Don’t give a hoot

Laughter Ke Phatke
Star One,Monday – Friday,10 pm
Rating*
What’s it about?This show seems to be the perfect platform for out-of-work actors who are trying their hand at stand-up comedy. Because,it seems this is the easiest way out when you don’t have much acting talent and the producers are not quite willing to give you a chance. There are several teams on the show—some with two members,some with three and some with just one. Their job is to entertain the audiences with their jokes,gags and acts. The first few episodes are just warm-up episodes where contestants are not marked on their performances. They are just complimented by the judges and then the next team is called on stage to perform.

Who’s in it?Jennifer Winget has been roped in to host the show. The contestants are the usual suspects Karishma Tanna,Swapnil Joshi,Shweta Gulati,Ali Asgar,Alina and Sana and Gurmeet who put up ‘funny’ acts. Nigar Khan is one of the newer faces on the show. The judges are television celebrities (episode one had the cast of Uttaran) who after watching the act have to give their comments. But they don’t seem to go beyond standard expressions like ‘mind-blowing’ and ‘fabulous’.

What’s hot?Although this is a stand-up comedy show,it is the dances that happen before each act,that get our thumbs-up. The girls manage to put up a good performance and this is probably the only way to keep the viewer hooked to the show.

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What’s not?By now producers are running out of ideas for reality shows that need to spend money procuring gallons of glycerine. It’s got nothing to do with getting emotional and crying your eyes out,but what makes it worse is you cannot laugh out loud either. The jokes are mundane and run-of-the-mill. The sets are tacky and loud and so is Winget’s wardrobe. A host is suppose to hold the show together,but all Winget does is scream out loud and dish out the scripted lines. The jokes are very dull and they take a dig at common objects and people like the corrupt saint,Shiny Ahuja,a hapless beggar in Mumbai and a dabbawala. In many ways,this show looks like a rehash of Comedy Circus with bad production quality.

Should you be watching it?Save your brain cells for something far more worthy.