I'm Grand Mam: Meet the Cork duo whose scribbled plane plans led to podcast success
PJ Kirby and Kevin Twomey of the I'm Grand Mam podcast
When I first try to get in touch with Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby, we laugh about the difficulty it took for me to get through to the Corkonians in London. “It’s so much nicer to see people in person anyways,” PJ remarks when we finally connect via Zoom. It’s something the podcasters don’t often get to do. They’re usually making people laugh through headphones with their renowned podcast I’m Grand Mam. The podcast, first created in 2019 whilst on a plane to Budapest with plastic cups of wine in hand, now has over 50,000 weekly listeners. Five seasons in, the duo have become bonafide stars both at home in Cork, London and beyond.
PJ is sitting in a meeting room at the creative advertising agency he works in when we speak and Kevin, who currently works at a gym, is sitting in their apartment, face framed by the Pride edition bottle of Absolut vodka sitting on a nearby shelf. "My room looks a state," he says in a Douglas accent that has refused to be rebuked by any London notions. PJ is from Blarney Street and holds his northside accent in pride. "I'd get torn apart if I went back and was speaking in an English accent,” he says. "PJ puts on his Cork accent when it comes to podcast things, he actually has a much more neutral accent,” Kevin interjects with a wink. "He's lying."
The friends and roommates originally met through dance. "We became friends in Cork when Kevin came to one of my dance classes,” PJ says. He had finished a dance course in the city and was teaching hip hop at the time, later moving to London to study dance further, training in different studios, and starring in music videos.
“I was weak for myself,” the 28 year old says with a knowing smile. “But sure Kevin went on a fecking cruise around the world.” Kevin studied French and commerce and joined PJ in England seven years ago to train professionally. After finishing dance college, the now 27 year old worked as a dancer on a cruise line. "The podcast kind of took over after that and the dance took a backseat but we're not done with it. We both want to be on Dancing With The Stars,” he says. “But separate seasons. I’m a bit competitive.”
The pair moved in together in 2017. “We were just having a skit and it eventually ended up being a podcast," PJ says. It was Kevin’s idea, which he proudly takes credit for.
"I was working in a restaurant at the time and felt like I wasn't being creative. PJ was so down for it but it was like a passing conversation. Then we were on this flight and we were like 'will we plan that podcast?’ We borrowed a pen from the air hostess and started writing on the little sick bag that comes in the seat pocket."
While planning is usually never at the top of their agenda - the pair choose a theme for each episode and wing the conversation - party planning is an area in which they shine. PJ is currently planning a bash and the roommates have been scoping out venues. He tells Kevin that he thinks he’ll go for ‘the gin garden’ after the two start trying to figure out how many people they can fit with restrictions. I feel like I’m sitting in on a new episode as a third member - and I couldn’t be more entertained.
This was actually how I’m Grand Mam came to life. "We originally wanted to plan an Irish-themed queer night because we found that the craic was missing a bit here. We wanted lads in GAA kits as the go-go dancers and some sort of Pope queen situation," Kevin says. "The podcast was a happy medium to explore our creativity. No way did we anticipate that it would take off the way it did.” PJ agrees, saying that they never expected anyone to listen.
When their first episode took off online, they decided to keep their casual format. “Whenever we had parties we would be known as a double act, just taking the piss out of each other, so it was a natural progression from that. We never came into this pretending to know what we’re doing and I think people relate to two lads buying a microphone off Amazon, maybe getting a little drunk, and just going with it. That’s been our approach ever since,” he says. "You couldn't write this podcast."
They believe that their upbringings have had a big influence. “It’s that Cork wit and quick humour that’s been our selling point,” Kevin says. “We research when we have guests, we don’t want to look like eejits, but most of the time it is just whatever comes into our heads.”
Beyond comedy, the podcast hits important points too. "We tackle serious issues, like depression and consent, but make them relatable and entertaining while landing the facts that need to be landed. I think that opens conversations and that's really powerful" PJ says.
Kevin’s favourite part of the podcast is when the friends speak about their experiences as gay men. "As a closeted teenager I never would have imagined myself to be comfortable in my sexuality, not to mind talking about it openly with an audience,” he says.
“It's so important for younger queer people in Ireland, especially. There could be a 16 year old out there who may be struggling and he can pop in the headphones and hear two lads who are gay, doing well for themselves, and having a great time. A lot of the time, the gay storyline is portrayed as the tragic one but there's so much celebration to be done."
Recently a young listener in Mumbai reached out to say that the podcast had made the thought of coming out less daunting. "That was huge. In those moments, it feels like we're not just having a chat at a table, it's bigger,” PJ says. Both he and Kevin didn't come out until they were aged 20.
“I remember I convinced myself that because my dad liked Graham Norton he might not hate me,” Kevin says. “I just never thought it would be a point of celebration but now being queer is a huge part of who I am and I find such power in that.”
Of course, their mammies are also fans. During season one, PJ’s mother missed Sunday mass because she didn’t realise she could pause the episodes. She still sends links to her group chats every Monday when a new episode is released.
Kevin’s siblings are often stopped whilst out and about, with PJ’s sister even being known as a local celebrity in Perth. “Kevin is only gagging for us to get trolled because apparently that’s how we know we’ve made it but we don’t have any,” PJ says. “We’ve only had one weird message and it was someone asking us to stop saying ‘like’.”
Can their mammies expect them back in Cork permanently any time soon? "Having spent some time back in Cork over lockdown, I think we both became more open to the idea of heading home but we're not done with London just yet," Kevin says. Especially with more seasons in the works, as well as an “exploration” into other forms of media.
For PJ, Dublin seems like a likelier stop, as his boyfriend lives there. "I don't know if I'd be able to go straight back,” he says. Fittingly with the theme of their high-flying podcast, he adds: “We’ll see. I never plan anything.”
