'Comedy for him was never a weapon; it was always a tonic'
Entertainment writer Graham McCann pays tribute to Ken Dodd
12/03/2018 … Today was the first time in my life that Ken Dodd made me cry instead of smile.
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.
Mon 12 March 2018
Tue 06 March 2018
Is alternative comedy making a mainstream comeback?
06/03/2018 … Look at the comedy listings across London and indeed any major city and you will find a very healthy explosion of deliberate anti-comedy.
Mon 05 March 2018
I've learned enough to become a hitman...
Mat Ricardo gives a progress report on his challenge to master new skills
05/03/2018 … As regular readers might know, I'm currently in the middle of developing my new one-man show, the concept of which is as follows: I released, onto the supermation…
Mon 26 February 2018
The 'good' delusion
Luke Mcgibbon on the terrible open-mic comedians convinced of their competence...
26/02/2018 … A friend of mine once said: ‘You know who is a true friend in comedy? Someone who, after a gig in which you did badly, doesn’t say anything, can’t…
Fri 23 February 2018
© Steve Best How fragile are radical feminists if they're threatened by debate?
Comedy promoter Alfie Noakes on the backlash he's facing
23/02/2018 … It has been an illuminating two weeks since I wrote an article for Chortle entitled Comedians Should Tackle Feminist Radicals .
Thu 15 February 2018
Is it because I'm Northern?
Kate Fox exposes a geographical bias in the comedy world
15/02/2018 … Sometimes, when you want to research something, the best thing you can do is count, add things up.
Wed 14 February 2018
© BBC/Ben Blackall How some comedy saves itself from the embarrassment of ageing
Daniel R. Smith on the League Of Gentlemen and 'generation snowflake'
14/02/2018 … Jokes tend to have a short shelf life.
Wed 07 February 2018
Feminism's gone too far?! You try being a woman in comedy!
07/02/2018 … Yesterday – not the year 12BC – Alfie Noakes, who promotes the We Are Funny Project open mic nights, wrote an article on this website headlined…