Shut Up Bastard

From Dave's One Night Stand

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A circuit stalwart, Stephen K Amos made his Edinburgh debut in 2001, returned in 2003, and has performed there every year since. He has also appeared the Melbourne Comedy Festival every year from 2006 to 2009.

Amos has also acted in a number of dramatic plays at the Fringe, including One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest with Christian Slater in 2004 - which later transferred to the West End – and Talk Radio in 2006.

On TV, he has performed stand-up on Live at the Apollo and the 2007 Royal Variety Performance and appeared on several panel shows, including Have I Got News For You, Mock The Week, The Wright Stuff and Loose Women, where, in February 2009, he caused a stir by revealing that Prince Harry told him he 'didn't sound like a black chap’ after his appearance at a gig to celebrate Prince Charles's 60th birthday.

In 2007 Amos made an acclaimed Channel 4 documentary on homophobia in the black British community and in Jamaica, Batty Man. He is also in the cast of 2009 BBC Two sitcom In My Country, a multicultural show set in a run-down guest house.

In 2004, he won a Time Out award for comedy, and he has been nominated for the Chortle Award for best compere three times, in 2004, 2007 and 2008.

Amused Moose LaughOff 2010 Grand Final
Live Review

The finals of any comedy competition always have a buzz and sense of occasion, this one was no exception.  Seven finalists were offered, with Stephen K Amos as compere and delightful Gareth Richards to close.  After a late start, the afternoon cracked along with barely a dip.

It’s always a tough call to open but Rich Heap rose to the occasion with the best gags of the afternoon and a quietly assured performance.  If he had picked up his pace by a homeopathic amount, he would certainly have been a contender for a placing, as it was it was a gig to be proud of. 

Next off the block was Mark Restuccia, who was competent and polished with some dark sexual material which seemed to be a bit much for the audience.  His professionalism might have told against him as he was the most ‘like a comic’ when the competition preference seemed to run in favour of youthful energy over craft.

Liam Williams had a great voice, smart gags and a great sense of being right in the moment and picked up a joint runner-up place, and a serious challenger to the eventual winner Rob Beckett.

Beckett had youthful energy in spades and a distinctive but uncontrived look with his white blond hair and megawatt smile.   It was an impressive performance, he ripped through his set at breakneck speed warning the audience to keep up, a great trick to make them think they’re having even more fun than they actually are.  

By contrast Romesh Ranganathan’s success derived from his authoritative, measured delivery, his material was personalised dealing with issues of race without tripping into cliché. He earned the other runner-up place. Probably the newest of the finalists here, he would benefit from relaxing and enjoying his own performance, as his seriousness made him a bit ponderous on the delivery.

Leon Scott had an immense presence, vigorous and imposing, though he needs a small amount of work on his diction as a couple of phrases lacked clarity  and his material on football, ID fraud and menacing your way to a seat on the train was obviously the work of a newbie, but material can be come by with work and he was impressively confident.

Last but not least, Dubliner Rory O’Hanlon made an entertaining and assured closer for the competitive part of the afternoon.  He covered a couple of old standards – the ferocity of Customs in the US, and some ginger jokes – but those came with enough of a spin not to be groan inducing.

Stephen K Amos glided through the afternoon with typical smoothness, pretending, probably, to mock the sponsor and promoting his own new series. The audience loved his  elegant bonhomie. A couple of times he might have had undue influence on the audience vote by showing his approval or otherwise for a competitor’s  routine – everyone should get a positive comment or no one on these occasions, make it fair!  The afternoon wrapped with a delightful performance of easy-listening comedy from Gareth Richards.

It was a promising afternoon for comedy, nothing hyperbolic and, with an even field of players, all the better for it.

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Saw him in Norwich yesterday, very,very funny. His conments about Lowestoft were spot on. Very good interaction with the audience

James, May 2011

Fabulous night at the Lowry. Stephen was brilliant - far better than expected and I have to say his gig was much, much better that the Eddie Izzard gig I saw a couple of months ago. His set was full of energy, fan and yes, "The Feel Good Factor" too. A 17 year old baker in the audience was singled out for gentle teasing (never offensive, never uncomfortable) and at the end of the show he made a point of thanking him (and a few others) for their part in the show, and even encouraged him to see him after the show. It was a lovely warm gig with the whole audience involved. Fabulous, I can't sing his praises loud enough!

Sam Darnbrough, February 2010

Great show. So good live

sam, February 2010

Saw Stephen last night in Halifax. Excellent show from start to finish with great support from Seann Walsh (Pop & Crisps.... hey !) Left the audience with the feelgood factor with lots of laughter. Lad in the audience with the ambition to fly a kite a gift from the comedy gods. 10 out of 10.

David, October 2009

Here's a game you can play with your friends at the gig. take bets to see how many minutes it is before he does a racist gag (anti-white). You can play it at home too on any of the numerous comedy quizzes he is drafted on to. can also be expanded to the first minute anyone laughs

paul foreman, October 2009

I think the show is very very funny. I like the fact his whole show is not just about being black. I say this because I have seen him perform on two occasions. Once at hackney empire and again at choice comedy. The joke is that he is highlighting how dated some peoples views are by brining them up. He is able to laugh at himself and everyone else as well.

lozz, October 2009

I saw him in Edinburgh and was genuinely offended by his whole routine. For a black man who talks about colour and race so avidly, he's setting the race debate back 50 years. Everything about his act is outdated from the random, pitiful, sexist 'dance routine' to the constant accusations of racism towards his audience or indeed any non-black people. When is he going to learn that that is not funny, it's not true, it's boring and it's offensive. You're the racist, Stephen. Get some material or don't claim you've got a show.

Vicky J, August 2009

I think your are a breath of fresh air - funny witty and I can't wait to see you live.

paula, August 2009

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