Diane Spencer
Filthy, squirm-inducing storytelling delivered with crisp, polite British vowels.
1 special · 2017
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Diane Spencer steps on stage projecting the energy of a polite, capable host. She smiles warmly, speaks in crisp, polite British vowels, and then casually delivers anecdotes so filthy they make crowds physically flinch. The gap between her refined presentation and her subject matter creates immediate tension. She will describe wearing down a sex toy with the same bright cheerfulness someone else might use to explain a muffin recipe.
Specials
On stage
Rather than running the traditional UK panel show gauntlet, Spencer built her audience through direct self-distribution. She filmed her hour-long solo shows and uploaded them straight to YouTube, securing a global following that tunes in specifically to hear her overshare.
Her act relies on patient, agonizing narrative. She mines her immediate life for material. She uses her marriage, her stepdaughters, and her parents as subjects, consistently casting herself as the lustful, awkward, or inappropriate antagonist of her own stories. A bit about trying to integrate into her new family will inevitably veer into an uncomfortable confession about her own behavior. Because she favors long, squirm-inducing setups, the momentum occasionally flags if a premise doesn’t catch right away. When a story lands, she slowly escalates a bad situation until the sheer embarrassment in the room breaks the tension.
Though British, Spencer started doing standup while living in New Zealand. She developed her voice in Auckland before returning to the UK to claim the Chortle Best Newcomer award in 2011.
Turning points
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2010s–present
Direct-to-YouTube Standup Special Releases
Spencer systematically recorded and published ten full-length solo comedy specials directly to YouTube, securing over 10 million views independently.
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Breakthrough Win at Chortle Awards
After developing her standup career in Auckland, New Zealand, Spencer returned to the UK with her hour 'Lost in the Mouth Specific', earning the 2011 Chortle Best Newcomer award.
At a glance
Also on screen
- The Tape Face Tapes
- Galaxy Ball Team Earth
- Ministry Of Offence
- Self-Help
- Lockwood & Co.
A clip to start with
Diane Spencer on trying to make love like the films