Jesus Fucking Christ

[Carbomb]

Bloody hell, man - sorry to hear that; I know several blokes who had those. Each one said it was the worst pain they've ever felt.

Hope you recover quickly.

[SuperBacon]

I've had kidney stones twice (well, they've travelled, technically I still have stones in there) and it was just the worst.

I passed out from the pain several times, and was genuinely howling within a few minutes. 

 

[SuperBacon]

I know they're throwaway lines out of the context of a wider show (and live audience setting) but these are all exceptionally bad.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/aug/11/bad-dates-and-bath-bombs-10-of-the-funniest-jokes-from-the-edinburgh-fringe-2025

There's usually a few that make me smile, but this crop is just dreadful. 

[BomberPat]

definitely heard that matador joke years ago from someone else, too.

[gmoney]

Those don't seem any better or worse than usual to me. One liners almost always seem shit shorn of delivery. Though I'm getting nostalgic for the first time I heard that nostalgia one, at some point in the fucking nineties. 

[davertfnewman]

Ten comics there you'll never hear about.

The reality is the journo probably wanted to write an article and plucked ten they could scribble down quickly for the story, but they aren't even curl your smile up material.

[gmoney]

2 minutes ago, davertfnewman said:

The reality is the journo probably wanted to write an article and plucked ten they could scribble down quickly for the story, but they aren't even curl your smile up material.

Some publication used to do a 10 best and 10 worst every year and the rumour was they just picked 20 and randomly assigned them to one of the lists. 

[Chili]

How it works is these acts that are featured usually spend a lot of money for the Fringe on PR. So those will be the only acts featured. The best joke of the Fringe lists you see (which have been discontinued this year after Lorna Rose Treen 'won' last year and some men online were absolute cunts about it) generally get compiled before the month even begins. Just PR lists for promo and things that let people of a certain age talk about "when you had proper comedy" whilst shaking a fist.

[Ironic Indie Lad]

Definitely feeling a lot older recently. (I am 38 years old)

Been very active with combat sports, lifting and running since about 20 years of age. Don't really have the time now as a dad to a young daughter, husband (to my wife!) work full time, have two dogs etc. 

Only exercise I am getting is walking with my dogs and my daughter. I try to make the most of this and usually find I am getting 6-10 miles in per day.

I have two pretty decent pairs of running shoes - a Hoka pair and a Saucony pair. I usually wear these if I am walking a lot.

The other day I hit 25,000 steps but I was wearing a pair of Vans. When I got out of bed the following day I was a write off from the lower back on down.

TLDR - I am at an age where I cant walk without very cushioned footwear.

[SuperBacon]

27 minutes ago, Chili said:

How it works is these acts that are featured usually spend a lot of money for the Fringe on PR. So those will be the only acts featured. The best joke of the Fringe lists you see (which have been discontinued this year after Lorna Rose Treen 'won' last year and some men online were absolute cunts about it) generally get compiled before the month even begins. Just PR lists for promo and things that let people of a certain age talk about "when you had proper comedy" whilst shaking a fist.

That's interesting as one of my mates was in the top 10 one year (was a very funny line) and I know for a fact that he has never spent a penny on that kind of thing.

[gmoney]

Yeah, I'm not convinced of that, otherwise you'd just get Avalon comics on there. I also know a comic who was on the list once and his management at the time was fucking shocking. 

Edited August 12, 2025 by gmoney

[Chili]

Oh very occasionally someone will get through, a mate of mine Masai Graham won and was featured pretty much every year (though his act is very in that Tim Vine short pun variety that he specialises in), but predominantly it's usually a PR pushing exercise for most. 

Edited August 12, 2025 by Chili

[gmoney]

So do they bid on getting featured then? What's the process?

[Scratch]

I’ve written two joke books (available now on Amazon) that I’d be 50% sure 50% of you would like.

Fun fact: Keith Chegwin stole one of my jokes once and got really shitty when I called him out on it.

[Chili]

5 minutes ago, gmoney said:

So do they bid on getting featured then? What's the process?

Dunno, never entered them but in fairness this is all secondary information from acts with reps and an agent from conversations at the fringe a while ago. It's probably less hokey then when a paper or a website cover the best shows to see etc.