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I love comedy shows. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a stand up, quiz or sitcom format, if it’s funny I’ll watch it. Unfortunately, the vast majority of comedy shows on the TV at the moment are terrible, but there are still the odd exceptions. Here are a few of my favourites, including some old classics.

Mock the Week

A lot of people were disappointed when Frankie Boyle left the show, but I actually think it made it better. I like Frankie, but his jokes get a bit repetitive after a while. The guests are usually pretty good too (with some notable exceptions).

QI

Not as funny as Mock the Week, but better questions and you can learn something too! Stephen Fry is great as host, and the guests are (one the whole) pretty funny.

Flight of the Conchords

This only made it to BBC3 I think, but is one of the best comedy shows in recent years. It’s about two New Zealanders trying to make it as a band in New York, and is similar to comedies such as The Office, but slightly more innocent. There are only two series unfortunately, but there are rumours of a third.

Fawlty Towers

A real classic, definitely worth getting the box set if you haven’t already.

There are loads of others that I haven’t mentioned here. Monty Python (especially the films) are one of my favourites, and Ricky Gervais has also made some good shows. The Live At The Apollo series on the BBC has its moments too, although it largely depends on which acts are on that night. Friends and Scrubs are a bit different and not as genuinely funny, but still good for the occasional laugh and perfect if you need something to watch for a few minutes.

For every good show there seems to be a bad one though. It’s amazing how many average comedies get onto the BBC each year – makes you wonder what’s happened to most of the good comedy writers!

A leter has been submitted by 30 business leaders in support of the governments cut backs, stating that this was necessary action. This move has been criticised by economists who state that the business leaders were themselves not economists, but, buisiness people.

I cannot help but agree with this, I do not think that the views of a few businessmen are really relevant in the great scheme of things, and it is clear that they have simply been used by the Tory party for their own ends.

There is real concern that the current cuts are going too deep, particularly within the retail sector. The simple fact is, these cuts are going to take money out of circulation. Anyone business owners involved in retail, travel or any other consumer focussed activity has good reason to be concerned over these cut backs.

So, not all businesses are in favour of these cuts, and this sorry stunt merely damages the credibility of those involved.

The members of parliament accused of falsly claiming expenses are to go to the house of Lords to appeal. A previous court ruling found that protection afforded to MP’s does not cover ordinary criminal activity. The legal team of the MP’s concerned are citing the fact that parliament has its own processes for dealing with such matters, and that no MP has been taken to court in this manner for over 300 years.

The MP’s representatives claim that they are not trying to avoid justice, and seem to imply that it is simply a procedural issue.

I think that most of the country are of the opinion that had these people worked in private industry, then they may well have ended up in court, and that if anything, the standards expected from MP’s are higher than those required of ordinary citizens.

It will be an interesting case to follow, should it actually go to trial and is sure to drag on for some time.