Are You Offended Yet? | Archie Maddocks
Comedy, as a mechanic, relies on the art of surprise - something must surprise, or sometimes shock, in order to elicit laughter. In fact, it’s similarity to drama, which also relies on surprise to affect an audience, is only separated by tone. So why then do people get offended by jokes - by things that are not real? Or worse, by reality? I want to dissect the idea of comedy and offence and end with the conclusion that offense is actually a good thing, but that jokes shouldn’t be taken more seriously (seen as more offensive) than physical, real bad things. You know like murder, poverty and Katie Hopkins. Let's all just relax a bit and let loose, and laugh. Archie is a stand up comedian and writer. For stand-up comedy, he’s a regular on the domestic and international circuit, gigging everywhere from London, to Dubai, to Cape Town, to Runcorn. He’s also a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where his shows have always garnered 4 and 5 star reviews (there was a 2 once, but he refuses to talk about that). As a writer, he’s currently under commission for projects with CBS, Channel 4, ITV, Sky, BBC and a bunch of others (he might be writing this himself, but he will not arrogantly blow his load in an about you section).
You can find Archie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and his website.