BCG Daily Tuesday 8th November 2011

Interview: Dave Spikey

Dave Spikey is perhaps best known for his work on Phoenix Nights alongside the likes of Peter Kay, Neil Fitzmaurice and Justin Moorhouse, but he's revisiting straight up stand-up with his latest tour, Words Don't Come Easy. Radio Teesdale's Peter Dixon caught up with Spikey to talk about his comedy philosophy - and whether the success of Phoenix Nights weighs him down a little...

Andy Parsons: 'Some comedians don't like MTW edit'

Andy Parsons has admitted that some comedians are unhappy with the editing on Mock The Week.

Radio Times review

Comedian and writer Richard Herring is no stranger to controversy himself and thus makes the perfect host for a series that tries to turn popular opinion about unpopular objects or people upon its head. "I'm going to turn the taboo into the to-do," he quips in his introduction before informing us that the item he is considering as having been on the end of an unfair press is the golliwog.

In a vox pop among Londoners - black as well as white - the overwhelming response to the golly is that it was a harmless toy, a symbol of its time that would not have a place today but was never an embodiment of racial hatred. Herring very cleverly introduces some marvellous examples of why this is not the case, the most appalling being a short story by Enid Blyton in which her choice of names for three gollies is too offensive to print. There's no preaching, just intelligent and extremely funny assessment, ably assisted by black comedienne Ava Vidal who pulls no punches in her views on this sorry doll. It's time to consign the golly to a museum.

Ed Byrne: Can comedy really be classed as dangerous?

Ed Byrne questions whether his fellow comedians are really taking their art to risky new places when they get too close to the funnybone.

Richard Herring's Objective returns

The script for the first Objective of the second series has been a tricky one to get right - the golliwog is an incendiary item and I wanted to write a show that was funny, though not disrespectful to the broader issues.

Mark Watson Addresses the Nation

Last Wednesday Mark Watson returned to the airwaves with his new show for Radio 4. So naturally we cornered Mark by the lifts and asked him to write a blog about it!

Video: Dylan Moran encounters life's banalities

Dylan Moran's latest show has been critically praised this year, for its "heartfelt yet consummately crafted stand-up" (The Times).

Russell Kane interview

"What people perceived was originality, it was actually just someone who didn't give a s***," explains Russell Kane about his first forays into stand-up.

The art of banter: 'It's like a boxing match'

As the boom in live comedy continues, a talent for banter is increasingly crucial for a comic.

Interview: Robbie Hudson and Marie Phillips

An interview with the writers of Warhorses of Letters.