Why Ireland’s top comedians are heading for Dublin
Funny man W.C. Fields once famously told how comedy is a serious business whose only purpose is to make people laugh.
Reginald D Hunter, Tommy Tiernan, Adam Hills and Deirdre O’Kane are just some of sell-out Irish and international stars taking to the stage at the Vodafone Comedy Festival at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin.
Here, four other headline acts tell Deirdre Reynolds about stage fright, swearing and why nothing’s sacred
On switching career…
Giving up my job as a civil engineer to become a comedian at 33 was a big decision. There’s a lot at stake. You’re giving up a life of security and committing to a life of chaos. For me though, the bigger question was: ‘Will I be able to live with myself if I don’t go for it?’
On going viral…
Many people still think my court reporter character Ursula McCarthy is real. They’re usually foreigners, and I often hear Irish people correcting them, ‘Don’t be stupid, that’s Eleanor Tiernan from the Republic of Telly!’, even though it was actually on Irish Pictorial Weekly.
On hecklers…
Nowadays there are no heckles - just drunk people loudly repeating punchlines to their friends or blurting out the next word that comes to mind. If I say ‘Wexford’, for instance, someone will invariably scream, ’strawberries!’ It’s very disappointing!
On binge-watching…
Whenever I go home to Athlone, going to Sean’s Bar in the town has always been one of my favourite things to do. On the road, I can’t live without Netflix. Glen Wool, Eddie Pepitone and Chelsea Peretti are some of my favourite stand-ups to watch, and I’ve just gotten into Orange is the New Black too.
On plan B…
At this stage, I’m not sure civil engineering would have me back. However, in a post-apocalyptic scenario, where the human race has to start from scratch, I’d be more than happy to pitch in! My advice to upcoming comedians is not to seek advice from established comedians, and follow your own path.
On office speak…
Comedy is all about calling out people’s arseholery, and since most bosses are arseholes, I don’t think I could ever work in an office. I can’t stand office speak like “going forward” and “touch base”. After about an hour, I would probably call the boss a wanker and get sacked.
On the PC brigade…
I think comedy has come full circle. Richard Pryor used to say the most outrageous shite on stage, and people went, ’That’s brilliant!’ Now if you so much as swear on television, people go, ’That’s a bit blue’. It can be a bit frustrating.
On Irishness…
Being Irish doesn’t get you gigs. The only way you get gigs is if you’re any good. I’ve been going back and forth to London for 20 years with work.
But I could never leave Ireland. Yes, it can be a pain in the hole, but I had a very good childhood here - and want the same for my sons.
On comedy taboos…
Stand-up isn’t for children, so I don’t understand why some people get so offended by it.
At the same time, there are some topics, like rape or paedophilia, that I wouldn’t go near.
Not because I think you shouldn’t, but because my fans wouldn’t get why I was doing it.
On retirement…
Making people laugh has no shelf-life. If you’re a comedian, and you can act and you can write, you can go on forever.
Just look at Billy Connolly, who’s still going strong at 72. Personally, I’ve no interest in working until that age - but I will if I have to!
On cracking the States…
I moved to New York about a year and a half ago. Over here, they say you’re not a proper New Yorker until you’ve lived in the city for 10 years — so I’ve got quite a way to go yet. Although I can do a decent American accent, I have no intention of abandoning my Cork accent.
On meeting your heroes…
I was amazed by how many people at home saw my recent appearance on Inside Amy Schumer on Comedy Central. I’m a massive fan of Amy’s so I was delighted to be cast in her ‘Doggy Daycare’ sketch. I’m also going to be on astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s show Star Talk on Nat Geo soon.
On lie-ins…
Growing up, there was no exact moment when I realised I wanted to become a comedian. It was more a long-drawn-out process of realising I was no good at anything else. The best thing about being a comedian is not having to get up early in the morning. Just as well given the constant existential dread keeping you awake at night!
On bravery…
In comedy, there are no wrong thoughts, only wrong actions. If you need to explore something on stage, it’s important to do so humanely. My advice to anyone who wants to do comedy is be brave. If you’re a woman, gay man or person of colour, then please, try it. Try it a few times! We need to hear your voice.
On homesickness…
It’s boring, but it’s true: The thing I miss most about being away from home is not having my family around. I try to get home as often as I can and they’ve been over to see me. So I’ll definitely be paying a visit to Cobh when I’m back for the festival!
On making it…
People have been laughing at me, as opposed to with me, since I was about four. When I was 18, I entered a comedy competition in college and won. Incidentally, I was the only person who entered. Doing television definitely changes things - more people come to your gigs.
On nomophobia…
The best - and worst - thing about being a comedian is all the travel. I miss the fact that you can’t say you’re ‘gone off’ anymore. In the past, you could be ‘gone off’ for weeks, and no-one would notice. Now if you don’t tweet every three minutes, you’re practically missing.
On hecklers…
People think being heckled is part and parcel of stand-up, it’s not. People have paid in to see a show, not listen to some drunken arsehole trying to get attention. Generally, I just let them go on and on until the crowd turns on them.
On feeling the fear…
I’m one of those people, if I’m not nervous, I get nervous about not being nervous. Once during a gig in Longford, I vomited into a pint glass and had to pretend it was part of the routine. I don’t drink before I go on stage anymore. It kills nerves and gives you a false sense of confidence.
On the secret to success…
Contrary to what people think, you don’t have to have confidence to be a comedian. In fact, as a stand-up, sometimes confidence is the worst thing you can have. You just need clarity, focus and a few good gags. And if all else fails, puke into a pint glass.
The Vodafone Comedy Festival 2015 runs from July 23-26 at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin. Tickets start from €20 - see www.vodafonecomedy.com for more.
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