Stand-up Comedy: November 2010

30.11.10

Interview: Tim Minchin

Tim Minchin is knackered. The trademark ginger, leonine hair lightly more dishevelled than usual, the eyeliner a tad more smeared, but his vivid emerald eyes are still shining. And with good reason.

The hugely-talented cabaret performer (the best way to describe him as his music is too good to be dismissed as distracting novelty but his comedy too clever to be brushed aside as trivial asides) is on a winning streak.

For anyone who’s never seen the 35 year old Australian perform it really is quite something. Part stand up, part spoken word, part full musical set, Tim’s material is intelligent, thoughtful and hilarious, riffing on and subverting the whole rock star imagery to great effect.

From his breakout solo show Darkside which stormed Edinburgh Fringe in 2005 to his upcoming international arena tour and latest show Ready For This? hitting DVD shelves, his feet haven’t touched the ground and he’s starting to feel it.

Interview: Tim Minchin

28.11.10

Stewart Lee: A funny thing happened to comedy

For decades, stand-up comedians entered the palace of entertainment by the tradesmen's entrance. Now the red carpet is rolled out, but do we have any idea what to do next? And where did this change in our status begin?

In 1993, after David Baddiel and Rob Newman became the first comics to play Wembley, Janet Street-Porter declared comedy "the new rock'n'roll". Like the naïve pop bands of yore, in whose soiled footsteps we trod, young stand-ups like myself hit the road in transit vans full of lager to embark on expensively promoted tours from which we saw little, if any, of the takings. In this respect at least, comedy was the new rock'n'roll. Today, the death of recorded music and the tyranny of The X Factor means that even rock'n'roll is no longer rock'n'roll, just a stringy facsimile made of cat guts, navel fluff and hair gel. If this travesty is rock'n'roll, then stand-up comedy could be too, for latterly it's equally adept at fleecing vulnerable people out of hot-dog money in cavernous barns.

Takings for live stand-up comedy have increased tenfold since 2004, most of those tickets being sold at 40 or 50 quid a time for big TV names in stadiums and 1,000-seater-plus venues. And while all this may be good for the bank balances of agents, promoters, venue managers and stand-up comedy's heavy hitters, is it good for stand-up comedy itself? Does the possibility of enormous reward necessarily encourage creativity?

Stewart Lee: A funny thing happened to comedy

The one-night stand that saved my life!

Some might think it's a brave man who volunteers the fact that a one-night stand has saved his life, but comedy star Sean Lock is the first to put up his hand.

He is known as the first comedian to have performed at the 12,000-capacity Wembley Arena in 1993. But it's an event that might not have happened if it was not for the keen eye of a girl called Tina, who spotted his malignant melanoma - skin cancer.

And while the mention of skin cancer in these dark days of winter may seem incongruous - it is a disease associated with sunshine and hot summer days - this is far from true.

Dr David Fenton, consultant dermatologist at St John's Institute of Dermatology at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, says: 'We should be just as vigilant in the winter months when we are all wrapped up as in the summer when we are wearing less and are more likely to notice changes in the skin. So it is important to check for new pigmentation or changes in existing moles whatever the time of year.'

Most cases of skin cancer are discovered in young people between the ages of 15 and 34, and Sean fell right into this category with a diagnosis at 27. Despite his fair skin and hair, the comic confesses that in his youth he was a typical male and spurned the use of suncreams.

The one-night stand that saved my life!

Some might think it's a brave man who volunteers the fact that a one-night stand has saved his life, but comedy star Sean Lock is the first to put up his hand.

And while the mention of skin cancer in these dark days of winter may seem incongruous - it is a disease associated with sunshine and hot summer days - this is far from true.

27.11.10

Jason Manford celebrates World Toilet Day!

British Comedian Jason Manford has admitted to flirting with female fans online. Gasp, shock, horror -- I just can't believe it's such a big deal. Jason was on the BBC program The One Show, but has now resigned due to the revelations of his saucy conversations on Twitter & Skype while on tour with his pregnant wife waiting at home. Meanwhile in other news most husbands watch porn when their wives aren't around and don't have to quit their jobs over it. But this is show biz!

A lot of men complain that they don't know what women want. Well today they get the answers with #thingsgirlswantboystodo. Of course a lot of the tweets are just men, telling other men what women want, which kind of defeats the purpose, but whatevs. People are sharing all of their tips for how to figure out what the ladies are looking for in their potential mates. And it doesn't include staring at their boobs, which I know is surprising to many of you.

And finally, I'd just like to wish you a happy World Toilet Day! Yes, today is actually World Toilet day -- I can't make this stuff up! People are taking time today to recognize the importance of toilets and proper sanitation around the world. And making all kinds of potty jokes -- and because it is Twitter afterall.

And those Trenders are today's Top Trending Topics! How do think women want men to act? Write your own #thingsgirlswantboystodo in the comment section under this video and I'll see you on Monday for another episode of Top Trending Topics!

Jason Manford celebrates World Toilet Day!

Funny Magician - Sam Jones

The Brand new DVD from Up Coming British Comedian/Magician Sam Jones! SYNDROME LIVE! One of the funniest magic shows you will see!

Funny Magician - Sam Jones

The Brand new DVD from Up Coming British Comedian/Magician Sam Jones! SYNDROME LIVE! One of the funniest magic shows you will see!

Interview: Brendan O'Carroll

HER daughter is his wife. His daughter, her daughter-in-law. Oh, and his other daughter-in-law is her daughter-in-law too. Confused? There's more.

Her son's best friend is his son, and her next door neighbour is his sister. Welcome to the interwoven worlds of Irish comedian Brendan O'Carroll and his most famous creation, Mrs Agnes Brown, Dublin's hilarious, foul-mouthed mammy.

"Right, we'll talk about the character Mrs Brown first and then the relationship with Brendan O'Carroll," laughs the man himself, before trying to explain the convoluted family tree.

"Kathy, Mrs Brown's daughter, is Brendan O'Carroll's wife. Maria Brown, Mrs Brown's daughter-in-law, is Brendan O'Carroll's daughter Fiona. Betty Brown, Mrs Brown's other daughter-in-law is also Brendan O'Caroll's daughter-in-law. Buster, Mrs Brown's son's best friend is Brendan O'Carroll's son. Our producer Marty, who also plays Trevor, is my son-in-law.

"Now, as well as that, Fiona is married to Marty. Amanda, who plays Betty, is married Danny who plays Buster. And Winne, Mrs Brown's next door neighbour is my sister."

Which just leaves granddad. "Granddad is not related to me but he may as well be. I gave him a biscuit about 25 years ago and he's been following me around ever since," O'Carroll quips.

Read More - http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/features/Interview-Brendan-OCarroll-comedian.6641207.jp

Interview: Brendan O'Carroll

HER daughter is his wife. His daughter, her daughter-in-law. Oh, and his other daughter-in-law is her daughter-in-law too. Confused? There's more.

"Right, we'll talk about the character Mrs Brown first and then the relationship with Brendan O'Carroll," laughs the man himself, before trying to explain the convoluted family tree.

Interview: Al Murray

It's time to raise your glasses in celebration - The Pub Landlord is back at the Edinburgh Playhouse tomorrow, in all his maroon-blazered, tongue-in-cheek glory.

The Barrel Of Fun Tour is the latest offering from comedian Al Murray and focuses, fittingly given publicans' traditional part-time role of agony aunt to their customers, on all the things we worry about.

"The Landlord tackles global warming, debt, the financial crisis. It's a bottomless pit," admits Murray, who has also included "bonkers mental" religion in the act.

Although the Guv initially struggles to find fault with the Taliban "they don't like Americans, they believe women should do what they're told", he eventually declares them the enemy as they "don't like beer and they don't like pork scratchings".

The Pope also gets a mention, perhaps unsurprisingly given Murray's public opposition to his state-funded visit earlier this year.

While it may seem that the show's material is rather heavy for a comedy gig, Murray has included plenty of other content to keep it light-hearted. As well as a nagging concern about erectile dysfunction, the Guv is also proposing to give ginger-haired people back their rights in his oft-utilised sense of reasoning that they were here first.

Read More - http://news.scotsman.com/comedy/Interview-Al-Murray-comedian.6641271.jp

Interview: Al Murray

It's time to raise your glasses in celebration - The Pub Landlord is back at the Edinburgh Playhouse tomorrow, in all his maroon-blazered, tongue-in-cheek glory.

Life's a funny business for Ray Lowry

RAY Lowry has a twinkle in his eye and smile which flashes a smart set of teeth. To be expected from a dentist/doctor/comedian.

Ray’s career has taken two very separate paths, on the one hand he has written gags for some of the country’s leading comics, including The Two Ronnies and Kenneth Williams, and on the other he has led a distinguished career in public health.

“It came down to a crunch decisions,” Ray recalls, “Was I going to try my luck in London or was I going to move to the North East and look at people’s teeth.”

Ray chose to live in the North East and become a distinguished figure in public health medicine. Currently he lives in Tynemouth with wife Lorraine, 58, they have two daughters, Kate, 26, a maths teacher at St Thomas More school in North Shields and Jessica, 21, a psychology student at Durham University.

In part, thanks to Ray, we have increased breastfeeding rates and reduced smoking rates in the region.

But the comedian has never been far from Ray’s life.

Life's a funny business for Ray Lowry

RAY Lowry has a twinkle in his eye and smile which flashes a smart set of teeth. To be expected from a dentist/doctor/comedian.

“It came down to a crunch decisions,” Ray recalls, “Was I going to try my luck in London or was I going to move to the North East and look at people’s teeth.”

In part, thanks to Ray, we have increased breastfeeding rates and reduced smoking rates in the region.

But the comedian has never been far from Ray’s life.

25.11.10

Comedian drops out of Devizes show at last minute

Comedian Sean Hughes has pulled out of his Devizes show this weekend, infurating Jo Batchelor, owner of Devizes Books – who must now refund more than £1,500 worth of tickets.

“We had sold 107 tickets at £14.50 each, which means we will have to refund all that money. It is most annoying,” she said after getting the news on Tuesday.

“The organiser told us that Mr Hughes was cancelling because his father died. But I went on the internet and his father died before the Edinburgh Festival in August, so I don’t understand why the delay in telling us the show was off.”

Mr Hughes was due to perform in the Ceres Hall at the Corn Exchange on Saturday. His London promoter Will Briggs was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Ms Batchelor added: “He only booked the gig a month ago and it is very ambitious to sell 400 tickets when you’re not on the spot to do so. This couldn’t have come at a worse time of year for us. Instead of selling Christmas books we will have to mess around giving refunds.”

He has run the Greenwich Comedy Festival for the past two years and also organises comedy nights at venues in the South West.

Mr Briggs has indicated to the town council, which owns and runs the Corn Exchange, that he intends to reschedule Mr Hughes’s show for next year.

Comedy nights in Devizes have grown since Martin Brown started the Moonrakers Comedy Club at the Bell by the Green in Estcourt Street last year.

Mr Hughes’s show would have come hot on the heels of the Devizes International Comedy and Ukulele Festival organised by Mark Cann from Patney, chief executive of the charity British Forces Foundation.

Veteran comedian Jim Davidson played one sell-out night in the Corn Exchange and the other two nights of the festival did good business.

Source: http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk

Comedian drops out of Devizes show at last minute

Comedian Sean Hughes has pulled out of his Devizes show this weekend, infurating Jo Batchelor, owner of Devizes Books – who must now refund more than £1,500 worth of tickets.

“We had sold 107 tickets at £14.50 each, which means we will have to refund all that money. It is most annoying,” she said after getting the news on Tuesday.

Mr Hughes was due to perform in the Ceres Hall at the Corn Exchange on Saturday. His London promoter Will Briggs was unavailable for comment yesterday.

He has run the Greenwich Comedy Festival for the past two years and also organises comedy nights at venues in the South West.

Mr Briggs has indicated to the town council, which owns and runs the Corn Exchange, that he intends to reschedule Mr Hughes’s show for next year.

Comedy nights in Devizes have grown since Martin Brown started the Moonrakers Comedy Club at the Bell by the Green in Estcourt Street last year.

Veteran comedian Jim Davidson played one sell-out night in the Corn Exchange and the other two nights of the festival did good business.

Source: http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk

Desi Central's first ever National Comedy Tour!

Take one host from New Zealand and mix with two American comedy stars. Add in doses of some of the funniest British Asian comedians and stir in four great UK cities. Finish off with over a nation of comedy lovers and what do you have? A guaranteed recipe for laughter from across more than three continents.

The Desi Central Tour – taking standup comedy to new limits!

http://desicentral.co.uk

Desi Central's first ever National Comedy Tour!

Take one host from New Zealand and mix with two American comedy stars. Add in doses of some of the funniest British Asian comedians and stir in four great UK cities. Finish off with over a nation of comedy lovers and what do you have? A guaranteed recipe for laughter from across more than three continents.

The Desi Central Tour – taking standup comedy to new limits!

http://desicentral.co.uk

22.11.10

ENTIRE STORY Jim Jefferies Attacked by Heckler During Stand Up Act

BrettVincent uploaded the original clip of hilarious Australian comedian Jim Jefferies getting attacked on stage by a heckler in Manchester England in April of 2007. Unfortunately, the video he uploaded did not show much footage before the attack so the bit that incited this moron to rush the stage went unknown.

Part 1:

Part 2:

THIS VIDEO HAS THE WHOLE STORY TOLD BY JIM HIMSELF!!!!

It's hilarious and taken off the Contraband DVD. Go buy it.

Twitter: @jimjeffeires
www.facebook.com/jimjefferies
www.thecomedystore.co.uk -- (where it happened)

For more info or to book Jim contact:
Brett Vincent - brett@getcomedy.co.uk

ENTIRE STORY Jim Jefferies Attacked by Heckler During Stand Up Act

Part 2:

Mark Watson's ELEVEN

From British comedian Mark Watson, the story of a related cast of characters around London, connected by a popular late night radio call-in show host.

Mark Watson's ELEVEN

From British comedian Mark Watson, the story of a related cast of characters around London, connected by a popular late night radio call-in show host.

Episode 3 - Alan Partridge's Mid Morning Matters

Episode 2 - Alan Partridge's Mid Morning Matters

Simon Amstell stuns BBC Breakfast hosts with off-colour joke about Russell Watson's brain tumour

His humour certainly isn't to everyone's taste.

And an ill-judged remark by Simon Amstell, best known for his stint hosting Never Mind the Buzzcocks, stunned BBC Breakfast presenters and viewers this morning.

The oddball comedian made an insensitive remark about Russell Watson's battle with brain tumours at the end of an awkward interview with presenters Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams on the programme.

The hosts were attempting to wrap up the chat with the talkative 30-year-old, who sat cross-legged on the couch, so they could move on to their next guest, tenor Russell Watson.

As Turnbull and Williams became flustered trying to hurry him along, saying 'We're finished now,' the comedian reacted with disbelief.

He mocked them, joking: 'Stop talking! We're finished! Got to get Russell on with his tumour!'

His remark was met with an uncomfortable giggle from both hosts, who quickly reprimanded him.

'Now you do have to stop talking,' Turnbull said seriously, as Williams pointed out Watson, who was side of stage waiting for his interview.

'He's right there,' she exclaimed, gesturing apologetically to the off-camera Watson, adding: 'He'll hit you on the way out.'

Williams attempted to lighten the awkward moment, saying: 'That was a Buzzcocks moment there.'