About Ian Cognito
Ian Cognito was an English stand-up comedian. He first performed stand-up in 1985 and won the Time Out Award for Stand-up Comedy in 1999. His Edinburgh Fringe shows included The Trouble With Comedy, and he wrote the autobiography A Comedian's Tale. A documentary about his life won Best Feature Documentary at the LA Indies in 2021.
Videos
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Frequently asked questions
What was Ian Cognito's real name?
Ian Cognito was the stage name of Paul John Barbieri (1958 to 2019), who compared creating it to Dr Jekyll creating Mr Hyde.
Did Ian Cognito win any awards?
Ian Cognito won the Time Out Award for Stand-up Comedy in 1999, and a posthumous film about his life won Best Feature Documentary at the LA Indies in 2021.
Why was Ian Cognito called Britain's most banned comic?
His aggressive stage persona earned him a reputation as Britain's 'most banned' comic, yet many rated him a masterful performer and compared him to Lenny Bruce, Bill Hicks and Jerry Sadowitz.
When did Ian Cognito start stand-up?
Ian Cognito, a London-born comedian of Irish and Italian ancestry, first performed stand-up in 1985, and his autobiography, A Comedian's Tale, came out in 1995.
