Stewart Lee's history of stand-up on TV
Thinking inside the box with the maverick comedian
Iconoclast comedian Stewart Lee knows TV's delicate relationship with live comedy better than anyone. Ahead of his Comedy Central series showcasing leftfield comics he outlines the history of stand-up on television…
Picture credit: Steve Ullathorne.
‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ (1955-74, ATV)
Youthful scouse mod Jimmy Tarbuck and an already skeletal Bruce Forsyth host this insanely programmed institution of variety circuit stand-ups, proto-psychedelic beat pop and people doing weird things with planks. Makes “Live at the Apollo” look like a content-driven engagement platform.
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