Ah, making a comeback. They're all doing it — the Police, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Countdown performers, even Take That! And worse — the Spice Girls are making a comeback! Many of the old rockers and pop stars are noticing their bank balances depleting a little and either returning to the recording studio or hitting the road for a series of concerts. It's amazing, seeing sexagenarian rocker, Mick Jagger, still looking cool, and making grannies and old aunties wet their knickers again when he struts his lean, wrinkly self on the stage, just as he did over 40 years ago. Keith Richards is even falling out of trees to prove he can still be as drunk and stoned as the new generation. Richards is an inspiration. Look at Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean.

These comeback rock stars are accepted by every generation. It's OK for 58-year-old Phil Collins to 'rock da house', because in some enigmatic way, he's still considered cool. In 2001, some of the world's biggest R 'n' B artists released a compilation album of Phil Collins songs — Urban Renewal. Red Hot Chili Pepper's Anthony Kiedis is still cool and rebellious, and he turns 45 this year. It looks like he'll never mature. Well at least his music won't, or is it his fans won't?

Does this quirk of generations cross over to other sections of entertainment? Yes, but only to some sections. Sean Connery, at 76, is considered one of the world's sexiest men. Connery still has scripts landing on his doorstep, begging his attention, even with an annoying 'lishp'.

But what about comedy? Do comedians travel as well as their singing and acting counterparts? Generally, no. They still have the quick wit; they can still land a good joke; and they are still witty enough to snap out a punch line quicker than a Hollywood starlet can accept another party invitation. Comedy actors can still act and make us laugh. Comedians of yesterday still hold the respect of generations of comedy fans. Many of today's comedians were keen to pay homage to Spike Milligan and Ronnie Barker following their passing.

About 25 years ago, a new trend in comedy began to emerge, influenced in part by Monty Python's naughty and surreal comedy and at times, by traditional visual comedy (The Three Stooges, Charlie Chaplin). In the late 70s/early 80s, alternative comedy (called the 'new rock 'n' roll') arrived. Specifically in the UK, comedy clubs were filled with politically aware, focused and very funny comedians. Some were aggressive (Alexei Sayle, Keith Allen, Dangerous Brothers), some were lefties (Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle, Tony Allen), most of them swore a lot (too many to name, sorry) and all of them offered parody, comedy, sketches and laughter to a new generation of comedy fans.

On their way out were the mother-in-law jokes, racist and sexist 'humour' and dull, well-behaved comedy of the 70s that the Vicar would approve of. Alternative comedy thumbed its nose at the likes of Bernard Manning and Australia's Ugly Dave Gray. Observational, satirical humour, often with a political edge and usually rude, hit the comedy clubs. Mother-in-laws and immigrants were no longer the butts of stand-ups' jokes. In the UK, that job went to Margaret Thatcher.

This comedy spread from the clubs to television: The Young Ones, The Comic Strip, French and Saunders, Alexei Sayle, Saturday Live (the UK show) and, in Australia, The Big Gig and The D-Generation. But those anarchic, disobedient and nasty comedians made their fans laugh some 25 years ago. Where are they all now?