In John O’Farrell’s 25 Years of Writing Stupid Jokes, he tells the story of his comedy career: first as a writer on the likes of Spitting Image and Have I Got News for You and then as a novelist, a broadcaster and a public figure. This is a nostalgic and whimsical hour, with some interesting observations and wry asides.
O’Farrell’s delivery is assured and entertaining and his love for his subject matter is obvious and infectious.
Amidst the story of O’Farrell’s career there are enjoyable tangents which tell of the back story to various well known comedic episodes. For example, O’Farrell tells the story behind the conception of Spitting Image’s famous portrayal of John Major as a grey man. There are amusing run-ins with major political figures and it is fascinating to get the behind-the-scenes stories of things you remember seeing on the news. O’Farrell’s story of his journey from earnest teenage boy, worshiping his comedy heroes, to his position right at the heart of the comedy world is extremely endearing.
O’Farrell’s delivery is assured and entertaining and his love for his subject matter is obvious and infectious. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge both of comedy and of politics, and you cannot help but trust his judgement on both. In all, this is an enjoyable trip down one man’s memories, with many amusing asides and valuable lesson to be drawn along the way.
