Al Murray

Al Murray (born 1968) is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, the Pub Landlord, a xenophobic public house licensee. The bill matter "The Pub Landlord" is apparently to differentiate his character from a residential landlord.

Related Topics:
1968 - British - Stand-up - Xenophobic - Public house

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The pub landlord is a English nationalist with a dislike for anything 'un-British', has a particular dislike of Australians and the French. Catchphrases include 'Timewaster!' and 'Is your dad proud of you son?'. The character first appeared in 1993 when Murray was the tour support act for Harry Hill, and subsequently featured in a short film, Pub Fiction (1995). Murray's theatre show with this character My Gaff, My Rules was shortlisted for an Olivier Award in 2002, and he has also appeared as the central character in the television series Time Gentlemen Please as well as a number of other television appearances. A second theatre tour, Giving it Both Barrels also ran to critical acclaim.

Related Topics:
Harry Hill - 1995 - Olivier Award - 2002 - Time Gentlemen Please

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Often in his shows, as a deliberate comic interruption, he offers at glimpse at the extremely intelligent and sensitive man behind his antithetical persona. This often involves a modest and subtle demonstration of his knowledge of philosophical and literary debates. It is a testament to his skill as a comedian that he mainly uses this to deflate the egotism of anyone he invites on stage, who are mainly people with pretentious job names from the first few rows. Although quite a lot of his act involves light-hearted attacks on people from other countries, he is very kind to them as opposed to the former people.

Related Topics:
Antithetical - Philosophical - Literary - Pretentious

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Murray is known to be unhappy with the television series, moving conversation away from it during his live shows.

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Murray has also worked with other comedians (including Harry Hill) and other personas. He won the Perrier Award in 1999, after being nominated in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

Related Topics:
Harry Hill - Perrier Award - 1999 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998

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In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.

Related Topics:
2003 - The Observer - 50 funniest

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Murray is a direct descendant of William Makepeace Thackeray.

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He is a history graduate of St Edmund Hall, Oxford University.

Related Topics:
St Edmund Hall - Oxford University

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