Rock 'N' Rofl Luanch Night, Saturday 16th July, Aunti Annie's Belfast

Headlining this new club in Auntie Annie's with support from Gemma Hutton, Cormac O'Donnell, Dannny McCrossan, Johnny McCarthy, and AJ Johnston

Facebook Event here.

Boardwalk Empire Comedy Club Titting About

or if you are in Sims land

Pic courtesy of Marcus Keeley who somehow digitally infiltrated the Batcave to render this cgi Lorcan, God help us all.

It's a while since I've frequented the auld blog, painful memories (all available in the archive forever and ever, or until there is no electricity like in a Snake Plissken in an Escape From L.A. stylee.) I've been busy alternating between overseeing a bootleg alcohol operation in 1920s Atlantic City and killing skuttering aliens in a nanosuit, either that or overdosing on Boardwalk Empire and Crysis 2. Recently, however a few nonbleak things happened that I feel compelled to document.

The first was finding all of Preacher graphic novels in a Monaghan charity shop for 1.50 euro a pop, which meant that after a bit of in-my-favor maths from the lady behind the counter and a wink, I got all nine volumes for 12 euro: Ladies in charity shops regularly think I am mentally challenged for buying 'funny books' from the children's section at the age of 35 and give me discounts out of pity, but I think we all know who the real winner is. Ironically they were in the religion section beside George W. Bush's 'Decision Points', (presumably the 'decision point' for Bush was seeing the advance and accepting one last chance to get a huge amount of money for selling bullshit to shitmunchers)

There they are now, all the lads together.

Rereading it all in one go was an amazing experience, especially liked the cameo from Bill Hicks, put it up on Lorcranium here and here and it reminded me of a more innocent time when references to strap on dildos and sexual perversions evoked illicit thrills rather than mundane jaded tuts of recognition. It would have made a great HBO (home bosum ogling) series.

The second great thing was fulfilling a comedy ambition of playing The Empire Comedy Club. I did an open spot with Sean Hegarty supporting and Simon Evans headlining, all MCed by Jake O'Kane. Comedic brother in arms Marcus Keeley kindly recorded and uploaded it, he says it's good, but all I can hear is some Monaghan mook going "eh" all the time while his gut strains behind a Primark cardigan that looks well the first time you wear it but is gets more embarrassing each time you wash it. Check out the rest of his great videos here. Think it went well though, got asked back in September.

Last but by no means least, and I would say this was an unfulfilled comedy ambition as I didn't even think it was possible, but I supported Kevin Eldon at his first (sold out!) show in Belfast organised by the Black Box and Big Laughs Belfast. He has one of the most impressive comedy cvs of any actor in the contemporary British comedy world. I did a wee youtube tribute to Eldon over on the Tumblr, and Peter "Hotrod" McCaughan's review of the night can be found here.

I don't need to offer my tuppenny bits worth on how good Eldon's show 'Titting About' is, the Paul Hamilton opening section expertly gets the audience in the mood for the sort of actorly character sections that will prevail and the quickfire nature of the show generally leaves little room for an audience to either stop laughing or get bored or agitated. I love the George Martin/Hitler section, the roots of which can be seen here:

Upon meeting him, I had to suppress the fanboy urges to divulge favorite Eldon moments or reveal that whenever I apply for a job I am far too old for I always think of the office assistant/ear severing sketch in Big Train. I also resisted the urge to ask who ended up keeping the Kevin Eldon/Chairman Mao painting from the Big Train Virginia Plain sketch, it must be in someone's living room:

Anyway, in the tradition of the Internet, pics or it didn't happen

(p.s. I'm pretty sure the ice age happened and there are no pics of that)

In the manner of a comedy blog, as mentioned by the mysterious Comedy Guru...here are some gigs/my fleeting roster of self worth:

Monday July 4, 2011, Morgan Hearst's 'Manic Mondays', the Pavillion, Belfast, headlining: Facebook event here

Saturday, July 9, 2011, Millenium Forum Derry, headlining: Facebook event here

Saturday, July 16, 2011, Rock N' ROFL, Auntie Annies, Belfast, headlining: Facebook event here.

Friday July 29, 2011, Courthouse Comedy Club, support.

other appearances include in the gutter and in the bushes outside your window.

Some flyers for Geekdom, April 6th.

Some flyers for Geekdom, April 6th at the Black Box.

I was interview by AU Magazine in Belfast:

Ahead of my one man show 'Geekdom' at the Black Box, Belfast, April 6, Andrew Johnson, of Belfast punk act the Dangerfields fame did a nice we interview with me in AU Magazine.

BBC Radio Ulster/BBC Radio 1, Voicebox and Sunday Strip Club

It's go at Lorcy central or 'Lorcom' as I refer to it, in my head. Last night was on Hotrod McCaughan's Hot Rod of Comedy, a regular segment on BBC Introducing in Northern Ireland with Rory McConnell.

Which you can listen to here, it's about one hour and 25 minutes in.

Myself and Hotrod at Palookaville at the Oh Yeah Music Centre

Telephone interviews are always a bit weird because you don't know if you are going on too long or not enough, I end up pulling Tim and Eric style faces to myself after each sentence....

I also always immediately think feck I should of said this that or the other. Will be doing some new character madness at the Voicebox Comedy on Friday, at the awesome Safehouse Gallery which I can't wait for, Marcus Keeley's Voicebox nights have been growing steadily in popularity month after month, this one I think is the biggest line up yet, with about 20 acts with 5 minutes each, and us regulars will be doing character bits/sketches and videos in between, I made and overelaborate photoshop thing for it

One of Marcus' most recent videos from his youtube channel

With great outtakes.

and I'm doing a best of powerpoint things: "Sex and Superheroes and The Story of Poor Auld Jesus: The Highlights" at The Sunday Strip Club at the Pavilion on Sunday 9th May

Congrats everone, we made it through January....

Officially, the most bastardingly shite of months ever, hence the lack of blogging as trying to articulate the horror would only increase it. I made it through, but only just, using the time honored Irish way of hot whiskeys and copious TV shows and films. Mostly my Laurel and Hardy box set, a thing of immense beauty, the great Fringe, Dollhouse and still amazing The Twilight Zone

Speaking of the Twilight Zone and feeling like you're living in it, I've also been being blasphemous about 30 times every day, and at 25,000 euro a pop that doesn't come cheap...p.s. God doesn't exist...and is a cunt...fact! sorry for the language, but he made me say that for the laugh. Full listing of Ireland's new blasphemy law here, I suppose you could read it along with the Murphy or Ryan reports and decide what is truly blasphemous.

Wording here:

	35.— The common law offences of defamatory libel, seditious libel and obscene libel are abolished.
		36.— (1) A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €25,000.
		(2) For the purposes of this section, a person publishes or utters blasphemous matter if—
		(a) he or she publishes or utters matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion, and
		(b) he or she intends, by the publication or utterance of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.
		(3) It shall be a defence to proceedings for an offence under this section for the defendant to prove that a reasonable person would find genuine literary, artistic, political, scientific, or academic value in the matter to which the offence relates.
		(4) In this section “ religion ” does not include an organisation or cult—
		(a) the principal object of which is the making of profit, or
		(b) that employs oppressive psychological manipulation—
		(i) of its followers, or
		(ii) for the purpose of gaining new followers.

Mmm, "employs oppressive psychological manipulation" not the Catholics then, oh no.

Anyways, mark your diary or scrap of paper that you lose for Voicebox on February 5th, it's going to be great with Enda Muldoon, Marcus Keeley, Scott Calonico & Stacey Mead, Hotrod McCaughan, Aaron Marshall Anne-Marie Mullan, Ed Goodall, and Robert Best, with Ruaidri Ward MCing. I can't wait.

Facebook Event page

Safehouse site event

Stand up bit that includes my blasphemy routine, which I would not have written were it not for this ridiculous law, so will they fine themselves?

Giggity Giggity Gooood: Belfast-Edinburgh-Dublin. 2009

There's nothing like a full satchel of stationary, It's business time!

Here's a list of the gigs I'll be doing if you are in Belfast, Edinburgh or Dublin on these days and what to see all new Jimmny rants!:

Friday August 7th Voicebox at the SafeHouse

With Marcus Keeley

Sunday 9th Sowerby and Luff's all Stars, The White Horse, Canon Gate
9.45pm

Monday 10th Verity Welch's Twisted Sister
11pm

Tuesday 11th Sowerby and Luff's all Stars, The White Horse, Canon Gate
9.45pm

Wednesday 12th Verity Welch's Twisted Sister
11pm

Thursday 13th Sowerby and Luff's all Stars, The White Horse, Canon Gate
9.45pm

Fresh Faces at the Fringe with Elsie Harris and Danny Worthington, will be popping and doing a bit during the first week.

Friends' top acts I'll seeing, more to added:

Paul Ricketts

Caroline Mabey:

Catie Wikins/Hannah George/Lou Sanders:

It's Got Jokes In, 3.35 at Espionage Pravda

Then it's back home for:

Friday 21st August Comedy Dublin at the Ballsbridge Inn

What Americans Have Taught us*.....

"*Well mostly what they taught me via porn, psychoanalysis and comics..."

Was a (mostly) new powerpoint comedy lecture, (well I couldn't resist reshowing the Spider-man web good stuff) I did at the Safehouse Gallery for Marcus Keeley's Alternative 4th of July festivities. Mention of the night in his post here.

Catherine Hawcroft of Wild Wind Books and author of poetry collectionThe Hour of Doubt read

as did the great Seamus Fox who presented some heartfelt readings by Plath (Lady Lazarus) and Bukowski (Hangover) along with his own work.

Marcus and Northern Ireland comedy sensation and fellow Watchmen fan Ruaidhri Ward

Marcus has some lovely sweetberry wine dangerously close to a projector, livin on the edge!, rock and roll etc.

"It was a good laugh"

Brew Ha Ha at McKenna's Brewery Bar, Monaghan, July 3, 2009

So normally, I spend my Monaghan down time wandering around the charity shops which they didn't have when I was wee, and now there's like three and a half. Occasionally, you strike oil, charity shop wise, like this two euro copy of the Batman RIP hardback. My other hobby is wandering by the cinema to see if they have any cool free posters (they never do) and checking out which films are in which screen. Like when Watchmen was in screen 2.

So when wandering around by McKenna's Brewery Pub it turned out they were having a stand up night for the first time ever with Eric Shantz, Rauiri Campbell, and Gary Cross. So I sent a few emails etc and wandered down and fair play to the lads and organiser Seamie, they let me on in the middle and it went really well. Was apprehensive doing my stuff in my home town, but the audience were great and in comparison to my lonely geeky adolescence there were loads of cool geeky people about who liked my Battlestar Galactica (although I didn't go into all the technical details about how the opening sequence depicts 'the act of cunnilingus that destroys humanity and the 'threesome or human holocaust' dillema and etc.) . Was great to see everyone do their stuff and one can see the effect of 10 plus years in Shantz's effortless performace. Even if the audience, overall, were a bit bemused by the whole idea of a comedy show they soon came round and there was many pints afterwards.

Here's me in the loos with a secretive happy face after a good gig. Before someone comes in and wonders why I'm taking pictures of myself in the loos.

Stop Press! the Monaghan Post had a bit on it today. I have a little pic that represents my wee noggin in 3-4 pixels!

comedy bio

honking on a smoke pipe in Krakow, more pics and laffs to follow:

Had to write a comedy bio for the current tour, don't know if this will do, any suggestions welcome, does this cover it?





Lorcan McGrane is an Irish comedian based in the UK. He came from the rural Irish village of Rockcorry, Co. Monaghan to Norwich to write a PhD called “Superheroic Bodies: the Corporealities of Contemporary Film Superheroes”, along the way he has worked as a barman, kitchen porter and chef. Stand up allowed him to combine the geeky knowledge of academia and the humour of bar and kitchen work. Tales of his trials, tribulations and unhealthy obsessions with fictional Amazonian superhero ladies can be found at The Life and Times of Jimmny Homunculus (jhomunculus.blogspot.com). Beginning stand up in 2006, he has foisted his perversions and peccadilloes on an unsuspecting public with surprising success. Lorcan’s stand up is a mixture of bizarre stories of his times in rural Ireland, Belfast, Dublin and Norwich and his ongoing obsessions with sci-fi, relationships, porn and comics and the surprising connections between them all. He is usually to be found pottering around second-hand bookshops, comic shops, charity shops and dodgy bookshops (or would do if Norwich had any decent ones). He has been hailed as a chronic masturbator, but he is actually really good at it. Lorcan has performed in most of the clubs in the burgeoning Norfolk comedy scene, including Laugh out Loud, Earlham’s Dirty Little Secret, The Salt Box Comedy Club, Smoking Mic Comedy Club and the Outline/Yer Having a Laff competition, (in which he was a 2007 finalist, forthcoming final: March 13, 2008). He has also performed at the famous Battle of the Axe night at the Ha Penny Bridge Inn, Dublin.

Hello Dereham...and good night...

So we started the Smoking Mic tour of Norfolk towns this week and it's been a quite an eye-opening experience already. We started on home turf in the York Tavern in Norwich, which was a great night but then we moved onto the darkside...Dereham, which will probably be our toughest gig. It was is the King's Head hotel, see pic above, which was a kinda Fawlty Towers/Duty Free sorta place, we walked in with families and kids and stuff and going oh jeez.

Part of the fun of this though is travelling in a car and talkin guff, myself and Jon Brittain can slip quite easily into long geek conversations, my end of such is mostly rants on Superman Returns, Spider-Man 3 and X-Men III, a trilogy of darkness that has cast a pall on every fanboys life. It's what I like about Jon's comedy too, we are similarly geeky and analytical about both comedy and comics, it should make sense, you craft joke and when faced by the mooks of Derehem it's tough but we can still do it, even if they aren't listening or don't care.

One of my funniest moments in retrospect (but not at the time, where I was shiteing myself) was when one of the organisers Richard came out after his set and went 'they don't like swearing, anything about religion or sexual content', and I'm looking down at my set thinking, I might as well go 'Hello Dereham...and good night....' but I think my stuff went ok, there was one table interested they had ordered food and all I could think of during my set was 'mmmm chips thye have CHIPS' they were into it. Not like the other side of the room a group of large local Norfolk munters, in the parlance of our times. Even when I was doing a joke about Google image search they were talking amongst themselves going 'Google? what's he talking about?' I know my stuff's geeky but, it's not the most obscure of references. Here's the 'joke':

'thank you, it's great to be here, I'm sort of a lonely comic book geek, so it's just nice for me to get out of my room, where I make many important decisions, like telling Google not to filter my image search results. If I type in 'ebony', I'm not looking to buy a coffee table...'

It was a good experience though, sticking with my routine and the one's who get it and are listening like it, and others don't that's ok, and what was I gonna do...go 'hey this place look's like the set of Duty Free!...hey where's Keith Barron?...' Apologising to one side of the room, going 'apologies in advance but here's more about me being a pervert' and the other side of the room are going 'bring it on...more filth', it's weird. What I've noticed as well is female audience members have no problem with frank sexual discussion it's the blokes that are squirming and can't handle it...must remeber that. Out having a cigarette afterwards with one of the couples from the good table, I mentioned worries of the porn content and she said said 'I didn't think there was sex or porn stuff at all, 'what's a BJ?'' and the bloke was there like 'that's all it was about'.

The other organiser Greg Powles set the tone really right, he works for North Norfolk radio and can really get the local knowledge and tone right with innuendo, but once I come on and discuss sexuality frankly (but not using swear words, I use 'feck' one and that's it). You realise that when you doing a joke like:

I'm really into diverse sexualities, but when you talk about sex changes, there's always some fat bloke going...'if I had a sex change I would stay in all day and wank play with my tits', and I'm like...'that's what you do anyway, you don't need a psychologically difficult and expensive operation for that...'

you are ocasionally talking to some fat bloke who says exactly that, in our case it was a large grumpy mook called 'Jeff', who sort of cult figure for the night because of his extreme fat grumpiness, and also becuase Jon has a joke about a friend called Jeff, whenever we had a break or whatever everyone would go 'hey we have wait for Jeff, he'd love this' . At the end we were all getting a clap (or two) and Jeff walks in and solemnly gives us all the finger and sits down, heres to you Jeff, come to Derehem and see his comedy some time!