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.
Luke Toulson on the positives of going gratis
06/08/2014 … At the start of the Edinburgh festival last year I wrote a Chortle Correspondents piece explaining why, after seven years performing at 'big four' venues I had…
04/08/2014 … Traditionally we disabled comedians have, quite rightly, tended to focus on the various bizarre and sometimes discriminatory ways in which people react to us.
Tony Kinsella sums up Edinburgh
01/08/2014 … The Russell Pannell Show, Punctured Balloon, 8pm Semi-regular telly favourite sellotapes a radio mic to the side of his face and performs an energetic sub-McIntyre…
Imaan Hadchiti says its attitude, not language, that's offensive
31/07/2014 … Midget, Dwarf, Vertically Challenged, Floor Dweller, Petite, Mini, Shorty, Wee.
German-Jewish comic Lucie Pohl defends the fatherland
30/07/2014 … Wat zo funni about ze Germans, you ask? I’ll tell you (but only if you read this entire article with a German accent in your head).
Dave Chawner's seen first-hand
29/07/2014 … It might be awful but having read how many amazing performers have mental health issues my first thought was: ‘How brilliant’!I would never wish harm on anyone…
Ben Alborough on how the musical comic has spent 30 years at the top of his game
28/07/2014 … Weird Al Yankovic’s latest album Mandatory Fun is his first to get to No1 in the US in a songwriting career spanning four decades – a career which has thrived…
Stuart Goldsmith has the answers...
28/07/2014 … We all remember the sentient computer out of the 1980s film War Games, you know, the one that played chess against itself to stalemate over and over again.
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