Friday 26 February 2010

Justice Colombian Style

Here's the story of Javier Florez, midfielder for Columbian football team Junior Barranquilla. In July of last year Florez shot dead a fan who heckled him for his part in a defeat.

Florez was tried for manslaughter and after agreeing to pay the victim's family 150 million pesos he received 3 years probation. On Thursday he made his return to playing for his team in the Copa Colombia.

The film below made by ESPN runs to 7 and a half minutes.






Wednesday 17 February 2010

Well Done Tom & Limmy

A big well done to the actor Tom Brogan who I'm sure you'll agree delivered some sterling performances on yon Limmy's Show what has been on the tele recently. I honestly can't think of anyone more deserving and I was proud of the big man for grabbing his opportunity with both hands and bringing the funny as only he can. No surprise to see Brian relying on him as much as he did.

As for the show itself I thought it was real step in the right direction for Scottish TV comedy. It kept well away from the cosy parochialism that has characterised output for so long and delivered a contemporary and eclectic programme that focused on an individual vision rather than the sludge of disparate ideas you can sometimes get from a multi-writer sketch show. There were ideas, characters and gags aplenty. There was also plenty of scope for the humour to give way to an uneasy, jarring sense of despair and dissatisfaction. A number of styles were handled with equal aplomb and I think therein lay the great strength of the show. There seemed a real lack of any kind of fear, of second-guessing what the audience wanted. Instead we got the confident delivery of a genuinely considered vision. It also suggested there is so much more to come but in the meantime, for me it was an assured first foray into the mainsteam for a genuine talent with a big say in how broadcast comedy is going to be shaped in Scotland for a good while to come.

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Thanks For Watching

That's Limmy's Show done. Six episodes all finished. Thanks a lot for watching, if you did so. It's been good fun seeing people's reactions to it, both online and in person.

Of the notable folk who went out of their way to comment on it Graham Linehan, Robert Popper, Grace Dent, Pearl of Pearl and the Puppets and bizarrely Joan Burnie all loved it. Unfortunately Tam Cowan and John Smeaton didn't. Can't win them all.

Thanks for all the nice comments youse have been hitting me up with. Basically I turned up on time and did what I was told, but I'll take all the praise going anyway.

Thursday 11 February 2010

Limmy's Youngest Fan

It shouldn't be funny, but it is.

Sunday 7 February 2010

Some Funny Things in the News

There's been a lack of posts on 'Pish of late, since we're both so busy with the chatty whirlwind of Twitter, but I thought I'd try to get a few more updates on here.

Anyway this is for anyone who missed these cracking video clips this past week. The first one is the astonishingly mental video Richard Madeley put together for The Daily Politics. In it he mounts a defence of Tony Blair, making himself out to be a prize fud.

The second one is Labour MP Jim Devine's hilariously out-of-his-depth defence of his expenses claims on the Channel 4 News on Friday night. You have to think that any defence where you used the word 'Whatdoyoucallit?' more than once hasn't gone well.

After that you've got 'Pish favourite Doug Stanhope's slot from last week's Newswipe.

The whole things runs to about 16 minutes, with Devine's blabberings taking up 11 minutes.

(If you're reading this on Facebook and can't see the videos the blog post is here.)

Saturday 6 February 2010

Hooray For Saturday in February

Here's my Sub City radio show from earlier this morning. On it you can find some stand-up by Doug Stanhope and Aziz Ansari as well as tunes from The Auteurs, Bob Evans, Steve Burns and the Struggle, The Dears and more. Go and give it a listen.