Andrew Doherty: The 5 craziest things that I, a comedy reviewer, have ever seen
Power
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Power 〰️
The Edinburgh Fringe is back for 2026, and with it, our annual feature series! This year, we’re taking on POWER: Who’s got it? Where is it? Where should it be? How do you get it? Our comedians are the only ones with the answers.
By Andrew Doherty
As a stand up comedy reviewer, you see some pretty crazy things! I’ve been reviewing comedy for nearly a month now, and that’s been enough time for me to consider myself to have insightful takes on the industry as a whole, so here are the five craziest things I’ve ever seen! Be prepared for it to get wacky!
Guy who is ostensibly racist
Ok, this guy was FUNNY. When this guy was cancelled last year for using horrific racial slurs, I was like, “That’s so sad! Because now I won’t get to hear all his funny jokes!” Well despite the complete and total destruction of his career, he recently did a brand new sold out hour at a leading comedy club, and I for one was here for it! His new hour expertly blends emotion (being sad about being racist) with humour (racist) and I was cackling and crying the whole way through, and at the end I got a photo with him and told him some of my favourite jokes and asked what he was doing with the rest of the evening and if he wanted to get drinks and maybe talk about starting a podcast and he said he was busy with another comedian friend and I was like, oh I’ll come along (see point three)
2. Sketch comedy duo (one man, one not sure)
I didn’t get this.
3. Guy with multiple ongoing assault allegations
Ok, this guy was FUNNY. So when the guy who is ostensibly racist was like I’m going to see a comedian friend and I was like, oh I’ll come, I had no idea it was the guy with multiple ongoing assault allegations! I have been a fan of this guy’s (non-assault) work for a LONG time, and the chance to see him do this thing (non-assault) in person was a really big deal for me. His jokes weren’t about the allegations, but there was a bit where he referenced some stuff going on in his personal life and rolled his eyes and winked in a way that I found VERY funny, because I knew what he was talking about. Also he’s gay so it’s fine.
4. Woman
Ok, they’re letting chicks do this now? I didn’t love this, I didn’t understand a lot of what she was talking about. I did drop her an Instagram message afterward though to say I’d be featuring her in one of my upcoming articles (‘Comedians I’m not sure have what it takes’) and she didn’t reply which I thought was ungrateful.
5. Keys jangling on a chain
Ok, this guy was FUNNY. This guy has natural comic timing, and I was enthralled from start to end. It’s a really layered performance that hits in two different ways. Obviously you have the visual aesthetic of the keys moving up and down, which I just couldn’t take my eyes off, but there’s also the noises they make clanging against one another! Like that’s James Acaster levels of smart! I asked keys after if they’d be interested in starting a podcast where we’d discuss comedy and how to meet women and they didn’t say no!
So those are the five craziest things I’ve seen in stand up comedy recently. Also tomorrow night I’m doing my first ever spot at Comedy Unleashed, and then next week I’m going to prison for the rest of my life.
Andrew Doherty: Reviewers Welcome… TO DIE! Is running at Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs) from Aug 5-30th (22.50). Tickets here
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