Sara Pascoe is one of my favourite comedians. She writes, performs, acts, and has appeared on virtually every panel show on television. With her wonderful comic timing and important yet often silly subject matter, watching Sara perform on stage is an educational but thoroughly entertaining experience. She observes the unobserved, with reference to incredibly academic topics like the evolution of mankind. Pascoe is an excellent comedian with natural wit and I really respect her opinions as well as her talent, and lest us forget about that time she won Celebrity Pointless.
I asked Sara these seven questions to get insight into the mind behind the comedy…
1) A skill or talent you wish you had?
I have always been pretty brilliant at everything, but I do wish that I could function properly in the mornings. Or better still not need to sleep at all. For most people, not sleeping for a few nights leads to psychosis and then after 7 days, death. But there are rare cases of people who have a disease that stops them needing to sleep, I would like that please. Then I could get so much more work done.
2) What is your favourite time of day?
Late, late at night when it feels like I’m the only awake person in the world. The sky is a grey orange just before the dawn and the air feels thick and it’s suddenly as if everything makes sense and you understand it all. Not necessarily in a good way, but there’s a logic to it. And then in the morning it’s noisy again and any sense is gone.
3) Proudest achievement of your career so far?
Being invited to answer questions by Becca Moody. It’s what we’re all working towards, I never really believed it could happen to me, but I worked hard, put in the hours and here I am!!
4) Generally speaking, are you a winner or a loser?
All comics are losers, that’s what makes us. There are few winners trying to slip through but they never make it. You have to be outside accepted society to comment upon it properly. So I’m a loser, but I’m winning at losing.
5) Worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Hayley Consuegra told me, after I bleached my hair blonde for the first time, that I should use moustache lightening cream on my eyebrows to lighten them too. They went white. I was 15 and already unpopular. They called me ‘eyebrows’ for the rest of school and by ‘they’ I don’t mean friends.
6) What are your opinions on public transport?
Thank you for asking, I think there should be a separate ‘artists’ carriage for during rush hour, it’s not fair that people like me should be crushed up with the others, I’ve made life decisions to protect myself from this. Everyone else is going home from work but I’ve just got up and am on my way to look at a pond I’ve heard was interesting. I haven’t even brushed my teeth, I shouldn’t be imprisoned with the workers! The artists carriage will have walls where we can hang drawings and poetry, and soft floor for relaxing yoga. I am currently applying for arts council funding to launch them.
7) Who, or which group of people, would you most like your comedy to reach?
People who like sitting and can listen well.
For more information on Sara’s latest movements, visit her website, or follow her Twitter at @sarapascoe.