Roisin Conaty is a stand up comedian, actress and writer. With her optimistic outlook and often silly sense of humour, Roisin is one of those comics that makes you feel happier, which is so much more than just making you laugh. She plays the hilarious layabout, Jo, in the fantastic sitcom Man Down, which will return this year (starring Greg Davies and the late Rik Mayall) and also wrote and starred in her own pilot GameFace. As well as this, Roisin is currently filming for a new comedy series, Taskmaster, which will be fronted by Greg Davies and Alex Horne.
To learn more about Roisin, I asked her these seven questions…
1) What makes you laugh?
Everything. Eventually. Life is pretty ridiculous really, I mean, we are spinning in a ball in space. Any part of it slowed down, held up and examined is equally beautiful, tedious, painful and funny.
2) How good are your timekeeping skills?
Ooof awful. It honestly feels like minutes sneak away from me, out of my pockets, under the door. They leave in groups of 10, silently, hiding my phone/shoe/keys on their way. The bastards. Then sometimes they have the audacity to show up when they are not needed, all pissed and slow, like when I am waiting for a night bus or dominoes to open.
3) What one thing could you not live without?
The brilliant work of other women who ensure my safety, my rights, my voice. Women who have worked and continue to work tirelessly for progress and equality. Women who put themselves above the parapet, so they are seen and heard. The brilliantly funny and supportive women in stand up comedy who I need for inspiration. They are my sisters in arms. Basically women… oh yeah and men for kissing and sexing and stuff.
4) Do people talk too much?
No, sharing our stories & communicating with each other is how we feel connected. I think ultimately that’s all humans want, to feel connected to someone or something. It’s the motivation behind everything. Good and bad. Small talk is something I find hard, I think a lot of comics do. It has all the hallmarks of connection but you feel drained and deflated at the end. A really honest, intimate conversation about your fears, ideas, hopes and experiences with a mate can be better than a holiday in my experience.
Also, women speak on average 10,000 more words a day than men and I think that must be one of the reasons why we are not as violent… it’s a shame a lot of those 10,000 words are just us repeating ourselves, as men pretend they didn’t hear our great ideas the first time.
5) Would you eat insects for money?
No… well, how much money?… No… well, unless there were condiments involved. Boy, do I love a condiment. I have the best condiment selection I have ever seen.
6) What irritates you most?
Pomposity & shit pillows. Wait, that sounds like the title of a rubbish indie film, I mean separately. Pomposity in people and shit pillows wherever I seem to stay… Don’t get me started on shit pillows.
7) If you stopped working in comedy, what would you do next?
Country and western singer. DONE.