A tight 5: September 18

A MAJOR biography of Joan Rivers has been commissioned in the wake of her death. Publishers Little, Brown & Company are to release the book by Leslie Bennetts, a former reporter for The New York Times and current Vanity Fair contributor, in 2016. Bennetts, who met Rivers several times but never interviewed her, said the comedian 'was enormously significant in American cultural history, breaking down barriers for women in television and comedy and continually redefining the acceptable boundaries of truth-telling for women in public life.'

Reginald D Hunter is to play in Moscow, following in the footsteps of Eddie Izzard and Dylan Moran. He will be performing a show called Hunter In Russia: A Nigga Runs Through It on October 19.

SEAN HUGHES's latest stand-up show, Penguins, was released on DVD yesterday via the independent label Go Faster Stripe. He is currently on tour with the show – click here for dates and our review.

THE line-up has been announced for Galway's Vodafone Comedy Carnival, which this year has been extended to 12 days to encompass two weekends. Among the acts taking part from October 16 are Tommy Tiernan, David O'Doherty, Simon Amstell, Milton Jones, David Baddiel, Judah Friedlander, Todd Barry and The Rubberbandits. Website.

NEWISH comic Dave Green was last night crowned the Comedy Knights Fresh Comedian of 2014, beating more than 160 London acts to the title. Joe Sutherland was named runner-up.

Published: 18 Sep 2014