Jeremy Hardy

Tonight's gig saw the return to Colchester of Jeremy Hardy and a full house. I apologise for the worse than usual photo but we were at the back of the hall and I hate to use the flash when somebody is in full swing.

Anyway, Jeremy Hardy. Brilliant comedian. Love his stuff on radio -- he's best known for appearing on The News Quiz and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue but has also produced a long-running series of almost-monologues called Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation; all of these turn up regularly on BBC7 so there's no excuse for you not to try and catch some of his genius.

Trying to figure out why I particularly like Hardy I discover that we're almost the same age (nine months difference), we're both left of centre politically, both non-religious and we've both written for The Guardian, although I suspect he was paid more and on time while I'm still waiting to be paid for something I wrote eleven months ago. And there's the difference: if I make a complaint I sound belligerent, where Jeremy Hardy would make it funny. I simmer with indignation and he would be able to turn that into a sharply-barbed one-liner. That's why he's a comedian and I've got high blood pressure.

As he spends most of his act talking about politics and religion you might expect some fire and brimstone. These are, I suspect, quite deeply held beliefs for Hardy -- not every observation that he makes has a punch line -- but he doesn't need to stalk around the stage, shaking his fist and battering your ear drums, delivering his beliefs as The True Nature Of Things; he stands, centre-stage and talks calmly and smiles and fluffs his lines sometimes and loses his place because he's wandered off the original subject and that's fine; it's almost like he's explaining something over the dinner table. Maybe some of that calm will sink in, although I know for sure that the only gag people will actually be able to repeat to their friends will be the last one he told. (Which I won't spoil by telling here.)

Two comedy shows in two nights both very different and both very good. An excellent way to relax before tomorrow's talk. (And if you ask, I might tell you that joke.)