Socks “New Show” at Leicester Comedy Festival

The Socks have a long association with the Leicester Comedy Festival. We have, in fact, played there for longer than we’ve played the Edinburgh Fringe. (Our first appearance there was in 2006, and we didn't miss the years we missed Edinburgh, making this our 20th anniversary)

But they’ve had a quiet year. Indeed, since writing and debuting Post Office Scandal The Musical at Leicester in 2024, I’ve not written a single bit of new material for them. (Dean Friedman and I did some adverts for a windows company that summer, so that would be the Socks last new stuff). So, I thought, setting myself the target of a New Show this month would give me the incentive to blitz a whole new load of stuff. I even put a shout out to Socks fans online asking for suggestions. 

But by the time of our Leicester appearances I’d written nothing. Well, one feeble bit of dialogue about the song New York Groove. Nothing else. 

We had a 20 minute mid show slot on a comedy bill in Nuneaton on Friday night (on with Karen Bayley, Steve Gribbin, and MC James Cook) which was in itself the Socks first gig of any sort since The Lakes comic festival show back in September, so there were cobwebs to be dusted off and a reminder needed that we could still do this. The gig went perfectly, and I felt great. 

For Saturday in Leicester, the first of two nights, I had assembled a Best Of selection. Which, given how well my Best Of 20 min slot had just gone, I felt would be a satisfying hour. But one odd element of Leicester was that I had a small audience (only 27) and more than half of those were fans who’d seen us before. So, while the newbies were laughing out loud at the top notch classics, I could tell that the regulars weren’t, so much, at stuff they’d heard before. 

And nobody laughed at the New York Groove rubbish. I only did that on the first night, replacing it the next night with Halloween. Which, because I hadn’t rehearsed it, I promptly forgot most of! 

All that said, both shows were good, and the audiences seemed to love them. They were full of praise after both and it was only my self-critical-ness, and a mix of flop sweat and actual sweat, cos the venue Kayal was boiling, that had me coming away feeling a bit bad after Saturday. I felt a lot better after Sunday (which had a smaller audience of only 20). But ultimately I was disappointed that I’d listed a New Show and hadn’t delivered one. 

I feel I have squandered a lot of goodwill with this show, and am doing little to attract new audiences. I really have work to do to get the Socks back on track. 

Above: Thanks to John Shaw in the front row for this clip of a Sock suffering a wardrobe malfunction during Go To Greggs, not intentionally.

The running order for the alleged New Show was:

Opening gags inc lines from Roll Up (2019)

Ship In A Bottle (from Telly 10, & Space 13, main comedy club set)

I'm A Sock (as featured in every show ever, since 2006)

(Sat only) New York Groove (new, died)

(Sun only) Halloween (from debut show 2007, main comedy club set)

I Change The Key (Return 08)

Magic (Telly 10, & Roll Up 19, main comedy club set)

OG wordplay (WorldCon show 24)

Word Association (Hollywood 09)

4 Horsemen (Boo Lingerie 12)

Pagliacci (Roll Up 19)

Go To Greggs (Roll Up 19)

(Sat only) Earth Song (Hollywood 09, main comedy club set)

Bucket List (Boo Lingerie 12)

Always A Bastard (Telly 10, And So Am I 14)

Star Wars (Hollywood 09, Space 13, main comedy club set)

Sweary Poppins (Hollywood 09, main comedy club set)

So I didn't use any material from Post Office Scandal (24), Eurovision (22), Superheroes (18), or Shakespeare (16), which are the four best-shaped stand alone shows, or anything that was new from Minging Detectives (15), And So Am I (14), or Space (13) none of which seemed to lend itself to a fresh airing out of context. It's pleasing to look back and see how much material I do have, but disappointing that I fell back on a show which was composed of my main comedy club set (which adds up to nearly half an hour) and nothing new. 

It reminds me that shaping a good hour long show takes a lot of work, spread over six months usually. The traditional pattern, which I managed to do almost every year from 2007 to 2019, was Leicester Comedy Festival would get a work in progress show, including lots of stuff that I'd done as Youtube videos over the preceding six months, then there'd be Glasgow Comedy Festival in March, which would have lots of fresh stuff, then a series of previews across the early summer, usually including Brighton in May, so that when I hit Edinburgh at the start of August I'd have an hour I was confident in. By the end of August this hour would be the best show I'd ever done and I'd tour it the following Spring.

That model broke in the pandemic of 2020, where I briefly enjoyed a new career online, which is where Eurovision and a whole raft of songs, that are my current pre-show playlist, came from. I think I took a bit of a knockback when Britain's Got Talent half-happened at the start of 2022, which drove our last visit to Edinburgh. Then Post Office Scandal The Musical two years ago was a surprising return to form, proving to myself I could still do it, with a show that was written in a fortnight and went down went on the few touring shows it played, but which never got the full development treatment, and I couldn't afford to take to Edinburgh.

Sorry if I sound a bit down. The Socks just played three good shows in a weekend and entertained some people, but I feel I haven't got their mojo back and don't quite know what I'm going to do with them next. I'm sure inspiration will strike when I least expect it.

My Books And Where To Find Them...

Romeo & Juliet (Colour)	Romeo & Juliet (bw)	Richard The Third (Colour)	Richard  The Third (bw)
Shakespeare Omnibus	Findlay  Macbeth	Prince of  Denmark Street	Midsummer Night's  Dream Team
Tales From Bible (Col)	Tales From Bible (bw)	Joseph, Ruth & Other Stories	Space Elain
Book Of Esther	Who Notes	Doctors Who? Colouring	Sweet Smell Of Sockcess
Kids Comics Annual 2026	Kids Comics Annual 2025	Socks Do Shakespeare	Colouring Books

Colouring Books: Doctors Who, Hollywood Legends, Punk, Cult TV, Eurovision Vol 1, Eurovision Vol 2, Eurovision Best Of British & Irish, 1960s Pop, 1970s Pop, 1980s Pop,  1990s Pop, 2020s Pop, Bowie, Scottish Pop, Royalty, Rom Coms 

The Great AI Debate gets nasty

I’ve had to do it again. Posting on a friend’s FB to “tell them off” for doing the Ai caricature trend. Here’s what I wrote: “I hate to be that guy, but you do know that a lot of us have a problem with Ai art. It’s been trained on art stolen from real artists, and its use takes work from artists. And its use of power and water is a genuine concern.

“I know, we all feel like King Cnut standing against the tide of this popular trend but I felt I had to say something. “

This is the most constructive way I have of reducing my number of Facebook friends, when they immediately unfriend me.

(This post becomes my most seen post, apparently 25,000 people have seen it, my most liked at 465, and my most commented on, with 132 comments and growing, and shared by 96. Here are some comments and discussions).

Stefan Pejic

Kev Sutherland Didn't unfriend you, eventhough you used me as the main point of this status and used my name and photo lol so here's my reply to comment you left incase you missed it 

As an artist who sells hand drawn and painted pieces myself, I totally get the frustration with how technology has impacted the commercial art world. However, I want to be clear that this post was just for a laugh! No one is profiting from this it was purely for entertainment and to see what the internet’s data thinks of me. Why not have a little fun with it if it's a trend that is already clogging up my news feed?

As long as you don't use it it's fine. But my facebook is my facebook dude, nobody dictates what I can and cant post.

Peace  xx

Kev Sutherland

Stefan Pejic Sorry I didn’t edit your name off the screengrab. I’ve done that now.

Gordon Rennie

Stefan Pejic

Ahh, the old “just for a laugh…” shite excuse

Darran Hepworth

Stefan Pejic "Just for a laugh" isn't a defence. I've seen people who have done some pretty awful things use the same phrase in attempts to defend their actions, too. Personal entertainment has never been an excuse for behaviour that hurts other people.

Every time you share AI, whether it be for profit, engagement, or "just for a laugh" you're validating its existence and promoting its use. You're making it acceptable in the eyes of less informed people. Your other justification, that it's a trend...well, it wouldn't be if people like yourself refused to use it. You're making matters worse for artists. This isn't just a laugh for them.

I've no idea who you are, and berating strangers on Facebook friend's posts isn't something I'm particularly keen on, but I'm so tired of this attitude of 'I know AI is bad, but I use it in the good way.'

Stefan Pejic

Darran Hepworth go eat a snickers dude. 

Darran Hepworth

Stefan Pejic Don't worry, it was just a laugh.

Stefan Pejic

Darran Hepworth I wasn't worried

Gordon Rennie

Stefan Pejic

Are you also getting AI to write your shite comebacks?

Stefan Pejic

Gordon Rennie So out of interest, how many of you "liking" or commenting have actually bought one of Kev’s pieces?... I only replied because my name was being used on an image of my private profile ( since edited off after I commented) as a potential punchbag for people like you lot looking to score points and virtue signal to get that quick dopamine fix.

​Also, the hypocrisy here is staggering. I guarantee that those commenting would have used ChatGPT or versions of it to help you "write something" without a second thought for legitimate writers and shared links in private messages of AI videos without any thought for comedy writers, directors, producers, actors, etc. Exactly.

​I don’t know any of you & therefore you do not affect nor impact my life in any way whatsoever. I owe nobody anything but let’s be real it’s easy to be bold behind a keyboard. This is my final response cas I keep having notifications. So this is a more indepth response once and for all.  Much love xxxx

Darran Hepworth

Stefan Pejic Now you're playing the victim?

People doing the right thing and calling out others for perpetrating the theft of artists' work, isn't virtue signalling. The fact that you think that doing the right thing couldn't possibly be done altruistically, and could only be a PR exercise says a whole lot about your values.

As for guaranteeing that the people commenting have used ChatGPT. 

I don't even know whether it's used via a website or an app, let alone used it myself. You're so incredulous that other people have moral values and act accordingly, aren't you? Again, your own values are being laid bare by your inability to comprehend that other people actually do the right thing.

I don't support the Ai theft of artists'/writers/musician's work, so I don't use AI. I don't share it. I don't engage with it.

Crazy, huh?

Anyway, go eat a snickers dude 

Liam Mc

Bro I'm an artist myself. I don't have to buy anyone's art to think AI art isa best cringe and a waste of time and at worse actively harming the environment and taking jobs away from creatives. What a laugh

Stefan Pejic

Darran Hepworth Calling 'victim' is such a tired, predictable retort when you’ve run out of actual points. Anyone with the intelligence to read my original comment knows I’m an artist exploring how algorithms and data interpret my profile out of pure curiosity. It’s a creative experiment on my own page not on Kevs or yours so I can do what I want. I also know that the art I create and comissioned for has no threat or rivalry by AI but already sympathised for those who feel it may. If you’re this desperate for my attention though, come see me at a gig you can use other things you hear me say then like my comments above back to me, how flattering. Full brownie points use them wisely. I have also now worked out how to mute these notifications so I’ll let you have the last word since you clearly need it. Enjoy, babes. xxxxx

Kev Sutherland

Stefan Pejic And I'm really sorry I roped you into this. I feel I've led to you being personally targetted, and that is entirely my wrong doing. So sorry.

Kev Sutherland

Gordon Rennie Not what I wanted, everyone piling in for a cathartic ganging-up on one person, out of thousands!

Stefan Pejic

Kev Sutherland It's all good Kev, totally unfazed, you know me I love dealing with hecklers

Jem Jenkins Jones

I think my main worry at the moment, because I know it's pointless now to try to fight it with the artistic merit reasoning, is the environmental impact of it all. I need to research more into that first though as I don't know enough yet.

Anil Desai

I’m with you on that Kev Sutherland - It’s become a disgusting landfill trash of posts to see so many jump on this bandwagon this morning!

A complete ‘turn off’ which reeks of a desperation to ‘do what everyone else is doing’

Its not cool! It looks hideous! And has put a spotlight on so many “artists” and people having zero originality in their lives.

How the F did this catch on so quickly ? Its like wildfire burning through my newsfeed

And the fact that it steals and takes away from legitimate caricature artists like yourself makes it even more soul less!

Bishop Jones

But real artists have always been influenced and borrowed from existing art. Initially we borrowed from nature, now we borrow from the past works of others.

Is it really that different when it’s a machine doing the borrowing??

Gill Rockatansky

Bishop Jones They're not borrowing, people have been able to identify elements of their own work. Note how you said "real artists" when referring to humans. AI art isn't real art, it comes from a database of stolen work rather than inspiration or invention.

Dan McCloud

Bishop Jones yes. machines can't put their own unique spin on anything, they have no soul or personality. anything it makes is just a regurgitated combination of whatever they've stolen off the internet, unlike human artists who only use what they've seen or read as a starting point to create their own unique vision

Gabriele Fratus

Bishop Jones humans get inspired. Machines copy. AI steals.

If it isn't that different, why you need a machine to "borrow" for you?

Stuart Wood

Bishop Jones Yes it is massively f*ing different

Arabella Donnelly

Bishop Jones please do not spout this bs

Ryan Anthony Mooresky

Bishop Jones influenced by ≠ ai generated

Sarah Burgess

you know the general AI system is open AI and not one person "owns it?"

what sources have you used to get the information that generating AI content uses water and natural resources?

Sam Sandars

Sarah Burgess OpenAi is a business name  which is owned by multiple investors, Microsoft owns 27% share as an example.....

Joseph Kenan Kockaya

Sarah Burgess Open AI still has to use data centres that require a vast amount of water for cooling. A single typical ChatGPT conversation uses 500ml of DRINKING WATER for cooling.

David Hughes

In this case, though, these people probably weren't about to commission the services of an actual caricaturist, so it's difficult to see how this is actually taking work away from freelancers.

Dan McDaid

David Hughes but AI is theft from both ends, it doesn't just steal future work, it robs work that's already done. AND has deletorious effect on the environment, and looks like banal shit etc.

Sarah Green

It was the same sort of thing with photography when digital came along, I hated it (during my photography degree) it took away an art.

The thing is that times change, music is the same, from vinyls to Alexa, it's not going to disappear, just evolve.

Kayleigh Griffin

I don't think people realise how bad ai is for the environment either. And you can't even search for evidence without ai rearing it's head 

Davy Francis

Are you allowed to say Cnut on Facebook?

Jessica Rose

I don’t think people realise how affordable commissioning a real artist can be. On Etsy there are loads of options for fully rendered art that are £10-20 or even less for sketches. Simple art styles like chibi are also very affordable.

I don’t understand not supporting real people and it’s fun that my dumb thought of wanting to see myself as a deer is supporting someone’s business  and the art looks amazing too. This one cost me £60 as a waist up from a popular artist (Syronica) and I am very happy with the result

Shane Chebsey

Only artists are taking about it unfortunately. Those not exposed to artists have no idea what's going on.

Darren Worrow

Roybot Lichtenstein I calls 'em! Well done for calling it out, I think I should follow in your wise footsteps.

Kris Flynn

If you hate to be that guy, don't be that guy and keep scrolling. It's people having fun. Not one person was going to hire someone to do the caricature so it's not taking work away from anyone. Everything advances. You took a photo on your phone? Then your taking work away from someone with a real camera. Watching netflix? It's your fault that video stores closed. Let's ban all forms of electronic music. Every cord is music was used by someone else previously so no new music should be allowed use them. We all use technology everyday. We watch videos to repair stuff. Everything advances. Get over it

Carl East

Keep it up Kev. People need to know that this “oh it’s good enough” attitude to this slop is not shared by everyone.

Steven Morrison

You know using the internet in general also uses power and water?

Jenn Gee

Steven Morrison so why the hell would you want to make the problem 10x worse/accelerate it???

Stuart Wood

Steven Morrison oh wow what a gotcha

Anja Renberg

I hate AI “art” but I’m too scared to say something even fb friends use it. Should start doing it I suppose. Doesn’t affect me directly as I’m not an artist and can’t draw to save my life, I just think if you’re not an artist don’t pretend to be and, it’s all the same and sooooooo dull!! We’re all becoming one incredibly dull entity aren’t we?

Tom Hart

It’s amazing the amount of people willing to effectively give their likeness over to a AI training database for free in return for an image they might laugh at for a few seconds and never think about again.

Worse yet some of them you are essentially transferring ownership of the image you are supplying them with

Al Mackay

Most people wouldn't pay for this, hence lots of people are doing it for free. It's not that deep

Lewis Farley

You imply they were ever going to commission someone to do this work in the first place. They are only doing it because it is free... No money or jobs were lost in the making of this meme.

Andrew Lines

You cant put it back in the bottle. I started life as a signwriter making my living for a number of years up a ladder on shopfronts and in greasy garages lettering vehicles, using high quality brushes made from the tail hair of a pine marten only found in Siberia. Safe in the knowledge that they could never make a machine to do what I do. and the they did. I had to move on or become a poor dinosaur. I'm now using Ai to illustrate my first book, because although I can draw, I'm no illustrator. I'm no author either, but Ai is giving me the chance to do something in my retirement, that I have neither the money nor the skills to do myself. Everyday is a school day and I love it. But otherwise I still create art using my design skills. As someone very famous once said 'before they had CAD, Computer Aided Design, they didnt call it Pencil Aided Design.' ie; Design is s function of the brain, just the tools change. Get over it.

Gary Northfield

Andrew Lines The difference between ai and the other examples you give, is that ai steals other people’s art and repurposes it. Computer programmes making fonts paid the creator of the font. Ai does no such thing. Illustrators will not be bullied to “get over it”.

Andrew Lines

Gary Northfield Yes they will.

David Leach

Andrew Lines Only the shit ones. Any self decent artist will see that Ai Slop isn't art, it's theft, it's not original, it's not even good. Anyone, especially a creative person who promotes Ai is an arsehole.

Andrew Lines

David Leach I hear you. But what will you actually do about it?

(Kris Flynn posts Ai image of David Leach crying. I will not share it. I have blocked him)

Gary Northfield

Andrew Lines “Yes they will” be bullied? Really? Wow.

Andrew Lines

Gary Northfield You get as indignant as you like, but in reality what will YOU do to stop the use of Ai. and lets be clear its not just illustrators that have 'had there work stolen', its photographers, scientists, designers, inventors, engineers, authors, and indeed anyone that's ever written or thought anything. And yes they will have to get over it, and move on. But I'm OK, I've still got my canal boat and spinning jenny shares to fall back on. I've also got some machine made lace for sale, that faithfully copies the designs of Welsh cottage dwellers.

Lauren Marsden

Imaging telling someone off for what they post on their own Facebook  get a grip

Jonathan Smith

Sad man

James Summerson-Hollywood

Welcome to the future! Strap in 

Phillip Garfield

Rather look at that art then yours personally.. and coming from someone who worked at the bbc for decades your opinion is invalid an no Ai would steal your art to learn from as anyone is capable of basic doodles

Linda Moon

God you're boring

etc etc. I have only shared a selection of discussions and posts. It seems this Culture War divide will rumble on. On one side "it's a bit of fun, stop being a killjy" and on the other "it's doing damage and is morally wrong". It would seem there is no middle ground for debate, and why did I ever think for a minute there would be?

My Books And Where To Find Them...

Romeo & Juliet (Colour)	Romeo & Juliet (bw)	Richard The Third (Colour)	Richard  The Third (bw)
Shakespeare Omnibus	Findlay  Macbeth	Prince of  Denmark Street	Midsummer Night's  Dream Team
Tales From Bible (Col)	Tales From Bible (bw)	Joseph, Ruth & Other Stories	Space Elain
Book Of Esther	Who Notes	Doctors Who? Colouring	Sweet Smell Of Sockcess
Kids Comics Annual 2026	Kids Comics Annual 2025	Socks Do Shakespeare	Colouring Books

Colouring Books: Doctors Who, Hollywood Legends, Punk, Cult TV, Eurovision Vol 1, Eurovision Vol 2, Eurovision Best Of British & Irish, 1960s Pop, 1970s Pop, 1980s Pop,  1990s Pop, 2020s Pop, Bowie, Scottish Pop, Royalty, Rom Coms