Josie Long is ace! I first encountered her refreshingly positive, awe-struck style of comedy on the Robin Ince Paramount podcasts, but didn't truly 'get' her until her excellent appearances on 'You Have Been watching' inspired a YouTube search.
In my more idiotic moments, (cowardly sheltering beneath my battered old irony umbrella) I've joked that there are no funny women on TV. Of course, I knew this wasn't really true and have laughed heartily at the routines of Jo Brand and Joan Rivers to name but two stand-ups, loved the writing of Jessica Stephenson on 'Spaced', the sly sensuality of Isy Suttie in Peep Show and the perfect timing of Sally Phillips in 'I'm Alan Partridge'. (Hmm, the very act of listing seems patronising and restrictive - make no mistake, I'm aware of the flaws of this entire post.)
Perhaps what I was really trying to say, though, is that I'd never seen a female comic who spoke to me in quite the same way as some of their male counterparts - I always felt slightly removed, slightly at-odds with the material. Well, I need squirm no longer: Josie Long's is a fresh, sharp, poetic voice and (if she wants to, which she may not) I'm convinced she's capable of storming British mainstream comedy in the next year or two.
Enough eulogising from me: hot-foot it to YouTube now, or (even better) read the fanzines at http://www.ilovejosielong.com
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