Avoid Boats

Seen In: Going Overboard, Weekend Pass

The Movies: Two of the worst films ever to feature stand-up comedy also feature boats. This is probably not a coincidence.

Weekend Pass centres around a bunch of Navy cadets who leave their boat on a ‘weekend pass’ (see what they did there?) and contains a key scene starring the late great Phil Hartman performing a routine in a comedy club.

It’s hideously unfunny. And, considering the fact that Hartman voiced Troy McClure in The Simpsons and can therefore do no wrong, we have to put it down to the curse of the boat.

Going Overboard, another ship-based comedy, about a couple of sailors who decide to go into stand-up, is by far Adam Sandler’s worst movie. We’ll let the trailer speak for itself.

Yep, the lesson from these two films is absolutely obvious. If you want to make a stand-up movie, do not step foot on a boat.

Real Life: Upon arriving at the venue, one thing was instantly clear. The gig was to take place on a boat. An actual boat. We decided to try and forget everything we’ve learnt from the movies.

We were at the Tattershall Castle to take part in their Monday comedy night. Loads of established acts have played there, both early and late in their careers.

Graham Norton, Jerry Sadowitz, Dylan Moran, Mark Thomas, Harry Hill, Ross Noble, Daniel Kitson, Jeff Green and more have performed on the night, making it a firm favourite amongst die-hard stand-up fans.

So, maybe this boat curse thing only applies to the movies.

That’s what we kept telling ourselves, at least.

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