[spireitematt]

I completely disagree that comedy is sanitised - I think 21st century shows like Peep Show, The Inbetweeners, Monkeydust, Phoenix Nights, 15 Storeys High, some of Ricky Gervais's stuff etc get away with jokes which would have been unbroadcastable in the 1980s or earlier.  (I've also been watching the Greg Davies sitcom Man Down recently, in which he plays an immature middle-aged drama teacher who spends his classes calling the kids tw@ts and d!ckheads; well-crafted comedy which also featured Rik Mayall until his death).  And that's the simple truth; it's not about what taboos you touch on or what standards you subvert, but how well the comedy is written and performed.  "Safe" comedy can sometimes be very funny comedy, and "edgy" comedy can sometimes be absolute shite.

Peep Show, Inbetweeners and Phoenix Nights are good. I watched the first series of Man Down which was alright, didn't realise they made a 2nd series. You seen Greg Davies stand up DVD? that's hilarious. Comedy is about how well its written and performed and the timings as well of jokes and gags.