michael mcintyre; comedy hero or villain?

So come on, are you a fan of the blue-suited, pink-shirted stand-up comedian Michael McIntyre or not? I suspect it might be Ayes (women) to the left; Noes (men, straight) to the right. Is that too harsh? He’s certainly a bloody funny guy but what is it that makes fellow panellists on Mock the Week shun him, whilst at the recent Comedy Awards even archly-opinionated Armando Iannucci was moved to comment on the ‘slight air of hostility towards MM’? This followed a more than acidic little dig from Harry Hill who, in his acceptance speech, complemented his fellow nominee Alan Carr as his wife’s favourite funny man but who completely, and clearly deliberately, ignored making any reference at all to his other fellow nominee  – chunky mac – as the ‘lead’ in the Best British Comedy Entertainment Programme. Of course host, Jonathan Ross, couldn’t resist making a joke too at his expense; linking the receiving of his latest DVD to swine flu – everyone this Xmas will give it to you but the results are generally mild. Ho, ho, ho.

What is it about the 33 year old from Muswell Hill (the very best place we lived in, in N London) that so polarises opinion? Well he did an awful lot of interviews recently complaining about the fact that he’d received so little gong-recognition for his ‘talents’ despite being the comedian who was packing out appearances on his latest tour (close on half a million people were expected to go and see him) and who was expected to make more than £10m this year alone from the tour, his fast-selling DVD, merchandise sales, tv appearances and book deals. Oh the agony of the sad clown. Other people have linked his peer antagonism to his very middle-class subject matter and material. Fellow Mock-the-Weeker Frankie Boyle may be the Dennis Skinner of stand-ups, daring to say the unthinkable, whilst MM always comes across as the  the David Cameron of the comedy circuit – boyish looks, charming, a great communicator but one whose focus is on such key worldly issues as call centre service standards, mobile phone problems, kids’ education, local government bureaucracy etc.

For me, I’d relate to the guy more if  he didn’t have such a luxuriant head of glossy foppish hair. It’s not an envy thing (honestly, I’m well past that); it’s just that he has this most annoying habit of constantly nodding his head at his audience as he addresses them, thereby swishing his hair across his forehead… as if he were mocking me…. Yeh look at me fat bald guy, I’ve got better hair than George Clooney and the girls just want me, want me – how much hair have you got??? Now I know he doesn’t know me, nor has an issue with me  but that’s what it feels like watching him, as a bloke. Sad? Maybe. But get the hair cut v short Michel and I’m sure the awards will pour in. Then again the girls will think you’re a neanderthal. Choices eh son. Take a look at the truly sickening hair tricks below – very shallow (and he’s come over all Welsh too, see earlier postings!):

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