This review is very unfair of Ed. It should be stressed in the review more that Ed is a very new act and was doing a 5 minute spot in front of the reviewer. I've booked him a number of times for my clubs and wouldnt hesitate to do so in the future. If you look for his topic within the Chortle Forum you'll see an abundance of praise for his quirky, shambolic, new but loveable style.rnFurthermore, I think its unfair to suggest someone is "border-line racist" in a review. Unless someone is Bernard Manning it is pretty hard to gauge whether a person is a racist after seeing them talk at you for five minutes. Ed is quite clearly not racist, and to mention this in a review has absolutely nothing to do with him as a performer.
Tom Searle, May 2007
I have to say that I have booked Ed previously for one of my gigs and he is not at all racist. He is, however, funny and he went down well...Not to get bogged down in the whole racism thing (although the review does), but he does material slagging off the National Front and does have a very nice line in whimsy. I wasn't here at this gig that is mentioned, so I am not suggesting the review of material is false at all, but from what I have seen of Ed it is baffling to me to think of this genial, upbeat comic being thougt of as some sort of nazi. If you are reading this and are a promoter, I would recommend you take a chance on him. He is good and if you don't want any dodgy stuff, I'm sure this review will consign whatever Polish material he has to history - or at least help him sort out the irony and make his polish jokes better. Either way, it's win/win for your club! Solidarity Brother!
Big Rich, May 2007
I've seen Ed several times and performed with him and this seems like an off night. Perhaps just the case of some material that needs tweaking. I've seen a longer set from him that had a bit of Polish material in it, and it never struck me as racist, in the context of the rest of his set (the BNP stuff that Richard mentioned, the Muslim scapegoating material). I think he's very good, takes risks and has great potential.
Broderick Chow, May 2007
Ed O'Meara's no racist. I think he's quite good actually.
Oscar Madison, May 2007
This review is so completely off the ball. Ed is very funny. Now maybe you didn't like him but I've seen plenty of audiences who do. But that is all a matter of opinion. Where you are clearly wrong however, and should probably retract this review, is by referring to Ed as racist. Yes, he deals with immigration and the BNP in most of his sets but in a surreal manner. He is no way racist, nothing he says denigrates another race or nation. His standard set in many ways clearly attacks and critiques organized political racism and homophobia by exposing its ridiculousness. To accuse someone who spends most of his standard set attacking the BNP's ludicrous attempts to curry favour with voters of being racist make you look like a prize plum. So Ed makes a few jokes about the cultural effects of our Polish brethren coming to London in such big numbers... at no point does he say anything that oppresses nor belittles them, nor does he oppose their right to be here. Ed is a right-on comedian who does a very safe, funny, original set. He has something to say but none of it is to detriment of Polish people or any other race... except bloody racists. Chortle have really got it wrong here. Fuckwits!
Bobby Carroll, May 2007
Doesn't sound like the Ed O'Meara I know
Brian Damage, May 2007
I was actually at this gig and have to disagree with this review. It is highly unfair; Having seen Ed perform at other times, when he actually had longer than 5 minutes, wasn't unwell and wasn't trying new material, he has always been spot on! This review cannot do justice to a Ed's comic potential. I would urge everyone to actually go and see Ed perform and make up their own minds. On another matter....to call him border-line racist is in itself laughable, since he really is not at all! In fact, he is as far from racist as possible. Let's not kill a young comic's potential by judging him on this review. Make up your own mind and go see him! In fact, I would urge Chortle to go see him to a longer set and review Ed again.
Darshan Sanghrajka, May 2007
I'm quite sure Ed is not a racist. Just not very clever! I know many, many Polish people and they are ALL hard-working, honest and totally reliable. Making jokes about Polish people will NEVER be funny because quite simply, the audience will know better. PS - Did I say that Ed was NOT racist!
