The brightest new kid on the comedy block in a long time, young Dublin comic David O'Doherty made quite an entrance at this year's Edinburgh Festival when he beat off over 500 British and Irish comics to take first place in the "baby Perrier" award known as So You Think You're Funny. Apart from winning a big whack of dosh and a dodgy-looking trophy (which he'll probably pawn), O'Doherty made a big impression with the hundreds of television producers and self-styled "movers 'n' shakers" who were in attendance for the new talent competition.
Broadly speaking, O'Doherty's routine has more in common with the likes of The Mighty Boosh than it would do with the more mainstream appeal of Al Murray, and what really helps his material along is a lot of very knowing references to popular culture - which are both well thought out and powerfully funny. If he keeps his head together, he could go all the way. Catch him now, while you can, when he performs at the Carrolls Comedy Club on The Fringe next Thursday, Friday and Saturday with Owen O'Neill, Mark Doherty, Deirdre O'Kane and MC Eddie Bannon at the lovely Laughter Lounge venue on Eden Quay.
