Standup Comedy On TV - August 2007 Glasgow Herald - August 1st, 2007

“Stand-up comedy does not work on the small screen”. It’s one of the glib truisms of television and its timorous gatekeepers, the executives, the commisioners, the controllers. Look around you. Yes, there are hundreds of stand-up comedians on television. But none of them are actually doing stand-up comedy. They are playing panel games, and hosting…

The Watersons’ Mighty River Of Song - May 2007 The Sunday Times - May 13th, 2007

The siblings Mike, Lal and Norma Waterson, and her husband Martin Carthy, kick-started the 60’s folk revival, and Martin and Norma’s daughter Eliza Carthy is the hidden engine of English Traditional music’s current resurgence. All participated in an augmented line-up of the Waterson clan, minus the late Lal, standing twelve strong along the lip of…

LONDON LIFES 15 – WALTER PIGEON - May 2007 What's On In London - By Stewart Lee - May 1st, 2007

Walter Pigeon is a pigeon and lives in the sky above Trafalgar Square. He is bitterly opposed to pigeon persecution, humans and London’s Mayor, Ken Livingstone. Mankind! You attempt to destroy us! And yet still we thrive. Seven years ago your tiny, moustachioed mayor banned the sale of seed to drive us from your Trafalgar…

LONDON LIFES 14 – BINTY FROGWITCH - April 2007 What's On In London - By Stewart Lee - April 24th, 2007

Binty Frogwitch lives in Chelsea and has been a Royal Dog Correspondent since the 1950’s, selling stories to The Daily Mail, ITN and Popbitch. “I have always lived in London. I need to be at the centre of things. If an incident involving a Royal Dog occurs I have to check the facts. Hurry Binty!…

LONDON LIFES 13 – FAITH GURNEY - April 2007 What's On In London - By Stewart Lee - April 17th, 2007

Faith Gurney is a Traffic Police Community Support Officer, formerly a Traffic Warden, operating in Central London. She is 37 years old and enjoys West End Musicals and the films of Richard Curtis, has two pet guinea pigs, and was recently at the centre of a hoo-hah. “Nothing in Traffic Police Community Support Officer (formerly…

LONDON LIFES 12 – SAVAGE CLINKING - April 2007 What's On In London - By Stewart Lee - April 10th, 2007

Savage Clinking is a punk-historian, and is the author of almost two books on the music and politics of the era, featuring random use of capitals and some photos of Sid Vicious falling over. So, farewell then, Hammersmith Palais, venue of PUNK Legends. Long may you ROT in peace! I was there when THE PISTOLS…