Comedians

TV Review: Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment

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© BBC/Ed Moore

While watching the first series of Heavy Entertainment, it became immediately evident that comedian Nick Helm has been given a platform in which he has free reign to create whatever he wishes. This means that he can incorporate all of his skills into one half hour. In this sense, this new stand up/sketch-style show has enabled Helm to prove himself to any sceptic that he is incredibly  multi-talented, with an obvious aptitude for not only comedy, but music, drama and poetry also.

Each episode sees Nick presents a show based loosely around a topic, such as Romance, War and Dreams. He does this with the help of his band, which is made up of Ben Ellis, Ross Power, Jamie Smith and dead-pan comedian David Trent, who is keen to share his hopes and fears with the audience, which has hilarious consequences. His ambitions contrast starkly with the bitter sweet comments of Helm in an interview-style segment, when asked what he dreamt about as a kid. Helm simply replies: “I just dreamt of being happier”. This comment is emblematic of the general semantics of the programme; behind the obvious comedy elements, there is an undeniable darkness present, which makes the whole affair all the more interesting.

On the surface, Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment may look like a bit of an angry, multi-modal shambles. Look closer, however, and you will notice so much more. Each and every element is highly crafted, which is made more obvious as the series progresses and certain aspects of the performance are repeated, and Helm successfully incorporates music, poetry and even dance into the whole proceedings, giving the show a cabaret feel. There are sarcastic rants, intelligent jokes and some honestly fantastic songs, as well as multiple tender and emotional moments.

Nick Helm is at the top of his game, presenting a comedy that is both thoughtful and riotously funny. This is true heavy entertainment.

SERIES ONE OF NICK HELM’S HEAVY ENTERTAINMENT IS AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON BBC IPLAYER.

Seven Questions With… Sofie Hagen

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Sofie Hagen is a Danish stand up comic and podcaster. Winning the Chortle award for best newcomer in 2014, Hagen has successfully established herself on the British comedy scene, with her willingness to discuss more personal matters such as mental health and body image. Her podcast Comedians Telling Stuff (which Sofie briefly mentions below) is available online now and she brings her debut hour Bubblewrap to the Edinburgh Festival this August.
To find out more about Sofie, I asked her these seven questions…

1) What is your favourite comedy project that you have been involved in?

I did a sketch with a famous Danish actor called Kim Bodnia in Denmark once. It was all improvised and he tried to kiss me. I think the idea behind that thought was that I was going to say no. But I jumped up on the table that separated us and completely snogged his brains out. He is one of my favourite actors and I was just starstruck to be in the same room as him. Oh, did I mention that he’s 50 years old and slightly looks like my dad? Whenever I see him in a film, I blush. I genuinely feel like we had something. This is why I am not an actor. I would get way too attached.

© Karla Howlett

© Karla Howlett

2) Do you ever wear pyjamas in public?

Way too often, considering that I am techincally an adult. In Denmark, where I’m from, you can barely walk down any street without running into someone you know. Your old science teacher, your ex-boydriend, your dad… And then you meet the next person! I am just kidding, we have surprisingly little incest in Denmark. Anyways, so I moved to London where I can walk for miles (I rarely walk more than a mile) and meet NO ONE. So I started doing my grocery shopping in my pyjamas. The whole lot- two different shoes, only one sock, chocolate on my cheek. And I do not give a fuck. I probably should.

3) What item of food reminds you of your childhood?

Chips of chocolate that has been melted together. When I was a child, our fridge died overnight and what seemed like thuosands of chocolate chips melted into one huge lump that my mother let me eat. She regretted that later on, when I started turning off the fridge on a weekly basis so I could get muyself a big lump of chocolate.

4) Do you enjoy being scared?

No. Why would I? It doesn’t make sense to enjoy being scared. It’s like when women say they love “bad boys”. Why? Why would you? ‘Bad’ means, well, bad. Don’t come crying to me later and be all “Oh, I can’t believe he did this to me!”- really? The fact that he was a bad boy didn’t at all give you ANY clues as to what his future behaviour was going to be like? Scared is the same thing. So no. Because I quite like being very certain that I am not going to be eaten or killed anytime soon.

5) Is podcasting a neglected art form?

As someone who does their own podcast (www.comedianstellingstuff.com), I would definitely say that it IS a neglected art form. Because my podcast (www.comedianstellingstuff.com) is definitely art (www.comedianstellingstuff.com) and everyone should stop neglecting it (my podcast: www.comedianstellingstuff.com) and go to my website (www.comedianstellingstuff.com) and listen to it. Here is the web address: www.comedianstellingstuff.com.

6) Are you a gracious loser?

I was once on a date with a guy and we were being flirty and silly. When we both had to go to the bathroom at the sae time, he said jokingly, “Let’s see who gets back first!” and I ran to the bathroom. I did come back first, but in my desperation to win the little stupid competition, I had torn my underwear into three pieces, trying to get it off quickly- and I had not really washed my hands. So no. I am not.

7) Are you interested in living for as long as possible?

Yes! I want to be one of those old ladies that does not give a fuck anymore. I will be the opposite of what I am now: I will go to the grocery store wearing pink sequin leggings and a crop top and fake dementia and steal lots of stuff. Flirt with everyone, do fetish porn (no one I know will be alive anyways) and learn how to breakdance. Turn off my fridge every week and eat lumps of chocolate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SOFIE HAGEN’S EDINBURGH RUN, VISIT HER WEBSITE.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

May: Comedian Of The Month #16, John Shuttleworth

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Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

This month’s Comedian of the Month is by no means a new face on the comedy scene, but it is only in recent times that I have become aware of his work due to recommendations from family members whose opinions regarding what is funny are ones I greatly respect. Played by Graham Fellows, John Shuttleworth’s first television appearances were back in 1993, where he was a frequent guest on Jonathan Ross’ Saturday Zoo, and since then the comic musician has produced numerous television shows and radio programmes himself, such as his five-series radio comedy: The Shuttleworths.

John Shuttleworth is just a nice guy from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with his soothing northern tones and shocking ability to compose the most catchy music riffs that will infect your thoughts for days after hearing (“can’t go back to savoury now” is a line that shadows much of my daily life). His performances often border on shambolic, but the character of John is docile enough to ensure the atmosphere isn’t pressured or stressful, leaving the show to become almost childlike, timeless and utterly carefree.

Shuttleworth has a skill for focusing in on the most mundane subject matter and stretching the ideas beyond their natural realms to create incredibly contextualised and detailed narratives within songs. For example, one of my favourite songs of his is entitled Mingling with Mourners, and another (a particular favourite of my family): the tragic story of a man desperate to eat some more shepherds pie despite having already started his dessert, a clear recipe for disaster.

To truly understand what John Shuttleworth is all about, search his name on YouTube and follow him on Twitter.

APRIL COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

An Open Letter To Buzzcocks

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Dear Buzzcocks,

It was a surprise to hear that one of my favourite television shows had suddenly been axed last week, and though something tells me that we haven’t heard the last from you, I wanted to send you a fond farewell, just incase.

Thank you Buzzcocks for showcasing new talent from the worlds of comedy and music, to name just two, and for supporting artistic intuition in the young, the old, and everyone in between. Thanks for stressing the importance of music in our society over the last eighteen years, and for recognising the relevance of all its forms, from the works of Adam Ant to One Direction, from Scissor Sisters to Dido. You demonstrated how music does, quite literally in this sense, bring people from all different cultures, backgrounds and lifestyles together under one roof, evident in the diverse array of panellists, line up guests and hosts over the years. And yes, thanks even for the hissy fits, the bitchy comments, the storm outs, the smashed mugs. They made for honest, if almost-guilty, entertainment and showed the true effects of throwing so many big personalities together.

Thanks for giving Noel Fielding a platform to show off his interesting sense of style, particularly the time he wore a dress with the clown from It pictured on it, where he was able to protest against Stacey Solomon’s accidental gender stereotyping. For the height difference between Tinchy Stryder and Greg Davies; for Richard Ayoade’s deadpan reading of the autocue; for Adam Buxton’s YouTube comments (or sutin). For Simon Amstell’s cushion; for Dragons Den’s Peter Jones’ pronunciation of ‘N-Dubz’ and for Paul Foot’s energetic interpretation of a traditional Ghanaian dance. And lest I forget that beautiful group rendition of Summer Nights.

From those with bold personalities like Paloma Faith and Russell Brand to the ones who shocked us with their wit and crudeness such as Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora. From James Acaster’s adaptation of the dance to Saturday Night to Lorraine Kelly’s exploding bra. From Amy Winehouse’s declaration that she’d rather have “cat AIDs” than work with Katie Melua to Tony Law’s vuvuzela and lederhosen. From Alice Cooper’s Elvis Presley anecdotes to Bernard Cribbins’ tips regarding how to kill Coldplay’s Chris Martin. From Hughes to Bailey to Fielding. From Lamarr to Amstell to Gilbert. For Phill Jupitus, who only missed one episode out of 262. And for Rhod Gilbert, who so excellently hosted the last series but is unfortunately prevented from continuing due to the show’s cancellation.

It is a regret of mine that I never managed to attend a recording, particularly as I was once invited but couldn’t make it. But I have seen the joys your show has brought to those I know who were lucky enough to see the show live, from those who returned home with a signed watermelon, to the comedians that I consider to be friends who have had helpful career boosts from featuring on the programme in recent years (and rightly so). I think a lot of us owe something to this show. It aided the countdown to Christmas each year and filled the hours, if nothing else. And there were many hours.

So thank you, Buzzcocks. We had fun. I hope to see you again soon.

From Becca (and the rest of us).

Book Review: Ayoade on Ayoade

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Do you like film? Do you like consistent and unwavering sarcasm? Do you too have a “passion for rhetorical questions?” If the answers to any of those (rhetorical) questions are ‘a little’ or ‘a lot’ then you are in for a treat with Richard Ayoade’s debut novel: Ayoade on Ayoade.

© Richard Ayoade

© Richard Ayoade

My first impression from the way Ayoade writes is that he clearly has a lot of self-restraint, for he has a character to maintain. He constantly uses his fantastic humour to avoid personal confrontation, as well as his impressive knowledge of film; it feels as though there is a definite barrier between author and reader. We are assured that this book is not autobiographical, though there are definitely, and inevitably, elements of truth present in the anecdotes and opinions expressed.

However, as the narrative progresses (there is only a loose narrative, as it’s not particularly critical for this almost-Bildungsroman-style of novel), it felt as though Ayoade opened up a little, perhaps accidentally, as he seemed to become more deprecating of his own skill. With statements like: “I’d discovered a director. I’d wrestled a writer. I’d acknowledged a ‘writer'”, it’s hard not to laugh out loud, but it also sends me into despair at the thought of this brilliant artist ridiculing his own achievements. I’ve always known that his comedy persona is very pedantic and silly, and this book fell consistently within that, with additional elements of surrealism and off-beat joke delivery. A peculiar quirk was that Ayoade chose to display a good portion of the text as footnotes, which made me feel sorry for those reading on an e-book.

Ayoade on Ayoade is a fantastic piece of satire that has many layers; I’ll admit that many of the references were lost on me, as I have a very limited knowledge of cinema, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the text. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this witty portrayal of the film industry as it was niche, yet still accessible as well as being very cleverly executed.

“My name is Richard Ayoade and I’m one of the least-respected actors of my generation.”

GET YOUR COPY OF ‘AYOADE ON AYOADE’ HERE

TV Review: The Delivery Man

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The Delivery Man is a brand new sitcom set in a maternity ward and follows the endeavours of Matthew Bunting (played by Darren Boyd) as he swaps the life of a police officer for that of a midwife.

Would it be lazy to draw comparisons between The Delivery Man and Green Wing? They are both offbeat and fast-paced hospital sitcoms. They both utilise an upbeat soundtrack, a variety of camera shots and short, snappy scenes which give the episodes a strange, disjointed rhythm. Elements of both border on the surreal, with extroverted characters and painful social situations. The beginning of the series suggested to me that the new midwife was even to fill the role of Guy Secretan (played by Stephen Mangan) in the sense that he winds up in absurd circumstances due to his flawed communication skills. But this feeling definitely lost its intensity as the series progressed and the narrative began to fall in line with what I would consider a more regular situation comedy. It quickly found its feet.

It may be no surprise to hear that the programme was written by Robert Harley and James Henry, who also wrote Green Wing. This explains a lot for me, but also makes me feel considerably better about the similarities between the two, at least there is no foul play here. It is inevitable that writers will create programmes with similar themes, if they’ve found the area they are best at (and there is no denying that Green Wing is a fantastic sitcom). But if it does feel like Green Wing, it is certainly on a smaller scale, focussing on a small group of midwives and office workers, which allows the comedy to feel far more homely and processable. These two programmes are certainly not the same, and perhaps it is unfair of me to view The Delivery Man with these prejudices.

The onscreen character relationships are endearing as well as hilarious with the conversations between the ladies in the office being quick-witted and a little insane. Tash (Jennie Jacques) and Lisa (Aisling Bea) make a wonderful comic duo as they are both immensely likeable but arguably possess varying levels of common sense (note Tash’s near-hysteria at the arrival of a minor celebrity to the ward in episode four). This, when contrasted against the relative level-headedness of Lisa and Caitlin (Fay Ripley) is well on its way to creating a diverse and multi-layered character dynamic. A stand out performance came from of Alex Macqueen as he adopted the role of rather sinister consultant obstetrician, Luke Edwards. His delightfully odd mannerisms and twisted humour really add to the effects of the group of characters as a whole as well as adding that bit of surreal comic relief that Harley and Henry are so skilled at. Aisling Bea delights us as always with her sweet Irish charm and sharp tongue, making Lisa an integral character for the programme.

It is fair to say I was sceptical when the series of The Delivery Man began, but the excellence of both the cast and the writing has swayed me. This comedy is speedy, ludicrous in places and incredibly well scripted, making it a very enjoyable watch that really came into its own as the episodes progressed.

CATCH UP WITH SERIES ONE OF THE DELIVERY MAN ON ITV PLAYER.

Top 5 Moments… The Fielding Edition

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Yes, I am well aware that we all have a birthday every single year, and though it may not seem it sometimes, Noel Fielding is no exception. Tomorrow, May 21st, marks the 42nd birthday of one of my all time favourite comedians and it seemed only fair to dedicate a post to one of the creative minds that inspired this website altogether, so here are my favourite elements of Fielding’s biggest projects…

5) Luxury Comedy

Dave Brown/Channel 4

© Dave Brown/Channel 4

Luxury Comedy has its fair share of insane moments, with particular favourites of mine including human-shell hybrid, Daddy Push, and that cruel piece of French toast. Series two (which was shown in summer 2014) saw the move of the zany group from their tree-house to a coffee shop on the edge of a volcano in Hawaii, and though many characters also made the transition, various new faces appeared too. For examples, audiences were introduced to the show’s biggest (and apparently only) fan, a Brummie called Terry, played by Steve Oram. Fielding has confirmed that he doesn’t intend write a third series of Luxury Comedy, but many characters have found their way into his new live show, so all hope is not lost.

4)The Mighty Boosh

I think everyone’s favourite Mighty Boosh character has to be Old Gregg (played by Fielding), and it’s not surprising. With his creepy mannerisms (did you see what happened to Curly Jefferson?), yet prevalent sense of neediness (“do you love me?”), its only natural to be wary of this guy, but maybe we all relate to him a bit. Other magical Boosh moments included the arrival of the Crack Fox, Howard Moon’s coconut friend named Milky Joe, and Nanageddon, a pensioner from hell. The Boosh crowd always talk about creating a film, and releasing an album, so we can all cling on to the hope that we haven’t seen the last of this whimsical universe either.

3) Never Mind The Buzzcocks

One of the funniest moments from the whole 28 series of Never Mind The Buzzcocks so far was undoubtedly that time Noel Fielding ripped apart Dappy from N-Dubz. The rap singer apparently seemed to confuse a lampshade with a hair style. Easy to do, I suppose. As it was pointed out by Noel, it’s “not very difficult” to outsmart Dappy, it seems. This may have happened years ago, and I’m sure he’s a reformed character now, but I still reminisce of that encounter on a regular basis. However, the teams on Buzzcocks usually get along very well, particularly when slightly strange guests are present, such as the likes of comedians Adam Buxton, Tony Law, Paul Foot and James Acaster.

2) A Fielding Phonecall

In October of last year, I was given the opportunity to interview my idol for the British Comedy Guide. Noel and I talked about the first few shows of his first live tour in five years, An Evening With Noel Fielding, as well as the reaction to both series of Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy. I also found time to ask the question that not enough people have been asking: what on earth happened to Daddy Push? As it stands, I am a very inexperienced interviewer, but Noel made our chat stress-free and we had a laugh, as well as giving lots of insight into the workings behind the comedy and his plans for the future.

MoodyComedy1) An Evening With Noel Fielding

I went to see An Evening With Noel Fielding in November 2014 at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. This show is unlike any other; it’s a remarkable spectacle. It’s strange to look back over events and realise the vast expanse between the show’s humble, low-key beginnings with just Fielding on stage, to a mission in a plasticine world with a couple of deluded nitwits riding on a unicorn. I even got to meet Noel, Mike and Tom after the show, which topped off the whole fantastical dream that was this insane evening.

Feel free to join me in wishing Noel Fielding a very happy birthday; here’s to another year of absurdity and childishness, we look forward to it.

Seven Questions With… Malcolm Head

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Malcolm Head is a very interesting performer who has recently supported Paul Foot on his UK tour. His style of stand up is distinctly recognisable with its bursts of poetry, “heckle gaps” and lengthy comic pauses, as is his performance attire which includes his trusty National Trust cap and mysterious rucksack of possessions. His haikus are little insights into an entirely new world, a microcosm of the strange, the dull and the ordinary, all culminated into three lines. He’s concise, he’s unpredictable and he is absolutely hilarious.
I asked Malcolm these seven questions to learn a little more about him…

1) What is your favourite aspect of live performance?

I love being able to be silly for 20 minutes. I’m fairly introverted, and acutely aware of the drudgery of everyday life. And for me, acting like a tit for 20 minutes releases a lot of tension built up by all that drudgery.

I’ve never used the word drudgery before but as you can see, it’s here to stay now. Drudgery. Difficult to rhyme with though. Fudgery? A place where you make fudge?

2) Do you enjoy gardening?

Yes, but I don’t have a garden. But I like the sort of gentle, and slightly pointless, labour involved in gardening. Toiling away all day to remove weeds that just come back. I also get the impression that it’s much easier to just do gardening than it is to just do, say, architecture or engineering. Landscape gardening maybe is more complex, but simply pulling up a few flowers is within the remit of ‘gardening’. 

Also, I don’t like Alan Titchmarsh but I’m not at liberty to explain why. Just trust me when I say, he’s a bad egg.

Malcolm Head

3) Which book do you wish you had written?

All of them. All of the books.

If I had written all of the books then I’d be the only authority on any subject. It’d be great. There’d be no debate over who caused the First World War, for example. I’d just say ‘I know I’ve written 25,000 books conveying various perspectives on who caused the First World War, but I’ve now decided once and for all. It wasn’t anyone really, it just sort of happened. Case closed’.

Also this means I’d have written 50 Shades Of Grey and Gravity’s Rainbow, so I’d not only be loaded but also respected by critics. 

4) Should badgers be culled?

I don’t think anything should be culled and especially not badgers. They just dig about and eat insects. Like kids really. Fantastic.

I do actually think one thing should be culled – members of the House of Lords. A few of them are probably ok but mostly they’re stuffy, miserable, unelected and over-privileged gas-bags. Compare them to badgers and you’ll see it’s a no-brainer. Badgers are neither elected nor unelected – they’re just there. They’re under-privileged if anything. Maybe some are stuffy but overall they’re far better than members of the House of Lords.

5) Are you a good liar?

I’m good at telling white lies, but very bad at telling serious lies. 

So, for example, if I needed to tell someone that a casserole they made was great despite being average at best, I’d be fine. ‘This is a great casserole, Tina’ I’d say, and Tina would believe me. And potentially give me more – this approach can backfire.

If, however, I needed to say ‘we are going to bomb Iraq because they definitely have nuclear weapons’ even though I knew they probably didn’t, I’d have a problem. ‘We are going to bomb Iraq, which is fine because they have nuclear weapons, Tina’ I’d say. But I’d be looking elsewhere and giggling, and Tina would see right through me.

6) What is the best room in the house?

The scullery. I think it’s something to do with a kitchen – I’ve never seen one. But the name is sensational. Imagine bringing a date home and saying ‘this is my scullery’. Wait, scullery rhymes with drudgery! Sort of!

‘So to remove their daily drudgery,
The lovers fought in the scullery’

7) Who do you most enjoy watching perform live comedy?

So many people. Simon Munnery is one of my faves. Gavin Webster is so brilliant – great jokes but with a constant glint of madness, so exciting to watch. There’s a huge amount of fantastic young comedians like Rhys James and Fin Taylor who I love. Daniel Simonsen. Richard Herring. Tim Key. Paul Foot. I also loved Mitch Hedberg growing up. 

TV Review: W1A, Series 2

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A satire that mocks itself is always a powerful statement, so a comedy that is broadcast by the BBC whilst also undermining the corporation is a notion that had the potential to backfire. John Morton has written a riotous sitcom that marvellously portrays the apparent food chain of the business, from professionals with personal assistants when they don’t really need personal assistants and interns that cause more hassle than they solve. It shows the BBC as a flawed establishment, much like all establishments of course, therefore adding an undeniably human aspect to an otherwise corporate-seeming world.

Here we have a programme of layers, built upon the sturdy foundations of a solid and diverse cast, which ranges from the straight-faced groundings of Hugh Bonneville, Jason Watkins, Nina Sosanya and Sarah Parish to the comic wonders of Jessica Hynes and Monica Dolan. Ian Fletcher (played by Bonneville) is a calm and endearing frontman, armed with his folding bike, good intentions and responsibility as a mouthpiece for the department, which sometimes winds him into difficulty.

The embellishments come in the form of the fantastic script writing, which combines silliness (“Meanwhile, it is multiple weeks later,” “Those who are ethnically not so white”) with fierce and often outrageous wit (note the number of times per episode “Sky” or “Jeremy Clarkson” is bleeped during a “Damage Limitation Meeting”). The low-energy sarcasm of the more competent team members contrasts hilariously against the disorderly shambles from the likes of Siobhan Sharpe (Hynes), who works in marketing, and Entertainment Format Producer David Wilkes (Rufus Jones).

© BBC/Jack Barnes

© BBC/Jack Barnes

Morton presents the BBC as a microcosm of catastrophe that the characters go to great lengths to hide from their bosses and the public, which heightens the irony to often uncomfortably funny levels. The result is that the group are often left running round in circles; quite often literally. The use of some of the BBC’s own sweethearts to mock the company is another device that aids the humour of this satire, such as David Tennant’s distinctive voice as narrator. The patronising nature of the voiceover highlights the absurdity of the characters’ incompetence, only increasing in its noticeability over time, making for truly hilarious viewing.

W1A is a remarkable programme because the cast and crew are effectively satirising themselves. I think the best part is that those who have no first-hand experience of the BBC can never truly decipher which elements are true, which are exaggerated and which are only briefly exploited. This air of mystique is intriguing, and I feel it elevates the comedy to a whole new level.

Seven Questions With… Fern Brady

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Fern BradyHaving appeared on 8 out of 10 Cats and The Alternative Comedy Experience, and getting to the final of So You Think You’re Funny in 2011, Fern Brady has proven herself to be not only an able performer, but an exciting and versatile one too. Her material is homely, honest and personal, with occasional distasteful elements that delight the devil in all of us, and she will be bringing her latest stand up show People Are Idiots to the Edinburgh festival in August.
To learn more about Fern, I asked her these seven questions…

1) What is the oldest trick in the book?

Telling guys “Of course I’ve had a recent AIDS test!” then looking indignant and adding quietly “Besides… it’s not like I normally do this.” Works every time. Did you mean a comedy trick?

2) Are you particularly interested in politics?

I thought I was really into it but my boyfriend works in politics and listening to him read out all the different electoral seats in Scotland last night in a robotic monotone made me realise we all have different interpretations of the phrase ‘interested in politics’.

3) What quality do you most look for in others?

In friends: to have none of my unappealing traits. In lovers: openness to new experiences (e.g. threeways). In audiences: servile devotion.

4) Is there a noticeable difference between gigging in Scotland and England?

Nope, except when I die at gigs in England I try to persuade myself it’s cause they’re having trouble understanding my accent, which is a pretty big lie to sell given the hundreds of gigs I’ve done all over England where everyone totally knew what I was saying. I’d say the biggest difference is gigs in the north and south of England, I find I end up doing different types of material depending on where I am. 

5) Are you good at maths?

Not at all, I got kicked out of Standard Grade maths at school a lot, I was really wilfully bad at it cause I remember being in the top class then getting booted into the General level one, then eventually Foundation maths with the proper plebs. None of the maths teachers at my school were a great advert for maths though, they were all semi-literate nerds from Coatbridge and I gave up on them completely when they spelled my punishment exercises wrong.

I smugly told the head of maths I’d never need maths but at the time I think I thought I’d be a famous novelist and not the undignified clown I ended up being.

6) What is your favourite television comedy of 2015 so far?

Hmm. Well. There are so many great comedy shows but I’d have to say the thing that stands out is my BBC Comedy Feed Radges, which is about when I was in a pupil referral unit for mental teens. That hasn’t been released yet but PLEASE WATCH IT SO I CONTINUE TO GET WORK.

I generally prefer stuff on Netflix and Amazon Prime so my favourite recent shows are Transparent, Orange is the New Black and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. I know the first two aren’t sitcoms but I find comedy drama way funnier than a lot of sitcoms.

7) What is your proudest achievement?

Getting off with two women from the audience of one of my gigs. I’m basically the Hugh Hefner of the UK comedy circuit.

FERN BRADY WILL BE PERFORMING HER STAND UP SHOW, PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS, AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL (THE STAND) ON THE 6TH-30TH AUGUST

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…