Well done, Comedy Central. For too long, your schedules have been filled with repeats of Mike and Molly, Two and a Half Men, King of Queens, and a whole host of other mind-numbingly awful American sitcoms. Just when you were starting to wonder whether the name ‘Comedy Central’ was some sort of sarcastic joke in itself, they pull something like The Alternative Comedy Experience out the bag, and fair play to them.
The first episode of this 12 part weekly series is remarkably simple. Short clips of the comedians’ performances, with very short interviews between them and Stewart Lee dotted throughout.
There’s no Live at the Apollo-style fog machines, wall of lights or celebrity guests – The Alternative Comedy Experience is very much an antidote to the superstar comedian culture that we have in this country. In a world where Lee Evans can sell out stadiums just by sweating and walking funny, a show shot entirely by a fixed camera in the back of an Edinburgh comedy club is exactly what we need.
So, what is this hipster-sounding ‘alternative comedy’ thing anyway? It’s never quite explained, and it’s hard to describe in words. Stand-up David O’Doherty calls it comedy where “every second joke’s funny”, but that doesn’t quite cut it.
Rather than having some dogmatic label preached to them, the viewer is left to realise what ‘alternative comedy’ is for themselves, just by watching the performances of comedians like Henning Wehn, Isy Suttie, David O’Doherty, and less known performers, like Boothby Graffoe and David Kay. It seems to be a strange mix of surrealism, long expanses of silence, awkward self-reference and laugh-out-loud gags, and it works.
Honestly, you’ll either love or hate this show. If you like your comedy laden with catchphrases and performed to an audience of thousands, you should give it a miss. However, if you’re willing to have a look into a side of stand-up that almost never gets on television, it’s the only comedy show that you need to watch this year.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter