
I recently interviewed the comedian Marcus Brigstocke, who said that someone had once remarked that he was too handsome to be funny. Being fiendishly good looking has hardly halted Henry Rowley's rise through the comedic ranks. He has more than 1 million TikTok followers and his sketches have amassed more than 72 million likes.
Rowley is the latest star converting viral fame into live success. Out of a sold-out audience of 800 at his biggest London show to date, a quick onstage poll revealed that around 799 members were there because they had seen his clips. The other one had been given a ticket as a birthday treat. Never mind seeing comics on TV, seeing comics on smartphones feels like the sharpest marketing tool.