I was a teenage Russell Brand fan
Rory Flint on falling the comic's allure – and the shame of letting it shape him
12/11/2026 … Sometime around April 2008, I waited outside a local restaurant for my date for the night to arrive.
Latest Opinions
Chortle's Opinions section is an arena for fans to share their views on any aspect of comedy.
We invite general comment pieces about particular aspects of the comedy scene (although reviews of individual shows or performers tend not to be suited to this section except in very rare circumstances). Contributions should be at least 500 words in length, in a similar tone to something you might read in a broadsheet newspaper, and emailed to steve@chortle.co.uk
We reserve the right to edit pieces – although we will be careful not to change the meaning of anything – or not to use them at all. By submitting an article you grant Chortle indefinite licence to use it freely; though you retain the copyright on it to use it elsewhere.
Thu 12 November 2026
Mon 09 November 2026
Was Radio 4 Extra just too unfashionable to survive?
Andy Simpson on a disappearing chunk of history
09/11/2026 … There’s a scene in George Orwell’s 1984 when Winston Smith explains to Julia why he is so drawn to a glass paperweight he has bought in a second-hand…
Fri 06 November 2026
Companies must face tougher action if they turn a blind eye to abusers like Russell Brand
Says employment lawyer Sinead Haysom
06/11/2026 … The Russell Brand conviction yesterday was a very small win for his victims, who I hope are able to find some semblance of peace in time.
Wed 28 October 2026
My night at a Roy Chubby Brown gig
28/10/2026 … From the rafters of Lancaster’s Grand Theatre, Roy Chubby Brown is a difficult man to measure.
Thu 15 October 2026
Why great comedy podcasts are getting harder to find
Different platforms are showing you different charts, explains Zaq Qureshi
15/10/2026 … Ask anyone to name Britain’s biggest comedy podcasts and you’ll get the same handful of answers.
Thu 01 October 2026
'I'm not drunk, I have cerebral palsy'
Comedian Benny Shakes speaks out about disability discrimination, even at the Edinburgh Fringe
01/10/2026 … I’ve spent more than 40 years explaining that I’m not drunk.
Mon 28 September 2026
'If the joke is meaningless, why imprison the comedian?'
Andrew Pipe on when comedy meets tyranny
28/09/2026 … Modern political theatre makes for a dark satirical script in today's fevered, hair-trigger culture wars.
Wed 09 September 2026
Why satire still matters
09/09/2026 … In my experience, comedians are only ever capable of paying their colleagues backhanded compliments.