The Fandom Phantom

DISCLAIMER: In referencing conversations here, either verbal or written, I am paraphrasing. This is partly because sometimes word choice etc may give away the person I am referring to but is more to do with the fact that I do not save emails etc and my brain is mostly filled with feathers and soot with small pools of vodka around the edges therefore I remember little beyond context. I am deliberately vague as to who I refer to because I greatly value those who take the time to communicate with me and would not compromise them by outing them here. That said there are things I want to say and thus do need to draw on their wisdom to help express those thoughts.



So I am side-stepping the Cardiff Festival stuff for just a moment as something happened this week which had me returning to a piece I started to write quite a while ago but had not felt particularly inspired to finish.

I wanted to talk a little about fandom.

See here’s what happened this week… which will seem quite minor to some, but was actually a really big deal to me.

I write for a fiction website; nothing huge, I just send a couple of stories a month and they get published in an ad hoc fashion. The last ones that went live resulted in a message being forwarded from the site owner from a regular reader… my first proper fan mail!! Yay! Really excited… I mean I’ve had feedback through that site before, but this was emailed directly to the owner and talked about how she looked out for my stories in particular, that there was something in them that reached out, that it seemed I spoke to her personally… just generic stuff, but I just felt absolutely overwhelmed by it.


And that reminded me of something…

A while ago I emailed *generic comedian* an account of how much their work brought to a life such as mine. (regular readers will know but as I am aware of a recent influx of newcomers, I’ll simply say that my life is inherently pretty shit… you can read more about it by picking through the posts or check my other blogs for the full details, I really won’t go into it right now though as that is not my purpose today!) The response I received expressed surprise to the effect that this person had never considered that they could make a difference to anyone’s life; that they are just dicking about really without even thinking too much about what they are doing.

I read his reply at the time with bewilderment. I had almost wanted to respond with something along the lines of “How could you not know? You are BLANK FUCKING BLANK, for pity’s sake!!” – I didn’t; thankfully. But I genuinely could not understand how he did not realise how important making people laugh, giving them the opportunity to close their mind to all their worries and hardships and just be, for even the shortest of times really is.

I do wish I was the kind of person who saved emails as I’d like to re-read his words now with some sort of inkling as to what he meant, because I don’t ever really think about the words when writing for that site. Whilst writing here has me stop and think, constantly drafting and re-wording, when writing fiction the words just kind of fall out of my head right onto the page – there is no thought whatsoever given to them. And I guess that in a way is what he meant; that because what he does isn’t pre-written, it is effectively just chatting with a friend so has the same process of not really being work, it just happens.


This isn’t the only thing, though.

There was another person I felt compelled to communicate with some time ago; we’ll call him Comedian B.

A friend and I travelled quite a distance to see Comedian B; I with the hub-person in a very dark phase, my friend having just lost a very close family member in a horrific accident with another of equal closeness receiving treatment for a particularly invasive cancer. The both of us were really at the point of giving in, absolutely drained from our efforts at looking after everyone around us. The change we both felt, though, after just a couple of hours of listening to that person throwing jokes at us was amazing. We travelled home feeling lighter, refreshed and once again ready to grab life by the balls, give them a twist and make it known we weren’t to be fucked with.

And that, in essence, was what I told Comedian B. That he on that occasion had changed our lives so much more than he could ever imagine.

And the response was similar; it’s just a job; I do the same thing day in, day out without a real thought; changes as a result of my show come from you, not me… um, no it doesn’t. If that were true we could sit at home and save ourselves the money for fuel, tickets, parking etc and just cheer up; we can’t; we need someone to help with the switching off of our minds and engaging of our funny muscles…


And there-in lies the true essence of fandom. Not the blind, shrieking fangirl nonsense, I am far too old for that bullshit nowadays; but a quiet appreciation of all that a person and their efforts bring to your life; the assurance that as long as they are prepared to continue to provide the goods you will always find exactly what you want or need in their spoils.




And why The Scream? Just look at her face... she's the ultimate fangirl. Behind the artist, a devillishly handsome comedian has just entered the room... I shan't describe him, use your imagination; he could really be anyone you want him to be.

He might even be a woman....


But he isn't.


Not in my mind, anyway.


And on that note, I bid you adieu - for now!

CCF12 PREVIEW: Vikki Stone and Lucy Porter

Vikki Stone

I’m going to be honest here and tell you I’ve not yet seen Vikki Stone live, but I have done the research on your behalf and have to say that from what I have seen I am very much looking forward to getting the chance to see her at the Cardiff Comedy Festival!

Not much more I can say, but that there is much love around all the usual review sources, in fact even those who usually seem to hate on everything have nothing but good things to say. Check out Vikki’s website and Youtube channel for more information including where else you can see her should you not be able to get to the Cardiff Comedy Festival. Be sure to check out the hilarious ode to fangirldom "The Philip Schofield Song"... utterly fabulous!

Lucy Porter

There are some people you just don’t feel you need to tell anyone about, that the world and his dog know exactly who they are, and I have to say in my mind Lucy Porter falls into this category. With many appearances on panel shows, presenting and performing stand-up regularly on both television and radio Lucy is very much a mainstay of the British comedy world. I have been lucky enough to see her a few occasions most recently maybe three years or so ago as part of an intimate audience at a local pub which has hosted some brilliant acts over the years and I loved every moment. She is so personable, both on-stage and off and is one person who seems to put nothing on for her act, she seems to simply be standing on the stage talking to the audience as though they were a group of her friends. Of course, it could be argued that this is a ‘small-audience’ thing, but really I don’t think so. I have been to other equally small-scale gigs and they can play out as impersonally as any larger theatre with some acts.

Head to the event page here:
Vikki Stone/Lucy Porter

More Events

CCF12 PREVIEW: Dan Wright and Patrick Monahan

Dan Wright

Relatively new to solo performing, Dan Wright is just great! He already oozes the confidence of a comedian more seasoned than the mere two years he has under his belt. Of course, this is simply a reflection of the time he has spent as part of duo Electric Forecast and his countless television credits.

Aside from the obvious (because we know how comedians who start out on kids TV love constantly being reminded long after they leave their characters in the glitter and dust of the CBeebies studio, don’t we!) Dan Wright has been on many other television shows. The one I remember him most from (even more than the Big Cook Little Cook thing!) is Crash Test Dummies, originally shown on the Discovery Kids TV channel – a show which Child One once described as being “like Jackass but without the drugs, beer and swearing” but he has also presented a range of other shows such as the light-hearted documentary F*ck Off I’m Ginger, Big Brother’s Big Mouth and channel five’s tongue-in-cheek Sex Lessons.

As a stand-up, though, we see a calmer side than the slightly manic character we see in his partnership with Stephen Marsh. He is well paced and methodical in his delivery of some really good material.

If I were to make a small criticism (since that is kind-of my purpose here!) it would be that what I have seen of Dan Wright thus far has been fairly safe and nothing particularly ground-breaking, but that said he is still very funny with some great material so well worth going to see!


Pat Monahan

Like most people, I first heard of Pat Monahan via the ITV contest, Show Me the Funny which he won in 2011. He had already been gigging for many years before this, though, which showed in the huge amount of confidence he displayed throughout. I was lucky enough to catch him recently in the home town (yes, something decent here for once!) and thoroughly enjoyed his set. The greatest thing is that winning the show doesn’t seem to have changed much about his style so all the things which had us willing him on as we watched are still very much a part of his act- again, probably down to the experience behind him that whilst able to take criticism onboard, he had the self-assurance to know that some things worked even if the experts felt they shouldn’t.

(and as an aside, I should say that whilst that show started with a few WTF’s, we really were torn by the end to the point that any of the finalists could have won and we’d have been equally pleased… just in case I find myself mentioning the show again and come across as sycophantic through saying nice things about someone else!)

But anyway, two great comics well worth seeing, so catch them both at St David’s Hall, 8pm on Thursday 5th July.

Head to the event page here:
Dan Wright/Patrick Monahan

More Events

Cardiff Comedy Festival 2012

Mention comedy festivals and most people’s immediate thoughts go to the somewhat over-rated Edinburgh Fringe. It is not necessary, though, to travel such a huge distance to find good comedy clustered together for our convenience.

From a modest five-night start based at O’Neill’s Irish Bar in 2009, the Cardiff Comedy Festival has in a relatively short time become a full month of brilliant acts at various venues across the city. Most events are being held at either the Chapter Arts Centre, St David’s Hall or the Glee Club but there are one-off shows being held at many other venues so check the listings page for full details.

Some of the names to have graced the festival in previous years include: Rhod Gilbert, Russell Kane, Jo Caulfield, Phil Nichol, Craig Campbell and the brilliant Pappy’s with this year promising some equally exciting acts. There is a great line-up with established names from the comedy circuit alongside some of the emerging comedians of the future promising the month of July will be an exciting one indeed for comedy fans within reach of the city.

Check out the listings page here for more information: WHO’S ON? …and remember to keep popping back, as more acts are still being confirmed.


Also as part of the festival are a range of courses and workshops for those tempted to pursue their own comedy dream as well as the Welsh Unsigned Stand-up Award, a contest featuring a host of promising comedians hoping to carve a career for themselves (Watch this space as I have more to say about the WUSA - but for the time being, check out the info on the Cardiff Comedy Festival website: WUSA)


To follow, I will be giving some info on the acts to be seen at the festival, so stay tuned… (in fact, there might even be more today, who knows- no promises though- you know how bad I am at fulfilling those!)

Mixing it Up...

My regular readers (*waves*) will be familiar by now with the way things work around here… there will be ramblings and rantings, interspersed with the odd review, promise of a review or list of excuses for the lack of a review. I am taking a small diversion from form, however, to introduce a new obsession for you all.



From here-on, you can also expect a few posts referencing the upcoming Cardiff Comedy Festival as I endeavour to help in my own little way with their promotion. Please check out the Festival website and follow the links to buy tickets. There are some great acts appearing; some you may have heard of, some you possibly won’t – but it would be a dull world indeed if we all watched the same things time and again, wouldn’t it?!

Check here for a listing of the acts lined up- be sure to keep looking back as more acts are being added. Following will be a potted guide to the festival for those unfamiliar with it. In the meantime, find out a little more by taking a look at this footage with regards to the 2011 event:

Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience

Click this image to go to the BBC Arts page to make your own Rhod doll!

Series three of this brilliant show is currently airing on BBC1 Wales, with repeats on BBC2 yet to come for the rest of the UK. That said, it is obviously available on the Iplayer for catch-up, so be sure to take a look.

Anyway; I am sure I have spoken of the show before and you ought to have watched some of the previous episodes- but for those amongst you who have not seen it, here’s a mini-breakdown:

Each week Rhod Gilbert takes on a different job, immersing himself into the role in his unique way and injecting his own brand of humour and mockery into the daily grind of his hosts.


The selection of jobs is thus:

Series one was the kind people we all take it for granted have a fairly easy job but in actual fact don’t. In this series, he was a bin-man, a mum, hairdresser and soldier.

Series two was the sexual fantasy series, seeing Rhod work firstly as a farmer -okay, not particularly sexy at first thought, but think more carefully! Rugged and outdoorsy; strong and manly whilst also showing his sensitive side with the animals… with me now?! Next he donned the finery to work as a butler, before getting his kit off to be tattooed and pierced, then leaving us with the image of Firefighter Rhod. And I’ll leave you with that mental image for a moment or two.



Back with us now?

Okay, so now to series three. You have unfortunately missed the airing of the first two episodes in which Rhod worked as a teacher at a fantastic school and as a Zookeeper at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Clwyd, North Wales; although there is the BBC Two repeat to look forward to (I think it’s usually a couple of weeks after the last episode airs in Wales) and obviously the Iplayer. Yet to come we get to see Rhod as a Drag Artist and Policeman (honestly, I suspect series four might have to end on the Gladiator episode or something! There must still be Gladiators, aren’t there? … and obviously I mean the ‘killing Christians’ type, not the ‘very camp 80’s muscle-bound meathead’ ones you may be thinking of)

As you would expect from Rhod Gilbert, the show is hilarious. There really is something about the way he interacts with those he works with which brings out the best in everyone to the point where even the most mundane of daily chores becomes an adventure into the unknown. I also find myself taken with his humility; he is never afraid to show his fallibility and doesn’t ever duck out of doing the demeaning parts of the job on the basis of his status.
Equally hilarious of course is the simile-laden narration as Rhod talks us through his working day.


I don’t think I need say more than that – tune in Monday’s 10.35pm to catch the last two episodes, watch (and rewatch) the current two on the Iplayer…

Just wanted to add a little update here in the form of images. The final episode was unfortunately not shown due to legal issues. Not being a person to speculate or start rumour, I am simply conveying what information is available at the moment.

1st August: A small update since I see there are a few search hits for information on the final episode: Still no news as regards when we can expect it I am afraid.
The official line is simply that there are legal issues which need to be resolved and I will not make any attempts to guess what these issues might be - why is the least relevant factor, to be honest!

NEWSFLASH!!
The awaited Policeman episode will be shown this coming Tuesday, 10pm on BBC1Wales


You can buy the series one and two DVD here:



Absolutely brilliant DVD... well worth the money for the extras alone!



If you need to learn more about the show, each image below links to the relevant BBC programme page:

Just a Quickie (Missus!)

Not even drafting this one, I'm so hardcore! (although without the squiggles it's gonna be hard to see where I have typed too fast for my eyes to keep up, so excuse typos, yeah?!)

Really living on the edge as only I can...


Keep up, people!



Just wanted to let you all know I am still very much here.

Mostly, anyway.

Check the other blogs for updates as to why I am quiet...


There are posts approaching, though. Have spent the past week writing a review of the fabulous Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience... as per usual trying to make it sound objective is the stumbling block, but I seem to have managed for the most part!

I wonder if I don't need more balance, so if you have something REALLY BAD you think I should review, please send it! Honestly, anything at all... I just need one review that says "This is utter shit!" I should be like a real reviewer and have my smart-arsed punchlines of hatred written out in preparation to copy/paste into the review, but that's really not my style...

Anyway, there is other stuff too... you'll just have to wait.

Oh, and the A-Z is taking a back seat for a moment I'm afraid... I had gotten as far as F and had a few later letters covered, but there is another project before me so I will sit on that for now! Continue to send suggestions, though... even for the letters I have done, as I can always add more. Oh, and those with a particular C suggestion - look at the rest of the blog, do really you think he needs adding to the A-Z too? I think I've said all I have to say on that particular subject, don't you?


Anyhoo... quick update over coffee becomes rambling nonsense... adding media/formatting and will be posting REAL stuff forthwith!

Appologies in advance to feed subscribers for a sudden hit today, but you can't have it all ways!

Happy Days, all!!



For no real reason ... some bloobreeze from my garden!

Alex Horne: Seven Years in the Bathroom

I know, I promised I’d be more timely with these – but in reality, it's just a week since I watched the show… and here’s the other thing: I don’t know if it’s just me, but there is a certain euphoria in watching a live performance which does generally leave one laughing at absolutely anything (believe me, in addition to uncomedian Jethro, the hub-creature loves Joe Pasquale thus we have seen him live maybe 4 times- I always found myself laughing at the time, then on seeing the same material on the TV questioned what made it funny!!)

Digressing as per usual but hey, at least you know this is not computer-generated randomised review… shit like this has to flow from a real, slightly malfunctioning brain, right?


I was due to have visited the Mach festival (more on that in another post!) but because of uncertainties over the impending operation and other crap related to the fact my life is not my own had to cancel everything (and incidentally, if any of my readership happens to be in the holiday accommodation business… I appreciate the need to hold deposits when it’s quiet, I really do- but if you RESELL my booking, surely it is not too much to expect a full refund, is it?)

So anyway, knowing that the brilliant Alex Horne was in the next town, I thought “What the heck!” And went along to drown my comedy sorrows.

And I’m bloody glad I did!

Obviously I was familiar with Alex’ radio work but I really had no idea what to expect from him ‘in the flesh’ (and as it happens, that is more than a glib, clichéd phrase… we actually did get to see more of him than we all expected to!)

This show is very difficult to review without giving anything away; especially given that I think a huge part of the joy of an event such as this is in the unknown.

It was more theatre than ‘just another’ comedy show with a huge reliance on perfect timing and the performance itself; and I realise that might sound as though I am suggesting it was not funny… but it was – very much so.

There was a huge element of audience participation (a word of warning, if this makes you uncomfortable be sure to not be seated at the front) but it was not the cringey kind of involvement that leaves a person feeling they have to try to be as funny as the comedian as often happens much to the point that I think even had I been one of those selected I would have not had my usual reservations about taking part (and for the record, I am not a person to make a prat of herself in front of an audience!) It was unfortunate that a large element of the show relied on internet and phone access, neither of which are available in the town- although we did seem to strike lucky in that a passing wave of network hit someone’s phone just as we needed it!

It really is difficult to review this with any more depth for fear of giving away something, so I will simply tell you (as usual!) to go see Alex Horne whenever/wherever you get the opportunity! And if you are reading this and wondering who he is: firstly shame on you; secondly, check out this episode of The Matt Lucas Awards

And watch this: very funny!

Sad Day (Very)

As I sit here with one song repeating on the generic digital music player I want to address my grief.

I am in a peculiar situation. I have always felt it a little pathetic when you see people shedding real tears over the deaths of people they had never met- I mean when a celebrity has died, someone I have been a genuine fan of, I will feel sad and have a moment of regret over their loss- but to actually shed tears when you never met the person, didn’t have an idea who they really were or what their true beliefs were… that’s ridiculous, right?

I still think that.

But today I have joined the ranks of the ridiculous and pathetic as I find myself shedding very real tears at the death of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. And here’s where it gets worse… because my go-to music when I am grieving has ALWAYS been Licensed to Ill because that takes me to a time when life was pretty much as ok as it could be… and as you can imagine that is offering precious little support today no matter how many times I hear it.

So instead, I am sharing with you all like you are my therapy group or something… maybe you are, I’ve never really thought too much about it to be honest with you.

But I am hurting. In a bad way.

See I spoke recently about how there is always one member of a partnership we like more than the other and MCA was very much my Beastie boyfriend. I was in my early teens when the album arose and impressionable me created an entire impression of who he was based purely on the lines he spoke in the tracks I heard. And thus I built my ideal boyfriend out of lyric scraps…

I did say ridiculous and pathetic, didn’t I?

But anyway… imagine that your first love has died; the grief that would instil regardless whether you have seen them since or not and that is pretty much what I am feeling right now.

I was out when the news broke; hidden in the depths of the nearby town as yet seemingly untouched by the internet, so I went to a comedy show (review to follow once my emotions are processed) had a thoroughly good time, then hit the internet on my return to find the news awaiting me. And like many others I am sure, I was fully aware he was ill. In fact, I read only a couple of weeks ago that his condition was terminal. But these guys are indestructible, right? Terminal means nothing if you are immortal.

I will stop now, mostly because I have nothing new to say and am pretty much rehashing old thoughts just for the sake of writing something…

Although that is pretty much what the grieving process amounts to, isn’t it? Expressing every though, every feeling in an attempt to shed them all from our inner soul.

Either way, I need to take a few moments with the bassline reverberating through my head just to shake out the clouds.

To close, my favourite Beastie song, which has been repeating since 4pm and it’s almost 9.30 now! Doubt I’ll ever listen to it again without tearing up!




There is a beautiful tribute to Yauch on the Beasties' website

And this, from Eggsy of Goldie Lookin Chain paying tribute on the Radio 5Live Breakfast Show this morning:


Don't rest in peace, Adam:: Storm the gates and PAAAARTY!! Cos Heaven very much needs livening up!

Josh Widdicombe and Charlie Baker

Because I believe it is important to be completely honest about such things, I was feeling quite cold towards the Charlie Baker aspect of this show… I will explain, as it was not completely unfounded:

I had not seen much of him on TV (although my kids were insanely excited about his presence and had more of a “Josh who?” attitude towards the show!) but in what little I had seen he felt very much like non-comedian, Jethro.

I’ll elaborate, because my hatred for that man is something else entirely… I have never found Jethro to be at all funny. My family do, I don’t know why – they obviously see something I don’t. But my dislike goes further than fraudulent claims at being amusing… there’s a story… I will try to keep it concise:

I was once at a cash machine in my hometown which has a wide road and a huge pavement alongside it. As I stepped away from the machine, focussing on putting my cash in my purse, purse in bag etc, I looked up to the sound of a horn. And it was Jethro, who having performed an illegal U-turn was headed towards me at great speed along the PAVEMENT… you know, the bit where people WALK… and he yelled at ME, calling me some highly unsavoury names for not paying attention to where I was walking… on the fucking PAVEMENT… so I hate the man. And all he stands for.

Now here’s the thing… it always feels from Jethro's ‘comedy’ that he is just relying on the hilarity of a Westcountry accent; that it doesn’t matter what he actually says because saying it in a Cornish drawl will just make it funny. And people flock to see him on this very basis… I don’t get it. At all.

And the few occasions I saw Charlie Baker on the TV it felt he was doing the same. He said something, it wasn’t particularly funny, so he repeated with his Devonshire accent and it suddenly was. And I thought “Yea, cos the world needs another fucking Jethro” and ignored everything else he had to say.

Whether he was doing that and has now moved on or if it is simply that my perception was jaded at the time I will never know but I am happy to say that now it is not the case.


Charlie Baker is a very funny guy. A little rough around the edges, he came across as incredibly nervous at first and I’ll be honest his inexperience was extremely apparent, but once he settled and got a feel for the audience he had everyone on side. It would be interesting to see him perform in his own right, rather than as warm-up to someone else, as much of what he was doing was telling us how brilliant Josh was going to be (which to be honest, most people there already knew so he could have just relaxed and done his own thing!) In fact, he was by far the most ‘warm-uppy’ support act I have ever seen… not a bad thing, of course… on a cold, gloomy Friday evening at the end of a long, hard week you really want someone to gee you along a little. And he certainly did that! But I’d have liked to hear more of his great material than the constant references to what we should expect.

I really hope he comes back to these parts next year – it will be great to watch him develop as he learns to channel his nerves more productively.



By contrast, Josh Widdicombe was, as one would expect, calm relaxed and perfectly paced with his delivery of a brilliant set. There are certain local things he referenced which had been mentioned by other comedians (I did wonder for a moment if he hadn’t been in the audience of the Seann Walsh show at the same venue a few months ago!) and there was a moment I thought his interaction with one particular audience member was going on for too long, although I think it is testament to his ability to read his audience that he realised at this point he was losing the interest of the rest of us and drew back to his material. That said, though, even that intercourse itself was entertaining and banter-fuelled rather than simply insulting and putting down the vocal interjector.


I always think you can tell a show has gone well if they finish and you find yourself in that confusion over time – “Really? They’ve only been talking for 10 minutes, surely? Oh more than an hour? You sure?” And I very much found myself in that situation at the completion of both sets.

So anyway…

As usual I will close by saying should you find either stopping by your area (so to speak) do make the effort to go see them! I know it seems I always say that- what can I say but that I am lucky to have never seen a dud live act (yet!)