What do your parents think of your job?
They’re supportive of me emotionally, but they’re unsupportive in that they don’t laugh at my jokes. They’ll come to a show, sit right and the front and not laugh a single time. But maybe I’ll get a cringe from my dad when I do my sex jokes.
What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?
It can be quite lonely, especially when you’re travelling for a gig. Often then isn’t enough money when you do an out of town gig to get a hotel so you travel for hours, do your set and then rush for the last train home. You also just have to get used to meal deals being one of your main food groups.
I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?
I think that I’m constantly evolving. I know objectively I’m a better writer and performer than me two years ago. There are some times where I hate everything I’m doing and there will be other times where I think I’m a genius and it’s actually a crime that not enough people know my talent. Maybe I’ll be one of those ‘more revered when they’re dead’ types.
How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?
I earn not nearly as much as I’d like to earn. I’d like to earn at least 1 million times what I earn now.
How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?
I do think luck plays a big part, there’s an element of right place, right haircut, right time in this industry like there are with most showbiz gigs. But with comedy I think persistence is more important than luck, you only way to do stand up is by doing stand up, and it may not necessarily always be the most talented people who become the most successful, but the ones who are the most persistent and stick to achieving their goals.
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 third category?
I think I act like I’m the tortured artist type, I complain a lot and get quite easily stressed but truth be told I actually have a really nice life most of the time and I did choose to do this, no one’s forcing me to gig in between meal deals.
Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?
Anna Delvey. AKA the fake heiress. I think her life is performance art and I think she thinks her life is performance art. I know I shouldn’t glamorise a criminal but I think her very being and her actions show us something about wealth that the world didn’t want to see. She’s not exactly a modern day Robin Hood, but...
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).
My drawers are not tidy. Drawers are for where you hide the mess so the stuff that’s out in the open can be close to tidy. Why should you have tidy drawers, you have to open them to see them. Drawers are literally mess hiding containers.
Mary O’Connell’s ‘Money Princess’ is at the Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker 3 at 6pm from 2nd – 27th August (not 15TH). For tickets go to www.edfringe.com
Picture: Matt Crockett
Sponsored post
