Ian Cognito facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ian Cognito |
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| Birth name | Paul John Barbieri |
| Born | 21 November 1958 London, England |
| Died | 11 April 2019 (aged 60) Bicester, Oxfordshire, England |
| Alma mater | University of Bath |
| Children | 2 |
Paul John Barbieri (born November 21, 1958 – died April 11, 2019), known as Ian Cognito, was an English stand-up comedian. He was famous for his energetic and sometimes surprising performances. In 1999, he won the Time Out Award for Stand-up Comedy, which is a big award in the comedy world.
Ian Cognito was known for his strong stage presence. He was sometimes called Britain’s "most banned" comic because his style could be very direct. However, many people saw him as a very skilled performer. They often compared him to other unique comedians like Lenny Bruce and Bill Hicks.
After he passed away, a film was made about his life. This film won the Best Feature Documentary award at the LA Indies in 2021.
About Ian Cognito
Ian Cognito was born in London on November 21, 1958. His family had roots in Ireland and Italy. He started doing stand-up comedy in 1985. He chose his stage name, Ian Cognito, because he felt it was like creating a different character for the stage.
He was known for his bold and unpredictable acts. For example, he once brought a hammer on stage. He would bang a nail into a wall and hang his hat on it. Then he would tell the audience, "This lets you know two things about me. ..... Secondly, I've got a hammer."
In his book, he wrote about always trying new things in his comedy. He said he tried not to be too shocking, but if he was, there was always a reason. He built a reputation for being both a bit wild and a great host for comedy shows. He felt he often got away with his daring acts because he was funny.
His autobiography, A Comedian’s Tale, was first published in 1995. It was later updated for Kindle in 2013. He joked that it was "the best book about comedy I have ever writ."
Ian Cognito was a father of two children. His son, Ollie Barbieri, played the character JJ Jones in the teen drama Skins. His other son, Will Barbieri, is a writer.
Ian Cognito's Passing
On April 11, 2019, Ian Cognito was performing at the Lone Wolf comedy club in Bicester. During his show, he suddenly collapsed. It was later found that he had suffered an aortic dissection, a serious medical condition.
Just a few minutes before he collapsed, Ian Cognito had made a joke about having a stroke. Because of this, people in the audience and the club staff first thought his collapse was part of his act. Emergency services were quickly called to the scene. Sadly, he was declared dead there.
After his death, many comedians shared their sadness and respect. Tributes came from famous comedians like Jimmy Carr, Matt Lucas, Katy Brand, Mark Steel, Shappi Khorsandi, and Arthur Smith.
See also
In Spanish: Ian Cognito para niños
- Entertainers who died during a performance
