Can you copyright a joke?
Former law lecturer and stand-up comedian Ollie Horn explores...
15/05/2020 … Conan O'Brien said: ‘Short of murder, stealing material is the worst thing any comic can be accused of.
2020 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.
Fri 15 May 2020
Thu 07 May 2020
Why I'm saying no to virtual gigs
07/05/2020 … I know it’s cowardice to start an article with a disclaimer, but now we're into the 1,500th hour of hiding inside.
Mon 27 April 2020
How the lockdown is making comedy more humble and human
Emma Sullivan celebrates the lo-fi
27/04/2020 … A huge amount of comic material is being produced in response to the pandemic and far from being professionally produced, much of it is emerging directly from the…
Tue 14 April 2020
'This was big challenge: no old gags, just new material'
Old-school comic Jeff Stevenson tells how he joined the alternative circuit
14/04/2020 … In the 1990s, Jeff Stevenson was a journeyman ‘old school’ comedian, performing on cruise ships, doing TV-warm-ups, panto, and the occasional bit of…
Sun 01 March 2020
Shagged, married… overjoyed!
Jemma Bennett explains why she is such a fan of Chris and Rosie Ramsey’s podcast
01/03/2020 … Chris and Rosie Ramsey are to break a world record for the world's biggest live podcast audience – and I’m not surprised.
Wed 15 January 2020
How do you do rhymes in sign language?
Toni Kent on translating her material for the deaf
15/01/2020 … As a 15-year-old hell-bent on oblivion, I spent a lot of time with my good friend Laura.
Tue 07 January 2020
An introduction to Latin American comedy
By Venezuelan stand-up Ivan Aristeguieta, currently performing at the Soho Theatre in London
07/01/2020 … If you ask me about what I watch online in terms of comedy my answer will be: Patton Oswalt, Mike Birbiglia, Sarah Silverman and Jerry Seinfeld.