takingchase

So I was discussing it with a few other dvdtalk members and realized the absence of a comedy challenge around here. A few can be lumped in with other challenges such as stoner comedies during the drive in/exploitation challenge or horror comedies in October but there is nothing really allowing a broad scope of this genre.

As pointed out by member Mister Peepers when discussing it with him November would offer a great change of pace for those burnt out on the October horror challenge. The end of the challenge would also run into the annual holiday challenge but seeing as how a good number of holiday themed movies tend to be comedies I don't see there being a conflict.

With the vast ammounts of sitcoms I'm thinking allowing tv shows would be a no brainer. I'm also thinking stand up set's would be great for this challenge.
I'm really just trying to gauge interest to see if it's even worth thinking about but if you have any suggestions or concerns by all means let me know.

shadokitty

I'd be interested in taking part.

davidh777

I'm sure I'd participate to some degree. The genre is not the first to call to me off the shelves, but it's so broad that a lot of my to-watches could fit under it, plus some of the broadcast TV I regularly watch anyway. November is pretty tough for me workwise, though, so I'd be limited.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I'm in.

This should be one of the easier one to participate in.

Cardsfan111

Definitely in.

I've grown semi-weary of "Does this count?"-type discussions (and that's not meant to poke at certain challenges or any certain people), and as MP said above, it should be easy to participate in.

Greg MacGuffin

Sounds good. I have a bunch of comedies that don't really fit in to any other challenges.

But isn't March completely open? Since the Oscars usually take place at the end of February, there shouldn't be any conflict with other challenges.

takingchase

Like the genre I'm aiming for a very light hearted challenge. There shouldn't be any confusion since people know what's comedy and what isn't.

takingchase

Is March open? Well if it is I would be more than happy to put it to a vote on which month people would prefer. As I said earlier November doesn't really conflict with any challenged either. The holiday challenge starts the last week of November but there would be plenty of holiday movies that bridge the two.

My vote would probably remain on November, not because either month is a bettor or worse time for me but if anyone does want to start up another challenge down the line I doubt it would bridge as easy into the holiday challenge as comedy.

JOE29

I'd do it. Right after the Horror challenge might be a bit too much though. But i'd still attempt it.

MrTerrific

I would participate!

kstublen

I'd be down for this. I definitely think it would tie in well with the Holiday Challenge for those who would want to take part in both.

Darkgod

I think there are already too many challenges... but that means I'll stay away and not ruin anyone else fun

davidh777

No requirement to participate in any challenge

Trevor

I'd say keep it November and don't think about a vote. It will fit very nicely with the Holiday Challenge there, and not as well with the Academy Award Challenge of Feb/March.

And yes, please no "rules". All challenges should have very loose guidelines, but if you want to count something as comedy that every other one of us wouldn't count as comedy, who cares? Relax and have fun.

JerryKILL

One day someone will come up with a website that is dedicated to nothing but these challenges. It's a fun way to watch movies, I just don't like the limitations of a message board.

takingchase

I'm not so big on the rules for these things so don't worry about that. Like I said comedy is a broad scope and I'm hoping the laid back nature will drastically cut down on the bickering.

I think I will go with November, it just seems like a good fit.

Ash Ketchum

Please allow me to go into cranky old man mode for a minute:

(My big problem with a challenge like this is my fear that many will just watch sitcoms and "The Simpsons" like they seem to do for every other challenge. If there was some requirement that participants watch great comedies from the past, I'd be happier with it. In fact, I'll make a deal: if the rest of you promise to watch at least one film each with Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, W.C. Fields, Joe E. Brown, the Marx Bros., Abbott & Costello, Hope & Crosby, Martin & Lewis, Red Skelton, Rock Hudson & Doris Day, etc., then I will promise to watch films with Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Sasha Baron Cohen or anything done by Judd Apatow, Todd Phillips and the Farrelly Bros. How does that sound?)

Stepping out of cranky old man mode.

Hey, does this mean I can watch all my episodes of "Ranma 1/2," "Urusei Yatsura," "Slayers," "Excel Saga" and "Pokemon"??? (Y'know, anime series--like I do for every other challenge!) I'm in!

shadokitty

If there were a vote, I'd say keep it in November, as Comedy right after horror would be a nice cool down.

takingchase

I don't really want to limit what people will watch. While I agree with you about the greats from the past, comedy is subjective. While we find those to be great films it may not be other members cup of tea and I don't really want to force people to watch things they aren't interested in.

When the time comes the checklist will include a lot of what you are talking about and hopefully encourage some to check out comedy greats from the past.

I'm not sure how it's going to work yet but for prize drawing entries I'm considering doing certain milestones for entries that again will encourage a more varied viewing. I'm still not sure if I'll be able to iron out this idea fairly or if it will even work.

But they key word here is encourage, after all these challenges are about fun.

Pizza

You should include the right to watch movies that are so bad that they're funny.

acubfaninmd

I'd do it and I think November would be the best month for it

jmsmath

Count me in also, and I really don't care which month, but I think I would have more time in March than November because of the holidays.

Indy24LA

Even though I just finished a comedy challenge for the Make Your Own Challenge, I am in. I still have plenty of movies I didn't get to, so this will work nicely. And I am telling everyone ahead of time, Elf will be my first double challenge dip. I just got MST3K the movie, so I will probably kick off the challenge with that.

nezumi

I just want to point out that these challenges are not compulsory, so people aren't being forced to watch anything. Also, I don't understand why people are so hesitant to establish rules for these challenges. They're called challenges. By definition, they're meant to be challenging. That isn't to say that there shouldn't be vigorous discussion about what those rules should be or that some sort of comedy Magna Carta needs to be chartered. It would just make participants aware that there are certain expectations of them other than just having fun.* Otherwise, it might be better to just refer to this as a prize giveaway instead of a challenge as that's basically what it is (if only to placate sticks-in-the-mud like myself).

Even better, include the right to watch comedies that are so bad that they're unfunny.

*I'm reminded of the Simpsons episode where Lisa and some other children are placed in an "Itchy and Scratchy" focus group, and Milhouse suggests that kids should win prizes just for watching the show.

takingchase

And just how exactly is allowing modern comedies going against a comedy challenge? It's not as though people are going to watch whatever the hell they want but if someone chooses to watch Sandler flicks all month who am I to stop them when it's still clearly part of the comedy genre. Just like all the other challenges, I'll create a checklist that's varied and I'm trying to cook up a prize entry system that encourages varied viewings but i'm not one to stop someone if they are still watching entries confined to the genre.

You do realize that someone could just as easily come in and list 100 films without ever watching them to enter into the prize drawing right?

And I believe pizza was joking since those movies are covered in the exploitation/drive-in/b movie challenge. I think you're jumping to conclusions and assuming people are going to watch anything and everything they want. Make no mistake this is still going to be a comedy challenge but what people watch within those confines is up to them.