Dara O'Briain

...or at least I think that's how you spell it!

I've got a very odd sense of humour, and as a result of this, there are very very many mainstream type comics that do nothing for me. MacIntyre? Annoying. Brigstoke? Blah. Addison? Meh? Djalli? Murray? Sorry, not for me, etc.

However, I do like a rather odd selection of 'funnymen', Jasper Carrott has always made me laugh, Daniel Kitson was the funniest Stand up show I've ever seen and of late Dara O'Briain has become quite popular!

I've always known Dara from stuff like Mock the Week, QI, Have I got News for You, all programs that can be very hit and miss but generally are worth the effort of watching. He's always come across as funny, quite intelligent and generally quite interesting. Something vital on these type of panel shows as unless you stand out, whether acting as presenter or panel show member, you do tend to just blend in and end up leaving no real impression (Unless you're Ian Hislop, then I just think you're a cock).

He was one of the first people I 'followed' (not a fan of the phrase...) on twitter and generally on there he's equally as witty and interesting, all boded well!

A few years of consistent merriment and I decided to acquire his DVD, This is the Show, after all who doesn't love Tits. I can't say I paid for it, it was Christmas time and the always lovely wife (almost!) provided me a copy in shiny wrapping paper, we watched it and I was impressed by both his levels of geek (also very present on twitter) and of course the routine. It remains one of my favourite comedy DVDs to this day (that's not a particularly huge thing, I've only had if for like 6 or 7 months... but it's still good)

Although I had realised I liked the guy, I didn't really consider myself a fan still, even though I was. I was in some kind of Dara denial. It only came into sharp focus when I was on my way to Tenerife for my mates stag do a few weeks ago. I popped into the WH Smith in Bristol airport to get some reading material for the plane and the clearly relaxing(!) weekend which was to follow, I'd been hankering for Nerd Do Well by Simon Pegg for some time, after all he's nerd royalty and he's motherfunking Scotty! Now the paperback had been issued, I marched in with my £7.99 in my (metaphorical) hand.

I picked it up and noticed the book was in a buy 1 get 1 half price offer.... ooooh the possibilities. I scanned round and noticed Tickling the English, a book I was unaware of the existence of before. So I got it and easyjet whipped me 4 hours to the Moroccan coast. I intended on reading the Pegg book, with the expectation I had for it and in the unlikely event I finished it, Dara would step in.

I looked at both and found myself drawn to the Dara book. I then proceeded to read his book over the holiday and finished it when I got back, not giving a second thought to the Pegg book. The book was excellent, I think there would have been something extra too it if I had been English (I'm Welsh...) as there would have been more to relate too etc, but it was good from the perspective of watching one Celt dissect the next door neighbours, of whom I do of course have my own thoughts, hates, preconceptions, for the pleasure of another.

After this I am fully converted! The final piece is to see the guy on tour, so I'm sat waiting patiently for some dates.... anytime your ready Dara... and play Cardiff or Swansea or both, can't be arsed trekking to Bristol thank you very much.

But he does have an excessively large head...