COMEDY. STU WHO

COMEDY AT BARLINNIE PRISON

by stuwho

Over the years, I’ve done quite a few prison gigs, including running prisoner’s comedy classes, and various concerts in chapels and dining halls

In a strange way, they were some of the most rewarding and enjoyable gigs I’ve ever done

Firstly, the audience is sober and unstoned

Or, allegedly so – ?

Secondly, these guys don’t laugh unless they want to, and there’s quite a bit of pressure to look hard, be tough, and don’t laugh

So, not an easy crowd

But when they do relax, and have a laugh, it’s an amazingly receptive crowd of guys, who could fair do with a laugh – anyone who seriously believes that life in jail is cushy and easy is a fukken eejit – and a fukken eejit who has never been inside

This documents a gig compered and organised by Alan Anderson, with myself and Scott Agnew doing the funnies

ALIENS – STU WHO?

by stuwho
A song I recorded maybe a decade back, with the help of my son, Kahl, and friends, Paul Dowie on guitar, and Paul Cotton doing the recording
The topic of UFO’s and alien overlords still haunts many, whereas I believe the aliens are definitely amongst us … they’re called Capitalists
ALIENS
Unidentified Flying Objectivity
There’s aliens about, so, watch out
It might be you
It might be me
You look alright, but I still got my doubts
Everybody’s suspect, no one’s innocent
All taking part in an alien experiment
Filling us with chemicals and changing our air
I wonder if you are aware
We are surrounded by aliens
In every town, there’s an alien
Don’t look round
There’s an alien
And there’s no running away
Everybody’s talking ’bout alien visitors
Contemplation of invasion
All they need is good solicitors
Legalising murder and mass starvation
Jobs as policemen and policewomen
They ain’t half funny
And they ain’t half-human
It might get better
It might get worse
When Earth becomes the nigger of the Universe
They don’t have tails
They don’t have tentacles
They wear nice suits and gold-rimmed spectacles
Changing slowly
Changing time
Changing bodies and changing minds
Taking over the population
Effecting a mass mutation
Your resistances will be overcome
Your disbelief at what I’m saying
Is the first symptom
We are surrounded by aliens
In every town, there’s an alien
Don’t look round
There’s an alien
And there’s no running away
Unidentified Flying Objectivity
There’s aliens about
So, WATCH OUT

THE FUNNY FARM

by stuwho
The Funny Farm was a co-operative of new comedians, based in Glasgow, in the 1989-90 period. We were a varied bunch, thrown together by necessity in our need to do-it-ourselves, as there was literally no comedy scene whatsoever at that time in Scotland, outside of the mainstream club comics, and pantomime and summer season vaudevilians.
We set up our own gigs in pubs, clubs, and community centres … did improv comedy and workshop nights, and in the course of a couple of years established ourselves to the extent that Scottish Television recorded an eponymous series of stand-up comedy, based around our members, which I hosted each week, on Friday, late-night
The original Funny Farm members were a lovely bunch of people … keen, funny, and great to have as friends … our enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment spilled onto the stage, and it was a great experience to be involved with such a fine bunch
Here’s a foto of myself, Parrot and Bruce Morton

Here are some really low quality shots, taken from a contact sheet I found, of some of the original gang.

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DAVID COSGROVE / KEVIN KOPFSTEIN

FRED MAC AULEY / GORDON ROBERTSON

BORIS VESTA (LEWIS MACLEOD)

MAY MACREADIE / STEWART MACDONALD

The Funny Farm tv series, was produced by the wonderful Kim Kinnie, whose Comedy Store connections in London allowed the show to feature guest artistes of an astonishing quality and pedigree, such as Bill Hicks, Lee Evans, Jo Brand, Jimmy Tingle, Sean Lock, Nick Revell, Paul Merton, Eddie Izzard, The Comedy Store Players, and practically every good comedian who appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe over the years the show was broadcast