In Fully Dilated, Julian Clary promises to reveal “intimate secrets of my life and share the traumas that have led me to lead the life of a camp comic and renowned homosexual”

Some background for the uninitiated:

In the eighties, through his exposure on the then-new and radical TV Channel 4, stand-up comedian Julian Clary became a household name in the UK.

His brand of traditional, smutty British humour was tempered with political satire as he swept in on a wave of young alternative comedians challenging the status quo.

But unlike the camp comedians who came before him, Julian was out and proud. In skimpy rubber outfits, a studded dog collar, full make-up, and accompanied by his pet, Fanny the Wonderdog, Julian was prepared to say what others wouldn’t.

Then in 1993, soon after his boyfriend had died of AIDS and while he was overdosing on Valium, he made an outrageous comment about a right-wing Tory politician on a TV awards show, which saw his career being cancelled.

He disappeared from the public eye for some years but kept his cult following. This is his first appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe in seventeen years.

On arrival at the Assembly Music Hall, I immediately felt intimidated by the huge audience of mostly straight people, and the young ushers who were herding us in like demented cattle, so it took me a while to relax and warm up to Julian when he appeared on stage. 

He began by confronting straight and gay couples in the front row about details of their sex life. He asked one gay couple to explain the gay jokes to the straight couples and, after musing on butt plugs, ended up presenting a tube of anal lube to a straight guy. This show is called Fully Dilated after all!

He should have asked the straight audience to explain some of the jokes about British TV celebrities to me because at times I was totally lost. I ended up laughing at very different things from the rest of the crowd!

Talking of getting older and facing up to death, he entertained us with a charming little song about life’s ups and downs. Hopefully no one was upset by its offensive title.

He then took us back to losing his virginity and tales of his promiscuous youth, including pick ups at the Edinburgh Fringe.

There were descriptions of vaginas, penises and anal warts in gory detail with added local references to C.C.Blooms – “Edinburgh’s Foremost Gay Nightclub” – and The Edinburgh Tattoo.

When his boyfriend died, and he lost all his bookings, it was a blessing in disguise. He had enough money to live on and was finally able to forego the Valium, start therapy and grieve without the pressure of having to entertain an audience as well.

Years later in Australia he met his lifeguard husband on Bondi Beach when he “lost his budgie smugglers and was sucked under”.

More stories of London taxi drivers, being mistaken for Boy George and Paul O’Grady, celebrity gossip and penis girth enhancement – “sometimes it’s nice to feel the sides” – took us to his final song, a parody of “My Way” called “Fully Dilated”.

I salute the unsung bravery of Julian Clary, having been so openly gay in the AIDS era, confronting homophobia and subversively challenging the political establishment of the day.

The fact that he has endeared himself to the British public can only be a good thing.

I was just revving up when the side-splitting, hour-long show came to an end. It was over too soon and I was left wanting more.

Julian Clary “I thank you”.