Comedians

October: Comedian Of The Month #9, Luisa Omielan

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Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

This month’s Comedian Of The Month is the ever sweet and ever sassy Luisa Omielan, a woman who bravely talks of her life and relationships whilst also demonstrating great creative and observational skill.

Not only is Luisa’s material very funny, it also pushes boundaries and that is everything we should expect from such a great comic (think, Katherine Ryan’s sharp putdowns paired with Sarah Millican’s smut). I know I could say this for virtually every comedian on the circuit but I am going to say it here nevertheless because it’s become very apparent in the case of this particular comedian: Luisa Omielan takes great pride in the effort she has taken to get where she is in her career; she has a clear passion and care for the industry, and her place within that.

It is evident from the clip above that Luisa truly cares about her audience and wants to make them feel good about themselves and happy in general. She is very obviously using the platform of stand up comedy to achieve something, or to share a message, to a large number of people who are willing to listen, and that is what comedy is all about really.

My reading of Luisa Omielan’s comedy is one of feminism at it’s most positive and constructive: there is simply no bitterness or anger present on the stage whilst Luisa is on it, other than when it is truly justified. And in taking on this persona as a comedian who builds women up rather than put men down, a rather prominent gap in the industry that needed to be filled has been filled with ease and charm, and her audiences are left feeling liberated and empowered.

For information on live shows, Luisa’s website is here and you should follow her Twitter too.

SEPTEMBER COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Seven Questions With… Katy Brand

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© British Comedy Awards

Katy Brand is a massively successful comedian and writer who has dipped her toes in virtually every water: she’s worked as a stand up, appeared in films and countless television shows, had her own television series, written for newspapers and, most recently, written and published a novel. Here is a woman of obvious ability who is keen to push her own limits to achieve many exciting things and judging by her rich and varied career so far, we can only assume that there will be great things to come from this wonderful and talented comedy-machine.
To delve further into Katy’s fascinating life and learn more about the person behind the comedy, I asked her these seven questions…

1) Do you have any strange hobbies?

Well, for years comedy was my hobby, and then I made it my job, so I think I’ve sort of forgotten how to have a proper hobby in some ways.  I miss having a hobby – I’d like to have one again, but I’ve been working pretty flat out for so many years that it’s fallen by the wayside a little.  It’s important to have hobbies though – I think they stop you being an arsehole, or obsessing about your own little professional world too much.  They give relief and joy (does that sound like the name of a sex shop?)… I remember doing a show with Josie Long called The Bubble where comedians were locked in a house with no internet, TV, phones or radio for three days so we couldn’t see the news, and she was using the time to study for her maths A-Level, just because she wanted to.  I thought that was very inspiring.  I love astronomy, and although I am terrible at maths myself, I would like to get into that more.  And archaeology and anthropology.  I love drawing and painting, too.  I don’t do enough of any of it.

2) Who are your biggest comedic influences?

There was a great run of TV comedy in the 1980s and 1990s when I was growing up that was biting and anarchic and quite rude and raw – The Young Ones, Spitting Image, Harry Enfield and Kathy Burke, French and Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, and so on.  It seemed very evenly spread too, in terms of class and gender, though perhaps not race.  There were also phenomenally crafted comedies from the US on late like Seinfeld and The Larry Sanders Show which I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch.  I remember The Kids in the Hall being a great favourite of mine around that time (a lunatic Canadian sketch show), and a British character called The Divine David, created by David Hoyle (go and see him if you ever get the chance) which just blew my mind.  Outside of comedy, Gilbert and George also inspired me a lot – I like anything that feels like trouble, as if the wheels might come off at any moment.

3) You studied Theology at university, how did you find this? What drew you to it? 

I took it upon myself to become an evangelical, happy clappy Christian at the age of 13 (no fault of my parents, who found it simultaneously baffling and hilarious) and I stayed on until the end of my first year at university.  I wanted to study Theology because I wanted to understand more about the origins of my faith, but I was also drawn to the philosophical and psychological aspects too.  My church was not terribly supportive (they were quite rigid about Bible interpretation), and by the end of year one, I was more interested in, ahem, ‘other things’.  I didn’t go back to church, and I threw myself into the comedy and drama scene at University, so I can’t say I was the pride of the Theology Department, although all the tutors and professors were incredibly fascinating, open minded people of the kind you really wouldn’t mind being stuck in a lift with for a few hours, so I enjoyed my studies even if I wasn’t a very diligent student.  I will always defend the study of religion as the social evolution of humanity as a great subject for anyone to get stuck into. 

4) If you could only drink one beverage for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Champagne.  Sorry, but there it is.  I fucking love champagne, and I don’t even care.  I also like Robinson’s Peach squash, but I’m not going to sit here and pretend it’s as good as champagne because it isn’t.

5) What is the worst thing in the entire universe?

Spiders.  They look like death to me.  I shudder and am consumed with mortal dread whenever I see one.  This is one of the reasons why I have been unable to accept the several kind offers I have received over the years to participate in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.

6) What is the most exciting thing about comedy for you?

That you can stand on a stage and say anything you want and get an immediate response.  It may not be the response you want, but still, you can take an idea from your bedroom to a roomful of strangers in only the time it takes to get to the venue, and see how it plays.  That’s live comedy, of course.  With TV and film, you’re looking at more like two to five years if you’re lucky, which is a little less thrilling…

7) Do you have a piece of knowledge that everyone should hear about?

Here’s three: 1) Sexual promiscuity in women has as much anthropological basis as men, perhaps even more so (for more details, see Sara Pascoe and assorted scientists).  2) Things won’t get better for society until we have a proper system of paid paternity leave which men take without worrying about the consequences.  3) Dogs are the fount of true, unconditional love – you can tell everything you need to know about a person by how they treat a dog.

For more information regarding Katy’s wonderful book, Brenda Monk Is Funny, check out her website or visit her Twitter at @KatyFBrand.

CLICK HERE READ MY REVIEW OF BRENDA MONK IS FUNNY.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

James Acaster: Recognise (2014)

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Jack Barry

Jack Barry

Thursday night saw Artrix Arts in Bromsgrove welcome James Acaster and Jack Barry to the stage. It was a pleasure to see Jack, a comedian I was previously unaware of, supporting James on his tour, with relevant and relatable material that had a subtle hint of madness that could be detected only in his straight-faced delivery of subjects involving suicide and, strangely enough, super powers.

Despite a frosty start for Acaster, as a result of an adamant audience member on the front row refusing to move his drink off the stage (which I’m surprised isn’t picked up on more often by comics due to it’s disregard of any form of ‘fourth wall’ or downright respect for the performance), he comfortably dived straight into the confusing world of loopholes, demonstrating wonderfully complex and creative thinking from the outset.

This peculiar comedian has a remarkable ability to weave together the most absurd stories, such as his adventures as an undercover cop, through his use of well thought-out call backs, but was also able to fall back on instinct as a result of the audience not being very enthusiastic at all, which was certainly observed by James, to say the least. As a result of being a member of a disappointingly unsupportive, bordering on selfish, audience, the show took on a very different feel to what it would normally, with a great deal of tension (that ended up working in Acaster’s favour as he expertly turned the gig around).

James Acaster

James Acaster

Hidden within the whimsical story-telling, James is clearly an excellent observational comic as well, in a way similar to that of Noel Fielding. It has been said, and I too believe to be true, that Fielding would make an outstanding observational comedian due to his compelling way of noticing and conveying minor details within people and situations alike. The cleverest part, regarding both Fielding and Acaster, however, is that they don’t rely on their observational skills alone. These two comics evidently work very hard at developing a multi-layered aspect to their routines, and that is something to be appreciated and congratulated.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing both Jack Barry and James Acaster perform their routines and look forward to seeing them again in the future, maybe with a more encouraging audience that can give this excellent comedy the platform it deserves.

Top 5 Moments… Shooting Stars

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Shooting Stars is without doubt the greatest panel show ever made, with it lasting for a healthy six series and spanning from 1993 to 2011. It remains a source of frustration for me that the programme was cancelled in 2011 as it definitely hadn’t exhausted itself in anyway. The best justification for this may very well be that the comedic style of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer was a tad too strange for a new and evolving audience, though there is still a gap in my life ever since its cancellation. I have very fond memories of being only nine or ten years old and absolutely crying with laughter at the madness that is Shooting Stars, from its Dove From Above round to Vic’s pub singing.

5) Jack Dee Finally Laughs

Every single week, Jack Dee was forced to listen to Vic talk disparagingly of his miserable face. Every single week, Jack Dee remained calm, if a little irritable throughout, until, finally on one fateful episode towards the end of the reign of Vic and Bob’s Shooting Stars, he snapped. The man with “a face like a neglected radish” actually cracked a smile.

4) The Arrival of Angelos Epithemiou

We were all pretty gutted to hear that Matt Lucas would not be returning as Man With The Scores: George Dawes in series 7, but the pain was dulled by the news that he was to be replaced by regular panellist and burger van owner Angelos Epithemiou (played by Dan Skinner). Angelos is a very complex character; an easily aggravated, no-nonsense loner, if you will, with his infamous carrier bag that contains a wild array of goods…

3) Larry Hagman

Poor Dallas star Larry Hagman was in for a big shock when he was booked to appear on the show when he clearly didn’t really understand what it was all about. In fairness, he was a good sport throughout the episode but it was an effort to hide the confusion he inevitably would feel when in the presence of the two madmen. A slightly bewildered Hagman responded to a question from Bob towards the end of the episode, “Are you beginning to think you may sack your agent?” with, “I’ve done some loony shows in my time but this is certainly the one”.

2) Baked Potato

Out of George Dawes’ wonderful back catalogue of ingenious songs, Baked Potato is the one that made me laugh the most. All of the giant baby’s tunes have proved to be very catchy and, of course, hysterically funny over the years but something about the addition of a talking potato really made this song special. This particular number taught its audience many moral lessons such as “do be happy, don’t be sad” and “do be early, don’t be late”. Once you’ve heard it a few times you will find yourself singing it all day everyday so “Thank you Baked Potato!”

1) Tiny Eyes

Not only is the song in this clip absolutely absurd, the visuals also aim to shock: with the eyes of all involved literally being of minute proportions. It is honestly quite difficult to find Tiny Eyes unfunny, especially for a person who ‘understands’ the comedy of Reeves and Mortimer, which appeals to both old and young. The sequel to Tiny Eyes is another must watch due to the faultless insanity and that is entitled Tiny Hands, I’ll leave you to guess the rest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9UYWa0zZf0

It is important that we celebrate Shooting Stars for the treasure that it was and appreciate the sheer amount of comedic skill hidden beneath the surface, underneath the apparent madness. What is your favourite Shooting Stars moment of all time? Let me know in the comments, or by tweeting me at @moodycomedy.

Want to know what my top five IT Crowd moments are?

Brenda Monk Is Funny

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They say write about what you know, and that is certainly what comedian and writer Katy Brand has done in her debut novel Brenda Monk Is Funny.

brenda monkIt is refreshing to be told about the inner workings of the comedy industry in the form of something other than a stroppy article or bitter passing comment. In today’s world it seems like a large majority of people get their information from such sources, which is understandable, and don’t feel the need to find out what a different person on the inside might have to say due to the effort it might take to find the information. Katy Brand, however, has made it easy for us, so we really have no excuse for being ignorant.

Brenda Monk is the girlfriend of successful and entirely intolerable circuit comic, Jonathan Cape. She loves comedy, but Jonathan is the one with a career in the industry and she has always accepted that. However, this is a time of change for Brenda as she begins to question things she has never thought about before: could she cut it as a stand up comedian?

Brand has effortlessly cumulated her skilful storytelling with her in depth knowledge of the comedy industry to great effect. She has fairly and honestly represented the highs and lows of being a stand-up comic as far as I can understand, whilst also scratching the surface of more controversial topics such as the role of women in comedy and the different ‘classes’ (for want of a better word) within the industry.

“People who come here are grown ups. If they can’t handle it, they shouldn’t come. Or they should just go and see the big tours of the nice, safe stand-ups they know they already like and will never say anything that will challenge anything they already think and feel.”

On a personal level, I found this book to be very relatable and even reassuring as a result of Brand’s dealing with the nitty gritty aspects of what being a comedian entails. As well as being interesting, this story is also very endearing and the development of Brenda’s character has been dealt with fluently and sensitively, whilst being sufficiently informative and therefore a useful read.

And there is still benefit to be gained for those who don’t share my interest in stand up comedy. Brenda Monk is Funny gives a powerful message to its readership, one of striving to achieve an end goal.

“and thought, “I could say anything I want to. I could say anything I want to.” She was reeling from that one moment alone. The rest was just a matter of writing some jokes.”

PURCHASE ‘BRENDA MONK IS FUNNY’ ON AMAZON NOW

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH KATY BRAND

Review: Tony Law – Enter The Tone Zone

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Tony Law bounds onto the stage over an hour late, dressed in a black lycra catsuit and armed with a trombone. It’s what we have all learned to expect by now.

If you saw last year’s Tony Lawshow, Nonsense Overdrive, you might think that previous hour of material was relatively normal in relation to this one. There was shouting, brass instrument playing, beach ball throwing, plastic snake wielding, dancing, and even dreaded audience participation. Though the Tone Zone allegedly has no material and no plan, he certainly, and somewhat unbelievably, had absolute control over his audience who were hanging on to every whimsical word.

With the sound of a foghorn, Tony was off on a surreal adventure that spanned an array of absurd subject matter from viking quests to the death of a pet. And just as the insanity all got a bit too much, Tony would expertly change the pace with a reference to mainstream comedy such as Live at the Apollo or 8 out of 10 Cats, both of which this comic is slightly too weird for. With Apollo-worthy anecdotes about his beloved dog, Cartridge Davison, and his two trolls (human twins), Tony showed emotion, though he had to change his accent to suit this, naturally.

This, teamed with the strangest audience I have ever been a part of, made for a very intense comedy experience, or in other words: absolute chaos. Tony effortlessly dealt with challenges from a disheartened lady in the front row who “just didn’t get it,” and replied to her cries of “I just wanted to have a good night,” by explaining that she really should have done her research before booking tickets to see Tony Law of all people, which is fair enough. It is no surprise that the two complainers left during the interval, and it brought the rest of the audience together beautifully in a unified defiance.

You could be forgiven for assuming there could be no greater finale than that of last year: an interactive musical puppet show. But this time we were treated to a truly incredible performance, despite inevitable technical difficulties, including a slideshow and a trombone solo. Tony Law left in a Tony-Law-fashion: late for a train and clutching a deflating beach ball. It’s fair to say, the women on the front row would have absolutely despised the second half.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH TONY LAW

Tony Law

TV Review: Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience, Series 5

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Rhod Gilbert is the King of Similes and the possible love-child of Dylan Moran and Paul O’Grady. Words cannot easily express the comedic talent of this man, nor is it a simple task to pinpoint his style of comedy without relying on a selection of direct quotes.

Work Experience is a show that sets a challenge and then sees it accomplished. During each episode, the comedian is made to learn all about a new profession for the first time and complete a trial run of that career choice. It sounds simple enough. But what Work Experience teaches Rhod, and the television audience, is that there are a great number highly underestimated and undervalued workers out there with incredibly arduous jobs. When the slightly odd format and incredibly deadpan comedy of Gilbert are combined, this makes for real entertainment.

Rhod Gilbert

Not only is the programme humorous, but it is also informative and eccentric, with stunning camera work (particularly evident in episode one: Fisherman). With such a massive amount of laughs and lessons crammed into half an hour, you’d think it would feel heavy or even boring, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

These mini documentaries leave you feeling educated, entertained and contented (the latter being down to Rhod Gilbert’s presence alone). It is light-hearted, friendly and often pretty stupid (again, down to Rhod) and is one of those programmes that feels so personable, it’s as if we are reading funny man’s own diary. He allows himself to be vulnerable and makes it clear when he is afraid or out of his comfort zone and that is something of great value and importance to me as a viewer.

To catch up on the latest series, visit BBC iPlayer

September: Comedian Of The Month #8, Tom Wrigglesworth

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Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

Tom Wrigglesworth could be from absolutely anywhere: a circus, the local park, or another world entirely. His image ranges from regular man with incredible hair, to insane circus ringmaster dressed in purple and blue and green. Tom is endearing and accessible yet obviously intelligent, whilst often hinting at teetering on the edge of controversy, though he is always in full control.

A particular favourite example of this would be Tom’s material about his neighbour, Fatima, who wears a burkha. The point is that she covers her face and body so nobody else can see her, yet also wears a pair of glasses that enable her to see everyone else, a paradox in itself. It’s ridiculous, but it’s funny too: apparently you can only have one, religion or science, let’s not be greedy.

Wrigglesworth is a comedian with lots of observational material. What makes him stand out, however, is that he truly understands what it is to observe. He sees the things that absolutely nobody else sees, he makes things up, he connects the dots in a way that most wouldn’t think to. This is where observational comedy becomes an art form to me, especially considering that many of the anecdotes are unlikely to have actually happened and therefore rely on imagination alone.

I know I often compare comics to Paul Foot (aspects of them, of course, as it would be impossible to be anything like him as a comedian in his entirety due to his extreme quirkiness), but I will yet again draw a comparison. Tom reminds me of a slightly more put-together subtype of Paul, and that leads to almost sinister viewing (considering his style choice in the clip above).

Tom Wrigglesworth is a comedian who is interesting and interested, and there isn’t really a lot more you could ask of a performer.

For more information, visit Tom Wrigglesworth’s website and follow him on Twitter.

AUGUST COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

TV Review: Gadget Man, Series 3

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I know I talked last year about Gadget Man but I feel I can’t not write something new about its wonderful new series and the hilarity that is Richard Ayoade.

As always, Gadget Man is a programme that shows us, obviously, plenty of exciting and wacky gadgets but it is presented, with thanks to Ayoade, in a punchy, intriguing way that stands out against the handful of other gadget-related shows out there. Armed with a fluorescent orange suit with a knitted blue tie, Ayoade exudes confidence and sass. When this is teamed with his pessimistic comments and constant sarcasm, he really is a man not to be messed with.

Richard’s clear disgust at the prospect of public transport, during episode two, really resonates with me and to feel I am in some way similar to this genius should welcomed openly by us all. Richard’s general hatred of everything is summed up in one sentence uttered to fellow comic, Russell Howard: “being with you has reminded of how much I prefer being on my own”.

There are often two guests per episode in this series and these include Tim Vine, Marcus Brigstocke, Adam Buxton, Russell Howard, Phill Jupitus and Ade Edmondson amongst many others. It’s obvious that this show is at it’s best and I would watch a new episode everyday if that was possible.

The series so far is available, as usual, on 4OD and you can watch the next episode on Channel 4 at 8.30pm on Monday.

Review: Bridget Christie – A Bic For Her & An Ungrateful Woman

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Sat in the middle of the second row of a small arts centre with nobody sat in the seat in front of me, it wouldn’t have been unusual to feel on edge, exposed or even anxious at the thought of spending two hours sat eye to eye with the force that is Bridget Christie. But it may come as a surprise for you to hear that as an audience member, I have never felt more comfortable than when sat listening to Bridget perform her material.

Two slightly shortened sets were performed, Bridget’s 2013 show: A Bic For Her, and her latest one: An Ungrateful Woman. Both followed a similar theme (because, believe it or not, she hadn’t quite ran out of material on feminism just yet) and supported each other well, with well-informed subject-matter that never leaned towards feeling heavy or boring. Unknown to some, Bridget Christie’s shows haven’t always been so orientated around social change. In fact, in a recent episode of the Comedian’s Comedian podcast, she divulged that in her earlier years, she once dressed as a pea and sat on stage with just her head outside of a box, watching her audience be seated.

An Ungrateful Woman

It is clear to me that this lady is afraid of very little and with this, she can do very much. She talked of her own personal triumphs that help deal with misogyny on a small, day-to-day level, involving a hilarious anecdote about magazine stands in supermarkets, but also interweaved material around issues surrounding suggestive advertising, FGM, Michael Gove, a certain snooker player and Beyoncé.

So, we know that this comic can do surreal as that’s what she’s done in the past, but these two shows were different: they were hard-hitting and informative yet still immensely enjoyable. There are still elements of the fantastical within her comedy, with energetic and preposterous slapstick routines that accurately portray what others have hinted are “things a female might do”. Packed to the brim with sarcasm and a slight hint of derailment, A Bic For Her and An Ungrateful Woman bring to the forefront how important feminism is in today’s society and remind us that there is no such as thing being satisfied with something as insane as one nation having “better” inequality than another.

With her assertive self-confidence and, dare I say it, actual proposed solutions (so you can stop your “raging feminist that just moans about everything” stuff now), I left Bridget’s show feeling assured that someone else, well, the woman herself, had the situation in hand.

You can see where Bridget Christie is on tour right now by visiting her website.

(And an additional side note, that I am sure you are all aware of: I encourage you to watch Emma Watson’s speech to the United Nations that she gave this week. It is inspirational in the same way that Bridget’s performance was for me.)