Okay, I see. Instead of directly replacing Jack Dee with someone, they're just going to have guest hosts bookend each episode. This time it's Jo Brand on compere duty...
Jo Brand
Back in the 90s, Jo Brand's routine consisted of variations on ugliness and gluttony. That material made the former-psychiatric nurse a popular stand-up for awhile -- but there are only so many fat jokes, aren't there? More recently, Brand has kept her profile alive by appearing on comedy panel shows and reality TV (Trinny & Susannah and Fame Academy for Comic Relief).
But now she's back and, while her new routine touched on fresh areas, it was essentially more of the same. Jokes about obesity, vaginal surgery, exercise regimes, eating biscuits, and the NHS -- most of which you could see coming a mile off, or conformed to basic joke-telling templates.
I have no axe to grind with the self-deprecating Brand herself, but I never liked her during her 90s hey-day, and I still can't warm to her now. Her material just doesn’t speak to me (maybe because men aren't really her target audience), and her dreary voice sends me to sleep after 10 minutes. There were one or two good jokes, but I was very disappointed...
Jo Brand
Back in the 90s, Jo Brand's routine consisted of variations on ugliness and gluttony. That material made the former-psychiatric nurse a popular stand-up for awhile -- but there are only so many fat jokes, aren't there? More recently, Brand has kept her profile alive by appearing on comedy panel shows and reality TV (Trinny & Susannah and Fame Academy for Comic Relief).
But now she's back and, while her new routine touched on fresh areas, it was essentially more of the same. Jokes about obesity, vaginal surgery, exercise regimes, eating biscuits, and the NHS -- most of which you could see coming a mile off, or conformed to basic joke-telling templates.
I have no axe to grind with the self-deprecating Brand herself, but I never liked her during her 90s hey-day, and I still can't warm to her now. Her material just doesn’t speak to me (maybe because men aren't really her target audience), and her dreary voice sends me to sleep after 10 minutes. There were one or two good jokes, but I was very disappointed...
Michael McIntyre
McIntyre was the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award's "Best Newcomer" back in 2003, although his TV work has only stretched to panel shows (Have I Got News For You?, Mock The Week) and occasional guest appearances on talk shows. I was aware of him as a comedian, but had never seen his stand-up work -- so colour me impressed...
He has huge charisma on-stage and you could feel the vibe leap up several notches after monotonous Jo Brand left the stage. McIntyre prowled the Apollo, acting out comic scenarios with gusto (a man stuck in automatic doors on a train, self-propelled walking, etc.) Above all, he just had some funny ideas, and could expand simple gags into hilarity (Scottish money, body malfunctions, phonetic alphabet.)
McIntyre also manages to giggle at his own gags without it looking rehearsed or self-congratulatory. He just looked to be having real fun soaking up the audience's laughter. There were a few lulls (baby talk, skipping), and the opening London-centic stuff might not strike a chord with most people, but it was always amusing and often inspired (weather records, the clocks going back, a walking bus).
For me, he proved himself a great live performer with enviable command of the room, whose comedy should appeal to anyone who likes to see their behaviour and innermost thoughts reflected on-stage. "Woo-hoo!", as McIntyre might put it...
27 November 2007
BBC1, 10.30 pm
