I am a standup comedian. Last Tuesday, I attended the British comedy awards, my first since 1991. Today an edited Channel 4 highlights package from a Wembley warehouse, back in ’91, in their second year, the awards were a primetime ITV Saturday-night live spectacular in a big South Bank studio. I wrote for Radio 4’s…
Every year since I can remember, it seems something has been killing Christmas: commercialism; multiculturalism; secularism; or that political correctness of the “gone mad” variety that they have now. This is not a new idea. An ancient cave daub, dating from 10,000 BC, on the walls of the Grotte de Niaux in southern France, appears…
The Imaginary Comedy Cabal? Frankie Boyle, Mock the Week’s Russell Howard, Dara O’Briain, Hugh Dennis and Andy Parsons, and Stewart Lee. Photograph: guardian Last Saturday, I took my children on a tour of the Freemasons’ Hall in Covent Garden. I explained to them that they were going to visit the magical headquarters of an ancient…
It’s difficult, if you are of a certain age and political bent, not to talk about Smallfilms without sounding reactionary. Smallfilms makes me naively nostalgic for a world before free-market doctrines and focus groups, when a publicly funded body gave two indefatigable eccentrics and, we now realise, avatars of a distinctly British folk art, licence…
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube