Wednesday 11 August 2004

Am I Right Folks? Eh? Am I? Am I Right?

Fizz and I went to see my mate Esmond headline at The Stand last night. He was very good, but we both felt that a flat crowd didn't do him any favours. His T-Shirt generated a few laughs on its own.

As the headliner you'd expect him to be better than the other acts on a new starts night, and of course he didn't let us down. As for the other folk on, there were a couple of them who had some good bits, however what I'm having a moan about is that coming onto a stage and just blethering for 5 minutes is not comedy. Without naming names don't walk in front of an audience and expect them to be happy listening to you talk without having a point or any direction to what you're saying. Don't expect to put no thought into what is coming out of your mouth and make a crowd laugh. And really don't have the nerve to look offended when no one takes to you. It seems to me that too many folk think that in order to be a stand-up comedian you just have to talk until you're flashed to come off stage. Only the very gifted can talk off the top of their head or about what happened to them that week and make it sound funny. Few people are very gifted in that regard, that's why they're termed 'very gifted' if everyone could do it, they'd just be the average.

Esmond is shortly off to Oban to do a gig with Bruce Morton.

The highlight of the night for me though was getting a whirl in Grant Cadger's Fanny Magnet.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I didn't know you knew Esmond 'pish. He headlined in Edinburgh at Red Raw a couple of weeks ago and I remembered he was funny too. Actually, I was one of the ones who chuckled at his t-shirt. As you know 'pish, I have been going to Red Raw on a Monday night in Edinburgh Stand for a good few months now and have to say that I come away satisfied most nights. Considering it's only a quid to get in and you get 9 or 10 acts, there's not much to complain about. And even if they're rubbish, they're only on for 10 minutes. The worst thing I ever saw bar none though, was when Jerry McCrap headlined. With all the same shite that he had in Glasgow, complete with the Lulu Shout and Sean Connery impression. Woeful. I'm off to see a couple of things at the Stand tonight. A Geordie called Tony Carter who is quite funny. I've seen him before. And two guys off the tele who I'm not so keen on but whom my companion is - Henry McNab presents... I'll let you know what they were like.

Tom said...

Yes I have gigged with Tony Carter and he is quite funny. You should be aware Anonymous, that it is 2 quid to laugh in Glasgow.