The Jury members at Silver Comedy Contest, Leicester

Chris and George, from Silver Comedy. The other members, from Dave's Comedy Festival Organizer and Radio presenter. All five, from the Jury naming me "best newcomer Silver Comedian of 2012" in Leicester. I just begun standup last year, and have now 15th gigs behind me.

Tonight, at Comedy in Tooting will be the 16th gig.

Julie Kertesz, Silver Comedy Best Newcomer 2012

The Jury was introduced just before I spoke, even if I was the 3rd from ten choosen from 26 in the original Heat, then follows my standup gig.

 

From The Guardian, by Brian Logan

In the course of her standup career, now into its fourth month, Julie Kertesz has overcome some unusual obstacles. First, there were the exacting nocturnal shifts. "But I discovered I can sleep in the afternoon," she smiles. Then there was the month she had to take off for a cataract operation. Clearly, it's not easy starting a new career in live comedy at the age of 77, but Kertesz isn't alone in disproving the adage that standup is a young person's game: a new event, the Silver Standup Competition for over-55s, aims to debunk the notion for good.

Hosted by the Leicester Comedy festival, the event was programmed by LCF chief Geoff Rowe after a conversation with a 70-year-old friend of his mum's. "She'd never been to a comedy club," he says. "'I'm too old,' she said. 'It's not for the likes of me.'"

It is true that standup, at least traditionally, sees itself as youthful and anti-authoritarian. Geared towards the energetic and the responsibility-free, it happens late at night, often in rowdy bars, pubs and clubs. Richard Farrow, a 58-year-old Silver Standup entrant, performed his first gig last month in a Bournemouth pub. "It was a location I would never normally go to," he says with a shiver. "The majority of the audience were between 18 and 23."

Even the language of standup favours the young. Kertesz, a Hungarian who arrived in London in 2008 after 30 years in Paris, had never used four-letter words in her life. But now they get her a big laugh. "Older audiences," says Rowe, "don't find swearing offensive so much as boring or lazy." But most comedy audiences expect such language from an artform that still – just about – honours its link to the punk-spirited "alternative comedy" of the 1980s.

But that's changing. Alexei Sayle is now 59 and back performing a milder version of his standup. Billy Connolly is 69. Just as rock'n'roll grew up, so too standups, and their audiences, are lengthening in the tooth. "For years," says Rowe, "people assumed the Leicester Comedy festival was just for students. But it hasn't seemed like that for ages."

The Silver Standup competition reflects that development – and recognises, says Farrow, "that maybe there are a few grey cells under the silver hair". It's also about "challenging stereotypes of old age," says George Baddeley, who heads the competition's co-sponsors Silver Comedy, an organisation that runs comedy workshops for older people. "There are two or three types of old person you're allowed to be," says Baddeley. "There's the vulnerable older person, who's a bit gaga. Or you can be the moaning old git. But the reality is these are just people who've been around a bit longer – and you can't put them in any boxes."
Kertesz's comedy is all about up-ending expectations and stereotypes. Besides the swearing, she jokes about her ex-husband's infidelities, and her own sexual appetites – much to her daughter's dismay. "I say standup is like making love," she says. "You have to look people in the eyes, you have to pace yourself, you have to practise, and you never give up – even after 70."

Kertesz thinks her age gives her an advantage. It buys her instant audience affection, and plenty of cliches to subvert. But not all of her fellow contestants will be playing the grey-haired card. Jimbo, aged 68, is already a legend, of sorts, on the open-mic (amateur) circuit. "I never do any age-related stuff," he says. "To me, it's demeaning. It's a taboo subject."

Jimbo, for 20 years an aspiring standup, sees the competition as a chance to revitalise his career. "It's a golden opportunity. Or a silver opportunity. Or maybe just a bronze." But Kertesz feels in no need of a lucky break. "I heard comedy careers involve lots of ups and downs," she says. "But I haven't had any downs yet."

There are many ways to look. Reflections.

There are so many view of a thing or a situation!

Which is true?

Sometimes, we do not know. But it is good to look farther, to explore.

Sometimes, in our mind, the deformed reflection becomes the true one, and we do not even see the reality. Or, do not wish, or cannot acknowledge it.

I am also photographer, avid passionate even if not pro. Yesterday, I made  a set with my pictures showing some kind of reflection.
Look at some of them, reflect on them. See if it relates to you of something about how we communicate.

On a mirror. As the one above. On a glass. This is a picture taken from the back window of a car, showing reflections of a building who also shows reflections in its own windows.

On water. Daytime. Depending on the sun's position.

Or in Paris near St Martin canal, reflection of the colourful art shops.

Night time, on Thames.

Even in a puddle, here from the London's National Gallery after rain.

On a shiny surface.Here, a tiny one, a door knob near the French Parliament. .

I was so surprised to see there were more then 700!  different ones on my flickr set!

Each time, there is something more to it, we begun to see something else, too. And also dream and imagine. "What if I entered suddenly in a doorknob?" What if there was more under the National Gallery then what meets the eye? What new angle will reveal yet something new fascinating?

I did know I was fascinated by people, I did not realise, I was also with reflections. And now, that I have my lost bag back, I see what happened differently. Now, I can see some of the funny side of it too.

There are always more ways to see something!

Brian Logan, writer and actor

Here are, read by Brian Logan to an audience, some of the opinion of Stand Up Comedians, on the advantages of Stand Up.  

Brian Logan is an arts writer, theatre and comedy critic, playwright and performer. He is a founder member of the theatre company Cartoon de Salvo.

I agree with them, almost. I do not think theatre is like school, I adore good theatre. Good acting, good comedy is magic.

The real difference is that actors learn their role and the piece is written by someone other, they make believe, most of the time, the audience is not there looking at them.

The comedian from a Stand Up club, makes believe the audience, in contrary, that all he does is invented for them on the spot, or at least most of it. Interacting. And yes, learning by doing, what works and what does not work, but on his or her own written, learned, prepared, material.

Here is what he wrote about us, and me.

Bits from The Guardian G2 page Wednesday 15th February

And the picture that is not in it.

From today's The Guardian paper article, written by Brian Logan, here are the bits he wrote about me, as Standup.

Link to the paper on web: The Guardian Article webpage

I can hardly believe : I am on the same page as the great  old comedian Billy Connelly, who spoke to us last year at the Comedy School Festival!
=========
In the course of her standup career, now into its fourth month, Julie Kertesz has overcome some unusual obstacles. First, there were the exacting nocturnal shifts. "But I discovered I can sleep in the afternoon," she smiles. Then there was the month she had to take off for a cataract operation. Clearly, it's not easy starting a new career in live comedy at the age of 77, but Kertesz isn't alone in disproving the adage that startup is a young person's game: a new event, the Silver Standup Competition for over 55th, aims to debunk the notion for good.

Kertesz thinks her age gives her an advantage. It buys her instant audience affection, and plenty of cliches to subvert.

Even the language of standup favours the young, Kertesz, a Hungarian who arrived in London in 2008 after 30 years in Paris, had never used four letter words in her life. But now they get her a big laugh.

Julie Kertesz's comedy is all about up-ending expectations and stereotypes. Beside swearing, she jokes about her ex-husband's infidelities, and her own sexual appetites - much to her daughter's dismay. "I say standup is like making love," she says. "You have to look people in the eyes, you have to pace yourself, you have to practise, and you never give up - even after 70."

"Clean" 5 minutes live from Cavendish Arms

Recorded live from Cavendish Arms, Stockwell, this was an experiment, for me.
What would happen if I cut all the beginning and used only "clean" words and material?
Yes, the audience enjoyed my gig (or gags) as much, as usual, got laugh and cheers too.

It was only 10 days, from my cataract eye operation, but I was pleased to be "out there" again!

The video is not very good quality, shot from far left, but here it is, anyway.

What a great audience!