'Let's have it out, you and me...'
• Ricky Grover turned bouncer during his stand-up set at Headliners in West London last weekend. The comic – and former boxer – turned on a heckler after he made a racist comment about two women either side of him. When Grover challenged him: 'Let's have it out, just you and me' the man, surprisingly and very ill-advisedly, accepted. The man came on stage and Grover asked him to take a seat while he 'warmed up', doing his routine where he skips furiously and puts on protective headgear to the Rocky theme tune. Grover then lifted him out of his seat and guided him to the door, despite his struggles and with the music still blasting out. Grover returned to the stage to complete his set, to loud applause and the thanks of the other acts, Justin Moorhouse, Mike Gunn and Omid Djalili. But Grover said he acted 'mainly for the ladies. I'm not having that, he had to go.'
• Not all hecklers want to fight, though:
• It comes to something when Ray Peacock is the voice of reason… but that's the role the stand-up plays in his new weekly podcast. In the ParaPod, which launched last week, he challenges fellow comic and ghost-hunter Barry Dodd's belief in the paranormal. He said: 'Pretty much every theory Barry has about the paranormal is clearly bollocks, making this the easiest job I have ever had.' Subscribe here
• Jennifer Saunders reportedly wants One Direction's Harry Styles to make a cameo on the forthcoming Ab Fab movie.
• Bobby Ball is teaching vicars how to be funny. The comic and born-again Christian will be handing out advice at a clergy trade fair – the Christian Resources Exhibition – in Birmingham next month. He says: 'I want to show people that being a Christian is not boring. In fact, it's the opposite. God wants us to have fun, laugh and enjoy this wonderful life he has given us. Standing up for Jesus, whether you're a stand-up comedian or a stand-up clergy person, is not an easy option but having the resources to do it better can make all the difference.'
• Would you pay £145 for lunch with the likes of Sarah Millican, Jason Manford or Lucy Porter? The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund charity certainly hopes so, as it's staging a fundraising meal at Bafta's London HQ next Friday, with a 'comedy host' on each table - though it hasn't revealed the names of those taking part this year yet, those are among previous attendees. Details.
• Australian comedian Lawrence Mooney is facing court action for allegedly speeding at 105mph (168km/h) on a Melbourne freeway in his 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee .
• Dawn French has finally got her face on the money… even if it's only chocolate coins. Students at Falmouth University, where she is chancellor, were given the sweets with her face on for their graduation ceremony this week. 'This is a privilege, a joy and an awesome responsibility,' she told them. 'And I've got a crown!'
• Meanwhile ex-hubby Lenny Henry has been honoured with a room named after him at the BBC in Salford – ousting JK Rowling from the name-plaque.
• Tweets of the week
Malapropisms are spreading like wildflower.
— Moose Allain (@MooseAllain) September 10, 2015
*knock on door*
"Sir have you found Jesus?"
Uh, no. Goodbye.
*shuts door*
*Jesus steps out from behind door with gun*
Good answer
— Bucky Isotope (@BuckyIsotope) September 10, 2015
I've still got my Stewart Lee Christmas cracker joke. pic.twitter.com/kSgQQQoaFn
— Jason (@NickMotown) September 11, 2015
Published: 11 Sep 2015