The Comedy Cannon

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 30th September 2016. Jay Islaam interviewed award-winning comedian, comedy promoter and podcaster Thomas Rackham who will be performing at several shows as part of the Birmingham Comedy Festival, and launches a new comedy night at Cherry Reds in Birmingham very soon afterwards. You can find our more about Thomas through his website or via Twitter. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 30th September 2016. Jay Islaam interviewed Birmingham based actor, comedian and sketch-writer Richard Quarmby who will be performing in front of local comedy legend Jasper Carrott at the Glee Club next week as part of the Birmingham Comedy Festival. You can find our more about Richard via Twitter. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 23rd September 2016. Jay Islaam interviewed Birmingham based actor, comedian, writer and artist Gareth Berliner – who has starred in Coronation Street, Eastenders and Doctor Who – who will be performing his latest show at the Birmingham Comedy Festival next month. You can find our more about Gareth on his website and via Twitter. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 16th September 2016. Jay Islaam interviewed three members of Birmingham improv group Box of Frogs – Nick Hollingsworth, Luke Cousin and Lee Dempsey – who popped in to the studio to tell us about the inaugural Birmingham Improv Festival, which takes place at the Blue Orange Theatre from 21st to 23rd October 2016. You can also find out more about the festival on Twitter and Facebook. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.  

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 16th September 2016. Jay Islaam interviewed local comedian, model and actress Samantha Pressdee about her topless show Sextremist (#FreeTheNipple), which she performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in August, and her work as a social and political activist. You can follow her on Twitter or visit her website. Jay Islaam also spoke to local photographer and make-up artist Clare Morgan about the huge breadth of skills required in her day-to-day work, and the genesis of her new business, Clareabelles. You can find out more about Clare’s work through her website or via Facebook. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 9th September 2016. Jay Islaam talks to former Teacher and local counsellor Steve Guy about Art Therapy in counselling, the prevalence of mental health issues among artists and performers, as well as his experiences helping clients with autism, axiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. You can contact Steve Guy via his website or follow him on Twitter. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 2nd September 2016. Jay Islaam talks to award-winning local comedian Moses Ali Khan about his recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe, and his plans for next year, as well as discussing the latest showbiz, political and cultural developments. Moses also talks about Kung Fu movies, Roald Dahl stories, professional wrestlers and celebrity spotting at the Fringe. You can follow Moses Ali Khan on Facebook and Twitter. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 12th August 2016. Jay Islaam interviews local actor, comedian, singer, and professional wrestler Steve Valentino about his triumphant return to the British professional wrestling circuit, the current status of his Giggle Dungeon project, and the success he’s been enjoying with his band The Jacks. You can listen to his some of Steve’s songs and spoken word performances by visiting his page on Soundcloud. You can also follow him on Facebook and Instagram. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

In this episode, I’m talking to Manchester based comedian and drag queen Red Redmond, who also runs the Dead Cat chain of comedy clubs across several cities in England. Red tells me about his burgeoning career in drag and his admiration for LGBT culture. He also talks about his experiences at the Edinburgh Fringe – which he’s been visiting since 2009 – his plans for the festival this year, and his disappointment at the commercialisation of the experience in recent years. Finally, he discusses his best ever gig, and then recounts his worst gigs – all of which involved him being physically attacked! You can find out more about Red Redmond by following him on Twitter. You can also follow his alter ego Scarlet SoHandsome on Twitter as well. (The Comedy Cannon podcast with your host Jay Islaam.)  

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 29th July 2016. Jay Islaam interviews Birmingham-based comedian and musician Jonny Cocker, who runs the King Kong open mic gig in central Birmingham. Also, local comedian Moses Ali Khan pops in to the studio to talk Edinburgh plans, foreign travel, difficult employees and the latest movie releases. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.  

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 22nd July 2016. Jay Islaam interviews local showbiz institution Martin Huburn about his astonishingly varied career as a performer. A former dancer and professional wrestler, he now splits his time between standup comedy and being a Christian Minister! We discuss showbiz news, James Bond, Star Wars and the current state of the English football team. Martin is currently putting together his first solo show, Tiptonite. (This recording is part 2 of 2.) To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 22nd July 2016. Jay Islaam interviews local showbiz institution Martin Huburn about his astonishingly varied career as a performer. A former dancer and professional wrestler, he now splits his time between standup comedy and being a Christian Minister! He also tells us about his horrific experience the first time he visited Edinburgh Fringe. Martin is currently putting together his first solo show, Tiptonite. (This recording is part 1 of 2.) To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 8th July 2016. Jay Islaam interviews local playwright, theatre producer and journalist Richard Green about how he accidentally got involved in the theatre, the writing process behind the four plays he’s written, the challenges of producing for the stage, and his forthcoming work, Paper In My Pants (PIMP) that will soon be heading for a short run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

Listen again to The Comedy Cannon show originally broadcast on Friday 24th June 2016. Jay Islaam interviews local magician and comedian Damon Conlan about what inspired him to take up magic, the unique challenges of performing for children, the roots of his skepticism, and discusses at length the result of the EU Referendum and what Brexit might mean for the British and European political landscape. You can follow Damon on Facebook and Twitter. To contact the show please email hello@comedycannon.com to let us know about anything interesting happening locally that we can tell our listeners about on the air.

In this episode, I’m talking to exciting Scottish newcomer Monty Burns, behind the scenes at the Comedy Store in Manchester. In a very short time he’s established himself as one of the most talented new voices on the British comedy scene. Monty discusses his career in the army, and how the sense of humour and sensibilities amongst soldiers have influenced the style and content of his on-stage performances. He also discusses how being a new parent has expanded the breadth of subjects he can address in his material, his experience of performing at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015, and Monty’s plans for a return in 2017 with two full-length shows. You can find out more about Monty Burns through his website, or by following him on Facebook and Twitter. (The Comedy Cannon podcast with your host Jay Islaam.)