December 2012
Delighted to see that Greg Davies has been nominated for Best Male Performance In A Comedy Programme for his turn as hapless dad Ken in BBC3's Cuckoo. The first time I saw Greg Davies was when I judged the Evening Standard's shortlived New Comedian of the Year competition in 2002. The gig took place on the Tattershall Castle boat on the Thames and when Davies described himself as "Six foot eight inches of pure Ginsters meat pie" I'm sure I felt the boat rock with laughter.
It sometimes feels as if Paul Merton has been around for ever. But in a good way. This interview, which took place in September 2011 was my fourth encounter with the genial absurdist. The first time I interviewed him in the early 1990s was in his agent's office in Regent Street. While other "alternative comedians" had gone with cutting edge new wave management companies, Merton was handled by a company with a lengthy showbiz pedigree.
It was the Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu (604 BC - 531 BC) who said that a march of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I don't think he ever visited the Comedy Pub just off Leicester Square, but if he had popped in on Friday night to see the Piccadilly Comedy Club New Comedian of 2013 Final he would have seen eight newish stand-ups taking their first steps on a journey which they probably hope will end with fame, critical acclaim and a tax bill that would make Jimmy Carr squirm.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
