6. What do your parents (delete as applicable) think of your job?
Like most parents, they would prefer I did something more secure!
7. What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?
The expectation of being funny off the stage as well as on. When I leave the stage I look forward to the opportunity to be relentlessly, unwaveringly dull.
8. I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?
Well…I think I’m a good storyteller and singer/songwriter and while I don’t think I am the strongest standup, I do think I have an ability to engage with an audience, which helps. I sometimes have those golden gigs where I’ve felt like “oh it turns out, I CAN do this”!– where the crowd just crack up at every little thing you say, every face you make, and those gigs make me occasionally feel like I have the capacity to be very good. But I’m not always and consistency is half the job.
9. How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?
I earn enough to rent a cheap flat in London, and enough to pay some tax. Which is great. I would like to earn enough have some savings, ever, and to buy fifty large diamonds.
10. How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?
Hmmm no I don't think I've had lucky breaks as such. I've had moments where I thought "here it comes, this is my lucky break!" (things like The IT Crowd, or after my first solo show) And then nothing much happened after all so I've just kept on working hard, and things comes more gradually. Of course luck comes into it, I just don't feel I've had particular "breaks", I've just kept on going.
11. Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into a third category?
Gah, Much as I like the idea of being a fascinating tormented figure, I think I would fall into just getting on with life. I enjoy nearly all the things I do, and even the really crap bits add a bit of drama to the whole thing. I'm not tortured.
12. Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?
13. Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).
Which drawers, clothes drawers? It depends! Socks drawer – utter shambles. Bra/pants drawer – same. T-shirts/tops draw – neatly rolled. Dresses drawer - immaculate. Jumpers/shorts/jeans/scarves/random knits/bad tights drawer – a living nightmare. If you’re talking about cutlery, this is a whole other answer.
