On feminism

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In 1999, Josie Long won the BBC New Comedy Award at the age of just 17 - making her too young for the champagne that came as part of the prize. Despite the boost the award would have given to her comedy career, she took time off performing to complete her English degree at Oxford university, returning in 2003.

Following the break, she was named best newcomer in the Chortle awards in 2005, and best breakthrough act the following year. In 2006, she also scooped best newcomer in the if.comedy awards for her solo Edinburgh debut, Kindness and Exuberance.

She was subsequently nominated for the Edinburgh comedy award three years running: 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Josie Long: The Future Is Another Planet
Live Review

‘Silly, friendly, ramshackle, impassioned’ goes the printed programme blurb for Josie Long’s show – written months before the festival starts. But since that early deadline, her hour has evolved from the sweet good-natured whimsy you might expect into a more heartfelt plea about the importance of protest against a government she vehemently opposes.

She says she doesn’t want to be a political politician, that she’d prefer to gush about the joys of long walks or swimming outdoors, or perform her one-woman play about the Brontes (well, she can still squeeze in an extract…) But the actions of the Coalition, slashing things she holds dear, have changed her outlook.

So, picking up an activist theme that she started in last year’s show, out pops the soapbox as she rails against the cuts and David Cameron’s duplicity, smugly saying one thing with a false smile while secretly doing the polar opposite, like some godawful grimacing ghoul.

Aware that she’s in danger of being preachy, she cuts this polemic with comedy of the type she used to do, reaching for pieces of paper scattered around the floor to share with us lists of her favourite things, from Paul Simon to the IMDB. She has the charm and enthusiasm to gloss over what might be awkward gear changes, simply by dint of her passion and optimism that cuts across both sides of the spilt-personality show.

On politics, of course her liberal arts festival audience share her views, but her aim is more to do with getting them to do something more about it than clicking ‘like’ on a Facebook campaign or clapping approval at a comedy show. There are, indeed, a couple of terrifying moments when this seems like a Question Time audience, politely but vigorously applauding good points rather than comic gold.

This call to arms is where she comes into her own. Long has always been an advocate of do-it-yourself art – as the charmingly homemade programmes she still hands out at her shows prove. And what is activism, if not do-it-yourself politics? No wonder she’s drawn to groups like UKUncut, the loose coalition of left-wing activists who seek to make their points through playful subversion.

She thinks her political awakening has made her a ‘much worse comedian’, but the reverse is actually true as there’s now a purpose to her work – even though she seems cautious, sometimes even apologetic, about totally embracing it. However she is more than able of mining humour out of what she finds bleak: portraying the government as evil Bond villains, or giving an entertaining first-hand account of appearing on a political TV show. And the story of how a near-fatal car crash caused her to re-evaluate her priorities is both funny and horrific.

By the end, Long does pretty much abandon the funnies as she urges the audience to take action – but the evaporation of comedy is of little concern. She spent the preceding 50 minutes getting us onside (though her innate openness means that it was probably actually achieved in seconds), so we are quite happy to listen to words that become genuinely inspirational.

This comes from her correspondence with Kenny Zulu Whitmore, a Black Panther who has spent 36 years in a Louisiana prison, more than 30 of them in solitary confinement, and largely seen as a purely political prisoner, held on flimsy evidence. His calm advice to Long, which calls to mind the quiet dignity of Nelson Mandela, is an uplifting message to take into the world.

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I was given tickets to see her in Edinburgh, not a single laugh to be had anyone. She really is not funny, and the people who say "Oh you must just not understand her" are quite frankly offensive and wrong. I understand her, what's to understand? There is little clever about her act, and I understand everything she does/tries to do, but it is just not working. The rest of the audience clearly agreed because they weren't laughing either. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that the point of a comedian, to make people laugh? Perhaps someone could invent a new form of entertainment called 'Twee Whimsical Tory Bashing' so the people who enjoy that sort of thing can go to see her and the real comedy fans can go to see comedy.

Not Keen, Sorry, January 2013

I happen to think Josie is a true comic master, her ability to tell twee, whimsical material that isn't even remotely amusing but still have a career is truly incredible

Barry, August 2012

Look, everyone, she's got no clothes on!

Richard, January 2012

Josie Long is one of the best comedians around. She's not for everyone but unfortunately with comedy nobody likes to admit they don't get something. People can admit they don't understand a film or that a certain type of band is not for them but when it comes to comedy furiously insist "I do get it! It's just not funny! If it was funny, I'd like it because I have a great sense of humour!" I'd love to see Josie on TV but I know that with more exposure she'll get more people turning up to her gigs expecting mainstream comedy. Thats a shame and I hope her gigs don't become overrun with idiot hecklers expecting rapid-fire one-liners about the same topical bullshit everyone on tv is banging on about.rnrnI've seen her twice this month and I've got tickets to see her again next month. She's quickly becoming the only comedian I drop everything to go and see. She's also beautiful. Not that that matters.

Ryan, December 2011

Saw Josie tonight at the Hare and Hounds in Birmingham. Supremely talented and funny, intellectual, cerebral and surreal. Original thinking and hugely entertaining. Would thoroughly recommend. One female friend likened her to having the elegance and beauty of Drew Barrymore coupled with a sweet nature and intelligence. Hope that she comes to Birmingham again.

m, December 2011

A group of us saw Josie a few weeks ago in Dublin. It was embarassingly unfunny by anyone's standards,the stories she was telling just werent even anecdotally funny we thought a lot of stuff was lost in translation for an irish audience but it seems looking at these reviews, she just isn't funny. She seems very nice but I wouldn't go to see her again

Dave, July 2011

I'm utterly bewildered by some of the comments. Josie is wildly talented and incredibly funny. Her gigs go about a dozen steps beyond bog-standard stand-up , I think that's what some people struggle with.

James, March 2011

Big fan of Josie Long. She is very very funny. Not got see her live yet but very much looking forward to doing so. She is right up there with my favourite comedians now.

Richard, January 2011

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