Boothby Graffoe (comedian)

Boothby Graffoe (born James Martyn Rogers on October 20 1962), is an English comedian, singer, songwriter and playwright. He is particularly known for his surreal sense of humour.

Early life

He was born in 1962 in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. For the latter part of his schooling, he attended the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Horncastle. At the age of 18, he became a member of the redcoats at a Butlins on the south coast. He chose his alter ego when driving back from a gig in the late 1980s. His family still live in the Tattershall area.

tand-up comedy

He is a regular performer at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Although originally from Beverley, East Yorkshire, he claims (probably correctly) to be the only comedian in the world named after a Lincolnshire village.

Boothby incorporates his guitar playing skills into his stage act, through his oddball (and usually slightly twisted) songs, including such titles as "Planet Dog", "Woof" and his album's title track "Wot Italian" (sometimes referred to as 'Umbrella Head Boy'). Some of his song titles are still more surreal, in that they do not reflect the subject matter, such as "Giraffes Don't Play Harmonicas, So It Can't Be a Giraffe" and "The Consequences of Living in a Container". He is currently accompanied by the violinist Nick Pynn, having previously toured with acoustic guitarist Antonio Forcione.

He explained his reasons for increasingly irrelevant (to the song) titles as - essentially - ways to avoid giving away the key phrases or punchlines in his songs. For instance, he renamed "Umbrella Head Boy" to "Wot Italian" after realising that audiences familar with his work would ask him to "Play Umbrella Head Boy", thus rendering the surprise element of this line in the song redundant to others.Thus the song names no longer reflect the content of the work to avoid this, and have become increasingly abstract as Graffoe has progressed.

On his latest tour of Scotland in February/March 2007 he announced his intention to retire from stand-up comedy and concentrate on writing for Omid Djalili. He frequently tours as a warm up act with Omid and Barenaked Ladies, playing 'Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde' (aka Baseball Playing Spider) as a highlight.

He has won several awards, including the 2002 Adelaide Fringe Award for Excellence, and the Time Out Comedy Award. He has also been previously nominated for British comedy's most prestigious award, the Perrier Award.

Radio

He started his career in 1988 on BBC Radio Lincolnshire when he presented a two hour programme (Boothby Graffoe Live), on Friday evenings for a few years until late 1990.

He appeared regularly on Radio 4's "Loose Ends" with the late Ned Sherrin.

* The Big Booth BBC Radio 4 (2000-1)
* Boothby Graffoe in No Particular Order BBC Radio 4 (2003-2005)

Television

In 2003, he appeared on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brianand also caused a stir on Opportunity knocks when he wrapped sellotape around his head for comedy effect.

Music

In 2004 he released his first album of songs with Antonio Forcione, "Wot Italian?" A second disc followed in 2006, a live recording of a show in Brighton billed as "Boothby Graffoe & the Following People", the backing band including Pynn.

Boothby has twice acted as support for Canadian band Barenaked Ladies on two of their UK tours, first in 2004 for the Barenaked For The Holidays Tour, and again in 2007 on the Barenaked Ladies are Me tour. Boothby mostly performs solo, with various members of the band joining him to play bass (Jim Creeggan), keyboard (Kevin Hearn) and drums (guitarist Ed Robertson) for some of the songs.

In January 2008, Graffoe joined the line-up for the Barenaked Ladies' cruise [http://www.shipsanddip.com/ "Ships and Dip III,"] where he performed solo and with members from BNL and other bands on board. Whether or not his intention, the cruise performances provided many Americans with their first experiences with Graffoe and his wry humour and dry, relaxed delivery. (Unsubstantiated that an even mix of Americans and Canadians on the approx. 2,500 passenger, chartered cruise) Songs such as 'Kittens In A Bag', and 'Don't Put That There It Will Fa... Oh Look!' (aka Bungee Girl), were among many that seemed to go over very well with the crowds.

He has championed the work of surreal songwriter Syd Meats, often including Meats's songs such as "Far Too" "Serious" in his set.

tage plays written by Boothby Graffoe

* The Condition of the Virgin 2001
* One Night Stand: God and Adam 2002
* Hitler Sells Tickets 2004All three plays were subsequently adapted for BBC Radio.

Books

* "Sit-Down Comedy" (contributor to anthology, ed Malcolm Hardee & John Fleming) Ebury Press/Random House, 2003. ISBN-10: 0091889243; ISBN-13: 978-0091889241

ee also

*Boothby Graffoe - the Lincolnshire village

External links

* [http://www.boothbygraffoe.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/jun/27/mondaymediasection8 My Media June 2005]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/1996/08/31/bcboo231.xml Telegraph August 1996]