The American motivational speaker has rapidly become a staple of character comedy, which returns to the fringe in cycles of approximately three years. On paper then, Will Adamsdale’s Chris John Jackson, author of Maximum Jackson and inventor of the philosophy of Jackson’s Way, is not an appetising proposition. But Adamsdale merely uses this familiar trope as a framing device for a rigorously funny, and often poignant, exploration of the human imagination. Jackson’s theory is this. Around every action that has a point, such as walking along, waving at someone, or looking at an interesting event, exists a vast unexplored area of pointless actions, an untapped reservoir for human non-achievement. Jackson demonstrates some of his favorites. He attempts to put his hand in two places at once. He tries to make the words People and Church rhyme. He fails to drag the stage into a small glass. None of these things are possible.
This, he explains, is the zone Jacksonites must strive to inhabit, and he encourages his audience to pepper their lives with similarly futile activities. It is not made clear how Jackson arrived at this zen-like state of grace, though there are vague allusions to an embarrassing incident in a business park, and memories of his older brother seem to weigh heavily upon him. Jackson occupies the thin sliver of space that exists between the socially acceptable delusions of faith and religion, and the socially unacceptable delusions of mental illness. It is a wonderful region to visit. And it stays with you. On leaving the venue I took a wrong turn alongside a parked car, ended up trapped between the vehicle and a brick wall, and had to turn back upon myself, but instead of being irritated I was momentarily elated. I had completed my first Jacksonian action.
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube