Show uses bogus Chortle review on posters

A fringe show is being promoted with quotes from a Chortle review that does not exist.

Affixed to the front of the posters for stand-up Geoff Boyz's show are banners with gushing quotes purporting to be from this site.

"He had me crying with laughter throughout the show!" they say, next to Chortle's logo. "Best comedy act I have ever seen at the Fringe."

But we have not yet reviewed the show, given just two stars by The Scotsman's critics yesterday.

In fact, the last time Chortle did see Boyz's stand-up act, the words 'very patchy', 'dreadful' and 'unfunny' cropped up. (Click here for that review)

Instead, the poster quotes come from a punter who used our feedback form to give their opinion.

Chortle editor Steve Bennett said: "It's a bit disingenuous to say the least.

"Anyone can post opinions on the site - it clearly doesn't mean that those are our views. Claiming that it does is deliberately misleading people just to shift a few tickets.

"I was surprised when someone came up to me and said 'I see you raved about Geoff Boyz's show' - especially as I hadn't seen it.

"I'm not very happy about this. I'll be having words - but not the sort you'd want to put on a poster.

Published: 17 Aug 2002