Comedian Of The Month

August Comedian of the Month #41, Iain Lee

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Despite beginning his career as a stand up comedian, Iain Lee is best known as a radio and television presenter, and particularly for presenting Late Nights With Iain Lee on Talk Radio between 10pm-1am Monday to Friday each week.

Having been through tough times himself, Iain Lee is a sympathetic ear for those who might need someone to listen. And that’s why a lot of people call in to the show during the early hours of the morning. That said, he can be absolutely brutal; painfully so when he loses his patience with late-night drunk callers who are rude. But his undisguised frustrations are a source of guilty pleasure for many listeners – Lee is sometimes harsh but what he says is truth. And besides, the drunks never seem to mind.

Iain Lee

Iain’s natural funny bones shine through in his hosting. He communicates effortlessly with callers and always puts the other speaker in the limelight, often setting them up to get the laughs, rather than taking them all for himself. Repeat callers serve as callbacks to past conversations and give the show much needed structure. And each three-hour show is conveniently whittled down to a thirty-minute-long podcast for those who aren’t awake during broadcast, making for punchy shows packed full to the brim with original ideas and hilarious conversation.

Iain Lee is inclusive with his humour and his attitude towards listeners. With his sharp tongue, however, Late Nights With Iain Lee does not make for a particularly cushy night in. For conversations that’ll make you laugh out loud and something to fill insomniac nights or if you’re just up late, then look no further than Iain Lee on Talk Radio.

For more information, follow Iain Lee on Twitter and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube

MAY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH: GUZ KHAN

May Comedian of the Month #40, Guz Khan

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Guz Khan is a Brummie comedian (well he’s from Coventry, at least), so maybe that’s why I feel a personal connection to his comedy, and to him. After all, I first came across Khan at a fundraising event for Crisis at Birmingham Glee Club. But while this fun night of charity promoting and laughter is how I came to know of Guz, many others have become aware of him through his YouTube videos, as this video urging people to boycott Jurassic World went viral:

Khan quit his teaching job in 2015 to pursue a comedy career full time, after landing himself a radio role presenting the Saturday Breakfast Show on BBC Asian Network. He has since written a comedy pilot for BBC Three, called Man Like Mobeen, about a reformed gangster who becomes a man of faith and is landed with the responsibility of looking after his younger sisters.

And if his viral YouTube videos somehow passed you by, surely you can’t have missed Guz Khan’s cheeky humour on your Facebook timeline this week. Guz has been exploring the perception of British Muslims in 2017. This is a sensitive topic and Khan has recognised that he has a powerful voice within this area, because he is part of the group receiving prejudice that is worsening as terrorist attacks in the UK are increasing and ignorance has created a bigoted blame game. Guz’s message, and therefore his comic voice, is particularly important right now. And it helps that he is geting his message across in his effortlessly charismatic, droll way.

For more information, follow Guz Khan on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

APRIL COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH: CARIAD LLOYD

April: Comedian Of The Month #39, Cariad Lloyd

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Cariad Lloyd is a regular face on television these days. She  has become a frequent guest on QI during the past few years as well as starring in the likes of Peep Show, Murder in Successville, Crackanory and Crims.

But this comic and writer has many strings to her bow. With an aptitude for improvisation, Cariad is animated and engaging, able to endear herself to audiences with ease. She is a member of the highly acclaimed Jane Austen-inspired improvised sketch group Austentatious: The Improvised Novel (fellow cast member Jospeh Morpurgo has been MoodyComedy’s Comedian of the Month in the past).

© Richard Davenport

The area of Cariad’s work that I have most recently enjoyed, however, is her relatively new podcast: The Grief Cast. As you might guess from the title, it is a series about dealing with losing a loved one. Cariad, who has personally suffered from such a loss, invites comedians and writers to talk within a lighthearted yet honest and sometimes quite frank discussion about their experiences.

Lloyd is empathetic and clearly very emotionally mature, and she supports her fellow comics as they share stories from the most painful parts of their lives. Though, at the same time, The Grief Cast is factual and both interviewer and interviewees don’t muck around when it comes to being blunt yet fair regarding the realities of death and grief. Cariad as a story elicitor is honest but never judgemental. This podcast is quite honestly a pleasure to listen to. You can listen to it here.

For more information, follow Cariad Lloyd on Twitter or visit her website.

Book tickets for Austentatious: The Improvised Novel’s nationwide tour here.

MARCH COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH: LOU CONRAN

Seven Questions With… Lou Conran

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Lou Conran is a very popular voice on the stand up circuit, which is why she was named MoodyComedy’s Comedian of the Month in March. Perhaps known best for her excellent MC skills and for her work writing for Standard Issue, Lou is a comic that most will find hard to dislike. She is uncompromising and unafraid of judgement, yet friendly, open and real. And on top of all this, Lou is endeavouring to raise £50,000 for the Saying Goodbye charity that supports parents suffering the loss of a baby, in birth or infancy. There is more information about how you can help Lou make a difference here.
I asked Lou these seven questions to find out more about her…

1) How do you like your eggs in the morning?

Boiled. Eggs are a serious business. I once ate 24 in two weeks and had to have colonic irrigation to clear the blockage.

2) How do you propose we solve the issue of global warming?

Take your jumper off silly.

© Andy Hollingworth

3) How would you fare in a zombie apocalypse?

I like the element of risk, but I’d definitely be first to be eaten.

4) Do your family find you funny?

Disturbed I think rather than funny.

5) If you could say one sentence to Donald Trump, what would it be?

Doesn’t that Velcro fringe itch?

6) What should we all do at least once in our lives?

Contrary to what a previous boyfriend suggested I should do at least once, I’d say the thing that you fear doing, do it. What’s the worst that could happen? (Apart from death but then at least you’d not have bills to pay, and you’d lose weight….)

7) Do you prefer being an MC or performing straight stand up?

I love MCing, which is what I do most of. But on the rare occasion I get to do a set I get stupidly nervous, but find it a bit more exhilarating, but either or really. I just love doing it.

Support Lou Conran’s fundraising challenge here.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

March: Comedian Of The Month #38, Lou Conran

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© Andy Hollingworth

March’s Comedian of the Month is Lou Conran. Often working as an MC, Lou is certainly a pair of safe hands for an audience. She is confident, loud and uncompromising, with an energy about her performance that could most likely revive even the most reserved of audiences.

After witnessing Lou Conran work her magic live at Birmingham Glee Club’s Comedy Playground, it becomes clear that this comic has an extra something to offer to a night of weekend comedy. Conran is able to generate tensions within a room, whilst maintaining a feeling of goodwill amongst her audience. Cleverly bouncing ideas between members of the crowd she decides to ‘attack’, and getting her audience communicating with one another, Conran has absolutely nailed what is meant by the term ‘inclusive entertainment’.

Lou throws her whole self into her comedy; she ensures that her audience is relaxed and this in turn results in uplifted of mood of the crowd. She is able to adopt a patronising tone towards specific members of the audience and get away with it by balancing this with her own self-deprecating attitude.

And not only is she brilliant at nurturing a good atmosphere through her compèring, Conran is also excellent with her imagery. Her latest work-in-progress material regarding things overheard by neighbours through the walls of her flat is sure to be something that develops into a brilliant piece, judging by the laughter the rough run through, with notebook in hand, received.

Lou has also written for Standard Issue, a woman-lead lifestyle online magazine that is sadly to be discontinued this month. It is definitely worth taking a look at her articles if you are unable to get yourself to see her perform live, as her comedic skill shines through as brightly as ever.

For more information, follow Lou Conran on Twitter or visit her website.

FEBRUARY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

February: Comedian Of The Month #37, Fin Taylor

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When a performer is confident on stage, both in material and in justification of views, audiences are immediately more inclined to trust them. It takes an astute comedian to tread the line between arrogance and self-deprecation in an interesting way, and this is where Fin Taylor’s skill shines through. Fin casts his opinions with authority; the statements may sometimes be bold (university students aren’t fully-formed people, for example) but he justifies them well. His reasoning is sensible, despite his initial declarations being met with laughter.

Fin Taylor is a bold voice in the realm of satirical stand up comedy who has fun playing around with irony, presenting shocking ideas that are followed up with surprisingly well-justified reasoning. He doesn’t solicit the audience’s affections, nor does he grovel or expect pity when he is the butt of the joke. In fact, Fin explicitly states that he doesn’t deserve pity, as he confesses ‘I have had such an easy start to life’, yet makes a humble attempt at using his privilege to challenge previously held assumptions and attitudes.

© Fin Taylor

The comedian has brought three shows to the Edinburgh Festival, with his latest show Whitey McWhiteface (2016) making a lasting impression on audiences and critics alike as the comic considered the issue of racism from his perspective of a privileged white man, whilst avoiding an apologist approach. Fin’s manner of stand up comedy easily translates from serious political comment to more trivial everyday matters, showing an integrity to his performance: he successfully adapts his style to allow him to cover a broad range of topics (whether that be social, political or nitpicking), thus proving himself to be an exciting component of the British stand up scene.

For more information, follow Fin Taylor on Twitter or visit his website.

JANUARY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

January: Comedian Of The Month #36, Anna Mann (Colin Hoult)

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© Colin Hoult

Colin Hoult is not a name that has gone unheard of in recent years. His stand up shows consistently receive fantastic praise and Hoult himself is known as an ever-changing and innovative performer. Perhaps the comedian’s most well-known onstage character is Anna Mann, a middle-aged actress grappling with deep loneliness brought about by her struggling career and subsequently, her mental health.

Hoult’s observational eye is finely tuned to detail and this is shown particularly through his sketches within his latest show Anna Mann: A Sketch Show For Depressives; a retrospective look at characters attending a therapy group that Anna Mann recently attended. From Anna’s parody of a lonely elderly woman to that of an increasingly aggressive PE teacher, the mannerisms are uncanny and the most vivid of images are conjured, implying a sharp mind.

Anna Mann plays on underlying audience sympathy by jokingly imagining and replying to responses from the room. She is audacious and often cruel, but genuinely loveable. With more than just a hint of a certain Ms Blanche Dubois, Anna Mann’s flamboyancy is entertaining yet her vulnerability endearing. Hoult is able to explore some of the heaviest of topics, such as mental illness, isolation and suicide, in an inventive way; a way that feels new, exciting and not heavy at all.

For more information, follow Colin Hoult on Twitter.

DECEMBER COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

December: Comedian Of The Month #35, Jordan Brookes

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Happy New Year everyone! The final Comedian of the Month chosen for 2016 is Jordan Brookes, who came to my attention when he was named one of of the ‘Top Ten Ones To Watch in 2017’ by an expert panel consisting of Beyond The Joke‘s Bruce Dessau, Bob Slayer and Corrie McGuire. He even appeared alongside two MoodyComedy favourites: Stuart Goldsmith and Adam Hess.

Jordan Brookes reminds me of many of the people I knew at school. He is competent and clearly knowledgeable yet in an unobtrusive way, endearing himself to audiences almost without effort. Jordan utilises sarcasm and drudgery, which stand in contrast against the awkwardness that accompanies him onstage. And this comedian is strangely self-assured, despite audiences being perhaps inclined to assume he is an anxious character based on first impressions.

© Jordan Brookes

Often bordering on performance art, Jordan Brookes’ comedy starts small and develops with ease into something broader and more conceptual, such as his failed-time-travel skit. He is confident and artistically unafraid; a truly thoughtful comic with a calm air about him that reassures audiences that he knows what he is doing.

Jordan Brookes’ 2016 show ‘The Making Of…’ is now available on the new comedy streaming site NextUp, which is a site definitely worth signing up to at only £3.50 a month for unlimited access to stand up comedy content.

For more information, follow Jordan Brookes on Twitter.

NOVEMBER COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

 

November: Comedian Of The Month #34, Rose Matafeo

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New Zealand comedian and actor Rose Matafeo was first brought to my attention upon her appearance as a panellist on the latest series of Have I Got News For You. I imagine this is the same for many watchers of primarily British comedy, unless you happened to catch her at 2016’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival performing her highly acclaimed show Rose Matafeo is Finally Dead.

Rose’s comedy is fun, youthful and well-crafted. She effortlessly reels people in with her quietly confident charm, bringing an air of excitement to stage alongside an assurance that this performer knows what she is doing. Her occasional droll remarks allude to a darker, sarcastic side, which makes for an interesting balancing act between silliness and astute personal reflection.

Rose Matafeo

Rose Matafeo

It seems that Matafeo is somewhat of an internet sensation in New Zealand, with many peculiar YouTube videos (such as her series Feline Fine) and her ‘speed dating’ interviews with some of the biggest names in American comedy such as Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer, Trainwreck) and Saturday Night Live‘s Bill Hader. Rose also spent over two years as a presenter on U Live on New Zealand TV.

With a bright and exciting energy, Rose Matafeo is an artist I look forward to seeing more of as her influence on the British comedy scene increases, which I have no doubt it will.

For more information, follow Rose Matafeo on Twitter.

OCTOBER COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

October: Comedian Of The Month #33, Eddy Brimson

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Eddy Brimson

October’s Comedian of the Month is actor, writer and stand up comedian Eddy Brimson, who appeared on a bill alongside Andre Vincent, Funmbi Omotayo and Ben Norris (the latter, being a recognisable face on MoodyComedy) at Glee Club Cardiff last month.

Gliding on to stage, Eddy Brimson has a stern but surprisingly warm and genuine demeanour. He acknowledges the fact that he is an intimidating presence at first impression with the assertive recognition, “I’m very aware of my face”. He also controls a rowdy Saturday night comedy audience with efficiency, beginning with ruder material but later evolving his set into something much more personal. While Brimson is clearly able to please a crowd, he can also focus in on much smaller details of scenarios and conversations, providing unexpectedly idiosyncratic observations as he does so.

Eddy certainly has a soft side, and this comes to light in his slightly more whimsical material, such as that about his concern for the panda species. He is also unafraid of opening himself up emotionally in front of an audience, speaking briefly about his recent divorce, for instance, and this counteracts any disconnection allowed to form through the use of crowd work and informalities.

Eddy Brimson’s comedy is well-crafted and uncomplicated; his voice confident and cutting. He is certainly a performer to watch out for on the weekend comedy circuit.

For more information, visit Eddy Brimson’s website.

SEPTEMBER COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH