Andy Zaltzman
| Andy Zaltzman | |
|---|---|
 Andy Zaltzman performing at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
|
| Born | 1974 |
| Medium | stand-up, radio, podcast |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Genres | Political comedy |
| Notable works and roles | Political Animal, The Department, The Bugle |
Andrew "Andy" Zaltzman (born 1974) is a British comedian and author who largely focuses on political material. He has worked extensively with John Oliver; their work together includes Political Animal, The Department and The Bugle.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Andy Zaltzman is the son of sculptor Zack Zaltzman and is of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry. He attended the private Tonbridge School and has a degree in Classics from University College, Oxford. Whilst at university he was sports editor for The Oxford Student.[1]
[edit] Career
[edit] Stand-up
[edit] Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Zaltzman has been performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 1999 when he was a finalist in the prestigious So You Think You're Funny? new act competition along with Josie Long, Russell Howard and David O'Doherty.[2]
His debut full length Edinburgh Fringe show Andy Zaltzman versus the Dog of Doom received a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Perrier Comedy Awards in 2001[3]
In 2004 Zaltzman began - initially with John Oliver - hosting Political Animal, a stand-up show where different acts perform political themed material; Zaltzman has hosted solo since 2006. Political Animal later transferred to BBC Radio 4.
Zaltzman also appeared in a late night show with fellow stand-ups Daniel Kitson, David O'Doherty and Alun Cochrane entitled The Honourable Men of Art, at The Stand in 2006 and 2008.
| Year | Show name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | So You Think You're Funny | New act competition. Finalist |
| 2000 | The Comedy Zone | New act showcase |
| 2001 | Andy Zaltzman versus the Dog of Doom | Nominated for Best Newcomer at the Perrier Comedy Awards |
| 2002 | Andy Zaltzman Unveils the 2002 Catapult of Truth | |
| 2003 | Edinburgh and Beyond | Showcase. With John Oliver and Rob Deering |
| 2004 | Erm... It's About The World... I Think You'd Better Sit Down | With John Oliver |
| 2005 | John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman issue a list of demands and await your response with interest | With John Oliver |
| 2006 | Andy Zaltzman Detonates 70 Minutes Of Unbridled Afternoon | |
| 2007 | Andy Zaltzman, 32, Administers His Emergency Dose Of Afternoon Utopia, Steps Back And Waits To See What Happens | |
| 2008 | Andy Zaltzman Boldly Unbuttons The Cloak Of Civilisation, But Is Perplexed And Perturbed By What He Finds Lurking Beneath | |
| 2010 | Andy Zaltzman Swears to Tell the Truth, Half the Truth, and Everything But the Truth | |
| 2011 | Andy Zaltzman: Armchair Revolutionary |
[edit] Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Zaltzman performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for the first time in April 2007, winning the coveted Piece of Wood Award, given to the best show as voted for by other comedians.[4]
[edit] The Bugle
Since October 2007 Zaltzman and John Oliver have co-hosted The Bugle, a weekly satirical comedy podcast. The Bugle was initially hosted by The Times, however in December 2011 it was announced that their sponsorship would cease[5] and the podcast has since been independent, relying upon listener's contributions to continue.[6]
[edit] Writing
Zaltzman has worked with Rory Bremner on a number of projects, these include Transatlantic, a US election special for BBC Radio 4 and several series of Bremner, Bird and Fortune.[7] In June 2007, BBC2's The Culture Show commissioned Zaltzman and John Oliver to write a mock farewell speech for departing Prime Minister Tony Blair. The speech was then animated by Triffic Films, with the voice of Blair played by Bremner.[8]
In November 2008 his first book, entitled Does Anything Eat Bankers?: And 53 Other Indispensable Questions for the Credit Crunched, was published.[9]
[edit] Radio
In July 2009 Zaltzman hosted a Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 5 Live entitled Yes, It's The Ashes, taking a comic look at the 2009 Ashes.[10]
Zaltzman presented his own four part BBC Radio 4 programme in December 2009 entitled Andy Zaltzman's History of the Third Millennium, Series 1 of 100. Also featuring Rory Bremner and Bridget Christie, the show contained stand up and sketches focusing on the last 10 years.[11]
Zaltzman is a regular co-host, along with comedians Al Murray and Rebecca Front of the satirical news programme 7 Day Sunday. The show has been running for three series on BBC Radio 5 Live beginning in January 2010.[12]
[edit] Cricinfo
Zaltzman is a huge fan of cricket and since November 2008 has written a regular blog for Cricinfo, named "The Confectionery Stall". The name for the blog comes from the description given by Richie Benaud, of a shot by Ian Botham off Terry Alderman. On air Richie says -
Don't bother looking for that, let alone chasing it. It's gone straight into the Confectionery Stall and out again. A beautiful hit[13] .
Zaltzman's profile there informs us that.
Zaltzman's love of cricket outshone his aptitude for the game by a humiliating margin. He once scored 6 in 75 minutes in an Under-15 match, and failed to hit a six between the ages of 9 and 23. He would have been ideally suited to Tests, had not a congenital defect left him unable to play the game to anything above genuine village standard. Aged 21, when fielding at deep midwicket, he dropped the same batsman three times in fifteen minutes, and has not been selected by England before or since.[14]
Zaltzman covered the 2011 World Cup for Cricinfo, writing regular blogs and recording podcasts.[15]
[edit] Personal life
Zaltzman is the older brother of Helen Zaltzman, co-host of Answer Me This!, a popular British podcast.
Zaltzman's wife is a barrister and they have two children, a daughter born in 2007 and a son born December 2008. Zaltzman delivered his son at home due to his wife entering labour suddenly.[16]
[edit] References
- ^ "Andy Zaltzman - The Comedy Club". The Comedy Club Limited. http://www.hahaheehee.com/comedians/andy_zaltzman.html. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
- ^ "Russell Howard interview - ‘That’s me and the Fringe done’". The Scotsman. 3 October 2008. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/comedy/Russell-Howard-interview--Thats.4555013.jp. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
- ^ "if.comedy - Newcomers". ifcomedy.com. http://ifcomedy.com/newcomers.html. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
- ^ "Comedy Festival Awards - Piece of Wood". Melbourne International Comedy Festival. http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/about/awards/#wood. Retrieved 22 April 2009.[dead link]
- ^ Goodman, J.David. "Times of London Cancels Comedy Podcast That Mocked Murdoch". New York Times - Media Decoder Blog. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/times-of-london-cancels-comedy-podcast-that-mocked-murdoch/. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ "The Bugle Podcast". http://thebuglepodcast.com/.
- ^ "Avalon Entertainment Limited - Andy Zaltzman Profile". http://www.avalonuk.com/artists/view/7. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot03CNJgnE8
- ^ "DOES ANYTHING EAT BANKERS? And 99 Other Questions to Cheer Up the Credit Crunched". oldstreetpublishing.co.uk. http://www.oldstreetpublishing.co.uk/BOOKPAGES/does_anything_eat_bankers.htm.
- ^ "Cricket show for comic Zaltzman". Chortle.co.uk. 7 May 2009. http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2009/05/07/8856/cricket_show_for_comic_zaltzman. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - Andy Zaltzman's History of the Third Millennium, Series 1 of 100". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00p6sf6. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ "BBC - BBC Radio 5 live Programmes - 7 Day Sunday - Episodes". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00psvjk/episodes. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Zaltzman 2009
- ^ "On the Road with Zaltzman | ESPN Cricinfo". Cricinfo. http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/zaltzman/. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ "The Bugle 57 - Hats off to Obama, shoes off for Bush". London: TimesOnline. 21 December 2008. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/the_bugle/article5380475.ece. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
