The Vicar of Dibley writer and I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue producer on the things that make him laugh the mostI produced Andy Hamilton and Nick Revell’s Million Pound Radio Show. It included a sketch where a pirate crew threatened mutiny unless the Cap’…
Continue ReadingOn his way to Sean Hughes’s funeral, the standup thought of a new joke – but who’s to say it belongs to him?‘Went to a funeral the other day. Caught the wreath.”That’s my new joke. It’s been a good year. But is it mine? Is it really? It came to me – I’…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonNocturnal is notionally about the things keeping the standup awake at night, but this cheery set shows she has nothing to worry aboutHad it been assembled by a jetpack manufacturer, Suzi Ruffell’s new show could hardly be better – o…
Continue ReadingMisogyny is behind the criticism of the Saturday Night Live comedian’s relationship with Kate BeckinsaleQuiz time! Put your calculators away, please, I have a maths problem designed to test every inch of your natural intelligence. Ready? Here we go: Pe…
Continue ReadingThe Palestinian-US standup on British airports, his Netflix special The Vagabond and what he has in common with comic pals Guz Khan and Dave ChappelleThere’s an auspicious precedent for Houston comedians trying their luck in the UK: when Bill Hicks did…
Continue ReadingEuropean comics assembled for a gig about Britain’s departure from the EU – but ended up talking about sex and poultryIt’s an article of faith among remainers that Brexit has made the UK a global laughing stock, right? So as I entered the Camden Comedy…
Continue ReadingThe QI elf and No Such Thing As a Fish team member on the things that make her laugh the mostHarry and Paul’s Question Time sketch springs to mind. Their panel show sketch would also be hilarious if I didn’t work on a panel show and thus find it very o…
Continue ReadingO2 Academy, Newcastle Ill-judged jokes and a lack of wit and grit make for a tedious set from one of the queens on RuPaul’s seriesIn an interview with Rolling Stone, drag queen Trixie Mattel said she was taken aback by the positive response to her uniq…
Continue ReadingI have always had an ‘inner bastard’, but doing standup has made it worseAs a comedian, you are often subject to criticism: partly because comedy is so subjective and partly because social media means that any idiot with an internet connection has a di…
Continue ReadingThe polymath standup, writer and painter on the things that make him laugh the mostBrian Gittins doing his show on the top deck of a bus in Edinburgh. Continue reading…
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