Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig Posted Tue May 16 10:59:56 BST 2000 by Jo

Did anyone from else here go to it? If so, what did you think?

I was in a bad mood (rushing around when I am hot and tired isn't one of my fave things to do :) and was entirely cynical about the comedic talents of most of those on the bill (http://www.ilisu.org.uk/gig.html)...

Started off slow, but Arthur Smith is always quite funny I think... perhaps it is just because I come from Sarf London though ;) The two women (Jo Caulfield and Jo Jo Smith) on the bill were all sanitary towels, cunnilingus and getting pissed (I suppose that really *is* all women go on about... ;), Felix Dexter was nothing special and Steve Gribben was really very annoying. The undisputed highlight of the first half was Omid Dhjalili - a lot of his act was "cultural differences" comedy, so some people might think that dull, but he was ace! Go see him :o) Second half started with Rich Hall, who was loud and twangy but had some funny bits. And then Rob Newman! Fat and political, he was so different to the man I last saw a few years ago at the Royal Festival Hall. I laughed at him this time! :o) Lee Hurst was predictable and Mark Thomas was late... :) When he arrived he did more explaining about the campaign than being funny, which was a nice change.

I think that probably Omid was the only person not to mention drugs or periods, which makes him stand out from most stand up comedians nowadays <sigh>

It was a good night out, though, and you should all look at www.ilisu.org.uk to see why they were all there....

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Tue May 16 11:46:30 BST 2000:

Didn't Jo Jo Smith present some late night show about comedy years ago, interviewing various comics?

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Anonymous on Tue May 16 14:56:24 BST 2000:

"The two women (Jo Caulfield and Jo Jo Smith) on the bill were all sanitary towels, cunnilingus and getting pissed"



That must have been quite a spectacle.

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jo on Tue May 16 15:51:53 BST 2000:

:o) You know what I mean! :)

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Kipster on Tue May 16 17:50:59 BST 2000:

>Didn't Jo Jo Smith present some late night show about comedy years ago, interviewing various comics?

yup - it was on ITV very late at night (sam sort of timeslot as Planet Mirth) and was called Funny Business. It also featured reviews from Iain Coyle who i believe later took the show over, before it metamorphosed into Comedy Cafe and became rubbish.

Ive got a transcript of an interview given by Lee and Herring on Funny Business in about 1996 on my webpages (if youre interested), sorry for the plug. http://www.kippnet.inuk.com

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Prisoner #93A234 Simon Adebisi on Mon May 22 15:14:47 BST 2000:

How good was Omid Djalili? And could someone tell Gribbin to write some new jokes!

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Farsi on Sat May 27 08:15:22 BST 2000:

Omid is fantastic. One of the best comedians around today. He is also one of the nicest people you could meet.



And his stand-up is from the heart, he uses comedy to outline cultural differences and diversity he did a tour of multi-racial schools a while back one of which was my school and he was superb.



The man is naturally funny.

Subject: Re: Ilisu Dam Benefit Gig [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jo on Wed May 31 17:24:43 BST 2000:

I must say I am a fan after what I saw at this gig. Hopefully I'll see him again soon!!

:o)

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