An iconic backdrop within one of Edinburgh's most popular comedy venues will be moved to a rival.
Comedian Daniel Sloss has been outbid in an attempt to secure the ownership of the 'Cowboy with a Gun' backdrop that is on display at The Stand comedy venue in the capital.
The image, which depicts a child cowboy standing with a revolver aimed at his head, has been deemed too offensive and inappropriate. The Stand's manager, Mike Jones, told how some people found the image offensive for different reasons, saying the club has to change their logo during ad campaigns making jokes about child suicide.
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The Scottish Sun reports how Mike told Chortle that the club had always insisted it was a toy gun in the image and that "the worst thing that would come out of the gun would be a sign saying BANG."
The 9ft by 8ft artwork was up for grabs at a charity auction, with bidders such as Scottish comedian Sloss and London's Museum of Comedy all battling to be its next owner. But they were outbid by Scottish comedy club promoter Alan Anderson, who forked out £7,500 for the image.
Anderson, of Rotunda Comedy Club, The Comedy Cabaret and Scottish Comedy Awards, has set out to ensure the picture remains a part of Scotland's comedy scene. He will use 'Cowboy with Gun' as the backdrop for Glasgow's Rotunda Comedy Club.
Anderson said: "The Edinburgh Comedy Cowboy has become the 2nd most iconic image in Scottish Comedy after Billy Connolly’s Banana Boots. The decision to remove the Cowboy, juxtaposed with Glaswegian Jerry Sadowitz's shows being cancelled in Edinburgh, illustrate that comedy is losing its cutting edge.
The iconic picture was a part of The Stand for 25 years - and has been replaced with another image by the same artist. Thomas 'Mac' MacGregor has designed the new backdrop, which features the cowboy with his arms outstretched.
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