Thursday 29 October 2009

Never mind..

It was good to see Jon Richardson on Never Mind The Buzzcocks last night. I rushed back from the pub especially to watch it.

Thursday 22 October 2009

A jewel to protect

All sorts of people are getting very excited over the BNP being invited onto Question Time by the BBC, and unnecessarily so in my opinion. I feel so lucky that I am able to blog. Okay what I write could usually be considered to be a load of old rubbish, but at least there is nobody telling me what rubbish I can or can’t write. As long as it’s not libellous etc. etc. my blogging is censorship free.

I value that freedom, as do I value the freedom to vote. This is why I don’t agree with those that think that the BNP should not be on the telly tonight. I abhor the BNP. They are scum. But denying them access to the media, when they have legitimately won elections is tantamount to fascism. Ban the BNP and you are no better than they are!

The whole point of democracy is reasoned argument. If you lose sight of that and just want to shout someone down because you don’t agree with them then you are on a slippery slope. Only morons vote for them, but in a democracy everyone gets the vote, even morons.

I’m not sure I can be arsed to stay up and watch Question Time tonight, but if Nick Griffin’s appearance give the left a bit of focus, and galvanises them into delivering a more coherent message, then it has to be good.

Discuss.

Saturday 10 October 2009

If you prefer a milder comedian

"I’ll give it to you straight.
Like pear cider, made from 100% pears"


Stewart Lee is a very funny man. Probably not be everybody’s cup of tea, but he makes me and many others laugh. His comedy is clever, subtle and thought provoking, and last night, at the Norwich Playhouse, I witnessed him in action. This softly spoken, inventive comedian finds humour is some well known, believably surreal, but surprising areas. Almost as an antidote to his soft-spoken style he uses repetition to reinforce what he wants to convey, and to convey the audience to the punch line. He started the show with a very clever ‘tale’ based around Cafe Nero’s loyalty card. I never knew coffee retailing could be so funny. Soon after he was ridiculing the Top Gear team, an easy target, but he has a nice twist about being at school with Richard Hammond. His act finishing with a history of his family based around a Magners Pear cider advert. Not the stuff of lesser comedians!

This blog likes swearing. It is big and it is clever. But even though we like swearing we do find it tiresome that so many comedians rely too heavily on it for their humour. Every other word being a swear one does start to wear heavy after a while. Yes Stewart Lee swears, but not very often. He uses it to make a point but that is all. Stewart Lee doesn’t need to swear to be funny.

I left the theatre last night still with a smile on my face. I want to see Stewart Lee again. If he’s coming to a town near you I suggest you get off your arse and go and see him. Click here for his current 'if you prefer a milder comedian ask for one' tour dates.