"Two minutes with Edward Aczel and I'm doubting everything I thought I knew about comedy. About life, actually.
"'Cause by all accounts, he should suck superglue from a vacuum hose. He wanders shyly onstage and this isn't Frankie Howerd's mock-timidity, it's the fear of a guy who just doesn't wanna be there. He doesn't rattle off the gags, and this isn't the fake irony of Jack Dee, it's a - rather untimid - admitting he doesn't have any. He reads the topics off the back of his hand and this ain't the psuedo-cheesiness of Adrian Edmondson subverting stand-up for 'Hysteria', it's the real cheesiness of a bloke terrified of forgetting his lines. And as for the delivery - hell, it makes Steven Wright look like Ben Elton.
"And yet... I haven't laughed so much since Mrs Thatcher 'resigned'. Or seen anything so humour-happy since Steve Coogan chucked the dodgy impersonations to become Alan Partridge. Or ultimately been so confused since Bob Monkhouse ditched the stand-up for 'Family Fortunes'.
"'Cause by Gad, Edward's good. He builds a setup, then can't be bothered with a punchline ("What can you say about --- that hasn't been said before? I don't know really"). He pussyfoots about the stage, then asks when he can go home. He pauses dramatically for the pay-off - then introduces the next guest.
"So why is he so hilarious? I don't know. I just know you better go see 'im. Then explain it to me."
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