How a Carr works

Jimmy Carr describes himself as a Joke Technician on his website.


The strapline for his current series of one-man shows reads "This show is exactly the same as last year's except every single word. It's rude, crude and offensive but those aren't the only reasons you'll enjoy it. Not for the faint-hearted (the faint-hearted should also avoid salt)"


He does regular "joke-testing" shows in a pub not far from me, and last night I went along. He read mainly one-liners from five clipboards, and ticked off the audience reaction. It was a bit like one of those consumer research interviews - only with 50 people at once, and no chance to tick boxes - "that was offensive; that was really offensive; I think you can be arrested for that". He is a little more engaging when he moved away from the material, but I suspect the dangerous heir to Bob Monkhouse is landed for life with being an edgy gag machine.