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the waiting. As soon as you question what has been crammed down their throat as belief. people tend to get upset.‘
Fellow American comics at this year’s festival have been quick to jump on the political bandwagon, reaping rich audience rewards from prickly. yet voyeuristic, public sensitivities. With so many comedians swapping down-the- pub observations for 9/] I comment, is political comedy almost expected? ‘Before there was so much apathy. you know. Everyone's fat and has cable and nothing‘s going wrong in their lives: why should they worry about what laws are passed restricting their civil rights? But now there‘s an element of entertainment to it. When you boil it down, 9/! l — if you weren‘t directly related to it — is entertainment. People stared at the TV in horror but horror is a form of entertainment.‘
And. just to add fuel to the fire, what does Stanhope think of his good president? ‘Behind John Ashcroft he’s one of the scariest human beings alive. And just the whole religious slant on his points of views — the “evil doers” and the “axis of evil“ — it‘s like: “Are you a president or an exorcist?" lt’s terrifying.
‘But people are beginning to question it more. The current administration thinks that people are dumber than they are. And they’re dumb. But when they started using the terrorist attacks to push their drug agenda. that’s when they got greedy.‘
How did they do that? ‘There was an ad campaign saying drug money fuels terrorism. So if you use drugs you may as well be blowing up the World Trade Centre. Fuck you. Your SUV [Sport Utility Vehicle] supports terrorism. It‘s pretty pathetic how easily people are led.‘
And will continue to be led. it would seem. Jerry Springer:
Doug likes to pose as a 13-year-old girl to lure paedophile: ln web chatrooms
The Opera may be wooing the crowds at the Assembly Rooms. but as far as The Jerry Springer Show is concerned, Stanhope is persona non grata. Asked by a female friend if he would pose as her boyfriend. the pair colluded with a Springer producer to stage a lesbian—revelation debacle. Confidentiality contracts were signed. scenes were scripted. and Stanhope approached the press with his story. Strangely enough, the producer was sacked. Stanhope‘s scenes were cut. and instead of being the show-stopping epiphany expected. Springer life carried on as nomial. ‘People still watch that show as though it's real.’ says Stanhope. ‘lt‘s amazing to me: they‘re so absolutely phoney.’
Before Stanhope was involved in Jerry Springer plot-rigging and stand-up comedy. the ‘Great White Stanhope~ made his living in ‘fraudulent. lly-by-night telemarketing'. Now 35. and recently ‘married‘ (a marriage which involved a party. naked Elvis dancing and no legal contract). Stanhope is relishing the prospect of his first gigs in Europe at this year’s Fringe. If the Fringe is indeed a forum for individuality and controversy to shine through. then. by rights. Stanhope‘s should be the most eagerly anticipated. most ferocious show in town. ‘Unfortunately there's too much I talk about where I realise afterwards that I didn‘t have any jokes.‘ he concedes. ‘But I just don‘t want people to walk out bored. I want people to have an opinion when they leave.’
Tron, 226 0000, 15-20 Aug, 10.30pm, £7 (£6.50). 8—15 Aug 2002 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 21
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