removed from yer 'family entertainer' sorts. all I can think the guy meant was his C4 shows in particular sending up a stereotypically dull 'old time' british household, with his authoritarian mother, 'big brother Alan', and surreal, long-winded stand-up sections that start from intentionally mundane situations like the ratio of chop:mash portions at teatime. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.189.220.194 (talk • contribs)

"Watch" joke
The joke "I don't wear a watch. I like both my arms to weigh the same." is attributed to Hill in this article, but every source I've seen(which admittedly isn't a very broad range) has this joke attributed to Mitch Hedberg. Any idea as to whether it's misattributed, plagarized(by either artist), or just coincidentally told by both artists? Ninjapocalypse 23:23, 03 March 2007

Burt Kwok
Burt Kwok wasn't in every episode of the Harry Hill Show. http://www.tv-links.co.uk/listings/1/6183 see for yourself.

'May Sung'
May Sung, his 'mail-order bride' was played in the Harry Hill shows by an actress. this article clearly implies that his tv wife character = his actual real wife. needs fixing —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.189.220.194 (talk • contribs)
 * I've now dug out a source for the name of his wife, which seems to be Magda Archer. --McGeddon (talk) 20:25, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Doctor
Ive heard that Harry Hill used to be a doctor it doesn't mention it in the article so I was wondering if its true

The page says that he is not registered with the GMC, but a quick search of the register does show a Matthew Keith Hall who qualified at the right time. Is it certain this is not him? 195.149.44.231 (talk) 20:24, 10 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Why not try reformulating your question in English.

Music
Harry performs as Gilbert O'sullivan. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.152.100.178 (talk) 11:28, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

Different picture?
He looks very unlike his normal self in that picture - can we find a better one? Kit (talk) 18:13, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Go on then, no one's stopping you. He isn't wearing a wig or something like that, so in my opinion, I think he looks exactly like his normal self. Gran2 17:38, 29 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Haha i was thinking the same thing that Machine 758 was. He looks ill or something --77.99.231.37 (talk) 19:38, 15 July 2010 (UTC)

Tango advert
In 2001, Harry Hill stared in a television advertisment for Tango (drink), where he plays a "gut instinct" for a young man in a reluctant relationship with his girlfriend. You can see it on YouTube if you type in Tango advert - 2001 advert - Make Pass at Father - well that's not the name of the video but you'll get there. I think this should really be included in the article, the mention of the advertisment --77.99.231.37 (talk) 19:38, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
 * That seems to be Jon Culshaw wearing a pair of glasses. --McGeddon (talk) 16:21, 28 August 2012 (UTC)

Schooling
His biography states he moved to Hong Kong when he was 14, yet he then returned to Primary school in the UK. This can't be correct, as you leave primary school in the UK at 11! Perhaps the article means 4? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.169.213.48 (talk) 22:27, 22 October 2013 (UTC)

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Neurosurgeon
Hill, stated on, As Yet Untitled, he was never a neurosurgeon, but never bothered to change it, as he quite like it. japhes 5005. Japhes5005 (talk) 21:33, 10 August 2021 (UTC)