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GQ Comedian of the week

Comedian: Richard Herring

* By James Mullinger

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For over twenty years Richard Herring has been one of the most consistently adored comedians on the circuit. His work in the Nineties with Stewart Lee on Fist Of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy was the best of its time, and his stand-up shows have become the highlights of the Edinburgh Fringe. It is only in the past year however, that the public at large have become aware of him after appearances on Have I Got News For You, his excellent 6 Music show and the release of his bestselling memoir How To Not Grow Up. He's now begun to enjoy the kind of mainstream success he only half-jokingly craved on his wonderfully addictive blog Warming Up. The universal recognition of Richard Herring has been a long time coming, but it's been worth the wait and, what's more, he's now better than ever. Here are some of his best jokes:

1. "It's important to live your life by a motto. I chose to live my life by the motto "My enemy's enemy is my friend." Unfortunately, as it turns out, my enemy is his own worst enemy. So I have to invite him to barbecues."

2. "Act your age, not your shoe size - that means something different on the continent."

3. "I am not one of those sexist comedians. I hate sexism. I am not a sexist. I've actually got a friend who is a woman, so I can't be sexist. I believe that women should be treated as if they are equal."

4. "We have nothing to fear but fear itself... and monsters."

5. "I was chatting up a girl in a bar the other day, it wasn't going very well. I said, 'Come on, give me another chance. Let me take you out for dinner.' She said 'You? Take me out for dinner? I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.' I said, 'What if I wasn't on fire?'"

Catch Richard on tour at richardherring.com or click here to buy his new DVD.

* Published 22 Nov 2010