When it’s so bad political comics can’t face politics

He’s won back-to-back Best Comedy Act trophies at the last two years’ Guide Awards.
Stand-up comic Joe Wells will be performing a work-in-progress show at the Wave Maiden in Southsea on June 13, 2019. Picture by Ed MooreStand-up comic Joe Wells will be performing a work-in-progress show at the Wave Maiden in Southsea on June 13, 2019. Picture by Ed Moore
Stand-up comic Joe Wells will be performing a work-in-progress show at the Wave Maiden in Southsea on June 13, 2019. Picture by Ed Moore

But you’d be forgiven for not knowing that, even if you were there, seeing as he never managed to turn up on either occasion.

This year’s excuse was that he had a paid gig, or something, so he asked fellow nominee Hetty Austin to collect it in his stead.Even though he’s cruelly snubbed us twice, The Guide still loves Joe, so when he asked if he could write something about the new show he’s putting together for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the work-in-progress gigs he's doing around here, we said: ‘Sure, why not?’

And this is what he sent us:

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‘Whatever you think of her politics, on a purely human level, I hope we can all agree that when Theresa May started to cry during her resignation speech it was very very funny.

‘My favourite part was when she tried to think of something positive about her time in Number 10 and came up with “reducing plastic waste”.

‘That’s her legacy, Churchill defeated fascism in Europe, Attlee founded the NHS and May made it so you have to pay 10p for your bags in Tesco.

‘May also talked about “the burning injustices in society”, to be fair Theresa, those injustices wouldn’t have been burning in the first place if you hadn’t put that cladding on them.

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‘We now face the very real prospect of a general election battle between Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson. ‘A sexist, racist, posh-boy, buffoon…and Boris Johnson. And as both the main parties fail to offer anything to the electorate more and more people are being drawn in by extremist groups like The Liberal Democrats.

‘The political scene is so awful that I’ve stopped voting.

‘Not voting feels great, I used to have to choose between five parties I hated, now I have more choice than before because I get to spoil my ballot paper in any way I want.

‘Obviously I always draw a crude picture of a penis but I have the choice to draw anything.

‘Given that our country’s politics are a cesspit of egotism, ideology and hate, what worse career could I have chosen than working as a political comedian and writer?

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‘It’s depressing, everyone is sick of hearing about Brexit and it’s my job to try to write jokes about it, week on week on week.

‘My new show, Joe Wells Doesn’t Want to do Political Comedy Anymore! is about trying to find a way out, it’s the comedy equivalent of that scene in Groundhog Day where he drives his car over the cliff but the car is my career and the cliff is Brexit.

‘I’m taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe in August but before then I’ll be performing work in progress previews at The Wave Maiden in Southsea on June 13, and July 17.’

Joe's joined on Thursday, by George Rigden who will be performing a preview of his Edinburgh show, Spooning with Uri.

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Joe's joined on Thursday by George Rigden who will be performing a preview of his Edinburgh show, Spooning with Uri, the follow-up to his acclaimed 2018 show, George-ous.As a child, George (Leicester Mercury Comedian of the year nominee 2017) was friends with Uri Geller for two years.

It is a true story about friendship, autographs and cutlery.

Joe Wells Doesn’t Want to do Political Comedy Anymore! preview

The Wave Maiden, Southsea

June 13 & July 17

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