Asylum speakers... | Today's best comedy on demand

Asylum speakers...

Today's best comedy on demand

Here's Chortle's daily round-up of new comedy to watch at home during lockdown.

This list, updated at around 3pm daily, covers subscription services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, iPlayer and NextUp, to podcasts and live streaming, is your essential guide to getting a daily dose of laughs.

You can search our listings for a more comprehensive list of online events using the blue box at the left or top of this page. Or if you're a promoter wanting to add an event, details are here.


Saturday September 12

NO DIRECTION HOME: This project involving comedians from refugee and migrant backgrounds is hosting a series of online gigs, kicking off tonight with guest headliner Mo Omar, pictured, and host Tom Parry, who has been coaching the newer comics. Iraqi-born Yasmeen Audisho Ghrawi says: ‘No Direction Home is a space to be seen and heard, a space of celebration. We come from places of varying remoteness from the UK, some of us fresh off the back of a truck, others migrated here years ago. We hope to keep sharing the love - and our jokes.’ Each gig is in connection with a different arts venue, starting with the Camden People’s Theatre in North London. It kicks off at 8pm and tickets are available here

WHY WE LAUGH - FUNNY WOMEN:: In this 2013 film, Joan Rivers takes a look at the evolution of female stand-up comedians through in-depth interviews with some of the most famous women in comedy, including Kathy Griffin, Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin and Janeane Garofalo. It’s just been added to Amazon Prime today.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNEXPECTED: Seann Walsh, Laura Lexx and Christopher MacArthur-Boyd share their anecdotes with Mark Nelson in the latest edition of this BBC Radio Scotland show, now available on BBC Sounds.


Friday September 11

JONNY AND THE BAPTISTS: The delightful, often political, musical comedy duo embark on the second leg of their virtual Love You & Hate Covid tour – joking that they were going to call it Tour: The Second Wave, but felt that was too ominous. Each gig comes live from the basement of a derelict pub, but is tied in with a different arts centre around the UK to help them connect with their audiences and raise money. Tonight it's the Komedia in Bath, while the rest of their listings are here. Donate here to get tickets. And read our four-star review of their show from Edinburgh last year here.

THE COMEDY UNDERGROUND: The stand-up showcase, recorded at the Gilded Balloon basement in Edinburgh, is being repeated late at night on BBC Scotland - which means it's back on iPlayer. In the latest episode, Jay Lafferty introduces Robin Grainger, who has a tale of dating gone wrong, Paul McDaniel shares his new Scottish yoga routine, Ria Lina has an outrageous take on parenting, Ross Leslie tells us about life in Fife, and Marc Jennings talks philosophy and frozen lasagne

AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE COLON MOVIE FILM FOR THEATERS: Released in 2007, this is the only time an Adult Swim series was adapted into a feature film, and it grossed $5.5 million on a $750,000 budget. The dark comedy, in which the animated heroes must tackle an immortal piece of exercise equipment threatening the balance of galactic peace, has today arrived on All 4, as part of the broadcaster's tie-up with the experimental Adult Swim programming.

THE DUCHESS: Katherine Ryan's comedy series has landed on Netflix. Read our review here.


Thursday September 10

SWEET DREAMS: Created by and starring stand-up Juliette Burton, this new audio comedy series revolves around an anxious woman who has just moved in with her boyfriend for the first time. As she falls asleep, she embarks on 'what could be an adventure of self-discovery or may just turn out to be a ridiculous series of events'. The series co-stars fellow comedians Matthew Crosby, Sooz Kempner, Rob Frimston and Angus Dunican. Episode one has been released on Acast today, with new episodes following over the next three Thursdays.

HAPPY HOUR Q&A WITH Ed Byrne: The latest in the interview series conducted by Leicester Comedy Festival founder Geoff Rowe to help raise money for the annual event kicks off at 8pm tonight, and tickets, priced from £5, are available here

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL PRESENTS: ALL STAR COMEDY JAM - LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS: Newly arrived on Amazon Prime today, this 2014 comedy special features Mike Epps, Lil' Rel, Henry Welch, Deon Cole and DeRay Davis.


Wednesday September 9

TOM ALLEN ON KENNETH WILLIAMS: Broadcast on Radio 4's Great Lives strand yesterday afternoon, in this programme the comic examines the life of the Carry On and Round the Horne star with presenter Matthew Parris and biographer, Christopher Stevens. Together, they discuss stealing the show, sexuality and living solo, with plenty of bona clips from the man himself. Listen on BBC Sounds.

AN EVENING WITH John Cleese: Or a very late night, since this online interview with filmmaker Judd Apatow to coincide with the release of Cleese's new book Creativity, is aimed at American viewers. But if you're up at 2am, and have $10 to spare, you can get tickets here

ALWAYS BE COMEDY: Very much in the news over the past week or so as the political balance of BBC comedy somehow become more important that Covid deaths or Brexit chaos, Tory-backing comic Geoff Norcott is on the bill of his virtual gig tonight alongside the Last Leg's Josh Widdicombe and much-acclaimed Rhys James and Sara Barron. Tickets.


Tuesday September 8

NOISE NEXT DOOR: The improv troupe will tonight be reunited with their former member Tom Houghton – who left to follow a solo stand-up career - in the very last of their weekly socially distanced online show at 8pm via their Facebook page. But the quartet will be back online in ten days' time with another online gig - performed live on trampolines. Well, you've got to have a twist! Tickets for that are available here

THREE LITTLE WORDS: John Bishop and his pal, the writer, actor and director Tony Pitts, have today launched Three Little Words, a new weekly podcast in which they talk to guests about their lives via the three words that mean something important to them - plus the one word they never want to hear again. The first episode, available via Acast and the usual podcast platforms, features Robbie Williams, while future guests include Jools Holland, Jason Manford and actress Rachel Shenton. As Chortle reported last week, the show is the first to be made by Crowd Network, a podcast company Bishop has invested in.

DAVID TENNANT DOES A PODCAST WITH...: In today's episode, the actor talks to Schitt's Creek creator and star Dan Levy about his anxiety around auditioning for acting roles, how he juggled multiple jobs in the acclaimed comedy, and the joy of working with his dad and family. Listen here.


 Monday September 6

INFINITE SOFA: Maria Bamford is Stuart Goldsmith's star signing for tonight's episode of his online talk show, sharing the roomy settee with Abandoman, Stevie Martin and David Hoare. More details here

COMEDIANS VS. THE NEWS: Brazilian satirist Rafi Bastos and South Africa's Loyiso Gola join American hosts Jess Salomon and Eman El-Husseini – comedy's only 'Jewish-Palestinian-Muslim-lesbian married couple' – in this week's BBC World Service programme taking a comic look at the global news agenda. Listen on BBC Sounds.

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS: This 2017 comedy film based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Fry has just landed on Amazon Prime. Roger Allam plays disgruntled, semi-famous poet Ted Wallac hired to investigate a series of unexplained miracles at Lord and Lady Logan's (Tim McInnerny and Fiona Shaw) country manor.


Need more suggestions?

• Click here for those from the week starting August 30
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NOTE: Sometimes links and videos of live events expire after the event. All were valid at the time of publication

Published: 12 Sep 2020

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