INTERVIEW: Ed Byrne - Standing Up & Falling Down
- Posted on February 16, 2007 1:31 PM
- 4 comments
Riverside Studios - Standing Up and Falling Down
By Katie Spain
It's always hard to know what types of questions to ask a comedian. Do you try to crack jokes? Will they make fun of you and will you be able to handle it? It turns out there was no need to worry... Ed is a genuinely nice guy. It's obvious why this Irish comedian taps on the funny bones of damn near everyone. As I joined him in his dressing room we chat about mosh pits, panto, Pearl Jam and Preston.
Thanks for letting us into your dressing room... you've got lovely lights here...
They don't work... no, I'm serious, they don't work!
I was going to ask you about hecklers but you didn't really have any tonight.
I try to get into it with the audience and have a chat. If somebody has a good answer I don't take the piss out of them. I don't like comedians who pick on audience members who don't deserve it. Having said that, some of my best friends do it. I'm generally determined not to make people look stupid because at least then they'll keep answering your questions.
You talked a lot in the show about Pearl Jam, you're obviously a fan. You did have a bit of a 'go' at the fans though.
I didn't have a go at Pearl Jam fans - I had a go at people who turn up to gigs who aren't fans. Those are the people I was slagging off. (Apparently Ed once saw a guy trying to chat up a girl throughout a Pearl Jam gig. Not good gig-going etiquette it seems. Music first; sex later).
But you're right I did have a couple of guys in the front row in Stirling (geez, you've proper read me blogs haven't ya!). It was quite funny because I was wearing a black suit with these Converse shoes and I told the guy he looked like a 'My Chemical Romance' kind of guy. His brother, who was sitting next to him, said "You're the one in the suit with the Converse All Stars on". I had to take that one on the chin.
You've been known to take a pop or two at Peter Kay - he's on stage in the Manchester stage production of 'The Producers' soon... would you be up for a bit of West End panto one day?
Believe it or not, I actually auditioned for 'The Producers'. They asked me to go in for an audition and I said "Well I'm not much of a singer you know." They said, "Well neither was Lee Evans but we trained him up". So I went in and they just went "You know what, you really can't sing". That was the end of that audition process.
I'd never have a major pop at Peter Kay - I just happened to be in Bolton which is where he's from and I made some joke about how huge he is. It was the kind of thing you could imagine going badly but they were actually alright about it. I wasn't MAJORLY slagging him of because, you know, I want to work in this business again. He's a very powerful man.
You played some pretty cool music when you're not on stage. A lot of Pearl Jam... You look a bit like Eddie Vedder actually. Do you choose the songs yourself?Thanks! Yes I choose them.
Have you met them?
F*** no. My apologies, I just swore. No, I never have... I don't run in those kinds of circles. Although funnily enough, there was a woman in the show the other night who'd been at the same gig at the Astoria where I saw Pearl Jam. I had a bit of a chat to her and she left me a message on MySpace saying that she's been to see the FooFighters many times and is actually really good friends with Dave Grohl. She then said "I think the two of you would really get on well... you should meet". I went "NO WAY"... I still haven't sent her a message back because my fingers would be trembling composing such a message.
Are you going to see them at Wembley?
I am, I have just secured some tickets.
Damn - I was going to ask if you'd come with me!
Ed perks up... "Do you have tickets on the floor?"
No, unfortunately I'm just too damn small for that. I stay far away because mosh pits are a death trap to a little thing like me.
I understand what you're saying... I was at a FooFighters concert and I was up the front in Reading and nearly died. I was right at the back in Leeds and couldn't hear them.
You're quite popular in Australia and New Zealand. You're going back in April - do you like the Aussies?
I do! I'm going back to Australia in April and New Zealand in May... the first time I ever did stand-up on TV was in Australia. I was on 'Hey Hey it's Saturday'. Not on Red Faces I hasten to add.
I love going out to Australia because when I first went out there I was nobody over here. The PR machine pretend you're more famous in Europe than you really are. I remember the third time I over to Australia people would ask how things were going back at home and I'd say "They're going great. I'm now as famous back in Britain as I pretended to be when I came here.
Australians have this attitude of: "Well, he's come all this waaaaay. He's probably not shit." Whereas if you go to America and they say "Has he been on Letterman? Nope, we'll then we don't care".
Australia does have a very nice attitude and is very supportive when come over from England and Ireland.
Funny you should mention that because a friend of yours, Ross Noble is doing really well over there. He's got an Australian wife and a radio show and now splits his time half and half between countries. Even my mum loves him...
Well your mother probably never said to him one night "Now Ross, don't drink my apple juice because I'm going to want it tomorrow morning because I'm really drunk right now. I'm going to be very hung-over and I'm going to want that apple juice." And then woken up the next morning to find that Ross has drunk her entire carton of apple juice. That's never happened to your mother. (Yells) It's happened to ME. Oh yeah. He's a very funny man but he'll drink your apple juice without a second thought.
You lived with him right? Now there's a relationship (of sorts!)
Every flat we lived in we managed to get rats. Even when we were on the third floor of a three floor building where we had families below us.
Only in London hey?
No... only if you're really filthy.
I've been reading your blog... it's great - it really shows how, well... human you are. Crap shows, hecklers, top shows and everything in between. You also have a MySpace I see... quite the technophobe. Do you enjoy blogging or do you find it hard to be funny via a keyboard?
I don't feel a great necessity to be funny when I'm blogging. It's just a nice thing to read the comments on the blog. It's a great connection with people without having to talk to them in the bar. (Laughs) A lot of people if they're really famous don't attend to their own website but I look at my blog and love talking about what's going on and getting feedback. I genuinely do remember them... I even put the list of songs from my show on there.
You've had quite a few TV appearances lately... The Weakest Link and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. There's been a lot of talk on Preston from the Ordinary Boys walking off...
It's funny, I do a whole section in my comedy show about things I've said on TV that then get cut out and now I know that all the funny stuff I've said will be cut out to make room for Preston's dramatic storm off.
Rest assured - there's no cutting during a live stage show and Ed Byrne uncut is where real entertainment can be found.
Ed Byrne - "Standing Up and Falling Down"Riverside Studios Hammersmith Tue 6th Feb - Sat 3rd March 2007
(Not 12th 19th or 26th Feb) Tue - Sat at 7.45pm. Sun at 6pm
Comments (4)
Sassy
I saw Ed last week at Riverside Studios. He was an absolute crack up and the highlight of an awful week. Lovely locks on the guy too... gives Eddie Vedder a run for his money. I wonder... what shampoo does he use? Og the glossy shine! :)
Seriously though - a great show. I really recommend it. Head there a bit early and have dinner and a glass of white at the Riverside Studios Cafe. They do a mean share plate!
Posted on February 16, 2007 4:27 PM
Comedy Dan
I love this guy! He's absolutely hilarious... I saw him on Never Mind the Buzzcocks - he should host the whole shebang!
Great show Ed.
Posted on February 19, 2007 9:45 AM
Claire
Ed! My boyfriend took me to see you at Riverside Studios on Valentine's Day. Honestly, it was far better than any boquet of limp flowers or dodgy curry that I'm sure a lot of ladies were 'treated' to.
I was in such a good mood after the show he even got lucky. Used the bedroom technique you so generously shared with us. So, we're both indebted to you!
C x
Posted on February 19, 2007 9:49 AM
Gary
Ed,
Strange to hear that you maintain your own website as that's not what you told me?
Also intrigued to hear this 'bedroom technique'? Is this the same one you used on my wife? ie - get them so drunk they won't have a clue what's going on and then shag them?
Posted on March 19, 2007 12:07 PM
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