Seven Questions With

Seven Questions With… Lloyd Griffith

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Today I present to you a man of many surprises: a choir boy, a fire engine fanatic; a man who can do a brilliant impression of sellotape. Lloyd Griffith is a very funny guy with a very unique take on the concept of stand up comedy who manages to incorporate detailed autobiographical anecdotes and spot on observations as well musical interludes. Here we have a comedian who will soon be appearing on every television show under the sun, if his latest Sweat The Small Stuff and BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge Comedy Club are anything to go by.
I asked him these seven questions to find out more…

1) What’s the best thing about modern day technology?

Pretending that we’re doing interviews face to face. Nobody will know if this interview is face to face or not. Sure, you could have a photo of you and I together but that can be done by photoshop. The whole world is fake because of modern technology. Why are you looking at me like that? It’s the truth Becca.

Meeting Lloyd Griffith, January 2015

Meeting Lloyd Griffith, January 2015

2) What’s your favourite film of all time?

Very good question.

3) Which five comedians would be on your perfect line up?

Alive: Lee Mack, Sean Lock, Terry Alderton, Daniel Kitson, Me.

Dead: Lee Mack, Sean Lock, Terry Alderton, Daniel Kitson, Me.

4) Best/worst nightmare you’ve ever had?

The other night I had a dream that I had a flip phone like people had in 2004. People were shouting at me in the street as though I was a child murderer because I had a flip phone. Whenever I went into a phone shop to try and get an upgrade they had security remove me from the shop. It was awful. I woke up in tears. 

5) Which is your favourite British city?

Tough one this Becca. Very good question. My rating of cities is based on Cathedrals and Football stadia. If it’s a draw, I’ll use fire stations as the deciding factor. You see, Durham has a very nice cathedral (my 5th fave), yet has no proper football stadium. On the flip side (not flip phone, lol) Brighton has a very nice football stadium but no Cathedral. Now, Liverpool has two very good football stadiums and two VERY interesting Cathedrals, but, I have to say that Exeter is my favourite city after London and Grimsby. 

6) Does the lifestyle of a working comedian suit you?

Oh totes babez. I spend the day at home in my Grimsby Town shorts eating soup (homemade pea and ham at the moment, got myself an hand blender in the January sales didn’t I?!) and writing jokes. Occasionally people like you come round to do an interview and I make an effort and wear a suit like I’m wearing now, but overall that’s what I do. Then I’ll jump in my Seat Ibiza 1.9 tdi (s) and go tell jokes to people in the evening. I sometimes take a soup with me. Genuinely, I love making people laugh and so when I do that (usually 44% success rate) I’m having a good time. 

7) Are you a rule breaker?

Nah mate. Pretty straight down the line LIKE A RULE. Haha. Please come to my show.

For more information live shows and television appearances, visit Lloyd’s website, or follow him on Twitter at @LloydGriffith.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Lou Sanders

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Lou Sanders is a wonderfully upbeat comedian with a fantastic energy that seems to win over any audience. She has mastered the art of saying the most horrendous things but using her charming personality to carry her through to safety every single time, with her innocent delivery and sweet smile. Sanders is definitely one to watch, having appeared on Russell Howard’s Good News Extra as well as being a writer on Channel 4’s Stand Up For The Week.
I asked Lou these seven questions to learn a little more about her…

1) Have you ever heard a really strange rumour about yourself?

 I don’t think so. Oh no, hang on – the other day I bumped in to another comic, John Luke Roberts and he said; ‘Oh I was just talking about you with someone.’

‘Let me guess you were saying my comedy is on fire at the moment? ‘

‘Oh no, they said you were really in to Tantra.’

‘Oh right.’

Now, I’ve got nothing against Tantra, I bet its great but I’ve never studied it. Also, I’m single so ‘Tantra for one’ seems like a bit of a waste of time. I mean, I’ve got admin to do and Tantra is not a friend of time management, it’s simply not efficient.

2) What is the best song in the charts right now, and why?

Right – I’ve just had to search engine the charts.

Hang on, seems Ben Howard’s still hanging around the charts so him. It’s hard to say why you like certain music, I don’t really care for maudlin, sad music. I love rock and folk rock and a bit of depth but not really sad songs. Puts me in a downer. I love Babyshambles’ new album (well at least half of it which is good odds with an album) and I saw The Libertines recently and they were brilliant (just before Pete went to rehab but he held it together – though Carl did lead the show). I’m stuck in the music from about 7 or 8 years ago maybe when I used to go to gigs all the time.

lou sanders

3) What one word describes your life, and why?

Rosy. Because I sprayed rose perfume on earlier and it accidentally went all in my face. So my life / face is pretty rosy plus I have a rose candle lit at the moment. I mean COULD LIFE GET ANY ROSIER? Probably yes.

4) How many friends is too many friends?

26.5 (I measured it).

5) Why is comedy the right job for you?

I’m not sure it is. I’d like to do something a bit more helpful to the world maybe. I kind of want to nail comedy first though.

6) Something that makes you feel old?

Both the question and my answer to Question 2.

That and crowded areas – I’m not into it and the older I get the more I get a boner for nature. But I still feel quite young. The other day I was up dancing till 10pm for example.

7) Which stand up comedians should we look out for?

Annie McGrath is so great, she’s in a brilliant double act called Twins, but has started doing stand up as herself too which is excellent. And Lolly Adefope is smashing – she does character stuff. Patrick Turpin turns out some great shows and jokes. And I saw a set by Peter Brush the other week and his writing was brilliant. I’m sure I’ve missed loads of them out but these are just great ones I’ve seen recently.

Lou Sanders will be releasing a DVD on Go Faster Stripe in early 2015. For more information about this, and any of Lou’s other projects, visit her website, or follow her Twitter at @LouSanders.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Josie Long

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The name Josie Long is one that every comedy lover will know, and is a name that brings a smile to the faces of many, including myself. Josie is a loveable and sweet yet sharp-tongued and foul-mouthed stand up comic whose material spans from the fantastical to the satirical. She is a bright and positive light shining through the cracks of an often bitter and brutal comedy industry, and, beginning stand up comedy at the age of fourteen, here we have a lady who was quite simply born to perform.
To learn more from this fascinating comedian, I asked Josie these seven questions…

1) What is your favourite day of the week?

I like Thursdays. I usually have some time to write, and spend the day in my office with my friends Neil and Bryony who run Arts Emergency. Plus the place downstairs does Ethiopian food at lunchtime and it is great!

2) Biggest misconception someone could have about you?

That I like pointless twee tat. I like things that have a lot of functionality to them. I do really like homemade things, but I don’t like that many things that are purely decorative or too silly.

3) How would you define your ‘audience’?

I feel so lucky to have such kind and friendly people at my gigs. Is it too shallow and stupid to say they look really cool? I think my dream crowd is on a wavelength with me- so earnest, slightly awkward nerds are probably my dream audience. It’s interesting though I think – because I do a lot of different types of things, my audience can vary a lot; sometimes it’s a very political crowd, and sometimes it’s more people who’ve heard me on radio 4. Other times it’s just drunk people who don’t want to be there!

Photo: Giles Smith

Photo: Giles Smith

4) What is your opinion on poetry?

I love reading poetry. I wish that everybody read more poetry. There is so much out there to discover. There’s a poetry library in the RFH on the South Bank and it’s such a brilliant place to go and just enjoy finding new poets.  I like poetry because you can always dip in and out of reading it. You’ve always got time to read a short poem, and they can capture something so important or so beautiful that they can profoundly help you, or stir you, or challenge you. And you might just be reading it in five minutes on the bus and POW that’s your life changed!

5) What are you driven by in life?

I think I just like the idea that I could keep trying new things and meeting interesting people. I really want to get better as a writer and as a performer too. I would also say I am quite heavily free meal/canapé/free sparkling wine/free travel motivated. I will take pretty much any gig if there is free food or a jolly involved. Other than work, I am driven by trying to do things for the people I love and trying to make the world a better place in my own silly way.

6) What is your favourite thing on TV right now?

I’ve been watching The Fall with Gillian Anderson on iPlayer and it’s very good. I think she’s a fantastic actor.

7) Is being a performer the best therapy?

Seven Questions With… Sara Pascoe

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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.

Sara Pascoe

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.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Katy Brand

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© British Comedy Awards

Katy Brand is a massively successful comedian and writer who has dipped her toes in virtually every water: she’s worked as a stand up, appeared in films and countless television shows, had her own television series, written for newspapers and, most recently, written and published a novel. Here is a woman of obvious ability who is keen to push her own limits to achieve many exciting things and judging by her rich and varied career so far, we can only assume that there will be great things to come from this wonderful and talented comedy-machine.
To delve further into Katy’s fascinating life and learn more about the person behind the comedy, I asked her these seven questions…

1) Do you have any strange hobbies?

Well, for years comedy was my hobby, and then I made it my job, so I think I’ve sort of forgotten how to have a proper hobby in some ways.  I miss having a hobby – I’d like to have one again, but I’ve been working pretty flat out for so many years that it’s fallen by the wayside a little.  It’s important to have hobbies though – I think they stop you being an arsehole, or obsessing about your own little professional world too much.  They give relief and joy (does that sound like the name of a sex shop?)… I remember doing a show with Josie Long called The Bubble where comedians were locked in a house with no internet, TV, phones or radio for three days so we couldn’t see the news, and she was using the time to study for her maths A-Level, just because she wanted to.  I thought that was very inspiring.  I love astronomy, and although I am terrible at maths myself, I would like to get into that more.  And archaeology and anthropology.  I love drawing and painting, too.  I don’t do enough of any of it.

2) Who are your biggest comedic influences?

There was a great run of TV comedy in the 1980s and 1990s when I was growing up that was biting and anarchic and quite rude and raw – The Young Ones, Spitting Image, Harry Enfield and Kathy Burke, French and Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, and so on.  It seemed very evenly spread too, in terms of class and gender, though perhaps not race.  There were also phenomenally crafted comedies from the US on late like Seinfeld and The Larry Sanders Show which I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch.  I remember The Kids in the Hall being a great favourite of mine around that time (a lunatic Canadian sketch show), and a British character called The Divine David, created by David Hoyle (go and see him if you ever get the chance) which just blew my mind.  Outside of comedy, Gilbert and George also inspired me a lot – I like anything that feels like trouble, as if the wheels might come off at any moment.

3) You studied Theology at university, how did you find this? What drew you to it? 

I took it upon myself to become an evangelical, happy clappy Christian at the age of 13 (no fault of my parents, who found it simultaneously baffling and hilarious) and I stayed on until the end of my first year at university.  I wanted to study Theology because I wanted to understand more about the origins of my faith, but I was also drawn to the philosophical and psychological aspects too.  My church was not terribly supportive (they were quite rigid about Bible interpretation), and by the end of year one, I was more interested in, ahem, ‘other things’.  I didn’t go back to church, and I threw myself into the comedy and drama scene at University, so I can’t say I was the pride of the Theology Department, although all the tutors and professors were incredibly fascinating, open minded people of the kind you really wouldn’t mind being stuck in a lift with for a few hours, so I enjoyed my studies even if I wasn’t a very diligent student.  I will always defend the study of religion as the social evolution of humanity as a great subject for anyone to get stuck into. 

4) If you could only drink one beverage for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Champagne.  Sorry, but there it is.  I fucking love champagne, and I don’t even care.  I also like Robinson’s Peach squash, but I’m not going to sit here and pretend it’s as good as champagne because it isn’t.

5) What is the worst thing in the entire universe?

Spiders.  They look like death to me.  I shudder and am consumed with mortal dread whenever I see one.  This is one of the reasons why I have been unable to accept the several kind offers I have received over the years to participate in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.

6) What is the most exciting thing about comedy for you?

That you can stand on a stage and say anything you want and get an immediate response.  It may not be the response you want, but still, you can take an idea from your bedroom to a roomful of strangers in only the time it takes to get to the venue, and see how it plays.  That’s live comedy, of course.  With TV and film, you’re looking at more like two to five years if you’re lucky, which is a little less thrilling…

7) Do you have a piece of knowledge that everyone should hear about?

Here’s three: 1) Sexual promiscuity in women has as much anthropological basis as men, perhaps even more so (for more details, see Sara Pascoe and assorted scientists).  2) Things won’t get better for society until we have a proper system of paid paternity leave which men take without worrying about the consequences.  3) Dogs are the fount of true, unconditional love – you can tell everything you need to know about a person by how they treat a dog.

For more information regarding Katy’s wonderful book, Brenda Monk Is Funny, check out her website or visit her Twitter at @KatyFBrand.

CLICK HERE READ MY REVIEW OF BRENDA MONK IS FUNNY.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Angela Barnes

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Angela Barnes is a brilliant comedian who takes usually unnoticed everyday situations and effortlessly turns them on their head; she is unique, quick-witted and most importantly: brave. With appearances on Russell Howard’s Good News and, more recently, Mock The Week, Angela has shown an array of strong and diverse material to fit any occasion (maybe not a funeral, but we can’t have it all). Her comedy is relatable, silly, and therefore, absolutely wonderful.
To learn a little more about the person behind the comedy, I asked Angela these seven questions…

1) What inanimate object best describes you?

I think a 4-colour biro best describes me. I always use a 4 colour-biro, so my writing will match my mood.  So, maybe I am a biro with just 4 colours: Red – happy, black – sad, blue – angry, green-mental.

Yep, that about covers it.

2) What is the first thing you notice about new people?

Whether they have a face. Or, at least, I reckon I’d definitely notice if they didn’t, so…

3) Is there a certain subject that you would never write material about?

At the moment, I won’t do any material about my previous working life. That’s mainly because I am a pessimist, and am certain that this comedy lark will almost certainly go tits up, and I will have to go back to doing what I used to do. I’m not going to risk my chances of getting a job by writing gags about it.

4) What’s the most recent thing you’ve done that was really stupid?

I was walking through town the other day, and a homeless gentleman was approaching me. I tried to work out how to get away from him, what excuse to give him for not giving him any money. I avoided eye contact and barged past him, but he followed me. I sped up, so did he, I was feeling uncomfortable. Then he caught up, tapped me on shoulder and said “sorry love, your flies are undone, thought you’d want to know”.  He was just being nice. i gave him a fiver and berated myself for being a self-important twat.

5) Which season of the year is your least favourite?

I think my least favourite season is whichever season I am currently in. I always think I love summer, but then I remember hay fever and sunburn. I burn stupidly easy. I was complaining to my Mum about having to plaster myself in F50, she said  “well you redheads do burn easily don’t you”.  Might surprise you, but this is not my natural hair colour. It is nobody’s natural hair colour. I said, “yes Mum, you’re right, when I got my hair dyed, it was a mistake getting the matching skin graft”.

My hay fever starts in February and lasts til October. My doctor gave me a new nasal spray, it works, but it genuinely smells of flowers. Thanks for that Doc, if I had a peanut allergy, I’d want my lifesaving adrenaline shot to smell of sun pat wouldn’t I?

Then I think I like winter, Christmas lights, mulled wine, woolly tights. Then I remember that being cold sucks, and that in my job, I often have to stand on train platforms at silly times of night in the middle of nowhere. I remember how much I miss light, how much I hate snow, and then winter loses its appeal too.

I used to think I had Seasonal Affective Disorder, but now I think I might just be a miserable arse. Yes that’s it.

6) What animal would you most like to be?

angela barnesI’d most like to be a donkey. There are not many people who don’t like donkeys. Apparently, so many old people leave money to donkey sanctuaries in their wills, that they don’t know how to spend it all. Spend my days grazing on a sweet pasture, with top of the range hay and a pimped up stable, thanks to some spinster who hated her family. That sounds like a good life to me.

Also, donkeys know what’s what. In Animal Farm (not that one, the Orwell), Benjamin the donkey gets what’s going on before any of the other animals.  Eeyore in Winnie The Pooh knows that life is essentially shit, and you have to make the best of it.

I guess I’m just a good old fashioned pessimist. I wouldn’t have it any other way, when you always expect the worst, you can’t be disappointed.

7) What is the best thing that has come out of being a comedian for you?

I’m going to try really hard not to sound wanky here, but no promises.  I wanted to be a comedian for as long as I remember, but I thought it was something that the cool, confident kids did. The realisation that comedy is a perfect creative outlet for those of us that have never felt like we belonged properly was an immense thing.

I can be me, albeit a sometimes exaggerated version of me, and it doesn’t matter that I’m not the prettiest girl, or the thinnest girl, or the coolest girl, people still want to hear what I say (sometimes). And finding that out was the best feeling in the world.

I can’t believe that someone like me is allowed to do this. And get paid for it.

For more information on Angela’s latest shows check out her website, or her Twitter at @AngelaBarnes.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Lost Voice Guy

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Lee Ridley, aka Lost Voice Guy, is a funny man with a unique comic voice: being that he literally has none. Lee relies on an iPad to communicate with his audiences, due to losing his speech as a child, which allows a completely different style of comedy gig to take place, and one that everybody should experience. With his light-hearted attitude towards his disability, Lee is working to end the stigma that is attached to such physical conditions while being a right laugh as he does so.
In order to find out a bit more about Lee, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Describe the strangest dream you’ve ever had?

I have strange dreams quite often actually. I’m not sure why. I can hardly remember any of them though. The only ones I can recall are the ones when I talk in my sleep and wake up with a load of random shit written on my iPad. I woke up once and found that I had written ‘but the Queen told me to do it’ so I’m guessing that was quite a weird dream.

2) In your opinion, what is the biggest disgrace to humanity?

Mrs Brown’s Boys, without doubt. I mean why? Why? WHY?! Why does it exist? What is it’s purpose? Is it supposed to be funny? Why does everyone seem to like it? Why does it make loads of money? It’s shit, isn’t it? Isn’t it?!!!!!!

3) Worst on-stage experience you’ve ever had?

A lot of comics suffer from stage fright but I’m not one of those. I’m more likely to suffer from a dead battery or the electricity going off. I suppose one of the worst on stage experiences was in Halifax when this woman stormed out of the room as I got on stage and said ‘oh I can’t watch this!’ I didn’t even think I was that ugly!

4) Three bands/artists in your perfect festival lineup?

Just three?! That’s really hard! Ash would be my first choice. I’ve always loved Ash since their 1977 album. I’d probably have the Manic Street Preachers as well but I’d make it clear to them that they had to only play their classics. Then I’d bring Michael Jackson back because he still owes me a gig from his London shows that got cancelled. Selfish bastard.

5) What ice cream flavour doesn’t exist, but should?

Monkey flavour ice cream. Because then you could ask for monkey’s blood to get put on top of it and it’d be so much more realistic as an experience. I doubt monkeys taste good though. I’ve never tried.

6) Other than humans, what is the most irritating animal on the planet?

Sheep. They’re constantly ruining my train journeys to gigs by standing on the train line. I meaLost Voice Guyn I don’t know why we can’t just run them over?! Maybe they’re trying to commit suicide anyway. They’re probably wondering why they never succeed.

7) Who is your comedy hero?

I always say Ross Noble so, for a change, I’m going to say The League Of Gentlemen. For everything they have made. I just love how dark and twisted they can get. It’s definitely my sort of humour. I just seem to adore everything they do. And I still want to go to the actual town which was made into Royston Vasey. I’d just go around shouting catchphrases from the show.

TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR LEE RIDLEY’S 2014 EDINBURGH SHOW

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