Ed Byrne The full interview

3:28 Things have just happened there is happening now hurry in his head aren't they all old well no they're not because he's like he'd say oh this guy he's. Apparently you know he's about to release a virus that was it he's about it was that that was the whole thing he's about to release. A virus with this new operating system this new up this new opera he's just literally now you found out two years ago they knew that this was good what. Is he Daisy got software updates as he downloading patches he sleep on a USB thing exactly to his head he's how come he's up to date and courage with all this spy. Information if it was down there two years ago the problem with Chuck is it's not a famous enough show and I don't know if people watch. It for me to actually start making you know making fun of it maybe if it shifts over to Channel four some like that I'll be able to have a pop but that that is the sort of thing that I ruined.

4:18 Chose for myself I would sit watching him and go hang on look why why could not to go and work for rocky industries why does he have to work at the buy more how. Was that how was that crucial to his it's an undercover thing people know he worked at the buy more when they ma'am why can he not get. Another job in fact it's suspicious that he now has a degree from Stanford University and they love this he's attracting attention tombs of he should go why. Not because well then we'd have to build another set. Right so you know III ruin things for myself all the time by being picky and the good the upside of that is a lot of the time I can turn that into comedy. Yeah yeah let's not talk about films or TV series and before I go off everything that I really like and I know that you've been touring quite a lot with with your show yeah.

5:05 Do you have to change it where you go like it's like an oven fudge in the southern version not hugely to be honest. Sometimes I find when I went back to Ireland I had to change things bit bits and pieces here and there which is varied as an Irish. Person my having lived here half my life and toured the show extensively I certainly realized there were tiny other references here and there like even. Just words like Paikea do you just know that it's not words you use in Ireland you know they don't know what it means know what. I mean but it's just it's a it doesn't resonate with Irish people who are worth or that it would it sounds really English to say it so you could. I say gypsy but there really isn't an equivalence it's the equipment is [ __ ] but [ __ ] is more offensive it's necker's okay is like say.

5:48 Mecca yeah is in the knackers yard but it finds but in Ireland that to be used as they a traveler is a highly offensive and politically. Charged word it's it's it's it's it's a fair it's a much more complicated thing so maybe I just dropped a lot of references and a few jokes when I when I did the show in Ireland. It would have been fine for an English person to do it hmm because they were to go well that's what English people saying we understand. That for an Irish person to be using very English references in Ireland seems weird yeah so that's why I sort of you know let's go let's. Go some of some bits and pieces but around the UK not so much the only place were on this show where I really to overhaul. It was actually was in a place called armor ooh in the South Island of New Zealand and I had done it in Christchurch and Dunedin which are both also in South Island.

6:46 And and we're fine but I did it in armory when I ten minutes in I just have to just ditch the show. Pretty I just stop do we go like no I just stopped doing the routine and I just did I just dipped in the back catalogue. And just basically did my first DVD yeah because they weren't the rent going with it at all they wearing I mean jokes that had worked all over New Zealand. Like to joke about we're partially went poor which means in Ireland we didn't own a horse and just explained them good in Ireland if you're posh. You can own a horse or if you live in a caravan you can own a horse but anywhere between you get a dog that worked. Everywhere and it worked pretty well in Ireland because it resonates it worked for native people to understand it but it worked in New Zealand it worked in Canada you know if people people.

7:33 Understand what's really coming from mmm but it did not work on all Muro Muro stared to me and said well I guess you need to be Irish to to get that joke. No I think you just need to not be from was that you asking I mean on this current - I love this - of this yeah she's. Doing this show that would be the worst audience how to keep things fresh because obviously you've been on the road for quite a while you're. Doing the same show day-in day-out I mean you just like enjoy every time do you add new bits how - well you do you do add new bits and you change bits. Here and there but I think the main thing is it's like watching a film that you've seen before or you watch it watching it with somebody. Who's not seen it you know like if somebody comes over to the house what you've never seen Midnight Run we have to watch Midnight Run even.

8:27 Though I've seen it a million times it's a bit let Dad see I don't know if maybe if you go home and you watch back the future on your own but if you had a friend. Who had never seen Back to the Future you'd be delighted to watch it with them we get Pete so get popcorn the whole deal yeah. And you watch it watching it with somebody it's like you're seeing it through their eyes and seeing it in you and it's it's it's it's just like that when you're doing the same jokes again. And again what you're doing to people who have not heard them before so that that just keeps it fresh for you okay cool and I know you're doing you're. Just on everywhere on TV at the moment like panel shows and in a few shows and everything and the one panel show that you're on that really stands out is Mock.

9:07 The Week not the reason why it stands out is that it actually seems like people are like properly competitive on the show it's incredibly competitive what. What people say well there's no more reason and I'm happy to explain the multi African um number one everybody on that show is a stand-up. Comic mmm no one is there as a celebrity to feel you know you look at probably the closest equivalent would be 8 out of 10 cats we've. Got a host and six people they will have Trisha or Richard Madeley or somebody from Hollyoaks or something like that and so that makes it a slightly less competitive. Environment but when you've got six comics all vying for attention seven including the host then that makes it a bit more competitive the other thing is compared.

9:59 To say something like oh how am I gonna use for you or another great examples I think it's all over no is that everybody on the show is still. To a great extent trying to make a name for themselves these are people who are who were who were on the touring circuit we're still on the open. Their career trajectory and trying to sell DVDs not so everyone still you know everyone none of them are household names and if they are it's. Because a month week so they're all still trying to make names for I remember when I did I did they think it's all over and it was towards. The end of its life and it was really easy because everyone was completely relaxed it was very chilled out they were all you know they were like they were they weren't even. That bothered about music it was like they'd the show was a huge success they were all on really good money and and they were quite happy.

10:53 For me to be funny so as long as the show was funny they didn't care and I like at least for you is a little bit like that you know in that also was affected. There's only four of you and the host and the host is generally the most nervous of the marks it's a guest and so they're quite happy to just give you the space to just to be funny. Because you know if I'm sitting next to Ian Hislop he's a household name I got used to be you had been around for twenty years. Yes she was in school so he doesn't need to be in the limelight yeah you know promoter wait you guys have like fighting your body. Still is looking to carve out their own you know niche and everyone's looking to make a name for themselves don't hmm so you know I know myself.

11:39 If I go on that show and you know don't say a great deal like people say to me the next day you were required on my budget. You know and so you're still trying to put your stamp on it oh God DVD coming out so I got tickets to sell I got a if I'm going on telly I got. I gotta be funny because all the other thing is if somebody watches it and you're not funny they go it's not like if you say something. That's not funny and people don't out if you just don't even say anything people just think well he's not very funny he's obviously not very funny. Because he didn't say anything you know so you need to it it looks bad if you don't get in there with a few jokes you tricky. Right I saw Mock the Week yesterday and Greg Proops on it and I've seen him on whose line is it anyway and he's so funny on that show just and really really funny but a in the whole show I think he might have said maybe like two.

12:30 Or three gags oh but the other thing that can happen as well and it's happened to me with Mark the week and I've learned to avoid. It now it's sometimes say that say we're doing three subjects in the first ten minutes. Maybe we'll cover you know Sarah Palin global warming and the conservative conference say I say I love come out with a load of really good stuff on Sarah Palin so I'll go write you know. Put me stamp on this now I think I can coast through this chat about the environment which I don't really have any stuff on and then I'll come in with it maybe a guy at David Cameron. And they and for one reason or another because you reach a two-and-a-half-hour record they might just decide you know what Sarafan is not really that current of story let. The scrap all the syrup and stuff from the show and let's just go with the stuff about the environment and david cameron's that might be your section.

13:21 So the very gentle thing that you did most of the stuff on you can just get cut out of the show completely and it's a lot of time it's it's. You know they also only only have so long to edit it sometimes record on the when's it to go into thursday most amps on the Tuesday but still the only have so long to editors. And so it's easier to just cut an entire subject area you should just go in and take ten minutes out of the of the record. And go let's just scrap all that than it is to go but I put that joke in from there and that's put this yoga and it's clip you know so so that that is what. Can happen so the best thing to do to make sure you get seen or get used its just think of one or two funny lines on every.

14:02 Single subject that we talked about that's you talking about being a see also so Morris board this is something I know a little bit there's. Another reason why it's more competitive it's also the only show the only panel show on TV will allow the question for the entire panel. They never go so your team what do you think first and then and then go to the other team it's just check it out it is the only show where. They don't do that which is to me I think it's I think that's its greatest fault I think that is the thing that's most easily. Fixed is is to do that thing that every other panel show does which is go to one team first and then an egg's go to the other team and that way you don't have people. Sick 20kg Mike yeah again talking about being a scene and I think you're great I think you're like one of Britain's like best comedians and I'm.

14:58 Just something there's something nasty coming here that they know nobody just starts over with I think you're great unless that's I can take it when yeah. So you've never been like a nobody when you started your your stand-up career are you you had success pretty quickly but you've never liked made it like a really big like ya know some there or like your rock Russell. Brown did a couple years ago sure you've just kind of like being like in between yeah I'm just going wondering what cuz you're you're really funny. Well you know if I you the answer to that I would be really famous. There is a certain look involved under Satyam I'm funnier now than I ever have been so it's only fair that things are things are on the up again. Yeah I did kind of um around about 399 to that like I had a fairly steady rise.

15:47 From I started at the end of 93 and another face steady rise 98 and then 99 2002 think it kind of leveled off and I just you know I burnt. Out ever so slightly and I just sort of hit my head on the ceiling in my own talent you know my I didn't have anything much else. To say about stuff and that was about it really I just stagnated a little bit I wasn't it didn't really improve as a comic and and I reached. That stage where I was no longer new and being new is is a healthy new is you know it was exciting new comics you know when you knew you're only compared. To the other people who are in you but once you've been around for ten years then you've been you you're competing with the best comics. In the world then you're in then you're being compared to you know you haven't eccentric American Billy Connolly Frank Skinner do ever the biggest comic.

16:43 Eddie is the bigs coming clever you know I certainly. Your you know and and you're not gonna not gonna compete with that you know that certainly don't think I do anyway so it's one thing is learning to be compared. To your actual contemporaries but as I say once you've been around for 10 years it's no longer about that it eats your your then you're. Playing with the big boys are supposed yes so that those things combined you know then maybe I made some poor choices as regards or TV. Shows they did or didn't do anything like that you know but I think I think really what it came down to was just I ran. Out of things to say in my stand-up and now as I've gotten older and I took a maybe you know took a year off I certainly.

17:36 More things to say and gratifying I haven't been competing for 16 years to feel I'm still you know getting better say if you have a DeLorean. Back there back to future and you can like go back in time and you can like have a word of yourself when that happened would you do anything different. Would you say do this or do that well I think if I went back in time I would just take a lot of the jokes I'm doing. Now and do that slacking off a little bit I probably also would have told myself not to book myself in for a 2-week West End run opening. On Monday the 10th of September 2001 I would have told myself that was a bad time to be doing comedy yeah bad timing I said. Sarah when you when you when you when you bring up something that that somebody isn't maybe isn't their proudest moment I was in talking about Star.

18:29 Trek again remember Star Trek to Jerry was rafted can I get the classic right that was good and remember it check off and this other guy. Got these things put in their ears to me had the little jumps when their incomes day yeah it was Chekhov and I can't member the guy's name it was a big tall. Black guy was it was it was the captain in question and I was in Aspen for the Comedy Festival and I was checking him for me flight home and he was standing. Behind me in the cube check it no yes go ahead and play this captain and so as you don't know what happened he's under control of can't shoot. Captain Kirk yeah and at the last minute this what a dude he is he turns the phaser on himself and kills himself right which is a very cool.

19:12 Thing too for him to do anyway I see you this guy I mean obviously he's done load stuff I'm sure he's done Shakespearean gear and all that and you've done things. Of great worthy and great great note but I just seen around the can again recently and I said wow you're an actor engine because yes ago. Weren't you in Wrath of Khan and he looked away to the middle distance and really really pissed off with yes I'd died so the [ __ ] man. Could live the white man captain [ __ ]. Rapid-fire questions to finish off with so just like what like first quick straight first quick answers so you ready yep first question polo or submit. Paulo complete this line if I was to rule the world I would be overwhelmed by the responsibility describe Piers Morgan in just one word.

20:12 All right hold it's technically wait all is one all right then nice okay old people falling over tragic or funny very do you see difficult. Depending whether you're related to them enough but generally I'm gonna go with funny funny adora O'Brien or a packet of jaffa cakes. Well it's pronounced Aubry Aubry right there I couldn't deidara or bream hey so I'm gonna go with jaffa cake roast beef roast lamb roast lamb best. Thing about being married not having to plan a wedding anymore dr. Corrina Doctor Who Doctor Who mr. popper guess who guess who Dave Cameron or cup of soup I need. More than that what is the actual question just choose one I would drink a cup of soup so you choose cup of soup I wouldn't.

21:05 Vote for cup of soup to be the next. But I nor would I dip my bread and David Cameron oh hey Rick it's a tricky one that's tricky thank very much I'd love to know your thoughts on that video. So give me more get out of ten ten being great not being rubbish what do you think this video school leave me a comment in the comment box below subscribe. To Kevin's channel what you've. We need you to subscribe. You don't know we don't he does.