Lee Ridley (comedian)

Lee Ridley (born in Consett),[1] who performs under the name Lost Voice Guy,[2] is an award-winning British standup comedian. As a result of complications of cerebral palsy, Ridley is unable to speak[3] (thus his stage name). To perform, he pre-programs his routines into a voice synthesizer in his tablet computer,[4] and selects material based on audience reaction; he will also occasionally improvise new material onstage, entering it into the synthesizer in realtime.[5]

Ridley began performing in 2012,[6] in the aftermath of an encounter with Ross Noble in which he challenged the quality of Noble's impersonation of Stephen Hawking.[5] He subsequently had a successful show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013,[4] although its run was cut short when he developed pneumonia.[7]

Before taking up comedy full-time in May 2015,[8] Ridley worked as an online content manager for the city of Sunderland.[3]

In 2014, Ridley won the BBC Radio New Comedy Awards.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Autograph - Lee Ridley, in Living North; retrieved July 4, 2015
  2. ↑ Lost Voice Guy: Heard the one about the stand-up comedian who can't speak?, by Alice Jones, in the Independent; published December 11, 2014; retrieved July 4, 2015
  3. 1 2 Lee Ridley: ‘Disabled people are either inspirational, or benefit cheats’, by Mary O'Hara, at the Guardian; published April 15, 2015; retrieved July 4, 2015
  4. 1 2 Lee Ridley: Stand-up success for 'Lost Voice Guy' comic, by Phil Mawson, at the BBC; published August 9, 2012; retrieved July 4, 2015
  5. 1 2 Lee Ridley: making comedy out of silence, by Gary Evans, in the Guardian; published June 6, 2012; retrieved July 4, 2015
  6. ↑ The stand-up comic who cannot speak, by Colin Paterson; at the BBC; published April 13, 2012; retrieved July 4, 2015; "two months ago he did his first show"
  7. ↑ Voiceless comedian in hospital after contracting pneumonia during Edinburgh Fringe performances, by Jane O'Neill, in the Sunderland Echo; published August 27, 2013; retrieved July 4, 2015
  8. ↑ BBC launches its 2015 New Comedy Award, by Andrew Dipper; at GiggleBeats; published June 17, 2015; retrieved July 5, 2015
  9. ↑ Lost Voice Guy wins BBC New Comedy Award 2014, at British Comedy Guide; published December 17, 2014

External links

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