Josie Long

Josie Long: Why I love Walt Whitman

'He's up for genuinely exploring his own experiences. That's what I aim for in standup'

Josie Long talks to Edfestmag TV

A video interview with Josie Long.

Edinburgh Fringe: the best shows so far

Includes Bridget Christie, Tim Vine, Alex Horne and Josie Long.

The ​Josie Long extended interview

Josie Long is performing at The Stand at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with a new show called, Cara Josephine. After conducting over four hundred and fifty interviews since March this year, Stand-Up Comedy Editor, Martin Walker finally chats to his own favourite comedian.

Best comedy to see from Stewart Lee to Josie Long

A selection of some of the best acts at this year's Fringe.

Stewart Lee's Alternative Comedy Experience offers 25 minutes of understated joy over on Comedy Central. Now three episodes into its second series, it's a grottier, grimier Live At The Apollo, without the necessary blockbuster blandness of John Bishop or Michael McIntyre.

Lee talks to comedians about their comedy - more interesting than it sounds, because of the calibre of people involved - which is then interspersed with short excerpts from stand-up sets, filmed at Edinburgh's tiny pub-like venue The Stand, giving it a brilliantly raucous, ramshackle feel.

Tuesday's episode saw Susan Calman, Josie Long, Kevin Eldon and David O'Doherty performing, with O'Doherty - a particular delight. If you've ever wondered how someone can do witty nostalgia about long-dead technology without sounding like a Buzzfeed list, then track O'Doherty's set down as a matter of urgency.

How fan fiction made improv cool

Hobbit sex fantasies are all very well, but what if Dostoevsky met a dinosaur? Nell Frizzell finds out what fan fiction has done for standup - while Josie Long and Nick Gibb release their inner nerd.

Radio Times review

What does it take to get up in front of a crowd of strangers and try to make them laugh? Getting over "the fear" is one of the toughest parts of being a stand-up, but this line-up all manage it with aplomb. From Susan Calman's sparkly enthusiasm to Josie Long's aw-gosh awkwardness to Kevin Eldon's utter mania, each has his or her own coping technique.

The material is brilliant, but so too are Stewart Lee's backstage interviews. Unguarded and perceptive, they show how hard it is to make comedy look effortless. Keep watching through the credits for some insight into whether Dutch courage or a full roast dinner is better at steadying the nerves.

My Edinburgh festival nightmare: comedians Fringe Hell

So you're taking a show to the Edinburgh fringe. What's the worst that could happen? Vomiting, fainting, break-ups and malfunctioning smoke machines ... Felicity Ward, Josie Long and WitTank start off our series of comedians' horror stories.

Radio Times review

Analysing comedy, according to the cliché, is like dissecting a frog: no one laughs and the frog dies. One thing that distinguishes comedians from television critics is that they are above using clichés. Another is that they can talk about the craft with authority, and make it funny, too.

This episode of the excellent stand-up showcase gets into the nitty-gritty of how comedy works: compering, writing new jokes, getting over "the fear" and trying to make strangers laugh. From Susan Calman's sparkly enthusiasm to Josie Long's awsh-gosh awkwardness to Kevin Eldon's utter mania, each has their own technique. The material is brilliant, but so too are Stewart Lee's backstage interviews. Keep watching through the credits for the answer to whether you should drink before stepping on stage.