RICH Hall's crumpled face has been seen on numerous TV shows -- Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Room 101 and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.

The grouchy comic quit his job as a hurricane namer for the United States Meteorological Service 18 years ago and hasn't looked back.

And tonight he will be giving an East Lancashire audience the benefit of his alter ego -- redneck Tennessee jailbird Otis Lee Crenshaw.

Hall came up with the character in 1998 and will be giving his created singer-songwriter an airing at Burnley Mechanics from 8pm.

Otis Lee Crenshaw has been married seven times -- each time to women named Brenda -- and writes bourbon-soaked tunes which he blends with audience banter to create a perfect fusion of music and mirth.

As Rich Hall the stand-up, the American who likes to lay into his fellow countrymen at every opportunity has visited the Edinburgh Festival several times and performed at major comedy clubs and festivals across the world. He is well known in the US for appearing and writing on The David Letterman Show, for which he won an Emmy Award.

Otis Lee Crenshaw has been charming audiences each year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as touring the UK. At the 2000 Edinburgh festival Otis won the coveted Perrier Award -- the Oscars for comedy in Britain. Otis returned to Edinburgh this year when he played to a packed house in one of Edinburgh's largest venues. He has also won the 2000 Time Out Comedy Award and this year's Grand Jury Prize at the Aspen Comedy Festival.

In 2001 Otis Lee Crenshaw released a CD/DVD to much critical acclaim in the music press. It made number 40 in Mojo magazine albums of 2001. As himself, Rich Hall has received much critical acclaim.

Rich Hall aka Otis Lee Crenshaw is at Burnley Mechanics tonight at 8pm. Some tickets are still available at £10 (£9 concessions). Telephone the box office on 01282 664400.