Leo Kearse (born Hamilton-Kearse, 17 July 1976) is a comedian and broadcaster from Scotland. His stand-up comedy routines have earned him the Scottish Comedian of the Year award and UK Pun Champion. A self-professed right-wing comedian, Kearse regularly appears on GB News.
Background edit
Kearse grew up in Penpont in Dumfriesshire and attended Wallace Hall school.[1] After graduating from Stirling University, Kearse worked as a criminal intelligence analyst then as a consultant in national security and government.[2]
Comedy edit
Kearse is known for being a right-wing comedian.[3] He covers anti-woke issues, such as cancel culture and perceived left-wing bias at the BBC.[4][5]
He was a New Comedian Of 2011 finalist at the Leicester Square Theatre [6] and a finalist of the Laughing Horse New Act Of The Year Final 2012. [7] He then won the Chelmsford Comedian of the Year in 2012.[8]
Kearse was crowned the UK Pun Champion in 2015 after he beat off competition from fellow comedians Rob Thomas and reigning champion Darren Walsh.[9] Leo won the contest with such jokes as "I was in hospital last week. I asked the nurse if I could do my own stitches. She said 'suture self' and "Growing up on a farm, my dad was always telling me to use the indoor toilet. But I preferred to go against the grain".[10][11]
After being awarded runner-up in 2016, he won the Scottish Comedian of the Year award in 2017.[12][13][14]
His breakthrough show Right Wing Comedian was cancelled by the Court Hotel venue at the Perth Fringe World in Australia in 2019 after his material was accused of being transphobic.[15][16]
Selected comedy shows edit
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leo And Stephen Go Down On You | 2012 | With Stephen Bailey |
| Am I Right? | 2013 | |
| The Mangina Funalogs | 2014 | |
| I Can Make You Tory | 2017 | |
| Right-Wing Comedian | 2018 | |
| Transgressive | 2019 | |
| Cancel Culture | 2021 |
Politics edit
Kearse has criticised the Scottish National Party, Scottish independence and the Scottish Hate Crime Act.[17][18][19]
The latter issue led him to become a Reclaim Party candidate in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. Kearse stated that "With wokeness and extreme nationalism seemingly the only acceptable discourses allowed in Scotland these days, I feel now is the right time to stand up and be counted." He stood in Glasgow Pollok held by Humza Yousaf where he received 114 votes (0.3%). He also stood on the Glasgow regional list where he received 174 votes (0.1%)[20][21]
Media edit
Kearse is a GB News presenter appearing on the Headliners programme and presents his own show Saturday Night Showdown.[22] He also appeared as a guest on Good Morning Britain where he defended the principle of free speech.[23]
He is a co-host of the 3 Speech podcast with fellow comedians Darius Davies and Nico Yearwood.[24]
Kearse has written opinion pieces for The New Zealand Herald, The Independent and The Sun newspapers.[25][26]
Controversy edit
An investigation published by the anti-hate organisation Hope not Hate on March 25 2024 identified a Telegram account which is alleged to be operated by Kearse. This Telegram account had been used to sent comments praising the Crocus City Hall attack and sinophobic remarks. [27]
References edit
- ^ "From right-on to right-wing: why comedy is turning conservative". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "10 comedians on the careers they gave up for stand-up". inews.co.uk. 2017-07-31. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "From Titania McGrath to a Brexit party standup: is rightwing comedy on the rise?". the Guardian. 2019-08-26. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Is stand-up comedy too woke and ruining the fun for audiences?". inews.co.uk. 2019-08-06. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ Anderson, Claire (2021-01-11). "'BBC won't exist in five years!' Broadcaster sent dire warning as public move online". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "New Comedian of 2011 final". Chortle. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Laughing Horse New Act of the Year final 2012". Chortle. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Chelmsford searches for its comedian of the year". Dunmow Broadcast. 13 May 2014.
- ^ "Leo Kearse". Leo Kearse. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^ "2015 Pun Champs". Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "You won't be disappunted (sorry) by the joke that won this year's UK Pun Championship". The Independent. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Leo Kearse wins Scottish Comedian of the Year 2017 - The Skinny". www.theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Scottish Comedian Of The Year 2017 final". Chortle. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Scottish Comedian of the Year 2016". Beyondthejoke. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
- ^ "The Court accidentally books comedian who makes jokes about trans people". OUTInPerth | LGBTQIA+ News and Culture. 2018-11-16. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ Bennett, Steve. "'I don't understand how it could be interpreted as transphobic' : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ Pritchard-Jones, Exclusive by Oliver (2021-03-01). "SNP creating 'small-minded' young Scots with 'evil Tories' and anti-English 'propaganda'". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Scotland's Hate Crime Bill and its threat to comedy - BCG Pro". British Comedy Guide. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ Pritchard-Jones, Oliver (2021-03-13). "Scotland's controversial Hate Crime Bill WILL backfire and silence 'woke' advocates". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Constituencies A-Z: Glasgow Pollok". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ McLaughlin, Martyn (28 March 2021). "Right wing comedian to stand for Laurence Fox's party at Holyrood election". Scotsman. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ https://www.tvguide.co.uk/schedule/94eac305-78c9-5c6b-8607-2c4cf73c3959/saturday-night-showdown-replay
- ^ McLoughlin, Bill (28 January 2022). "Kate Garraway forced to shut down GMB debate after comedian says women in burkas 'do look like letterboxes'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "3 Speech Podcast". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "Nine reasons I'm voting Tory even though I'm Scottish". inews.co.uk. 2017-05-30. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
- ^ Kearse, Leo (11 March 2019). "Lounge Check: The Virgin lounge at Perth airport". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ https://hopenothate.org.uk/2024/03/25/gb-news-host-leo-kearse-praises-moscow-terrorists-i-knew-those-guys-would-come-good-eventually/