My first time ever doing stand up was at a local play, in a pub in Ballyfermot. Before the play, I did a few minutes, and I was awful. I was 17 and I got loads of abuse. I didn’t get back up again until I was in Sydney – once during an acting class, and then at a bar on Patrick’s Day. I can’t remember the latter!
Then, when I came home from Oz, I had no job. It was 2008, and I was bored out of my tree. When I went to the local dole office in Ballyer, it was like school reunion. Even the teachers were there.
My sister Mary was running an acting class, and asked me to come in for the laugh.
I went to see all the actors one night in a drama showcase, and they all kept telling me I was funny! They asked me to do a few minutes of stand-up. I was terrified, but Mary dragged me up, and I done ten minutes, and got some laugh. A month later, they did another showcase, and I got up again; this time I was ready! I got huge laughs and loved it.
I was hooked, and I got up everywhere I could. I was a comedy slag – birthday parties, karaoke, funerals, you name it! And then I started to get gigs in The International, the Ha’penny, The Bankers, etc…
It’s really impossible to say that I have favorite comedians as my preference bounces from one to another.
There are so many great stand ups.
The ones I remember watching in my house as a kid was Billy Connolly, when my ma put a Connolly video in my Looney Tunes cover, and I watched an 18-rated tape at age 11.
I love looney tunes as a kid, still do they’re crazy! 1950s, ’60s Looney Tunes are nuts. Today kids watch cartoons and learn valuable lessons; I watched Looney Tunes and learned how to be crazy…
Dave Allen. Again, like Connolly, I got into this guy because my parents watched him. My ma always called him classy.
Tommy Teirnan – met him once or twice. Always remember the whale who made a show of himself joke. We are mates now; he liked a tweet of mine.
Frankie Boyle – He’s an awful bollix, but he does it well.
Louis CK – of course, but maybe bit will get your tea in your nostrils, it’s that funny (if you’re drinking tea like!!!).
Micky Flanagan – proper geezer, is one of my favs.
Dara O’Brian – This Is The Show is a great DVD. I watched it one Christmas, full of wine.
I’ve so many favourites. Of just stand-ups I like from US, there’s Bill Burr, Chris Rock, Jim Norton, Patrice O’Neal, Dave Chapelle, Sarah Silverman, Tom Segura. From Ireland and the UK, Des Bishop, Sean Lock, Frank Skinner, Joe Brand… I’ll be here all day.
Patsy Murray headlines the Hardy Har Comedy Club at Bray’s Harbour Bar on Thursday, January 21st 2016. Kick-off is 9pm. Facebook event page is here.