What do your parents/children (delete as applicable) think of your job? 

Being a comedian requires talking about a variety of topics and yes, there have been times I have been on stage talking about my sex life, and what parent wants to hear about that? Mine have made it very clear they don’t and I get that because if the situation were reversed…well, gross! So no, my parents aren’t thrilled about my career choice. My 17 year old son, on the other hand, couldn’t be more proud. He thinks I’m hilarious. My husband is also very proud, but he is German and doesn’t find me the least bit funny.       

What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?

Being away from my family for long periods of time is pretty shit. Also, when you do a great gig and you walk off stage all excited, into your dressing room and end up high-fiving your own reflection because that’s the only other person around. That’s also a bit shit.

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 don’t quite know how to answer this question. I’ll start by saying my opinion of myself changes all the time, from good to bad, no in-between. Of course, none of this is helped by the fact that I have a complicated mental illness which requires constant vigilance and dedicated practice to curtail my behaviour so as to ensure I exist within social norms. I do know this though, the time I spend feeling bad about myself grows shorter as the time I feel better about myself grows longer and stronger. It’s only taken 58 years. I long for the day when I can answer a question like this with a simple, ‘I think I’m awesome! Deal with it.’

How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?

Millions. I make millions. I have so much money, I’m like a rapper, just going to strip clubs, throwin’ money at them naked bitches. But seriously… I don’t earn enough, I want to earn more, I would like to earn enough to not have to worry about money. 

How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?

I think we underestimate the power of luck and how big a part it plays in career success. Being in the right place at the right time, the right person seeing you, it’s true, it can happen. It happened to me. I was dancing on a TV show and I was spotted by the host, mucking around, impersonating him. He got me to open the show. A couple of weeks later, a producer called (I don’t know how he tracked me down) and asked me to audition for a new show at the same network. I got that job and so began my career as a comedian. I didn’t know I was a comedian, I had trained as a classical ballerina, but I started writing my own stuff, creating characters, getting up to all kinds of mischief. People loved it and soon I was being called a comedian. I thought okay, I’m a comedian now. I’ve had a number of lucky breaks, choreographing and dancing in Kylie Minogue’s locomotion was another. Lucky breaks are great but experience has shown me, as was also noted by three Italian researchers who set out to quantify the role of luck and talent in successful careers, even a great talent becomes useless against the fury of misfortune. I’ve seen both sides this coin.

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?

Oh there is definitely a third category into which many comedians, including myself, fit . This is the ‘unemployable in any other field’ category. I mean, I have tried to get a ‘real job’, many, many times and it’s never worked out. Never, not once. The world of comedy has provided a refuge for those in society who might know how to make people laugh but for one reason or another, can’t hold down a job.

Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians? 

Nana Mouskouri. And just who is Nana Mouskouri, I hear you ask? She is only the most amazing woman in the world. The now 88 year old Greek singer, the ‘Nightingale of the Aegean’, has sold over 250 million records. She speaks and sings in five different languages. She has always worn thick rimmed glasses and many people tried to change that. One well known singer threatened to throw her off their tour if she didn’t lose the glasses. They made her look unattractive, they said. Nana refused. She has been consistent in her refusal to take off the glasses her entire career. She has always maintained this is who she is, glasses and all. And that is why I love Nana Mouskouri.

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 tidy. There are labels, boxes with labels, compartments with labels. My drawers should be in Vogue Living. Now, I don’t know if this settles the argument with your girlfriend, but I do hope it doesn’t affect our relationship. I mean, I can mess up my drawers if it means we’ll still be friends. 

Tania Lacy’s show ‘Everything's Coming Up Roses’ is at Just The Tonic @ The Caves - Just The Fancy Room at 7.30pm from 3rd – 26th August (except 14TH) . For tickets go to www.edfringe.com 

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