David O'Doherty
David O'Doherty performing in So You Think You're Funny in 2008.
David O'Doherty performing in So You Think You're Funny in 2008.
Born 1975
Dublin, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Genres Stand-up comedy
Notable works and roles The Boy Who Saved Comedy, David O'Doherty is My Name, The Modest Adventures of David O'Doherty (television series), Let's Comedy
Website www.davidodoherty.com
British Comedy Awards
if.comedy award (2008)

David Javier[citation needed] O'Doherty (born in Dublin, Ireland in late 1975 [1] - December 18) is an Irish stand-up comedian, author, musician and playwright. He has won two awards at the Edinburgh Fringe, Best Newcomer first of all and the if.comedy award in 2008 for his show Let's Comedy. [2] He has been nominated twice more for his work at the festival. O'Doherty has also written a children's book, composed a play and released a comedy CD which was recorded at his home in front of 35 people. His television series The Modest Adventures of David O'Doherty was broadcast on RTÉ Television in 2007. In 2006 he claimed that it took him "about three years to get a decent hour together and seven years to achieve this level of fame where (he is) the number three ranked person called David O’Doherty on Google". [3]

Contents

[edit] Style

O'Doherty's life maxim is "Do not cook fruit!" He is well-known for combining his comedic performance with tunes played on his tinny electronic keyboard. He can focus on a wide range of topics ranging from angry mathematicians and finding love to advice on how to dislodge a badger from one's leg. A fan of the indie style, O'Doherty sports a bowl cut similar to that seen on the Spanish actor Javier Bardem. [4] His ambition is to appear in a knitting pattern. [5]

[edit] Comedic career

O'Doherty attempted careers in telemarketing and temping before he made his first stage appearance at Dublin's Comedy Cellar in 1998. [6] His first full show was The Story of the Boy Who Saved Comedy which received a nomination for Perrier Best Newcomer when it was performed at Edinburgh Fringe. In 2006, he was nominated for an if.comedy award for his Edinburgh show, David O'Doherty Is My Name. O'Doherty has performed at festivals across the world in locations that include Melbourne, Montreal, New York and Wellington. He has toured Ireland with Tommy Tiernan, the United Kingdom with Rich Hall and the United States with Demetri Martin. [7] His CD, Giggle Me Timbers (Jokes Ahoy!), was released on December 21, 2006 on Trust Me I'm A Thief Records [8] He performs an annual show at UCD's Freshers Week. [9]

In August 2008, O'Doherty won the If.comedy award at the Edinburgh Fringe for his show Let's Comedy, which featured "a relationship in text messages, tunes played on a 3ft keyboard, and a badger attack". [10] He was presented with the 2008 Intelligent Finance Comedy Award [11] and a cheque for Stg£8,000 (€10,000) [12] by the previous winner Brendon Burns and the Australian author and television presenter Clive James. After his win O'Doherty returned to Ireland to perform at Electric Picnic 2008 and an October show at Vicar Street is forthcoming. [13]

[edit] Edinburgh Fringe shows

Year Title
2000 David O'Doherty: The Boy Who Saved Comedy
2002 David O'Doherty: Small Things
2003 David O'Doherty Creates Something New Under The Sun
2004 David O'Doherty In World Champion of Some Things
2005 David O'Doherty: Grown Up
2006 David O'Doherty Is My Name
2007 It's David O'Doherty Time
2008 David O'Doherty: Let's Comedy

[edit] Awards and nominations for stand-up comedy

O'Doherty has been decorated with numerous awards for his achievements in comedy. In 1999, he won the Channel 4 So You Think You're Funny Comedy Competition at the Edinburgh Fringe and was also a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards in the same year. [14] He has received the accolade of Hot Press Irish Comedian of the Year 2003.[citation needed] O'Doherty's other achievements at the Edinburgh Fringe include two nominations (2000, 2006) and a win (2008). In 2000, he was nominated for Perrier Best Newcomer Award for his show, David O'Doherty: The Boy Who Saved Comedy[citation needed] followed in 2006 by a nomination for The if.comeddie award for his show, David O'Doherty is My Name[citation needed] He eventually won the prestigious if.comedy Award (formerly the Perrier Award) in 2008 for Let's Comedy. [15] He was also nominated for the Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2006. [16]

Year Award Notes
1999 Channel 4 So You Think You're Funny Comedy Competition winner Edinburgh Fringe
1999 BBC New Comedy Awards runner-up
2000 Perrier Best Newcomer Award nomination For David O'Doherty: The Boy Who Saved Comedy
2003 Hot Press Irish Comedian of the Year
2006 If.comedy award nomination For David O'Doherty is My Name
2006 Barry Award nomination At the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for David O'Doherty is My Name
2008 If.comedy award winner For Let's Comedy

[edit] Televisual career

In May 2007, David O'Doherty's first TV series, The Modest Adventures of David O'Doherty, began airing on RTÉ Two. The six-part series was directed by John Carney, following the completion of his Academy Award-winning film Once. [17] The premise of each episode was to have the comedian attempt to achieve a goal which he set for himself. The show features O'Doherty, his neighbour Bryan, and his friend Maeve Higgins. A running gag in the show is a reference to road racing cyclist Stephen Roche.

Episode synopsis

  1. Episode one featured David attempting to cycle from Dublin to Galway, for a show later that night. He quit 100 kilometres from his destination.
  2. Episode two featured David attempting to have "a minor hit", preferably charting at #27. His song "Orange" instead reached #30, losing the #27 spot in the Irish Singles Chart to Jibbs's "Chain Hang Low".
  3. Episode three featured David trying to make his rent. A number of strategies were employed for this end; these included: betting money on a game of golf he played with his nephew (and losing); betting money at a dog track (and losing); attempting to sell an office chair he found in a skip (and eventually making €1.70 on the sale); trying to find a job where he states in an interview that he can touch-type at around 40 words per minute. He turned down a telemarketing placement; and eventually acting as an assistant to his neighbour Bryan, whose work involved erecting signs about planning permission, leading to a string of jokes concerning erections. He eventually earned the €260 through the latter.
  4. Episode four featured David doing a stand-up tour which he had t-shirts printed for. One show was for children. He did a gig at Vicar Street (a 1200 seater venue), but due to it being cancelled and re-instated repeatedly only about 20 people attended. The t-shirts did not arrive until after the tour had finished and were too small.
  5. Episode five featured David trying to make a short film. The film was to be about Ernest Shackleton's reasons for trekking to the Antarctic and heavily featured penguins. He sneaked his crew into Dublin Zoo dressed in clothes of an 1800s style. Due to too many people walking into frame, he opted to acquire a penguin elsewhere in Dublin. This proved to be a difficult task with David eventually buying an inflatable penguin on eBay for €35. The inflatable was blown away by the wind. David subsequently dressed up to play the part of the penguin. The film premiered in a local pub during the half-time of a football match on TV. The film's plotline went as follows:
    1. Shackleton's blocks are knocked over by bullies, one of whom has a picture of a penguin on his shirt.
    2. His girlfriend breaks up with him at the penguin enclosure at the zoo. The penguins seem to mock him.
    3. His parents choke on Penguin chocolate biscuits.
    4. He goes to the Antarctic.
    5. He shoots a penguin.

There was no applause for his film, however there was a cheer when the match was put back on. This episode was dedicated to David's friend's pet kitten, Tony, who appeared in the episode and died in 2007.

  1. Episode six, the final in the series, featured David's attempt to record a comedy CD. The CD was recorded in his one-room apartment. He then advertised the gig on A4-sized posters, asking to be contacted via e-mail if anyone was interested in coming to the show. Upwards of 30 chairs were squeezed into the apartment. The CD has been released by Trust Me I'm a Thief Records. [18]

[edit] Literary career

O'Doherty has written widely for newspapers and magazines and also has one play, one book and a radio series to his name. His debut book was a children's book entitled Ronan Long Gets It Wrong, written in 2001. It was illustrated by David Roberts and published by Mammoth Storybooks. [19] The play is entitled Saddled and was written with Bryan Quinn. It was claimed as "the world's first theatrical production to feature live repair of audience members' bicycles". He has also written a series for RTÉ Radio about bee detectives with his brother Mark, entitled The Bees of Manulla. O'Doherty is currently working on a book about pandas.

[edit] Discography

Year Title Peak chart position
2007 "Orange" Flag of Ireland #30

[edit] References

  1. ^ Providing comedy solutions since late 1975
  2. ^ ""O'Doherty wins main Fringe award"". BBC (2008-08-23). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  3. ^ ""David O’Doherty – Grown Up"". The Groggy Squirrel (2006-04-02). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  4. ^ David O'Doherty Review
  5. ^ David O'Doherty at the Carlsberg Comedy Festival
  6. ^ ""O'Doherty scoops top Edinburgh comedy award"". Irish Independent (2008-08-25). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  7. ^ David O'Doherty at irish-comedy.com
  8. ^ www.trustmeimathief.com.
  9. ^ David O'Doherty at the Astra Hall, Student Centre
  10. ^ ""'Utterly delightful' David O'Doherty wins Edinburgh's top comedy award"". The Independent (2008-08-24). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  11. ^ ""Irish comedian wins UK comedy prize"". Irish Independent (2008-08-24). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  12. ^ ""David O'Doherty claims top Edinburgh comedy award"". Hot Press (2008-08-25). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  13. ^ ""David O'Doherty for Vicar St homecoming"". Hot Press (2008-08-27). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  14. ^ ""David O'Doherty wins top award for his ‘delightful’ Edinburgh show"". The Times (2008-08-25). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  15. ^ ""David does it!"". Chortle (2008-08-24). Retrieved on 2008-09-12.
  16. ^ Some facts about David O'Doherty ...
  17. ^ The Modest Adventures of David O'Doherty @ www.rte.ie
  18. ^ MySpace page
  19. ^ Ronan Long Gets it Wrong @ amazon.co.uk

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Chortle reviews

  1. David O'Doherty The Boy Who Saved Comedy
  2. David O'Doherty: Small Things
  3. David O'Doherty Creates Something New Under The Sun
  4. David O'Doherty in World Champion Of Some Things
  5. David O'Doherty: Grown Up
  6. David O'Doherty Is My Name