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Comedy and offense


Chris B

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29 minutes ago, Keith Houchen said:

Don’t a lot of artists use the fringe as a testing ground for new shows? Like a trial run for the nationwide tour where they iron out the bits that don’t work and make corrections? Almost like they use this as an editor / proof reading exercise? 

Can do. They can also build up for their runs as it can be the biggest shows of the years. Really depends on the level I imagine.

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4 hours ago, Big'Olympic_Hero'Pete said:

People will know what brand of 'comedy' he brings so to then be outraged by it after buying a ticket for it seems rather contradictory to me. 

That's the thing, will they? I know it's already been discussed but still. 

I know of him and the style of his work but I can't say I've ever really seen him before so I'd go in expecting a very heavy show but I wouldn't expect a cock in the face.

It's not much to step from that to going in blind because it's a name you've heard of, which I always thought was part of the appeal of the fringe; going blind into a wide array of different shows and names across an array of styles and seeing something new. 

I don't know enough about it, but for me it comes down to taste and intent. Are people complaining because they didn't like it or are they complaining because what he's doing is dangerous and inappropriate. I can't say, as I wasn't there and neither side has made that clear from what I've read. 

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I remember Jerry Sadowitz when he had a show on Channel 5. He is not the kind of comedian I would go and see based on what I have seen and heard of him over the years. That is a personal choice and I don't think that should stop anyone else.

I think the issue of "you should know what you are going in to" works when you do. If you don't, or if you have only seen a TV friendly version, I can imagine that is going to be a big shock. If the venue or promoter doesn't do their job of advising the possible contents of the show, that is a failure on them. I don't think the argument listed above is strong enough, even at festival where all types of comedy is presented. If anything though, this is the most press he has had in years, and I can only imagine based on the Eric Bish school of economics this will only boost his upcoming tour. Whether that brings with it the kind of audience he wanted to avoid, like you Jim Davidson fans, time will tell.  

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26 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

If the venue or promoter doesn't do their job of advising the possible contents of the show, that is a failure on them. 

Depends if they have been fully informed, no? 

I used to work as a manager in a theatre, and one evening we had Charlie Chuck as a headline act for a comedy night. It was advertised as being 'off the wall' and 'chaotic'. What he failed to mention was he would be destroying wooden boxes on stage, not even 3 feet away from the audience. Splinters in a lot of drinks. 

He also didn't mention he was going to throw one of those hard cases you can use to keep a banana safe (I didn't even know they were a thing), right into the crowd. The blind audience member who got hit in the face and had subsequent first aid - not impressed.

The nudity, if mentioned, fine (most theatres have signs about things like that). If not, bad. The jokes, without context I can't and won't comment.

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51 minutes ago, Tommy! said:

It's not much to step from that to going in blind because it's a name you've heard of, which I always thought was part of the appeal of the fringe; going blind into a wide array of different shows and names across an array of styles and seeing something new. 

People, generally, do that with the “free” shows (most still contribute something to the bucket at the end) or ones priced at a fiver or so. He was charging almost £30, which would have been at the higher end of ticket prices. I wouldn’t pay £30 to see someone without checking to see if it’s the kind of thing I’d enjoy. But that might just be me.

I believe his promo video for the show mentions getting his knob out and there was a warning at the start that some may find themes distressing. Obviously that doesn’t  give carte blanche but steps were taken to prevent people who wouldn’t enjoy from going in the first place.

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Personally, I’m a fan of Jerry Sadowitz, a  great, nay, the best magician with his cards I’ve ever seen. Moreover he’s been quoted in the past as saying when you see a comic you should have to suspend your disbelief. He’s said that if the EDL and the like attended his gigs he’d throw it in. There’s a good story on a fine forum I go to

 

I've mentioned this before, but I saw him in Glasgow once (a good 20-plus years ago) around the time The People Vs ... was still on Channel 5, so he was in one of his more popular phases. There was a group of 'lads' in, including one very large, very red-faced Rangers fan with his bright-orange away top on. 'Hur, hur, hur,' he went. 'Hur, hur, hur' at all the race- and religious-based rants from the stage. Then Sadowitz unleashed his vitriol on the Orange Order, Loyalists, Ian Paisley and Protestants in general. Your man was not laughing so much then. I had never seen Sadowitz do material like it before or since. I'm pretty sure he spotted this chap in the crowd having a rare old time (easy to do so, given his size and luminescence, which is why I mentioned it) and thought, 'Nah, not having that,' and eviscerated that particular audience member's cherished belief system/sense of identity. Got a big old cheer from the rest of the audience, but I think he and his pals left pretty soon afterwards. If he indeed is embraced by the Comedy Unleased/GB News crowd, they really don't know what they're letting themselves in for.”

Stewart Lee said himself he’s the greatest example of punching up. He’s a fucking nihilist bastard using comedy as an art piece. He’s blaming everyone else for his failings, failures, and lack of success using dog whistle arguments. Then asking people to pick a card. any card.

The right wing are using him as cause Celebre, thinking he’s a trans hater. They’re going to get a fucking shock.

 

However, I’d say, at somewhere like the Fringe where th et might not know what’s on the menu by a comedian, warnings should be in abundance.

Edited by Butch2000
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11 hours ago, Butch2000 said:

The right wing are using him as cause Celebre, thinking he’s a trans hater. They’re going to get a fucking shock.

This is the thing - I've seen some really nasty shit in support of him; from founder members of the LGB Alliance to Twitter accounts saying, "how many Pakis complained"?, and all the usual cancel culture manufactured outrage mob. What Sadowitz does next is key - just doubling down on "the act has always been offensive, deal with it" isn't good enough for me, I think he needs to actively denounce the arseholes trying to defend him, even if that means stepping out of his usual fairly self-contained world and pushing a bit more into the mainstream.

I've also seen people suggesting that the whole thing has been a bit of a "dead cat" to distract from the problems with affordability, accommodation and the app at the Fringe this year, but I really doubt that.

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2 hours ago, WyattSheepMask said:

After a seemingly successful run of Shannon Matthews: The Musical at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, next years show is already on the cards 

Hoping for a miracle and that it shuts Ladbaby’s wife’s gob

 

 

This has stemmed from a viral video of the ladbaby groping someone up in a nightclub so her gob may get more active before it shuts. I am so glad Kunt is getting a second wind after his retirement a few years back.

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