A bit of badinage

I've recently seen a few reviews of acts I know that have somewhat confused me, when I say confused, I'm not referring to the big words used by reviewers to show how much more intelligent they are than normal people, although I had to google some words (what I've never heard of badinage despite being involved in many, I just thought that was a poorly tied bandage) 

I'm of course referring to the content of the review. Reviewers are just people with opinions like the rest of us, sure some have experience of a certain field and they are therefore licenced to point out when something is not that original or well constructed but really all they otherwise are is one person offering an opinion, I realise we are short of opinions these days in fairness!!!!.

Reviews to me mean so little now, sure it's nice to be told you are doing well but really you should know if you're doing well without needing a paragraph or 3 to confirm it.

Fuck I've had eBay reviews that are so far from correct I wonder if the person reviewing has seen an episode of master chef and decided if they can be wanky about food, I can be wanky about packaging (being wanky is probably not something you would hear in a review )

I've read product reviews for items on Amazon and ordered them on the basis that John from Norwich thought they were "decent for the money" and found the item to be utter manure, I've seen trip advisor reviews for the Grand Canyon saying that "it's alright but not much for the kids to do so just 2 stars"

The Grand Canyon, needs a soft play area and some wifi!

Are these people wrong? No, because that's how they see things and I don't have disdain for reviewers but the reviews I've seen of some acts I know don't reflect my opinions of said act, of course my opinion is worth as much as an signed Rolfaroo drawn on Lance Armstrongs jockstrap but if was a punter it would be the only option I'd really care about.

There is some kind of need to be validated by reviews from some comedians, the thing is, audiences laughing and promoters booking you is review enough..... Sure there are some acts out there that die painfully on their arse week in week out, are gonged off every gong show and perform to silent uncomfortable audiences who start to zone out and find themselves on gumtree via their phones looking for second hand bikes or something just to be free from the train wreck in front of them and yet the act comes off stage and believes they have just smashed it!!

No, no you guys haven't smashed anything, if anything you have taken a gig someone else has smashed and repaired it, you have firmly held the roof on and you very much stitched back up anything that was previously ripped by prior acts.... You guys should not self review as you are as capable of that as I am of riding a unicycle and juggling, the A and E department at Leeds General with testify I'm terrible at that in case it's not clear!

But everyone else, maybe don't worry about reviews, don't read too much into them if they are bad and enjoy them but don't see them as the career defining moment if they are great.

I like a zillion other comedians (I am classing myself as a comedian no matter how few stars I've had, Enzo here at McDonald's who just served my coffee has no stars yet he's still a mcwaiter) an swimming in the same pool and would like to stand out but a review, bad or good, to me personally, should just be read with a pinch of salt...... And not as I may have previously considered a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon and 6 shots of tequila because the author thinks yer shite!!

Take reviews for what they are, sure they have their place but really I don't think they will ruin or catapult anyone to an extent it is worth sweating about.

I give this article 2 stars, the packaging was wet when it arrived and it smelt of sticky tape!

J x