Mark Watson forced to clarify ‘disappointing crowd’ joke at Edinburgh Fringe

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Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Mark Watson has poked fun at the debate surrounding comedians posting about their sparse crowds at Edinburgh Fringe festival.

The debate began when actor Georgie Grier shared a photo of herself crying after just one person showed up to her first performance.

Grier’s photo went viral on social media, with Jason Manford, Dara Ó Briain, Sarah Millican and Jermaine Clement sending their support to the comedian, and sharing similar accounts from when they started out in the business.

“There was one person in my audience today when I performed my one woman play, Sunsets at #edfringe. It’s fine, isn’t it? It’s fine…?” she wrote. One day later, Grier’s set was almost sold out.

While many are supporting Grier for sharing the post, there are some who believe it was sent in the hope it would attract attention and, consequently, ticket sales.

However, Grier said: “I thought I might find a couple of other people who had one person or get some words of comfort. I did not expect the level of reaction I’ve had it’s been so lovely, so unexpected, so many words for what I have experienced. I am so appreciative of what I have experienced.”

Comedian Watson has poked fun at the furore, sharing a photo of an empty crowd at his own show, writing: “Bit of a disappointing crowd tonight but we’ll have fun.”

Manford quipped in response: “Dya need me to do you a video?”

However, many believed the comedian was being serious, and he was quick to point out that the photo was, in fact, taken 20 minutes before his set, which was sold out. Watson performed to a 300-strong crowd.

“Not everyone got the joke so I should make it clear, this was taken 20 minutes before the start of the show,” he wrote, adding in a separate post: “This was a joke that people horrifyingly took seriously.”

Watson, who has made appearances on Mock the Week and Taskmaster, was part of the revue that was nominated for the Best Newcomer category in the Perrier Comedy Awards at the Fringe festival in 2001.

He was a member of the University of Cambridge's student sketch troupe Footlights, which was founded in 1883.