Carr, Jimmy 1972-

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Carr, Jimmy 1972-

PERSONAL:

Born September 15, 1972, in London, England; son of Nora May Carr; partner of Karoline Copping. Education: Graduate of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University. Hobbies and other interests: Tennis, parties, premieres.

ADDRESSES:

Agent—Hannah Chambers, 23 Long Ln., London EC1A 9HL, England.

CAREER:

Comedian, writer. Appearances include the Royal Variety Show, 2002; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 2003; Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 2003-04; Comedy Central Special, 2004; Your Face or Mine, 2003; Distraction, 2003-04; Friday Night Project, 2005; 8 Out of 10 Cats, 2005-06; national tour, 2007; and guest appearances on numerous other television programs in England and the United States. Has presented radio shows and performed stand-up comedy at festivals, including Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Kilkenny Comedy Festival, Montreal Comedy Festival, and Aspen Comedy Festival.

MEMBER:

Groucho.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Nominee, Perrier Award, 2002; Billy Marsh Award, 2003; Best Stand Up Time Out Comedy Award, 2003; Best On Screen Newcomer, Royal Television Society Award, 2003; Best Gameshow Silver Rose, for Your Face or Mine, 2003; nominee, Best Presenter Golden Rose of Montreux, for Distraction, 2004; Lafta Award, Best Stand Up, 2005, Funniest Man, 2005.

WRITINGS:

(With Lucy Greeves) Only Joking: What's So Funny about Making People Laugh?, Gotham Books (New York, NY), 2006, published as The Naked Jape: Uncovering the Hidden World of Jokes, Michael Joseph (London, England), 2006.

Also wrote and produced Jimmy Carr: Stand Up, 2005, and Jimmy Carr Live, 2004, DVDs of his comedy routines. Writer for television comedy shows, including Meet Ricky Gervais.

SIDELIGHTS:

Jimmy Carr is a British comedian well known on both sides of the Atlantic for his biting wit and deadpan delivery. The host of numerous game shows and comedy series, Carr has achieved a high degree of celebrity in a very short time. As a writer for the Europe Intelligence Wire noted: "He's on the box so much it would drive you mad, if he wasn't so good."

Collaborating with writer Lucy Greeves, Carr turned to writing books with the 2006 Only Joking: What's So Funny about Making People Laugh? (published in England as The Naked Jape: Uncovering the Hidden World of Jokes), a serious look at what makes people laugh. In the book, Carr and Greeves analyze jokes to discover what makes them funny, examining aspects such as timing, surprise, and internal logic. Writing in London's Financial Times, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney called the work "an informative tour of the art and science of joking." Jessica Heasley, writing in Psychology Today, likewise found Only Joking to be a "revealing look" at the mechanism of humor. Heasley also praised the lighthearted and humorous approach the authors take to the subject, commenting that the book is "full of sharp one-liners and dry-as-bone wit." Similar praise came from a Publishers Weekly contributor who called the same work an "entertaining and educational book about the history and practice of humor," and from Booklist contributor Jack Helbig, who termed Only Joking a "lively, intelligent, highly readable, often hilarious coverage of all aspects of what makes people laugh."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 2006, Jack Helbig, review of Only Joking: What's So Funny about Making People Laugh?, p. 36.

Europe Intelligence Wire, February 8, 2007, "Jimmy's Gagging for a Laugh"; February 16, 2007, "Deadpan Delivery with a Hint of Danger"; February 23, 2007, "Comedian Who Does Not Pull Punches."

Financial Times (London, England), November 25, 2006, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, review of The Naked Jape: Uncovering the Hidden World of Jokes, p. 41.

Music Week, May 29, 2004, "Comedian and Xfm DJ Jimmy Carr Is to Host the New Incarnation of Music Week's Creative and Design Awards," p. 2.

Psychology Today, September-October, 2006, Jessica Heasley, review of Only Joking, p. 36.

Publishers Weekly, July 24, 2006, review of Only Joking, p. 51.