Stand up comedy has never been more popular than it is today. Boosted by prime time television shows and TV channels devoted entirely to comedy, comedians are now everywhere. And no comedian sums up that popularity more than Michael McIntyre.
As well as live stand-up, he has performed on programmes such as Live at the Apollo and his own successful programme, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow whereby he acts as compere and introduces comedians both famous and new.
As well as appearing on quiz panel shows such as Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Mock The Week, in 2009 McIntyre appeared as a judge on Let’s Dance for Comic Relief and also had a stint on the fifth series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2011. But this was probably one branch too far.
Michael McIntyre is probably the single most popular stand-up comedian in the UK right now. His Christmas Comedy Roadshow was watched by over 8 million people. His biography, Life and Laughing was a Sunday Times #1 Best Seller; while Hello Wembley became the fastest selling stand-up DVD of all time.
If that wasn’t enough accolades for one man, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow won Best Entertainment Show at the National Television Awards 2012
This year Michael McIntyre will play to sell out audiences as he once again hits the road. His latest UK & Ireland Arena Tour will be his third and biggest tour to date, and will start in Cardiff on Wednesday 22nd August and end at London’s Wembley Arena on 3rd December.
Like the biggest rock groups in the world he now only plays several nights at the biggest arenas in each city; and due to popular demand for Michael McIntyre tickets a 10th date at London’s O2 Arena has recently been added to the tour.
Michael McIntyre‘s UK & Ireland 2012 Arena Tour Dates
CARDIFF
Wed 22nd Aug – Wed 29th Aug
MOTORPOINT ARENA CARDIFF
NOTTINGHAM
Mon 3rd SEPT – Sat 8th Sept
CAPITAL FM ARENA NOTTINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM
Fri 14th Sept & Sat 15th Sept
Mon 17th Sept – Sat 22nd Sept
THE NIA BIRMINGHAM
LONDON
Wed 26th Sept – Tue 2nd Oct
Wednesday 3rd Oct – new date added
Thurs 4th Oct – Sat 6th Oct
O2 Arena
SHEFFIELD
Wed 10th Oct – Sat 13th Oct
MOTORPOINT ARENA SHEFFIELD
BELFAST
Wed 17th Oct – Sat 20th Oct
ODYSSEY ARENA BELFAST
MANCHESTER
Wed 24th Oct – Mon 29th Oct
MANCHESTER ARENA
GLASGOW
Sat 3rd Nov – Wed 7th Nov
GLASGOW SECC
NEWCASTLE
Fri 9th Nov – Mon 12th Nov
METRO RADIO ARENA NEWCASTLE
DUBLIN
Fri 16th Nov – Sat 19th Nov
THE O2 DUBLIN
LIVERPOOL
Thu 22nd Nov – Sat 24th Nov
ECHO ARENA LIVERPOOL
Doug Stanhope - Before Turning The Gun On Himself - Free DVD Competition
Doug Stanhope’s new DVD, Before Turning The Gun On Himself was recorded in Salt Lake City, UT at The Complex on July 19, 2011 and is released amidst a UK tour through March & April finishing with a sold out show on Saturday 21st April at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.
The DVD comes complete with a bonus CD of the entire show.
Buzzin Media Free Comedy Competition
Enter our free competition for a chance to win a copy of Doug Stanhope’s new DVD, Before Turning The Gun On Himself.
All you need to do is answer the following question:
What UK TV show has Doug Stanhope appeared?
a. Screenwipe
b. Screen Test
c. Top Gear
Send your entries to comps@buzzinmedia.co.uk with “Doug Stanhope Comp” in the subject line with your answer and your full address and contact telephone number.
THIS COMPETION HAS NOW CLOSED
This Buzzin Media Competition ends on 24th April, 2012. The editor will randomly choose 2 winners.
The editor’s choice is final.
Doug Stanhope’s new DVD, Before Turning The Gun On Himself is now available on Roadrunner Records.
American comic, Doug Stanhope releases his 10th DVD Before Turning The Gun On Himself, a staggering achievement for any stand-up comedian. But Stanhope’s observational humour isn’t exactly cut-out for television.
His style would have to be heavily sedated or censored if he were to appear on prime time television. So much so that his cut-throat appeal may be watered down so much as to be left missing the point.
So he may not be appearing on Live At The Apollo; and if he does, viewers won’t feel the full force of Doug Stanhope brilliantly scything remarks; though he has appeared on Charlie Brooker’s Screen Wipe TV series.
Doug Stanhope’s stand up comedy is the extreme polar opposite to anything remotely politically correct, and as cutting as Frankie Boyle.
But there’s an underlying socio-political commentary to his stories and observations that align him with comedians such as Bill Hicks; and can be traced back to Lenny Bruce.
One routine in particular, on how people get hung up on ‘words’, is reminiscent of similar monologues from Hicks and Bruce. Swear words, abusive and racist words that some find offensive is tackled head on by Stanhope as being ridiculous and meaningless. This is laugh out loud funny stand-up comedy with sublime messages riddled all the way through it.
This is great stand up comedy, where everyone comes under the gun of hard-hitting comedy; and when Stanhope has finished gunning everyone down for being so stupid, he turns the gun on himself. He is, apparently ‘a complete fuckup’ who has abused his body so much that finds have remarked how much his piss smells!
Doug Stanhope’s new DVD, Before Turning The Gun On Himself was recorded in Salt Lake City, UT at The Complex on July 19, 2011 and is released amidst a UK tour through March & April finishing with a sold out show on Saturday 21st April at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. The DVD comes complete with a bonus CD of the entire show.
The Eden Sessions is welcoming comedy back in 2012 with musical comic Tim Minchin who will be headlining a one-off day of humour at the home of the famous Biomes on Saturday June 23.
This unique show is part of the London 2012 Festival, a spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration from 21 June and running until 9 September 2012 bringing together leading artists from across the world with the very best from the UK. Tim Minchin’s Eden Session is the first London 2012 Festival event in the South West.
Tim, who was born to Australian parents in Northampton but grew up in Perth, Western Australia, is a pianist and comic songwriter who is recognisable by his distinctive wild hair, heavy eye make-up and tendency to perform in bare feet.
His shows deal with religion, taboos and society in general and involve him performing songs and poems interspersed with short stand-up sections. He has released six albums and three live DVDs, including recordings of his most recent arena tour Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra.
Tim has won a number of awards, including the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award for Best Newcomer in 2005 and the Best Music or Variety Act at the 2010 Chortle Awards.
He also wrote the music and lyrics for a stage version of Roald Dahl’s seminal novel Matilda, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, which is currently playing to critical acclaim at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End.
Comedy shows at the Eden Sessions in previous years have been headlined by Bill Bailey and Al Murray.
Martin Williams, Eden’s Marketing Director, said: “It’s great to see comedy back at the Eden Sessions and Tim Minchin is a great addition to our line-up. Like our first comedy headliner Bill Bailey, Tim combines music and stand-up to brilliant effect. He is one of the best comics around and we can’t wait to see him here.”
Tim Minchin joins dance supremo Example and grime artist Devlin (Saturday June 30), UK soul and hip-hop star Plan B (Friday July 6) and Blink-182 (Sunday July 8 – SOLD OUT) on the bill for the Eden Sessions in 2012. More acts will be announced soon.
The Eden Sessions enter their eleventh year in 2012, following an acclaimed series of gigs in 2011, featuring Brandon Flowers and Pendulum among others. Previous years have seen performances from acts including Oasis, Kasabian, Mumford & Sons, Florence and the Machine and Muse.
Eden’s Inside Track scheme returns for the 2012 Eden Sessions. Members get a guaranteed pair of tickets to each show, with seven days to decide whether to buy them before they go on general sale. As well as priority booking and the latest Sessions news, Inside Track also gives members the chance to win exclusive Eden Sessions prizes.
Tickets to the Tim Minchin Eden Session cost £35 plus booking fee.
Multi award-winning transmedia production company, beActive has today announced the launch of beActive Classics, an online competition offering aspiring comedy filmmakers in the UK and Ireland the chance to submit original short films for a chance to win a monthly cash prize.
Every month, beActive will select a topical subject and digital comedy filmmakers will have just eight days to create and submit a short film based on this theme. The winning video will be chosen by beActive based on its quality, creativity and entertainment value, and will then be posted to beActive’s YouTube page.
The winner will also receive €2,000. beActive is planning for the competition to run for six months, resulting in six winning entries that will also be shown through the beActive YouTube channel.
The launch of beActive Classics follows The Digital Comedy Lab, another talent investment project from beActive. The Digital Comedy Lab offers UK and Irish comedy filmmakers the opportunity to enter feature-length mockumentary films, with the two winning projects receiving up to €50,000 each in development funding. The entry period closed on 31 January and received almost 200 applications. The 12 finalists will be announced by the end of February.
beActive’s co-founder and CEO Nuno Bernardo said:
“beActive Classics provides an amazing opportunity for future comedy production stars to have their films viewed by a wide online audience and receive a valuable cash prize to invest in their careers. Together with The Digital Comedy Lab, it illustrates beActive’s interest in finding and supporting the next generation of creative talent.”
