Team Comedy Lounge

SUPPORT STEWART LEE

Jerry Springer - The Opera is now being discussed in parliament. Following
the decisions by Woolworth's and Simsbury's to remove the DVD from their
stores, after minimal protest by the extremist group Christian Voice, an
early day motion has been raised in Parliament by the Liberal Democrats
spokesman for Culture, Don Foster. This effectively allows MP's to put on
record their opinion on a subject and canvass support for it from fellow
Members. In other words, it is a petition that MP's can sign to force the
debate into Parliament. We are asking for your support on this motion. We
urge you to contact your local MP and get them to back this early day
motion. It is gravely concerning that Christian Voice can restrain freedom
of speech and are damaging this multi-award winning and hilarious night out.

To contact your local MP see: http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/ for more
information and contact details.

Please back this fantastic show and support the future of its National Tour.

For more information and to book tickets about the tour check out:
www.jerryspringertheopera.com

For a quick reminder of your favourite show check out:
www.jerryspringertheopera.com/trailer

Oh my god, I've just found out that Harry Thompson has died. How incredibly sad. He produced Newman & Baddiel in pieces, probably one of the best comedy shows *ever* made. In my opinion. As well as something called Have I Got News For You...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4417656.stm

What I'd do if I had the money

Stewart Lee, comedian

Thursday October 20, 2005
The Guardian

Stewart Lee
Talking about a revolution: Stewart Lee

The unlimited arts fund must be used to address the whole problem of why bad stuff does well and good stuff doesn't, rather than chip away at the edges. I therefore propose an entertainment revolution (armed if necessary) along the following lines.

1 All TV channels, except BBC1 and BBC2, are to be bought and closed. BBC1 to continue with its high-end bread and circuses, but with no cop dramas or reality shows. BBC2 to become 1970s BBC2 with dense documentaries, politics, arts, weird comedy and no makeover shows.

Article continues
2 DVD rental shops to be stripped of stock and re-stocked by whoever runs the arty video shop on Stoke Newington Church Street, where blockbusters are kept under the counter like porn.

3 All ad agencies to be bought and closed, and billboards stripped from the streets so we can see what cities actually look like. All the "creatives" who rip off Big Train to sell computer games, and Chris Morris to sell Minis, etc, to be sent to live on an island.

4 John Peel's brain to be cloned. All radio to be closed down, except for Radio 2, which will be scheduled 24 hours a day by the Peel brain. Radio 4 can stay as it is. All cab-driver talk-radio hosts to be sent to advertisers' island.

5 All commercial West End theatres to be demolished and replaced with hundreds of smaller venues programmed by the heads of various tiny arts centres. These people to be chosen by me. Lloyd Webber sent to advertisers' island.

6 All Dan Brown novels, and any books with embossed covers, to be burned and replaced in shops by Marvel comics and texts selected by a team of Oxbridge literature professors. These to be free to anyone who wants them.

7 All newspapers to be closed down, except for the Independent and its right-wing rival, the Guardian.

It is not too late to save the intellectual heart of the nation, but harsh and decisive action is needed now.

Please help Mark Watson. Who's Mark Watson? Who ISN'T Mark Watson?! (You'd have to have been there).

On Monday Mark deservedly won the innovation award at the Chortles - we managed 15.5 hours of the 24 which we are rightly very proud of. This year our leader has chosen to perform the following show...

'2005 Years In 2005 Minutes: Mark Watson Explains The World Since Christ'.

For the less mathematically minded of you, 2005 minutes equates to 33 hours and 25 minutes. There is no way in the world we'll come close to sticking out the whole thing this time round but we'll be giving it our best shot.

At the moment the great man has no venue so please please please if anyone knows of anywhere in Edinburgh for a 34 hour long self-contained show please get in touch with us and we'll forward suggestions onto Mark.

"It doesn't take much effort from the venue. They just have to allow it to stay open and we will do everything else. It doesn't necessarily involve any health and safety issues, apart from my personal ones. And it is a big publicity thing and should attract a good few people. And it can be any sort of room, needn't be big or well-appointed, a toilet is a bonus."

Do it for the sake of innovative comedy. It was such a great experience last year so please help it happen again in 2005!

Tsunami Disaster Appeal
http://www.dec.org.uk/
0870 60 60 900

You should go hear this - (38 minutes in to the programme)

"Everywhere I look, I see myself. Just like - "
"Narcissus"
"In the Greek Tales. Everything I touch turns to gold, just like - "
"Midas"
"In the Greek Tales. I flew too close to the sun, just like - "
"Icarus"
"In the Greek Tales. I want to have sex with my mum, just like - "
"Oedipus"
"In the Greek Tales. I was ruled by Chairman Mau, just like - "
"China"
"In the Greek Tales. Heaven knows I'm miserable now, just like - "
"Morrisey"
"In the Greek Tales. I was nailed upon the cross, just like - "
"Jesus"
"In the Greek Tales. My brother is Jonathon Ross, just like - "
"Paul Ross"
"In the Greek Tales."

The ever fabulous Milk Run this week seems to be mainly Mr Tim Key. Which can only be a good thing.

Listen!

Thanks.