Chortle Award-nominated Diane is no ordinary comic (From Sutton Guardian)

Surbiton's Chortle Award-nominated Diane is no ordinary comic

8:50am Saturday 5th February 2011 in Comedy By Graham Moody, Sports Reporter

So many comedians are a let down when you meet them face-to-face.

You expect every answer to take the form of a hilarious and witty pun but sadly, that is very rarely the case.

Without a spotlight on them they are dull and to be quite frank, depressing - but not Diane Spencer.

From the moment I met her in the Surbiton Flyer the gags began to flow and I knew this was going to be a fun hour, not one that makes me want to walk out in front of the nearest articulated lorry.

The reason for our meet-up is Diane's recent nomination for best newcomer at the Chortle Awards, which take place on Monday.

It's a startling achievement for a woman who only took up full-time stand-up in this country 12 months ago when she returned from four years living in New Zealand - where she was nominated best newcomer in 2007 and then best female in 2009.

"I've been nominated, that's good enough for me, I'm happy - I've got a dress," she says with grin wider than a Cheshire Cat.

"When I was told I screamed, I didn't expect to be noticed and when you look at the others who have been nominated, one of them has a BAFTA nomination!

"I kind of feel I have won already.

"I think one of my lungs would pop if I did win, one of my kidneys would just glow like the rocks in Indiana Jones and I would release so much adrenaline I would just float on stage."

Diane is currently working on a new show which will be her debut solo offering at the Edinburgh Festival this Autumn, but it's unlikely to come with a PG rating.

"I would say I am not family friendly - please do not bring your children unless you want to explain what I am saying," she adds with a giggle.

"It's storytelling but I put a lot of punchlines in - I like having lots of punchlines, I don't want to talk for a long time where I am the only noise in the room, I do not like it.

"I genuinely talk about what I find funny - and it just tends to be rude things and naughty things.

"Some people have described me as filth but I don't think so at all - when you talk about something that makes you laugh, because it is a little bit true and you are honest with why it is funny, other people will laugh.

"They come up to me after and say I was laughing at you but I really shouldn't - well why? The point is I wanted to make you laugh.

"It's a little bit confessional, for example, I joined a dating website and some man sent me some rather inappropriate photos.

"It took me a while to stop laughing at them and now he is in my new show and referred to as banana man - if that gives you a clue to his pictures."

Diane is up against Henry Ginsberg, Iain Stirling and Tim Shishodia for the award, which will be announced on Monday night. Visit difunny.com