Comedy news: An ode to Adam and Joe

By Ali Plumb, Podcast critic, Such Small Portions

Hello and welcome to what is already being called the first column ever written by me for Such Small Portions.

As it’s the opening article in what will probably be large number of snobby, critical, increasingly unfunny ones, I thought I’d start off with discussing some comedy I love, rather than picking apart the past week’s comedy quiz shows / podcasts  / radio broadcasts, which is what I’ll be doing normally. You can look forward to that next week, you lucky little buggers.

And don’t worry, like everything you’ll ever read of mine, it’ll be under-researched, rambling and nigh-on pointless. Just the way you like it.

So, to start this comedy charm parade; Adam and Joe. They’re bloody great, aren’t they? Answer: ‘Yes, they are.’ If your mental response is anything other than ‘Yes’ or something equally positive, then it’s probably best you leave. Close down your browser, open up iTunes (other podcast download services are available, but are undoubtedly shitter), and start downloading as many Adam and Joe 6 Music shows as you can, as quick as you can.

That’s an order; Go.

If you already know about just how brilliant they are, then great, chances are we’d be good friends and get along very well. Here’s my twitter twitter.com/AlastairPlumb. Let’s bond, new media-style. If you don’t, well boo to you.

Though Adam and Joe are useless disc jockeys, often forgetting to mention what track they’ve just played or even to play anything at all, besides coming up with some of the clunkiest links known to man (though they’re getting better now, to be fair), their features, regulars and weird conversations give them an amazing ability to induce chuckles on the regular.

What makes them work is their sheer amiability. They’re both charming and a little bit nuts, and seem to attract listeners that aren’t loud mouthed idiotholes, who offer up funny, original, ideas each and every week. I could go on for days about just how they manage it, and just why they’re so good, but the podcast itself will explain that better than I can.

Instead, here’s a couple of the features they do:

Song Wars – though this hasn’t been done for a good long while, the premise is that they come up with a theme to write ludicrous songs to and then both submit their attempts for an audience vote the week after. Crackers so far include their Quantum Of Solace songs, Joe's Antiques Roadshow tune and Adam’s ‘Nutty Room’ masterpiece.

Made-up Jokes – Um, made-up jokes. Sent in my listeners. They get Googled for their uniqueness, the emphasis being that the more stretched and forced the gag is, the better.
Popappropriation – suggestions for songs you sing to yourself (with altered lyrics) as you go about daily life.

Text The Nation – their main feature, which is guaranteed to appear every week. It’s basically a “Here’s a thought, text in your ideas” number, which appears everywhere on every show – but in their blundering yet brilliant hands, is a guaranteed winner every week.

You get the idea… two odd men who once hosted a late night TV show in the nineties (Hunt down the ‘Best Of’ DVD if you can, it’s well worth it) trundling along into the next millennium, getting better all the time. It’s just a damn shame they’ve not got more attention in the media, but to be honest, I kind of like it. It’s like they’re my mates. Sort of. Maybe. Maybe that's what they want it to be.

For a thoroughly thorough guide to the show, check out this fan-made PDF here:

For a selection of their Song Wars songs, go to youtube and good ‘song wars adam and joe’ – I would do it for you, but I don’t want you getting lazy.

Here’s their 2009 brief Best Of (according to them)

So yes. They are amazing, and should serve as a clear example of what I find funny. I.e. funny stuff. Come back next week for a genuine piece of actual journalism, where I’ll be acerbic (and possibly hilarious) about people who are paid a lot of money to be acerbic (and possibly hilarious) on the TV / radio / internet.

Loveyoubye!

P.S. STEPHEN!