On Gordon Brown's Bigotgate

At Chortle's Fast Fringe

More Brendon Burns videos

Australian comic Brendon Burns has been performing comedy since the early Nineties and is known for his aggressive stage presence and controversial material.

He briefly hosted the 11 O'Clock Show and even more briefly the ITV2 spin-off show I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here Now!, walking off after just three shows.

However it is live – and especially in his solo shows – where he has forged a reputation, with six live CDs to his name. He has also performed at Montreal and South African comedy festivals

He first appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1996, hosting The Comedy Zone showcase of new acts, and performing in his debut solo show 6pm Time To Get Up For Work. He has returned to the Fringe every year since, except for 1999, and in 2007 won its top prize, the if.comedy award

A trilogy, Burnsy versus Brendon, which ran at Edinburgh in 2004, 2005 and 2006, examined his own life – culminating in his mental breakdown and drinks and drugs rehabilitation at the Priory.

The Wrestling
Live Review

Only in Edinburgh.

Max Olesker, of sketch duo Max and Ivan, decided he wanted to stage a real night of wrestling, in which genuine hardmen, built like brick shithouses, would share the ring with comedians, built like Wendy houses. And, in his words, ‘Somehow this has been allowed to happen.’

It was an audacious plan with every possibility of being a chaotic disaster – both metaphorically and physically – with 15 comedy acts joining wrestlers with names like Dan ‘The Hammer’ Head and Johnny Moss ‘245lbs of invincible muscle’, despite having little time to prepare. Never has the Fringe’s ‘let’s do this thing’ spirit been so sorely tested – and come up so triumphantly.

Most of the comics were, sensibly, used as managers, valets, ring announcers and the like in this battle of good versus evil – but that didn’t mean they escaped being in harm’s way.

On the side of the good, led by Bible-bashing Russell Kane, we had Mark Watson, Patrick Monahan dressed like Freddie Mercury, Abandoman rapping the entrance for wrestler Mark Haskins and Colin Hoult as The Mighty Thwor, God Of Thunder – or was it just a nutter from Leeds?

On the side of evil, led by Adam Riches, was Humphrey Ker, a Nazi bruiser nicknamed the Vinyl Solution; Tom ‘Explosenthal’ Rosenthal, dressed as a gimp; Jessica Ransom as a brilliantly deranged Russian mother, and a rather underused Rich Fulcher, boasting he had ‘more money than Jesus’s cock’.

Nick Helm was the perfect choice as the rasping, brusque MC; Matthew Crosby the roving reporter, bringing witty pre-match excitement from the lengthy queues outside as well as in the room itself; and Frisky & Mannish providing first-rate halftime entertainment, with a stirring version of Eye Of The Tiger given their own genre-bending twist.

Key to getting the atmosphere going were Andrew Maxwell and Brendon Burns commentating ringside on the side of good and evil respectively. If there’s a rabble to be roused, you couldn’t do much better than these two. Being a comedy crowd, the instinct was to go with the heels, but Maxwell, spouting delightfully pious aphorisms, rallied the sold-out 770-strong crowd with the unlikely chant: ‘Fair play and decency!’ and we swung on to the righteous path.

To a person, the mob brought into the idea; and for a shade under two hours yelled their support, booed the bad guys and aaa-hed every bone-crunching move. It’s impossible to describe the pumped-up atmosphere, but there’s not been a febrile, feral blood lust like this since the old Late And Live – but this time the threat of death was less metaphorical.

The wrestlers didn’t hold back, and the comics threw themselves into it as much as their puny frames would let them. The sight of Rosenthal in tight all-over rubber, gnawing away like a gerbil at his opponent is one that will haunt my dreams for weeks.

Attention-whore Monahan, who couldn’t bear not being the centre of attention, seemed to genuinely annoy one of the men-mountain, who started throwing chairs with apparently real disregard for audience safety, and chased the Geordie comic through the crowd. If the comedy doesn’t work out, Monahan will always have a career as a rodeo clown waiting for him. And his grandstanding antics thoroughly earned him that piledriver. Oh yes, this shit got very real.

Star of the show, though, was Max himself. He was once the youngest professional wrestler in the UK, and although now retired, he proved he’s still got the skills, taking a good old beating, only to make a remarkable comeback in a later bout with a jaw-dropping display of acrobatic talent. He won the day for the side of good (what are the odds?) but not without sacrifice. He ended up in A&E with what’s thought to be a fractured ankle.

But it wasn’t just wrestling, the comedy element lived up to the anticipation, too. With so many competitive, quick-witted performers in the room, the banter sparkled, with ad-libbed hilarious lines being thrown about like… well, like a wimpy comedian in a wrestling ring.

The result was a unforgettable night of guffaws, drama and a genuine fear for the safety of others. Edinburgh has not seen its like before – and when you consider what has happened in this city over the years, that’s quite an achievement. A truly awesome event.

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I wish you all the best for your Fringe run - I'll be spreading the word about your comedy again... cheers for the laughs.

Mark, June 2008

Just saw his show at Soho Theatre and was expecting a lot as friends had recommended him, but got very little really. First 20 mins were quite funny but after that it was pretty boring/offensive, with a twist at the end which was meant to make you think but just seemed an excuse for what had gone before. Also two very obviously Bill Hicks-influenced skits. Love Hicks, don't think he'd have loved this.

Tim, May 2008

I've seen Brendon several times, both doing his regular stand up set and his 'offensive' tour show. Yes Brendon shouts, yes Brendon says things that might make you uncomfortable but hey guess what - he's also damn funny. He may be controversial, he may press some buttons - but guys, seriously, that's the point. Don't sit in the front row if you don't want to be 'picked on' and don't heckle unless you can take it. Instead go along, switch ON your brain, listen to the man and not the mannerisms and go home with a new viewpoint, or not - it's your choice after all. But the comedian and the man are two very different people.

Gregg, May 2008

Just saw this guy at the Comedy Store and I can't think of a more thrilling performance since Alexei Sayle trod the selfsame boards. He snarls, he sneers, he also gets me laughing myself into a stupor. Long may he reign.

Michael Monkhouse, May 2008

Thanks Jessica but in fairness most of my responses are equally, if not more, puErile. Yeah you misspelled it. Sucks don't it? I hate it when I call someone a moron but then use blatantly incorrect grammar. I think Steve leaves out the spell and grammar check on purpose to weed us all out. For further entertainment, check out the Pommy Johnson rants. He says he was quite drunk.It's hilarious. If you check the dates he was clearly quite drunk for a few days... Awesome reading. Personally I think that that's the best thing about chortle- slamming people that are too chicken shit to heckle let alone use their own name. What could be more folly than destroying some muppet who calls himself "space captain" or "chimp splash" then deludes himself that he's a comedy pundit because he's got a dvd player and a remote control. When in reality his name is Brian and he works at the carphone warehouse. I enjoy folly it's what lost hours are for.

Brendon Burns, March 2008

Brendon, you obviously read these comments, and indeed reply to them, which is nice but at the same time, why bother? Success always will always attract detractors, but there's no point rising to these people. The good reviews written on here say volumes more than their frankly purile digs. Brendon is a class act, and well worth seeing, yes he shouts, but he's also incredibly thought provoking once you get it, comedians as consistently funny and intelligent as this are rare.

Jessica., March 2008

Saw this moron on the Late Edition. Pretty embarrassing really. Marcus Brigstocke blew him away. Save your money.

Davey, March 2008

Perfect pitching, master of segue and a top bloke to boot. What's not to like? No I didn't write this about myself. What?... Shit.

Brendon Burns, February 2008

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