Boardman sulks off after stage death

Stan Boardman abandoned a stand-up show for an audience of sports stars after just five minutes when his jokes fell flat.

Diners at the event say the veteran Scouse comic, infamous for his gags about Germans, fluffed a series of punchlines and walked off.

The 300-strong audience at a testimonial dinner for snooker player Dennis Taylor were left in the lurch until Scotish stand-up Fred MacAulay stepped in with an impromptu performance.

Boardman, 61, mustered a couple of passable gags at Glasgow's Thistle Hotel before fluffing his punchlines and stumbling over his anecdotes.

"People were looking at each other in disbelief," one punter told the Daily Recod. "It's not even as if the audience turned against him.

'He was not exactly incoherent but he just did not have the sharpness a stage performer should have. He was apparently very distraught afterwards.

'The audience were more embarrassed than angry.'

Published: 14 Feb 2004