British Comedy Guide

School's Out Comedy Club to publish a joke book

Tuesday 17th November 2020, 1:38pm

School's Out Comedy Club book. Philip Simon

School's Out Comedy Club, the online comedy show for children, is to publish a joke book with profits going to food waste charity FareShare.

Stand-up Philip Simon created School's Out Comedy Club in April 2020 as a way to keep children entertained whilst schools were closed due to coronavirus safety measures. Each episode consisted of jokes sent in by the young viewers themselves, delivered by the comedian alongside some of his own child-friendly material.

Philip Simon explains: "I loved having all the extra time with my two boys (then 3 & 5) but I also knew that, to stay creative for when gigs started up again and for my own wellbeing, I needed a comedy project to focus on. Realising that children (and grown-ups) would need breaks from home-schooling I started developing a joke show that would provide short bursts of entertainment. And that show was School's Out Comedy Club.

"Within a very short amount of time the jokes were flooding in, with children from all over the world sending in their favourite gags and one-liners. Some are well known, whilst others are modern takes on old favourites but, as you'll see by reading this book, they're all hilarious... there's even a few that I've written myself.

"The joke shows were all available to watch on YouTube and I was even asked to do some live shows for Cubs, Brownies, Guides, Scouts and other youth groups, which were all great fun. Then during August 2020 I was fortunate enough to make the project part of the Edinburgh Fringe crowdfunder, which was partly raising funds to make this book a reality."

Philip Simon

FareShare is the hunger and food waste charity supporting families and children that was brought to the attention of many following the successful campaign from footballer Marcus Rashford to extend school meal provision to children during the school holidays.

The comedian says: "Producing this joke book was a way of giving me some purpose, whilst also raising some much needed funds for a charity that has also suffered as a result of covid-19. Due to the nature of the project, I was especially eager to find a charity that supports children, and knowing that the sale of just one book could provide about 6 meals for children who might otherwise go without is truly amazing."

The book has been illustrated by comedian Joe Bor, and is being self-published following a successful crowdfunding campaign.

It'll be available in paperback and eBook versions from Friday 27th November.

Example jokes include:

What type of key opens a banana?
A monkey.
(Jack, 8, St Albans)

What do lawyers wear to court?
Lawsuits.
(Denali, 9, Kaiserslautern, Germany)

I asked my pet lion how he liked his meat.
He said "ROAR!!!"
(Philip, 41, Hertfordshire)

School's Out Comedy Club Children's Joke Book

School's Out Comedy Club Children's Joke Book

Philip Simon's the name of a comic.
His homeschooling boredom was chronic.
He's one of these blokes,
Who loves telling jokes.
School's Out Comedy was the tonic!

Before the Coronavirus lockdown started in March 2020, I was a professional stand-up comedian and actor. Almost overnight my diary cleared and I became a supply teacher in a homeschool that OFSTED would have probably rated "Inadequate".

I loved having all the extra time with my two boys (then 3 & 5) but I also knew that, to stay creative for when gigs started up again and for my own wellbeing, I needed a comedy project to focus on. Realising that children (and grown ups) would need breaks from homeschooling I started developing a joke show that would provide short bursts of entertainment. And that show was School's Out Comedy Club.

Within a very short amount of time the jokes were flooding in, with children from all over the world sending in their favourite gags and one-liners. Some are well known, whilst others are modern takes on old favourites but, as you'll see by reading this book, they're all hilarious... there's even a few that I've written myself.

First published: Friday 27th November 2020

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