Watching Norton on old Tough Crowd episodes is so embarrassing

[satanssockpuppet]

Once the novelty shock value wore off, it became obvious that Jimmy just isn't that funny. At first, he'd tell his deviant sex stories with the hookers, meaty clits and pre-cum, and it was kind of funny how he acted like it was all normal. But it grew tiresome pretty quickly. Now he does an annoying kind of "observational humor" where he bombs, then dissects the bomb, as if the bombing itself was the funny part. So you're really just watching a bad comedian talking about how shitty he is.

 

[Chive Turkey]

Haven't watched more than a few clips of Tough Crowd since I was a teen and I don't want to. My memories of it being funny and edgy are probably false but I want to keep it that way.

I watched it for the first time like a year ago and I'd say it's still hilarious. All the Cellar guys were in top form except Norton, but thankfully they consistently ripped him apart for it.

 

[LingerLonger]

Once the novelty shock value wore off, it became obvious that Jimmy just isn't that funny.

Steve from Yellowstone was always funny. I probably laughed at the majority of Uncle Paul's appearances on air as well. Jimmy is not funny on his own. But bouncing his anger, perversions, and characters off of normal people or more normal comics was where he fit in best. He cannot host his own show because no one is there to stomp him into silence like Opie could when he ran the show. Anthony is the same.

Even Jim's awkwardness and celebrity obsessions are funny. Him changing his accent around Ozzy and Ozzy leaving his stupid books. Him freakout that the Yankees and Jeter refused to autograph all his dumb posters and baseballs are comical. Him practically having a panic attack on air because some of the Yankees were hitting on female models rather than sign his stupid photographs was hysterical.

And Jimmy calling 911 on the stolen bus? That was not funny? He had some great moments on the show.

 

[satanssockpuppet]

Steve from Yellowstone was always funny. I probably laughed at the majority of Uncle Paul's appearances on air as well. Jimmy is not funny on his own. But bouncing his anger, perversions, and characters off of normal people or more normal comics was where he fit in best. He cannot host his own show because no one is there to stomp him into silence like Opie could when he ran the show. Anthony is the same.

Even Jim's awkwardness and celebrity obsessions are funny. Him changing his accent around Ozzy and Ozzy leaving his stupid books. Him freakout that the Yankees and Jeter refused to autograph all his dumb posters and baseballs are comical. Him practically having a panic attack on air because some of the Yankees were hitting on female models rather than sign his stupid photographs was hysterical.

And Jimmy calling 911 on the stolen bus? That was not funny? He had some great moments on the show.

He's fun to laugh at, absolutely, but I was talking about his act itself. At first, it was like "holy shit, this guy's a really sick fuck ha ha ha" but then it became "yeah, we know, big meaty clits and trannies, yawn". Other than Joe, Jimmy is probably the one who's the most fun to goof on. Like the Ozzy book incident you mentioned, as I'm chuckling just thinking about that stupid look on his slug-like face.

 

[Udders]

I didn't see tough crowd until very late on like 2015 and really it's not great. Maybe it was good in the context of the time.

Tough Crowd was ahead of its time then and it still is really. Just the idea of (mostly) funny people freely riffing on shit, giving "non-approved" takes, and not worrying about being cancelled or offending whoever is completely foreign these days. It was a good natured, positive show that never made you think you hated everything after watching it. I still watch clips or episodes occasionally and its funnier now than it was then.

 

[BonnieMcFarlaneMe2]

Steve from Yellowstone was always funny. I probably laughed at the majority of Uncle Paul's appearances on air as well. Jimmy is not funny on his own. But bouncing his anger, perversions, and characters off of normal people or more normal comics was where he fit in best. He cannot host his own show because no one is there to stomp him into silence like Opie could when he ran the show. Anthony is the same.

Even Jim's awkwardness and celebrity obsessions are funny. Him changing his accent around Ozzy and Ozzy leaving his stupid books. Him freakout that the Yankees and Jeter refused to autograph all his dumb posters and baseballs are comical. Him practically having a panic attack on air because some of the Yankees were hitting on female models rather than sign his stupid photographs was hysterical.

And Jimmy calling 911 on the stolen bus? That was not funny? He had some great moments on the show.

I always try not to laugh at Uncle Paul but I can’t help myself. Truly the most despicable character ever invented. I can see why Opie wanted him to stop doing it though.

 

[LingerLonger]

I always try not to laugh at Uncle Paul but I can’t help myself. Truly the most despicable character ever invented. I can see why Opie wanted him to stop doing it though.

Reminder that Norton would always touch himself and rub his penis when Uncle Paul would up.

 

[LaylaCumiasMoistHotPocket]

He's a prototypical edgelord with the bug-eyed timing of a minstrel act. Watching him vainly attempt a bad boy scowl after another punchline where something extremely violent happens to something moderately annoying makes me kind of hate Colin for keeping that retard around.

Mostly it just shines a light on a what an idiot I am for ever thinking that dork was funny.

I think Colin is a genuinely nice guy that just feels bad for mental defectives. He was cool to Bobo and the other spastics from the show.

Perhaps he thinks hes doing a good deed by empowering mental midget Norton. Kinda like a Disability Worker telling a level 3 autist he can reach for the stars.

 

[JonHeDoesIt]

Tough Crowd was ahead of its time then and it still is really.

The concept of a "hack jar" -- where guests have to pay money for saying applause generating platitudes instead of being funny -- would bankrupt most of today's late night TV talk shows.

 

[IDidThisForYou]

I always try not to laugh at Uncle Paul but I can’t help myself. Truly the most despicable character ever invented. I can see why Opie wanted him to stop doing it though.

I’m sorry but I don’t buy Opie saying he never liked Uncle Paul. There’s clips of him laughing his fool head off at Jim doing the character. More than likely someone, probably some guest or comic he felt didn’t like Jim and might be on “his side”, stated Uncle Paul made them uncomfortable, so that turned to him being uncomfortable at the character. Jim’s a disingenuous phony, everyone knows it, but don’t pretend Opie is much better.

 

[Riccardo Bosi]

He's fun to laugh at, absolutely, but I was talking about his act itself. At first, it was like "holy shit, this guy's a really sick fuck ha ha ha" but then it became "yeah, we know, big meaty clits and trannies, yawn".

Pat Cooper gave him some great advice regarding this, which Jim ignored like an idiot.

 

[sorchEDearth]

Once the novelty shock value wore off, it became obvious that Jimmy just isn't that funny. At first, he'd tell his deviant sex stories with the hookers, meaty clits and pre-cum, and it was kind of funny how he acted like it was all normal. But it grew tiresome pretty quickly. Now he does an annoying kind of "observational humor" where he bombs, then dissects the bomb, as if the bombing itself was the funny part. So you're really just watching a bad comedian talking about how shitty he is.

This is the new thing, that "bombing becoming part of the show" bit. Even saw that fake drunk Ron White pull it on a special I only watched to be polite to guests. That Normand guy just did it, that Stavros laughtrack from Cumtown just did it, and I think we can all thank that pretentious limey, Stewart Lee for popularizing it. He's been a well-kept secret among comics for over a couple of decades now. Faggots like Maron and Paul F Tompkins cite him as an influence.
There were always conceptual humorists who made bombing or mistakes part of the show (Albert Brooks in the 70s or anti-humorists like Kaufman or Hamburger) but this "deconstructing my act while doing my act" bullshit was all Lee. It was novel enough when he did it, now that every hack does it, standup is completely cannibalizing itself. What could possibly come next?

 

[WigwardFromSouthHampton]

Norton after a rather hardcore statement

 

[Cawdfish]

I didn't see tough crowd until very late on like 2015 and really it's not great. Maybe it was good in the context of the time.

I love Colin but he's not host material. He should've been one of the panelists.

 

[Dennyislife]

I love Colin but he's not host material. He should've been one of the panelists.

I think people like the idea of it more than the actual show? Or maybe I just saw what it influenced first so don't see the context of how new it was at the time

 

[BonnieMcFarlaneMe2]

I’m sorry but I don’t buy Opie saying he never liked Uncle Paul. There’s clips of him laughing his fool head off at Jim doing the character. More than likely someone, probably some guest or comic he felt didn’t like Jim and might be on “his side”, stated Uncle Paul made them uncomfortable, so that turned to him being uncomfortable at the character. Jim’s a disingenuous phony, everyone knows it, but don’t pretend Opie is much better.

He became a father.

 

[DieNortonDie]

We were all bamboozled into respecting 'standup'.

Imagine knowing 'storytellers' or 'jugglers' by name and debating their merits, rankings, weaknesses, strengths, etc?

This is what kills me, I used to think this fucking vaudeville shit was a legitimately wondrous art form. Now I see it as funny people at their least funny

 

[DieNortonDie]

People only liked Jimmy because other funny people said they liked Jimmy. Patrice, Louie, even Nana… all of them acted like he was hilarious because he could play off of them, so of course the audience is going to eat that up. It was a glorified con job.

Jim by himself isn’t funny or talented - he’s Chip Chipperson at best. Outside of that, he’s a lonely guy who obsesses over celebrity pictures and pays transsexuals to have sex with him. That is until they decide they’d rather he keep his money and never talk to him again, like alpha brotherman Princess Alena.

Louis used to bat so hard for Jimmy. He even defended his ugliness and inability to get pussy. And look what happened to that relationship. Never trust the worm

 

[DieNortonDie]

I’m sorry but I don’t buy Opie saying he never liked Uncle Paul. There’s clips of him laughing his fool head off at Jim doing the character. More than likely someone, probably some guest or comic he felt didn’t like Jim and might be on “his side”, stated Uncle Paul made them uncomfortable, so that turned to him being uncomfortable at the character. Jim’s a disingenuous phony, everyone knows it, but don’t pretend Opie is much better.

That someone would be the respectable Smigo family of Philadelphia. They would not stand for such vulgarity

 

[IDidThisForYou]

He became a father.

He was laughing well past fatherhood. Some stuff with Uncle Paul and Sandusky, etc. He probably used that as an excuse, but I’m telling you, someone got to him. Hell, it could’ve been his wife, which would be somewhat understandable.