Our stand-up comedy week continues with a chat to, simply, one of the funniest comics currently working.
Theres no snideness or anything.
I take it joke telling is your first love?
I suppose it is, really.
I suppose its an extension of that, really.
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I think it should be a U actually…!
So what got you the PG?
Ill tell you what it was.
I had a bit of a go at them and said surely its a U.
But its the one drug reference in it.
It actually said one moderate drug reference, and I said you cant have that on there.
Its such a tiny moment, so they agreed to take the caption off at least.
Is it important to you that your comedy can be enjoyed by such a broad audience?
Theres a certain innocence about the whole thing that I like.
In researching this interview, your 1994 Pebble Mill debut turned up on YouTube…
Yeah!
Actually, I was responsible for putting that up.
Ive had that tape for ages and Ive got a mate who puts things on YouTube.
And I thought maybe I should put some things up there.
But if you try and put it on an actual DVD, then its more hassle than its worth.
Was your act a tough sell back then, particularly in the early 90s?
Well, yeah, but I found that a great plus.
But I loved that.
Did winning your BAFTA earn you lots of currency?
All these things are slightly accumulative, arent they?
Its never only one thing.
But you know, you sort of realise more with hindsight that these things accumulate.
Not much, really.
The props tend to be a bit more not in a fixed position.
Just to break stuff up a bit.
When youre learning the show, do you have to learn it in those clumps as well?
You do refer to a piece of paper from time to time.
Thats just because I forget things!
Thankfully, the audience quite like that.
You build it up gradually.
And so you start getting them nearer.
Then you write little songs to break things up.
Pen Behind The Ear, all that rubbish…
I was coming to that shortly!
I couldnt pick out any groans in there.
How much do you have to get through to hone it down?
Probably for every ten jokes I write I use three or four maybe.
The important thing with writing is that you must allow yourself to write rubbish.
And do you find that the most important thing is to start with punchline and work backwards?
I was saying,I hear punchlines!
Often theres a phrase where you think why have I only thought of that now?
Ive heard the phrase sweepstake forever.
But for some reason a couple of days ago someone said it, and I suddenly thought Sootys barbecue.
Its like the phrase serves him right.
Ive heard that phrase loads of times, heard it the other day and I thought thats interesting.
And I thought okay, Ive got a butler whose left arm is missing, serves him right!
You do work backwards from the punchline with those wordplay things.
Then other times there are different types of jokes.
Now in that situation, thats just a bit of nonsense!
So theres no hard or fast rules.
Not that I do so!
Going through the disc, theres a lot to the act, though.
I found the musical side, for instance, just as inspired as the puns.
And I though maybe I should try it on stage and see what happens.
The bloke [in the studio] thought I was insane!
Yeah, I think I probably still have a bit!
Regardless of the fact that people might say tell us a joke or whatever.
And then theres CDs.
Now it doesnt take all that much to get 1000 CDs printed off.
Would you be tempted to do a CD of comedy songs?
Yeah, maybe I should do.
You mean of that ones Ive got?
Theyre written for the show.
Ive written a lot of songs that are slightly quirky but you wouldnt do them at a gig.
And do you take your Dad to a lot of your gigs?
He pops up in the DVD extras telling a joke!
[Laughs] Hes been a few times.
Did you see him telling his joke?
And what happened was I finished filming the DVD, and they wanted some more.
So I went back on stage and thought I havent got anything else, and saw my Dad!
But literally I just looked at him and thought its the perfect time for it, a perfect extra!
He looked really pleased with himself!
[Laughs] He did!
Thatll be played a lot over Christmas, Im sure!
You seem quite committed to making sure theres a good DVD package.
Are you passionate about making sure its right?
So I want to give them something for their support.
Not only that, quite often I make these things for a laugh anyway.
Talking of television, howsNot Going Outcoming along?
Its going well, yeah.
Weve done two episodes, weve got another six to film, and that comes out in January.
And then subsequent to that, are you touring to that?
I havent written anything else at the moment, so probably not.
But its quite a big deal to write another hour of nonsense, so well see!
Id like to do a little film or something, so well see.
Have a hit single.
Is that still the list?
[Laughs] Its three things, isnt it?
[Laughs] Win an Oscar, read the news and have a hit single.
Well the charts no longer exists now does it.
No one knows what the charts is any more.
Is there such a thing as a number one any more?
Even if its rubbish.
Its called Library Altitude Zero.
And I printed off 500 copies on DVD, and its currently in my loft!
I occasionally give it to a friend, but its not out there or anything!
Tim Vine, thank you very much.
Tim Vine: So I Said To This Bloke is out now on DVD.
Check out ourreview here.
Also see:Russell Howard interview;Dara OBriain interview
