Looking on the bright side of life is usually seen as a blessing but for Paul Chowdhry it is at times a dangerous curse.

"I'm a comedian," he admitted in a deadly serious whisper. Straight-faced and self-conscious, Paul is almost apologetic about his profession.

He is hovering awkwardly in the corner of the pub, as though expecting an attack from a disgruntled customer.

It is hard to believe this polite, well-dressed man could cause offence, but it turns out Paul has made a lot of enemies in the name of good humour.

"I have had assassination attempts on my life that is the risk you have to take," said Paul, of Camrose Avenue, Edgware. The reason for this notoriety is that he bases his sketches on news events and relishes treading the invisible boundary between humour and horror.

Tonight the audience laughs riotously through jokes about the war on Iraq, the immigration crisis and paedophilia.

After the show, one man tells Paul he has changed his perception of Asian comedy.

But he is not always so lucky. Since his first show five years ago, he has been regularly threatened and blackmailed after performances, and narrowly escaped being beaten up.

"I will talk about anything that is going on in the world, but the war is obviously a sensitive area. I joke about joining the al-Qaeda network and being brown-skinned, they probably wonder if I am serious. I have to get to the punch line before a pint glass hits me on the face," said Paul.

"Once I did a show for street gangsters. I was pretty lucky to get out of there with my limbs intact.

"I was in Peckham on Sunday doing a show to the black community, on stage at 12.30am, and if they are not laughing, you know about it. I could live or die, that is the risk."

Paul has perfected Pakistani, Arab and Iraqi accents and imitates Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. But he is driven by a serious agenda. He turned to comedy after he was almost killed in a racial attack in Watford.

"The attack fuelled certain feelings," said Paul. "I try to turn around certain pre-conceptions. Sometimes I change people's opinions, sometimes not, but it is time to move on from the Goodness Gracious Me culture on television.

"I say laugh with us rather than at us hopefully this is more refreshing.

"I am the only Asian comedian doing this kind of thing, and I am British. I was born here.

"Comedy is the easiest way of breaking down barriers, to make people laugh and give them a serious message in a non-hostile environment.

"It is good to be dangerous. If you tread a thin line it is more exciting.

"Anyone can go up there and tell a joke like a poem without feeling it, but I need to relate to it.

"Some people would not joke about these things but it is better than talking about relationships and sex, which has been done so many times.

"You can be a crowd pleaser or make people think. I like to mix the two."

March 21, 2003 11:30