Brendon Burns

Brendon Burns loses his inner cynic for Fringe 2012

My first attempt at this article was a bitter rant detailing everything I hate about Edinburgh audiences. And then my wife, a genius in all things Burnsological, pointed out I was behaving like a blind cynic.

Altitude Festival aims for comedy highs in Mayrhofen

Phill Jupitus is hungry. The Never Mind The Buzzcocks regular and former BBC 6 Music DJ has just finished watching Abandoman and Brendon Burns close Altitude Festival's late show with an improvised set and is looking for a bite to eat.

Interview: Comedian Bethany Black

Bethany Black is one of comedies "new breed", making her mark on the scene after a steady succession of successes. She's not only featured in magazines like Bizarre and Diva but has written for The Guardian as well and has shared stages with the likes of Omid Djalili, Alan Carr, Rhona Cameron, plus written for comedians as diverse as Brendon Burns and Jimmy Cricket. Yes, she's quite a talented lady.

Interview: Patrick Turpin (Leeds Comedy Festival)

Last week saw the official launch for Laughter Lines Comedy Festival in Leeds, and the full line up has now been announced with comic heavyweights such as Brendon Burns, Paul Foot and Alun Cochrane all performing. The festival is the brainchild of Leeds University student Patrick Turpin, who set up Laughter Lines to try and bring the best of local, national and international talent to a new audience in Leeds at an affordable price. Pete Starr caught up with Turpin to talk about the inception of the festival.

An Interview with Brendon Burns

The Aussie comic talks tax returns, nunneries, and giant upside-down purple cows.

My Edinburgh: Brendon Burns

My first time at Edinburgh was in 1996. I don't think the festival has changed all that much.

Forget picture rounds, point scoring and clever puns - this blisteringly funny comedy goes straight for the jugular with a team of stand-ups letting rip on the news and sailing as close to the wind as the lawyers allow.

The most extraordinary segment sees host Patrick Kielty verbally cremating Lembit Opik, who is this week's guest in a spot called 'The Chair'.

For what must be the longest two minutes in Opik's life he's abused by Kielty, who probably can't believe he's not being hit. Opik meekly takes it but then 'The Chair' is the only seat he's likely to be offered for the forseeable.

Also appearing are Jack Whitehall, Rich Hall, Kevin Bridges, Andi Osho and Brendon Burns. On the strength of this first show, SUFTW makes HIGNFY look like a doddery old uncle.