Brett Goldstein hasn't done a lot of stand-up lately, but then the sharp, funny comedian/writer/actor has an excuse. He has been busy appearing in lots and lots of TV and films on both sides of the Atlantic. In the last few years his devilishly handsome visage has popped up in shows including movies SuperBob and Adult Life Skills and on TV in Drifters, Uncle and Derek. He also played a character in an HBO pilot, A Lot, inspired by Maureen Dowd’s book Are Men Necessary?: When Sexes Collide. He returns to the stage at the Hackney Picturehouse on October 7 as part of the all-day Upstream Comedy Festival with his latest show What Is Love Baby Don't Hurt Me. Click here for tickets and here for the full festival line-up.
- What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies and/or check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt and check for spinach between your teeth)?
Pace up and down and remind myself that I am incredibly lucky to do this for a living and that I am living a dream and I should ignore the abject terror that is overtaking my body
2. What irritates you?
Trying to work and realising you have been sucked into a social media vortex for an hour and you hate yourself and say you should leave twitter and facebook and delete all your accounts and turn off the internet and then you never do because ultimately you’re weak and you’re an addict and you should be ashamed of yourself and no wonder everyone hates you.
3. What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
Steal a kayak and take it out in a horrendous storm when a beach was closed in an attempt to surf a wave like at the end of Point Break.
4. What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?
Take a film studies course at university thinking I would get to make films and instead spent three years listening to absolute bollocks spouted about the critical nature of film by a load of people who have never made or enjoyed a film in their life. It was my own fault. I should have done a bit more research. To be fair, I should have done some research. Basically, I didn’t do any research. I just saw the word ‘film’ and thought, ‘That’s the one for me!’
5. What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?
I did expect comedians to be terrible people. And they are. But they’re my terrible people
But seriously. I think the best part of doing this is I get to hang out with the most interesting funny and brilliant people who all have this thing inside that needs to be expressed. I’ve never felt part of any group until I became a comedian. I was surprised how decent and supportive comedians are in the main. Except for xxxx xxxxx of course.
Interview continues here.
