I am freedom of speech, I am nothing to say. I am chip paper tomorrow. Yet news today
I am the angry Daily Mail. I am the loony left. I am the stoic, the conscious. The confused, the bereft
I am maypoles. I am Mayday riots. I am drum and bass. I am peace and quiet
I am Hindley and Carr. I am Brady and Cripin. I’m a Biggs, a Leeson, a Ripper, a Shipman
I am Live Aid. I am “couldn’t care less”. I am Lockerbie. I am a dead princess
I am Royalty. I earn way too much. I am It’s a Knock Out. I am out of touch
I am the squandered youth, I am the hopeful young. I am the desperate few. The sense of one
I’m the influx, the exodus, the growth, the dross. I am the wars, the victories, the senseless loss
I am the Rainbow Warrior, I walk four abreast by the Cenotaph, I am two World Wars, I am the working class
I am pomp and circumstance, I am a hideous past, I am colonial might, I am built to last
I am Trooping the Colour, I am bravery, valour, I am a  hidden agenda, I am the War of Terror
I am abandoned collieries, I am closed down docks, I am Brixton burning, I am Fletcher and Blakelock
I am stick thin models. I am obesity rising, I am 10 years younger, I am binging and dieting
I’m Primark and Harrods, I’m Tesco’s and Prada, I am organic and flown from Peru to your larder
I am generic high streets, I am actor/ chugger, I am benefit cheat, I am ten year old mugger
I am Wimbledon, I am The Olympics, I am the Ashes, Four Nations and 66
I am sticky back plastic, I am flowerpot men, I am Rainbow and Bod, I’m Magpie, Mr Ben
I am Panorama, I am Britain’s Got Talent, I am nothing to watch, I am too many channels
I am the Rovers Return, I am “Last orders, please”, I am “Put your mouth on the tube sir and then breath”
I am miracle births, I am Beachy Head, I am drug fucked and drunk, I am the walking dead
I am swine flu and HIV, And gonorea, I am ignorant bliss, I am hypochondria
I am the BNP
I am every race and creed, From Blue Black to Bluey White, And all that’s between
I am institutionally racist, I am ethnically diverse, I am PC gone mad, I am things getting worse
I am disabled and able, I am deaf, dumb and blind, I’m an homogenous oneI am one of a kind
I’m a Christian, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Jew, Agnostic, a Jedi, an atheist too
I am six week holidays, I am teachers’ strikes, I am exams getting easier, I’m happy slapping and fights
I am metal detectors, In colleges and schools, I am murder rates falling, except for the youth
I am privatisation, I am jobs for all, I am things can only get better, I am downing tools
I am “and 99p”, I am rounding up, I am decimalised, I am stubborn as fuck
I am cancelled trains, I am call centre rage, I am national pride, I am “We rule the waves”
I am waiting in line, I am right to reply, I am “Dear BBC…”, I am “Why, Oh, Why, Oh Why”
I am Lands End to John O’ Groats, I am £5 coins, And £1 notes
I am Dunkirk spirit, the stiff upper lip, Ich Bin Eine European, A French hating Brit
I am mighty and broad, I am all that is good, I’m a slither of land, I am misunderstood
I am complex and changing, I’m stuck, incomplete, I am empty and sparse, I’m finite and replete
I’m all of these things, It’s inherent, innate, It’s what makes me Britain, And what makes me great.

It’s not been without it’s ups and down and I can’t say I’m not disappointed to miss out on a nomination for best newcomer but I am pleased to have made the long list. Contrary to what a fellow tweeter suggested, I will not be telling the people at Fosters that I couldn’t give a 4X about their award!

As well as guest spots on Radio 1 with the lovely Nick Grimshaw, I managed to fit in a recording of An Audience With Ed Reardon at the Pleasance, a short set at Edinburgh Comedy Live (for BBC3) which boasted a stella bill of UK comics from John Bishop to Jason Byrne, Shappi Korsandi, Jack Whitehall and many more all in the name of charidee…. stops to catch breath. Then, two weeks in a late night trip to Leeds and I found myself on the Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow enjoying an awesome night. Hopefully Leeds will be the first programme in the series.

This is of course all squeezed in around performing my sell-out show, Afrblighty at The Stand everyday gaining some jolly nice reviews ONE4REVIEW*****, SCOTSMAN ****, THREE WEEKS ****, CHORTLE****

I’m already excited about next year’s show but before then, I’ll be bringing Afroblighty to Soho Theatre and will be touring next year. Go to the dates page for further info.

Phew, what a month. After a couple of weeks off, I’ll be back on the circuit so if you’re up for some Osho fun, come to a gig.

See you soon,

Big Love,

Andi

What ever you’re doing, have a fabulous summer!

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