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Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

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Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Old 01-10-17, 05:35 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger

It is strange how both men stopped being funny around the same time in the late 1980s. I always got the impression they had made enough money from their early successes and gotten lazy.
I think the problem with many comedians is once they become stars they start to buy into themselves and stop trying. They are so beloved that the audience will chuckle at anything they say or do, so they lose their edge on what is really funny.

Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Bill Murray are some of the worst interviews these days because they just come out to standing ovations and all they need to do is cough and the crowd goes wild. I almost cringe when I see an older comedian do Conan, Kimmel, or Fallon because they will always get the courtesy laugh because of who they are.

There are very few comedians who stay funny as they get older, as you almost have to do a Steve Martin and re-invent yourself (He was King Tut/The Jerk in the 1970's and he knew that would get old) so he sort of changed to a more subtle comedian roles (Roxanne, Planes Trains Automobiles, etc), . I remember he hosted the Oscars about 10 years ago, and was great as he the total opposite of his high energy self in the 70's.

Last edited by mcnabb; 01-10-17 at 05:46 AM.
Old 01-10-17, 06:56 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by mcnabb
Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Bill Murray are some of the worst interviews these days because they just come out to standing ovations and all they need to do is cough and the crowd goes wild. I almost cringe when I see an older comedian do Conan, Kimmel, or Fallon because they will always get the courtesy laugh because of who they are.
wrong.
Old 01-10-17, 11:34 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

You guys are killing me. Aykroyd is fantastic in Spies Like Us.
Old 01-10-17, 11:52 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being GLG20 first?

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
You guys are killing me. Aykroyd is fantastic in Spies Like Us.
Whenever I hear the word guidance...



"Guidance? Source programmable guidance!"
Old 01-10-17, 12:48 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Chevy and Dan at the Academy Awards the year Aykroyd was nominated (and lost) for best supporting actor.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LdH5xcBOiBA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Old 01-10-17, 08:00 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by mcnabb
I think the problem with many comedians is once they become stars they start to buy into themselves and stop trying. They are so beloved that the audience will chuckle at anything they say or do, so they lose their edge on what is really funny.

Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Bill Murray are some of the worst interviews these days because they just come out to standing ovations and all they need to do is cough and the crowd goes wild. I almost cringe when I see an older comedian do Conan, Kimmel, or Fallon because they will always get the courtesy laugh because of who they are.

There are very few comedians who stay funny as they get older, as you almost have to do a Steve Martin and re-invent yourself (He was King Tut/The Jerk in the 1970's and he knew that would get old) so he sort of changed to a more subtle comedian roles (Roxanne, Planes Trains Automobiles, etc), . I remember he hosted the Oscars about 10 years ago, and was great as he the total opposite of his high energy self in the 70's.
It's a pretty good theory. Many star comedians seem to lose perspective once they get famous and rich.
Old 01-10-17, 08:27 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

That Oscar bit is pretty funny.

How about when they both got fat.
Old 01-10-17, 08:40 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by robin2099
Serious question. Both along with Bill Murray made up probably the three biggest names in comedy in the 80's.
I'm pretty sure Eddie Murphy would have something to say about that.
Old 01-10-17, 11:26 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by whotony
That Oscar bit is pretty funny.
Yeah, but look who's the funny one.
Old 01-11-17, 06:13 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by bluetoast
I'm pretty sure Eddie Murphy would have something to say about that.
And Steve Martin and Tom Hanks
Old 01-11-17, 06:50 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by Numanoid
Yeah, but look who's the funny one.
I thought it was Chase w Dan as the straight man
Old 01-11-17, 08:21 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Aykroyd was never funny.
Old 01-11-17, 09:40 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

And Chevy Chase was never as funny as he thought he was; he just got lucky he was cast in some decent comedies here and there.
Old 01-12-17, 02:40 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by Norm de Plume
Aykroyd was never funny.
Looks like someone needs to spend the night with Fred Garvin.
Old 01-12-17, 05:49 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by Brack
And Chevy Chase was never as funny as he thought he was; he just got lucky he was cast in some decent comedies here and there.
Chase was at his best when he played a laid-back/aloof/smartass character like he did in Caddyshack, Fletch, and Vacation.

While I love him in those roles, his personality is not natural funny like an Eddie Murphy or Richard Pryor, so he is sort of limited. That is why I never felt he was funny was he was doing interviews and his humor had to be off the cuff. He would almost try too hard to be funny and the opposite would happen.

So you are right, in that he was funny at one time, but he wasn't THAT funny.
Old 01-12-17, 12:56 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Come on guys, Coneheads is actually pretty funny.
Old 01-12-17, 04:40 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

...on SNL.
Old 01-12-17, 07:30 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by Hazel Motes
Looks like someone needs to spend the night with Fred Garvin.
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-l...te/n8669?snl=1

And there's also this classic with Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor...

NSFW:
Old 01-13-17, 06:19 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Chase was really strong in a very few movies; Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Fletch, and Caddyshack. Most of the other stuff is passable to downright shitty.

Aykroyd I agree was a strong number 2 but never could be a lead. He needed someone strong to work with to make him better.

Murray is BFM. He's the king out of the three but supposedly in private he can be quite the dick. But he is the only one that can take crap and elevate it.
Old 01-13-17, 02:57 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by mcnabb
I think the problem with many comedians is once they become stars they start to buy into themselves and stop trying. They are so beloved that the audience will chuckle at anything they say or do, so they lose their edge on what is really funny.
There are very few comedians who stay funny as they get older, as you almost have to do a Steve Martin and re-invent yourself (He was King Tut/The Jerk in the 1970's and he knew that would get old) so he sort of changed to a more subtle comedian roles (Roxanne, Planes Trains Automobiles, etc), . I remember he hosted the Oscars about 10 years ago, and was great as he the total opposite of his high energy self in the 70's.[/QUOTE]

I tend to agree. When comedians are struggling, starving, depressed and angry - that's when they find the humor and are at their sharpest. As soon as they become wealthy, pampered and lose touch with the perspective of being the small person fighting the big world - they tend to lose what made them appealing and funny.

Eddie Murphy is a very good example of this. I think having kids and settling down changed who he was as well, hence why he chose a lot of family-friendly comedies as opposed to those razor-tongued characters of his youth.
Old 01-13-17, 03:18 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

What blows me away is how young Eddie Murphy was at the height of his talent. 19 when he did Saturday Night Live, 22 for Delerious, and 26 for Raw which I consider his final hurrah. After that it's mostly Harlem Nights, and Vampire in Brooklyn.

It's weird looking at him on old Letterman appearances. He seems very timid, almost shy, deflecting Dave's attention onto his huge entourage and sleazy looking manager.
Old 01-13-17, 03:20 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Chase was very good in a limited range of roles. He didn't have the range of more talented performers but certainly made a few movies that I don't think would have worked with other personalities.

Aykroyd was great in a supporting role. He's basically the quintessential comedy sidekick or role player.
Old 01-14-17, 01:26 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

If you take Bill Murray's filmography and put it up against the filmographies of every other SNL cast member from the first 5 seasons, Bill Murray takes it in a walk. He also turns in the most memorable performance everytime in movies where he shares billing with other original cast members. Come to think of it Bill Murray probably has had the best film career of any SNL alum ever.
Old 01-14-17, 09:05 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by Hazel Motes
Come to think of it Bill Murray probably has had the best film career of any SNL alum ever.
Iron Man might disagree with that.
Old 01-14-17, 09:10 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd: Who stopped being funny first?

Originally Posted by Josh-da-man
Iron Man might disagree with that.
That's new to me. Never knew about his year on there.

https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-l...oy/n9423?snl=1

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