an ordinary blog — andr3.net

Today I spent the whole dinner reminiscing over Monty Python's greatest sketches and britcom legends in general when it hit me. Not many people know that many stand-up comedians, even though most appreciate the shows we have here in Portugal – and boy, do they fail short in comparison to the great masters. (ok ok, not all of them)

So starting today I'll share a couple interesting comedians now and then and hopefully, I'll discover some more in the process. Feel free – actually I thank you if you do – to share some of your favorite stand-up comedians. Specially if you have links to their videos.

Anyway, moving on to my first choice.

Eddie Izzard — The European

From the get-go you'll notice one thing so let's get that out of the way, quick. The dude is a dudette! Yes, he's a transvestite. A transvestite executif, he prefers. But if you ask me, that's the first and last time you'll ever think about that. As he put it in one of his shows: Women wear what they want and so do I.

I find his humor quite unique. He's able to use great events in our History and turn them into well thought jokes. From Alexander the Great to the Death Star. ;) He also includes in his shows a lot of his views on Europe and he's really passionate about it. (for more read this interview on The Independent by Bono). He tends to make elaborate skits that end up teaching something to the audience. He had the audacity to while doing a show in the US and speaking of the IRA in Northern Ireland turn to the audience, sigh of relief and: Do you even know these other countries?

So what's the better way to show off a comedian's style? Videos. So here are a personal selection of some of his best videos I found on the web.

Videos

Death Star Canteen, from Dressed to Kill

↑ link to the video on YouTube

Stonehenge, from Dressed to Kill

↑ link to the video on YouTube

Popes (2002), from Circle

↑ link to the video on YouTube

Being bilingual, from Dressed to Kill

↑ link to the video on YouTube

For more, try searching YouTube for 'Eddie Izzard'.

You might want to make sure you're free for a while because it'll be hard to stop.