josie long

Preview: The Week Ahead Jan 6 - 12

What's in a name? When Debbie Harry decided she wanted to be taken seriously as a musician she started calling herself Deborah Harry. When Rob Newman decided he wanted to be seen as a more mature comedian he started being billed as Robert Newman. But it is probably Newman's material more than his monicker that has cast him in a new light.

Preview: The Week Ahead Dec 8 - 14

I'm not saying Nish Kumar: Is A Comedian should have won the Foster's Award in Edinburgh this summer, but I was surprised that it didn't get talked about more as a contender for a nomination. Maybe this is a problem of just standing onstage and chatting rather than delivering pyrotechnics, feminism-tinged satire or immersive audience participation.

Competition: Win Alternative Comedy Experience DVDs

If you like stand-up comedy Beyond The Joke has a treat for you. We have three copies of the DVD of series one of Comedy Central's The Alternative Comedy Experience to give away. The series was transmitted earlier this year and was acclaimed as an antidote to the shiny floor stand-up of Live at the Apollo. Comedy guru Stewart Lee was involved in selecting the acts and he appears on the DVD interviewing acts backstage at The Stand Club in Edinburgh where the series was filmed.

Interview: Josie Long

Josie Long (if you can see pictures they are by Idil Sukan at Draw HQ) was one of my favourite comedians even before she co-founded Arts Emergency to help students study arts degrees. I don't always agree with her but I admire the way that she throws herself headlong into everything she does, whether it is her pursuit of social justice or her hobby of outdoor swimming.

Preview: The Week Ahead June 17 - 23

An early Week Ahead this week, as it involves a big gig at the start of the week that might take some forward planning. Bill Bailey's recent tours have taken in venues of contrasting sizes, from arenas – or "enormodomes", as I think he was the first to dub them – to the Royal Albert Hall,  Leicester Square Theatre and larger West End Theatres.

Opinion: Fans v Acts v Fans – The Results

And so the virtual polling booths are closed and the results can finally be revealed. Last week I wrote a piece about the things that irritate me at comedy gigs and I was deluged with responses from others telling me their gig gripes too. I said I'd expand on the report but when I analysed the responses I realised there was a little bit of crossed wires going on.

Interview: Stewart Lee, February 2013

You won't see much of Stewart Lee in his latest TV series starting on February 5. He is executive producer/curator of Comedy Central's The Alternative Comedy Experience and only crops up briefly interviewing the acts between their appearances.

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