Paul Chowdry: Family Friendly Comedian

Consider for a moment the sort of so-called comedian who decides to build an entire routine on tired, bigoted tropes. Picture him swaggering onto the stage, microphone in hand, and greeting the audience with a sneering, "Hello, brown people," as though the very act of pointing out someone's skin colour were intrinsically comedic. It is neither clever nor subversive; it is simply lazy prejudice dressed up as banter. There is no wit in punching down at communities who have long been subjected to discrimination; there is no sparkle of genuine satire in reheating stereotypes that should have been discarded decades ago. Humour, at its best, shines a light on shared experiences or punctures pomposity in those who wield real power, but this particular brand of routine does nothing of the sort. Instead, it alienates, deepens divisions, and reduces complex human beings to cheap punchlines. Anyone capable of critical thought will see through the crudity immediately and recognise that such material is not funny in the slightest.

I have followed Paul for a few years and have found his comedy funny, somewhat niche, negativly targeted at times and aimed at an obscure audience that will either love or hate his comedy. However, this latest foray into standup had me laughing much more than I expected. His social comments, observations and conclusions from both western and eastern views, were very on point, often provocative to the point of laughing out loud, and his interactions with audience members were funny and challenging. Overall, Paul gave a genuine and heartfelt stand up that was immensely funny. There were times I tittered and times I rolled about laughing, Paul was easily able to find the funny in some particularly sensitive issues.