How did Billy Connolly’s observational comedy differ from older joke-driven monologues?

Billy Connolly’s approach to stand-up comedy differed significantly from the older, traditional style of joke-driven monologues prevalent in Britain’s workingmen’s club circuit. While older comics often relied on brash, rapid-fire delivery of generic gags that frequently traded on racial and sexual stereotypes, Connolly utilized an irreverent, high-energy observational style.1

Unlike the "old school" performers who used interchangeable jokes, Connolly’s work was characterized by his unique perspective and personality, marking a shift toward the more personal and experimental styles that would define the alternative comedy movement in the United Kingdom. His success in the mid-1970s helped pave the way for a new generation of comedians who rejected the rigid, formulaic structures of the past in favor of more varied subject matter and innovative performance techniques.1