"Comedy criticism is virtually non-existent.

It isn't in the nature of listings magazines like Time Out or Heat to offer any genuine three-dimensional opinions about comedy (and few journalists have enough knowledge about comedy history to offer worthwhile criticism anyway). Most fall on the piss-easy option of simply quoting lie-infested press- releases which further confuses the issue.

The views of the comedians themselves can't be trusted. There are no longer any views expressed which don't simply toe their agencies' party lines or aren't half-thought-out, badly constructed, self-serving essays of astonishing tedium.

Fans? Don't trust 'em either. All too often these creatures are utterly defensive of any kind of criticism, without realising that a questioning audience is what keeps their desired comedians on their guard from turning shite. Some fans affect an air of criticism but this is kept deliberately low-key to avoid incurring the disinterested wrath of the comedian who might just refuse that all important guest-list place or interview. It's when those fans become recognised as 'journalists' that you need to be wary. Self-serving cunts to a man, shimmying up the drainpipe of comedy in a desperate quest for attention, changing their opinions en route to suit their career needs..."

Do we need to update any of that?

Nah.

In the Interests of Assisting Ricky Gervais... Enjoying Derek? Of course you are... First published November 3rd, 2009

Delboy Falls Through The Bar Be wary of falling standards and falling Delboys. First published March 30 2009

Get Funny Fanny Simon Fanshawe, Esther Rantzen, Garry Bushell and The Mary Whitehouse Experience - all in one sauna together. First published December 2008.

Kids' Programme Doesn't pretty much all comedy these days look like the work of kids? First published September 2008.

MWE: 'Martin Comes A Cropper' Reading out and ridiculing a bad review is a dangerous path... First published July 2008.

Positively Negative Anyone who celebrates the notion of 'positivity' is an imbecile. Yup, that appears to be the gist of this article. First published July 2008.

Game Over With Humph gone, should I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue continue? First published July 2008.

Heresy An unbroadcast radio debate about sitcom laughtracks which arguably kick-started the 'Dark' backlash... First published January 2005.

Sit-Trag The latest non-existant genre to hit the fan. We celebrate the birth (and death) of this soon-forgotten phrase. First published March 2004.

The Brass Eye Special Chris Morris attempts to tackle the 'final taboo in comedy' and misses it by a country mile. Written May 2002 (never previously published online)

Better In The Radio Theatre An illustration of how a marvellous radio session can be turned into a dull half hour for broadcast. Written July 2001 (never previously published online)

The Return of The 11 O'Clock Show It returned. It wiggled about on the telly a bit. And then it went off again. We wonder where it is now. First published November 2000.

Channel 4 Winter Press Launch 2000 The first and only time SOTCAA were allowed anywhere near Channel 4. First published November 2000.

The 100 Greatest TV Moments From Hell The current state of affairs at Channel 4 is, of course, exactly like the Holocaust in every possible sense... First published November 2000.

Ben Elton Knows The Truth Quite possibly the funniest attack on Birtism you're ever likely to find. First published November 2000.

The Nualas 'Stop being so negative', spat the internet comedy fans. 'Celebrate something current', they whined... First published November 2000.

Stop Press Journalism's a dirty job, but some immoral, self-serving, dick-brained bully has to do it... First published November 2000.

Dark 'Dark' comedy appears to have become the new orthodoxy... First published August 2000.

Let's All Be Elitist Plebbed-down comedy which aims for great fat middle-ground audience of 'ordinary people' sucks big time... First published November 2000.

Critical Condition: Comedy For anyone who thinks SOTCAA is populated by paranoid, conspiracy-hunting cynics, this is your set text First published August 2000.

Publicity or Bust C4's Edinburgh or Bust is given a sound kicking for two weeks before SOTCAA decides there's little to be gained from it. First published August 2000

Kevin Lie-Go An email from 'an insider' about how Channel 4 attempted to kill Harry Hill's presence on the station.... Written May 2000 (never previously published)

The Boosh Comedy fads can be dangerous things, especially when what that fad is peddling purports to be innovative... First published May 2000.

Jam Okay, so how are we gonna cover this one, we asked ourselves? First published April 2000

Stewart Lee Is Wrong ...and was the first of many who took it upon themselves to 'drag the sitcom industry into the 90s'. First published March 2000.

The 11 O'Clock Show Pretty much all the ills of the current comedy climate can be traced back to this point. First published March 2000.

Topical Comedy Is A Bad Idea Enough with the wry looks back at the last seven days already... First published March 2000.

Reference Comedy And if the reference is hot enough, who needs jokes? Fuck 'em - they get in the way. First published March 2000.

Cliches, Received Opinions... Lose ten points for any of the following in your comedy review: First published March 2000.

Anal Preventive Mad, sad, nerdy, anoraky, no-friends trainspotter twats. That's what we are, apparently. First published March 2000.

I'm Alan Partridge Was Rubbish I'm Alan Partridge signalled the death of the original Partridge character... First published March 2000.

Dot Dot Dot...And Very Very Funny Four-times Perrier Award failure Al Murray has something to celebrate... First published March 2000.