16 h. ago The death of my friend inspired me to follow my standup dreams

For one writer, tragedy led to comedy, the sudden loss of a colleague giving her the nudge she neededThere’s nothing funny about your co-worker being assassinated. But it was the death of my beloved colleague and friend Hisham al-Hashimi that led me into the world of standup comedy. I knew it would trash my hard-won career in international security, but I didn’t care any more.Hisham had run a workshop with me in Iraq six months prior to his death, and I’d taken everything so seriously, marching around the hotel yelling about how everything was going wrong. But Hisham always had a lightness in his step, a smile on his face. Every evening, he’d take me to a café, order me my favourite shisha and proceed to tell the most disgusting jokes. Continue reading...

Events

41 h. ago Lachie Kennedy upstages Gout Gout on Australian athletics’ historic night

Pair produce thrilling men’s 200m at Maurie Plant meetClaudia Hollingsworth prevails in ‘crazy’ women’s 1500mTeenage sprint sensation Gout Gout has been upstaged by rival Lachie Kennedy in the 200m at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne on a night that confirms athletics’ resurgence in Australia.In front of around 10,000 fans at Lakeside Stadium, the first sell-out at an Australian one-day athletics meet in more than two decades, the 17-year-old finished just four hundredths of a second behind his fellow Queenslander. Kennedy, who last week won Australia’s first medal in the 60m at the world indoor championships, finished in a personal best of 20.26s after running a powerful bend and holding off Gout at the line. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Audience member dies during opening night of Melbourne international comedy festival

A man watching a comedy gig has died after suffering a medical emergency in a packed theatre on the opening night of a major festivalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe opening night of the Melbourne international comedy festival was abandoned after the death of an audience member.The man suffered a medical emergency at the Palais theatre in St Kilda on Wednesday night, festival organisers said.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Nicola Sturgeon thanks supporters in comedy debut after being cleared by police

She was appearing at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival

Events

1 week ago Piper, no! Parker Posey’s viral White Lotus accent is a gift to us all

The actor’s lorazepam-fueled North Carolinian line delivery in the comedy drama series has taken the internet by stormEvery season of The White Lotus has its thing: a moment that takes off and becomes its own monster until long after the end credits roll on the finale. Season one was the suitcase poop scene, an effect so bizarrely groundbreaking that other showrunners wound up publicly musing on how much it must have cost. Season two’s thing was Jennifer Coolidge saying, “These gays, they’re trying to murder me,” which you will see replayed three times a minute whenever you look at anyone’s Instagram stories.It might be too early to definitively state what season three’s thing is – The White Lotus always goes from a standing start to a nutso finale, and we still have three episodes left for things to really ramp up – but there are already a couple of contenders. For a while, it looked like it might have been Jason Isaacs’ penis, until he forcefully shut down the conversation last we...

Events

1 week ago Australian GP chief gives verdict on F1 night race in Melbourne

Exclusive: Calls for a later start time at Albert Park have been made to cater for F1 fans in Europe

Politics

1 week ago Scots comedian calls on Glasgow Comedy Festival to support disabled performers

James Gardner has urged fellow comics and organisers to engage with disabled people amid the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Culture

2 w. ago Seven comics on shortlist for Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award

Glasgow International Comedy Festival will announce the winner on March 30, as this year’s event closes.

Events

3 w. ago Elaine C. Smith in special Janey Godley tribute show at Glasgow Comedy Festival

The stand-up-comedian, who died in November, will be honoured at the event called An Afternoon for Janey at this year’s Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Culture