BCG Daily Saturday 4th August 2012

Archive footage shows Russell Brand smoking heroin

Wasted Russell Brand sits on the floor taking heroin in shocking real-life scenes filmed when he was a junkie.

Seinfeld's 'Comedians in Cars' vs Llewellyn's 'Carpool'

A look at which of two comedy car shows is better: the American Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, or the British Carpool with Robert Llewellyn.

BBC Radio Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival 2012

This year Off The Ball starts off BBC Radio Scotland's stint at the Festival. There's a debut too from Vic Galloway who takes his Monday night show through to Edinburgh with guests including Frightened Rabbit.

Watch television with Roisin Conaty

The standup comedian on her viewing habits, from Come Dine With Me to Blind Date.

A look at the Chortle Student Comedy Award finalists

Check out finalists of the Chortle Student Comedy Award 2012.

The fine art of doing stand-up abroad

As the world's comedians descend on Edinburgh for the festival, Holly Williams asks six globetrotting stand-ups what happens when they take their show abroad.

Underbelly vs Stewart Lee: The Fringe kicks off

The 'Etonian cabal' running the festival hit back at comedian after his withering critique of their work.

'Bring on the wall' for Harry Hill's mad art

Like so many of the country's top comedians, Harry Hill honed his art at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival. But this year, the comic
returns not just as a stand-up, but also with his own art exhibition, which is as quirky and madcap as the man himself.

Edinburgh fringe festival: a guide to the comedy tribes

From Jimmy Carr and Stewart Lee to relative newcomers, James Kettle separates the stars and artistes from the weirdos.

Lloyd Langford's ultimate Edinburgh fringe playlist

Rhod Gilbert's Bulging Barrel Of Laughs co-host compiles a soundtrack to the Scottish arts extraganza.

Edinburgh fringe favourites on the dark side of comedy

Being a comedian isn't all glory, champagne and laughing at Jimmy Carr's gags on 8 Out Of 10 Cats. Nine acts from this year's fringe reveal the reality of being funny for a living.

Women just aren't as funny, or so they say

Women aren't funny. That's the old truism. It's odd because the biggest sitcom on TV right now is Miranda.

Des Bishop -10 Edinburgh questions

The last show by Irish/NYC comic Des Bishop was a poignant one about his late father, this year he's taking a slightly different tone.

Interview: Gráinne Maguire

Witty and original, Gráinne Maguire knows as much about the coalition government as she does Cheryl Cole's hairstyle choices. She just wants two simple things from life - to sing Don't go Breaking my Heart with Peter Mandelson and always to be where the fun times roll. Her guide to happiness is also simple - just don't miss out on anything. Ever. You see? Piss easy. Writer for 8 Out of 10 Cats, Radio 4's Now Show and News Quiz.

A Touch of Cloth review

A relentless, 90 minute-cluster-fuck to the funny-bone is almost too much to take in one go. Perhaps this might have been even better if it was trimmed down to an hour.

How the Edinburgh Fringe is financed

Bob Slayer was asked by The Scotsman newspaper to write a piece about the way the Edinburgh Fringe is financed. One week ago, they told him it would be printed in today's issue. Yesterday, they told him they had decided not to run it. This is the article they are not printing for whatever reason...

Tube Talk Gold: Extras

It seems crazy now that we've seen him take down celebrities at the Golden Globes, smooch Jennifer Garner and Téa Leoni in Hollywood films and embark on sell-out stand-up tours, but there was a time when Ricky Gervais was being painted as a one-hit wonder.

Interview - Abandoman

The greatest (possibly only) Irish improv comedy freestyler tells us how some misunderstood lyrics got him into hip-hop...

Interview - Jeff Leach: Boyfriend Experience

Jeff Leach promises he will almost definitely not sleep with everyone in Edinburgh this year.

Interview - Chris Coltrane: Activism is fun

With a little help from Josie Long, Chris Coltrane is using comedy to fight the bad guys.

Interview: Paul McCaffrey

Paul McCaffrey returns to Edinburgh with his tales of trying to reclaim his youth...

Interview: Morgan and West

Any show that makes you more interested in the subject afterwards is a show you need to see. Morgan & Wise have two shows this year and having already seen their late night one I, like the intimate group, was blown away by their simple genius of an idea for a show. The authenticity and quick banter is spot and this is why Morgan & West Lying, Cheating Scoundrels is a TNC Must See Show 2012.

Interview: Chris Martin

Why are we here? What happens after we die? What is the meaning of life?

These are just a few of the questions you definitely won't get answers to if you go and see Chris Martin's new show Spot the Difference. And thank god for that (who may or may not exist).