Comedy

Tommy Tiernan has broken all Irish box office records over and over again by selling out in venues across the country including a staggering current record of 150 dates in Dublin’s one thousand seat theatre, Vicar Street, received a jet-roar standing ovation from 4,500 people in The Marquee in Cork, stormed The Letterman Show in New York and recently when Tiernan left the stage of the Gala in Montreal, over two thousand Canadians were on their feet in a sustained ovation to acknowledge one of the most extraordinary performances of stand-up comedy in festival memory moving one critic to lament, “If only all stand up were this good!”

This reaction not only confirmed that his comedy travels well, but demonstrated why he is now regarded as one of the top ten stand-up comedians in the English-speaking world.

From his beginnings in Galway’s GPO and Dublin’s Comedy Cellar to an early win of the ‘So You Think You’re Funny” UK Best Newcomer Award, Tommy’s stage work quickly led to a ‘Perrier Award’ win in Edinburgh, a ‘British Comedy Award’ for ‘Best Stand Up’ and a ‘Nokia Best Of The Fest Award’ on his return to Edinburgh. His commitment to live stand-up has led him on an extraordinary journey, including twice being accused of blasphemy in the Irish Senate and one tour even finished with a 6 week 650 mile walk across Ireland, performing shows in small regional theatres for an Irish TV show called “Supertramp”. Even his DVD’s overtake each other to go straight in at Number 1 in the 1st week of release.

"His work is a constant interrogation of the big ideas – Sex, Religion, Family – through the lens of his quirks, personal demons and sense of outrage"

As ever, he does so with the fervour and passion combined with masterful stagecraft, which has characterised his development as a comic. The legendary Lenny Bruce said that the job of a comedian is not just to entertain, but to tell the truth through comedy – a philosophy, which continues to inform Tiernan’s approach to stand-up. Given the depth, honesty and intensity of his material, it is remarkable to see just how funny he can be.

It’s been two years since the last Tommy Tiernan Irish tour but he has not been resting on his laurels, quite the opposite in fact. Tommy has been focusing his energy on American and Canada joining forces with Arnold Englemann of Westbeth Entertainment US who have very successfully launched Eddie Izzard in the America, US manager Dave Becky of LA based company 3 Arts Entertainment which produces “King Of The Hill” , “The Office” and the new Chris Rock series and in Canada Bruce Hills, direcetor of world famous "Just For Laughs". In the last 18 months Tommy has completed a blinding debut performance on The Letterman Show, 3 week run at UCLA, a 6 week run in New York, a 6 week tour of Canada, 2 Just for Laughs Galas, numerous American club dates including Philidelphia, Washington, Omaha and Texas. The filming of his first US TV Special “Something Mental” which will set be broadcast on Comedy Central in 2008 with a US DVD release with Image Entertainment to follow.

Not to mention winning The People Of The Year “ Funniest Living Irish Person” award, co-writing the menage a Tiernan play “Help” which ran at this years Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Lets not forget filming both his IFTA nominated documentary “Jokerman – Tommy Tiernan takes on America” and his brand spanking new DVD “OK Baby” due for release November 23rd filmed in The Iveagh Gardens Dublin last July as part of the first ever Bud Light Comedy Revue. Oh and did I mention completing this years Dublin Marathon?

But deep breath …..we can all calm down, even though it has been a long tough wait the prodigal son has returned as September 2007 saw Tommy back home and on the road with his brand new Irish tour “Bovinity” ….. but be warned, tickets for th