Tom Green and Brendon Burns, O2 Institute, Birmingham - review

First up on stage at the all-seated O2 Institute event was controversial comic Brendon Burns, all the way from Perth.

Stepping out on stage with a can of Monster energy drink in hand, the 46-year-old star had the intimate crowd in fits of laughter from start to end.

Brendon was hilarious - but the guy next to us laughed so hard at times, we feared he may lay an egg at any moment.

The controversial comic pushed boundaries without being malicious or offensive - and instead managed to give a non-’PC’ set, while being quick-witted and clever.

The self-deprecating Aussie, who mainly performs in the UK and the US, made hilarious references to Australia Day - which he likened to a celebration of Apartheid in South Africa - and added that political correctness simply doesn’t seem to have made its way to Oz yet.

He also poked fun at Brits’ driving habits, remarking on how ‘English’ it is of us to have a ‘flashing’ system in place, just so we can be polite with our cars.

He said his joke came as a warning too, as should drivers flash each other in ‘any other country’ it would result in a fist fight.

Next up was the weird and wacky Tom Green, best known for his roles in Road Trip and Euro Trip, as well as for creating 2001 film Freddy Got Fingered.

Now before we get started on Mr Green, I have something I must admit…

I despised Freddy Got Fingered. It made me feel sick at some points and its humour was entirely lost on me. It really was terrible.

His stand-up show, meanwhile, was a different kettle of fish all together.

The 45-year-old Ontario star kicked off his set by creepily (but hilariously) making ‘eye contact’ with each and every person in the room - even those at the sound desk and the bar.

Tom then proceeded to do what every audience member fears (and the reason so many want to sit at the back): picking on the crowd.

He took the mick out of ‘sales administrators’ and ‘forklift drivers’, while telling off members of the audience for interrupting or - if they were feeling very brave (or stupid) - using their phones. At one point Tom caught a girl in the front row attempting to film him… Not a good idea.

“Get that phone out of my face,” was part of the response.

As Tom actually comes across as almost introverted - and certainly very kind in person - I was actually really surprised by how much he laid into the crowd and found myself hiding behind others in the audience for fear of being picked on.

Topics joked about throughout the evening included the way in which journalists covered the Malaysia Airlines disaster, airport security, Facebook - and, of course, Donald Trump.

One joke which I didn’t see the funny side of, however, was Tom’s attitude to celebrities dying of overdoses. ‘It must be so hard being successful,’ he said.

Maybe I was just being over sensitive but, following the recent death of rock icon Chris Cornell, I found it to be a little too soon.

His remarks on Trump, meanwhile, were hilarious. Telling of how the President screamed at him for going out drinking with ‘cross-dressing’ basketball star Dennis Rodman.

“When Dennis asked me what else was I supposed to do?” laughed the star.

“It demystifies the presidency when you’ve had Donald Trump scream in your face.

“I actually know the President.”

Tom ended the show by taking requests for lines to act out from Freddy Got Fingered. Needless to say, I wasn’t bowled over by this part - but it was clear many fans were.

This was the first time Tom has ever toured in the UK - let alone the Midlands - and he went down an absolute storm.

My only complaint is that I felt opening comic Brendon Burns actually out-shined the main act.

A great night out, however - and one I would certainly repeat if given the chance.