There's been a bit of a debate in the past couple of weeks in Scottish Comedy land.
Basically, The Stand took a swipe at the "Scottish Comedian of the Year" award in particular, and the concept of comedy competitions in general.
Most people have avoided commenting as they don't want to burn their boats with either promoter involved.
Fair enough, but I suppose Blogs are meant to be used for droning on about such things.
I've been impressed with the professionalism with which the SCOTY award has been run.
However, I do think that the award itself should be prefixed by the organisation which is running it.
The current name does imply a consensus of the Scottish Comedy Industry in its running, and this is clearly not the case.
If either the "Laughing Horse New Act Of The Year" or "Amused Moose Search for a Star" comedy awards suddenly decided to call their competition "English Comedian of the Year" there would be an avalanche of guffaws and pelters.
The main reason I don't enter competitions in general is (WARNING ; highly subjective recollection alert) based on an experience is a southern based comp.
I'd got through to the second round and travelled down to London for it.
I had a stormer, and was really pissed off that I didn't qualify and felt cheated.
But what really annoyed me more than anything was the knowledge that if it was a non-competition gig, I would have headed home delighted with the way things had gone, rather than sulking North to think again.
However, there are so many new acts scurrying around desperately seeking stage time, that it's inevitable people will run competitions.
They are fairly lucrative to the organiser.
You don't pay anyone and you can charge normal comedy club prices in the knowledge that each contestant is likely to bring a few supporters with them.
I think personally you should always have a experienced compere and closing act in setups like this, but it doesn't always happen.
In the early rounds it's effectively an open mic night with an inflated entry charge.
Fascinating stuff, huh?
(just as well nobody ever reads this)
I'm back working for the man again...it's just a 12 week contract...may it pass quickly...
I had 3 gigs this week...one great, one so-so and the other difficult to tell because there were so few people in the audience.
It was good to see Scotland beat England yesterday at the rugby as they've been having such a crap tournament.
However, for the neutral watching Ireland v Wales and Scotland v England, it was pretty grim stuff.
That old clip of the Barbarians try against the All Blacks which always pops up now and again shows a form of Rugby Union completely unrecognisable from the turgid shite on display these days.
They still need to get the rules sorted out I reckon.
I've signed up to go on a "Deliverance" style canoeing/hillwalking trip in May up in Sutherland.
It's good to have things like this planned because it gives you an incentive to get fitter and not be the pathetic runt out of the 10 of us who are going.
I'm probably not going to play the Burt Reynolds character, but I definitely don't want to be Ned Beatty and would be happy to to take the Jon Voigt role.
Just been for a 2 mile run and never stopped once...amn't I the one?
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