Josh was raised as a Buddhist, before living with Native Americans and finally settling down as a trainee
Rabbi. At least that was the plan until he was kicked off the program for getting caught with a naked (non-
Jewish) girl. Perhaps it was inevitable that he would go on to become a stand-up comic.
Performing regularly at all the major comedy clubs around the UK, so far this year Josh has also taken his
distinctive brand of humour to Ireland, France, China and Thailand. He has also written and performed
two solo shows for the Edinburgh Festival, before sell-out runs at the Soho Theatre; his hugely successful
debut solo Fringe stand up show, entitled Chosen, which played to sell-out audiences and received rave
reviews at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival, and returning in August 2010 with Josh Howie: Gran Slam,
based on his time living with his grandmother. Another distinctive and highly original show, Gran Slam also
went down a storm with audiences and critics alike.
Josh has been filmed for the Comedy Central shows Comedy Store, World Stands Up and Comedy
Blue and can currently be seen as the presenter of Movie Geek, the Sky Movies show that offers all the
latest news in the world of cinema. Often praised for his writing talent, Josh is a regular contributor to
The Guardian, a reviewer for Sky Movies Magazine, and writes a weekly column 'Fears of a Clown' for
blokely.com.
Josh Howie
Television
• Movie Geek (presenter, Sky Movies, 2007-present)
• Comedy Store (Comedy Central, 2010)
• Naked Britain (Sky 1, 2009)
• TNT Show (C4, 2009)
• Comedy Blue (Paramount, 2007)
• World Stands Up (Paramount, 2007)
• The World’s Most Offensive Jokes (Channel 4, 2007)
• The Studio News (NTL Digital, 2007)
• The Indie 500 (NTL Digital, 2007)
• Film Geeks (The Studio, 2007)
Radio
• 4 Stands Up (R4, 2009)
Live
• Josh Howie: I Am A Dick (Edinburgh Festival, 2011)
• Josh Howie: Gran Slam (Edinburgh Festival, 2010)
• Josh Howie: Chosen (Soho Theatre, 2009)
• Josh Howie: Chosen (Edinburgh Festival, 2008)
Writing
• Kevin Bishop Show (Channel 4, 2008)
The very undervalued Josh Howie delivers self-deprecating sharply written slices of neuroticism. There's a
distinct (and lovely) whiff of the Woody Allens.
Independent
Intelligently neurotic
Evening Standard
Howie is engaging company
The Times
Headline comedy came from Josh Howie, bringing the evening to a close with howls of laughter and the
occasional "oooh" that accompanies a joke that you're just not sure is socially acceptable but makes you
laugh regardless
Edinburgh Evening News
Challenging, intelligent wit…as funny as it is fascinating
Chortle
Bellylaughs
The Scotsman
On Josh’s 2010 Edinburgh Fringe solo show, Josh Howie: Gran Slam
One of the most original and unusual comedy shows on the Fringe
The Scotsman
A skilful comic whose ability to layer gag upon gag is unlikely to be surpassed at this Fringe
The List
With such wit and succession of one-liners it is impossible not to be impressed
The Sunday Express
Excellent gags
Chortle
This comedy set from Josh Howie is immaculately constructed
Fest
An intelligent and original act…. his tales of life living with his grandmother are very entertaining and his
jokes very inappropriate
Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
On Josh’s 2008 debut Fringe solo show, Josh Howie: Chosen
He is a very smart and hugely sophisticated writer; pulling the interesting facts from his life, then mixing
honesty and wit, and only then garnishing it with punchlines
Chortle ****
It’s refreshing to see someone like Howie tell a wider story about his life while taking comic opportunities
at every turn
Independent ****
Josh Howie walks the potentially trip-wired ground of race and religious identity with Diamond-sharp wit
and no small degree of daring. It’s fiercely intelligent, delivered with verve and you can expect to see a lot
more of Howie in the future.
Observer
A great selection of clever one-liners
Broadway Baby ****
Howie is intelligent but not intimidatingly so.
He’s a fabulous storyteller who can make you concentrate in silence then erupt into a fit of giggles. He’s
slick, he’s quick and he’s incredibly playful with words.
Metro *****
Howie is a name to watch
The Times
Sharply drawn self-deprecating stories, plus a too-much-information re-birthing anecdote, are given added
oomph by accompanying photos and Howie’s nervy comedic delivery. This is a very good hour.
Evening Standard ****
Extremely funny
The List
An intensely personal hour of close-to-the-bone stand-up.
Mail on Sunday ****
Great things are expected from the abrasive yet strangely lovable Josh Howie.
The Guardian
Howie is an intelligent comedian who knows how to amuse, shock and move an audience in equal
measures.
Time Out
Howie is an intelligent comedian with daring material which is consistently very funny indeed.
Fest ****
As a piece of writing it is quite literally breathtaking
Terrifyingly funny.
Howie is a charming, diffident, articulate man with a show that is as fascinating as it is funny.
He is a terrific talent
The Scotsman
Howie rips through liberalism and religion with panache
Scotland on Sunday
