Memory Lane with Kerry Godliman and Jen Brister - S03 E05: Joel Dommett

Episode Date: February 14, 2024

"I spent the next year and a half speaking in a full South East London accent..." One of the funniest and busiest men in comedy joins us this week with a hatful of stories (and pictures) that are both amazing and ridiculous in equal measure. Photo 01 - Me and Tom Photo 02 - Me and Suzi Photo 03 - Cornrows Photo 04 - Travel show one Photo 05 - Travel show two Photo 06 - Wedding Photo 07 - The Athena poster shot PICS & MORE - https://www.instagram.com/memory_lane_podcast/ A Dot Dot Dot Production produced by Joel Porter Hosted by Jen Brister & Kerry Godliman Distributed by Keep It Light Media Sales and advertising enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Let yourself run, lift, flow, and go. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus at OnePeloton.ca. Can we just go over that photograph that I shared on our group? I mean, Jen, honestly, I've never, it flawed me. I had a day of just sitting still and quiet and looking at the floor. Hello and welcome to Memory Lane. I'm Jen Bristair. And I'm Kerry Godleman.

Each week we'll be taking a trip down Memory Lane with our very special guest as they bring in four photos from their lives to talk about. To check out the photos we'd be having a natter with them about, they're on the episode image and you can also. to see them a little bit more clearly on our Instagram page. So I have a little look at Memory Lane podcast. Come on, we can all be nosy together. I found a photograph of myself on the internet.

Right. And it was so bad that I made this sound. Right, okay. Firstly, that photo isn't that bad. Is that, oh my, even Ben, and we've covered many times on here that Ben is the nicest man. And I do feel very loved by Ben. I feel, I feel very seen.

And I feel very loved. And even he went, fuck. Look, I'm not saying it's a good photo of you. No. It's horrific. But, but we've all had these photos of us. No, that one of you wasn't as bad. That one of you was not good.

But that one of me, I looked like a witch coming out of a pie. I didn't know what pie face meant until I saw that picture because this area of your face, this area, the face bit of the face, is coming out of the neck region of the face. So it looks like you're emerging from a pie. I tell you what's happened is, it had caught you in a moment of joy.

Joy. I thought I was looking, yeah. In my head I was happy. Well, you were happy. But what's happened so often? when we're happy or when we're caught off guards and we're not in charge of... We're not in charge of what our face is doing.

We've let... Our face is doing its own thing. Why would anyone, anyone put that fucking picture on the internet? I mean, if you were a photographer, right? We've talked about this. I took some pictures of some people on the red carpet. Because this is what happens, right? When you get to be a D-list celebrity,

sometimes you get free tickets for a show and in exchange, you have to take... Someone has to take your picture on a carpet and you go do you know what fuck it for a few tickets we went to see Cirque de Sollil I was like I love Cirque de Solil they gave me four three CERC to Soleil Oh yeah that's what I mean

Yeah I went to see them Cirque de Solio I'd love to see Cirque de Solio It's a different show but yeah it's worth going to say Yeah So you're on the red carpet Barnsley isn't it? You're one of the ladies boys of Bangkok

Me and my mate used to have The Lady Boys of Barnsley. Anyway, so we were at the Cirque de Soleil. Yeah. What are they called? Serc de Soleil. Serks de Soleil. And then you have to get your photograph taken and you think, fine.

I don't mind that. I wore a sparkly top and I wore what I thought was a reasonably glamorous coat. It was. It was. Oh, Jesus, Jen. I look like I'm falling pissed out of the bingo. It's horrific. Look, there's nothing wrong with the coat.

I think what's happened there is a lot wrong with the coat. It makes me look five times bigger. I look like a unit in that coat. It's a fur coat. What do you want from a fur coat? They make everyone look a bit more like a unit. And there was, don't get rid of the fur coat. The fur coat is, in, in, look, I was, I'm just going to say that the composition of that

photograph all around is an error. And that's on the photographer, to be fair. That's not on you. That's on the photographer. I put that on the internet. I don't know why they put this on the internet. Look, that photograph that I. showed you of me at a gig that I did last week that was put on Instagram as if and I said oh you

chose that one the delete button wasn't working when you saw that and they went oh we like it do you want us to take it down and I thought don't be a prick and go yeah take it down so I thought I'll just leave it but I I do think yes obviously take it down of course take your eyes to look at the photograph see that I look fucking awful and take it down I mean it's like oh you know I don't want to get into the realm of like oh you know what i might get botox and blah all that shit right no we're not doing that i can i'm i'm comfortable with my age i'm comfortable mostly with my face but a photograph like that is what the fuck just delete it it's it's a tricky it's a tricky photograph um to to to defend um that's for sure but but but but what i will say

Is that any, any of us, obviously not really, not really, lots, lots of people, they know what their face is doing all the time. But for you and I, who, to be fair, you and I, it's partly our responsibility. To learn how to not look like we're coming out of a part. We need to get a photo face. Now, you don't have a photo face. No, I need a photo face. And I don't have a photo face.

So that when every. So is it about angles? It's about angles. What is your good side? It's about learning how to position your chin. Now, everyone I know. Smiling without showing your teeth. I think might be a key thing for me.

Well, there's... Like this. So, so, oh, yes. But they're not just like I'm smelling... You do look like something... You smell something that you don't like. Yeah, yeah. But, well, maybe don't...

Maybe turn your lips up a bit, so you're half... Fuck, yeah, that's creepy. Well, you know, it might need a bit of work. It might need a bit of work. Well, is there anyone offering this as a service? Because I need help. I need help. You need to.

Because I do like free tickets. I like free tickets. I like free tickets. So I do want to keep taking the free tickets. No, no, the free tickets. Free tickets mean red carpet. Red carpet means photographs. Photographs go on the internet.

I don't want to look like a woman coming out of a pie. So I need to have a system. Okay, right. What we need to do, and I'm going to include myself in this because I also need to learn how to do this, is there needs to be some basic examination of people that are doing it right. So we need to go on the interweb and look at women on red carpets and see what they're doing with their heads.

You'll notice they're always doing this. They're doing different things with their heads. Like chin up. chin down to the side. And you've got to naturalise that, haven't you? You've got to get there and then poise yourself and not go, don't go. Like you're doing robotics.

I mean, clearly what I think I'm doing in that picture is that I'm smiling, probably at Ben or the kids or the people I'm with, laughing, trying to look jovial. But we can't have joy. We can't have joy. You've got to take joy out of the equation. The next time you're on the red carpet, don't think about no joy. No joy. Think about what is my face doing? What is my face doing? And then really freeze it into a position and then maybe chin slightly down. Oh Jesus, I'm not going to be able to do this. You can. This just sounds beyond my capability.

Well, obviously, it's beyond your capability. It's beyond your capability. It's beyond my capability. But until we learn to do that, we are going to look like gurning turnips. So we need to make an effort. Okay. Okay. I'm really glad that I've got you as a support for this because it's quite a niche problem. It is a niche problem. But honestly, there's a... some, there was some female American comedians. We need a support group. We need a support group. What we need to do is contact these American comedians, right? It's always the US comics. They usually

really glamorous. Like weirdly glamorous, right? But they've had work done, I think. Possibly, possibly, but they still look great. And they're on the red carpet and they look obviously their outfits look incredible. They've got legs. I mean, I know we've got legs, but they've got. I know, but we have got legs. But, um, and their face

Maybe we need to do, but that's the other thing. It's because we haven't frozen our face. If we need to freeze it, then the trouble is your forehead moves and that's where you're going wrong. The forehead was the least of my problems with that picture. It was all below the nose where the problems were. It was all this shit. The chin was all this jowly shit. Yeah, but you don't see that usually.

So it was quite, that was quite something to bring that up to the surface. Yes. So to really squish your face down. And it was plastercine to encourage that to like burnish. That was, that was. Pie. Which coming out of pie. Which coming out of pie.

That's what I'm going to call my next tour show, which coming out of a pie. I can't wait to hear it. It's going to be a, and I can't wait to see the poster. If that is the poster, I'm going to use that picture as my poster. I don't think. I don't think there's going to get a lot of traction to come to see that show. Well, the people that put those things up, can you buy it? Can I buy that picture?

Can I buy that picture to come off? I don't think you can buy it to come off. You can buy the picture and then you can own the picture. No, I want to pay for it to come off. That's a sorry state of affairs, isn't it? When you're having to bar, when your own face is being held hostage on the internet. So you've got to buy your face off a photographer. Tell that to Pamela Anderson.

Why? Did she have a pie face situation? No, but she had a whole video out there for ages. She didn't want out. You've got to get in contact with Getty image. and say to them, listen, just a little, I wonder if this is possible. They've got a photo of me.

Can we take that down? I mean, you've got a lot of sort of semi-shit ones, keep them, but that really shit one, let's say that's over the line. They've got the one of you and I together on Getty. Oh, that one. That's another one where I feel like, oh, we do look like some ladies coming out of the bingo on that one.

Well, neither of us look great. Neither of us look like we've ever dressed to leave the house before. I'm wearing boots and don't go with the trousers. You know one told me that. And in our defence, that wasn't long after lockdown, so we really weren't used to get dressed. We were just happy to be out of the house.

But what I think is interesting is that a few people tell me I look nice and how I don't trust anyone anymore. I thought you did look nice. No. This is the problem. Mirrors and cameras are two separate kingdoms. Shut them down. They don't communicate with each other.

Mirror says you look alright. camera says you fucking don't mirror's like looking pretty good this term resolve camera's like which coming out of a pie yeah it's well it's a lesson learned isn't it right who are we talking to

we're talking to Joel Domit oh my goodness this was fun this was a lot of fun you and I's reaction to some of his stories was gold we just was like okay okay can we just unpack that Joel Can we just rewind Joel?

Just talk me through that again, Joel. And what were you thinking when you did that, Joel? Was there any thought processes? I love him. I love him. This was so much fun and his stories were utterly brilliant. And this is us talking to Joel Domit. So, Joel, you are one of the busiest men in comedy.

And you're on our screens. Are you, are you not, are you touring? any point soon? I think I might tour at the end of the year. I might do. But you're not? I might leave it till 2025. I'm not sure.

Oh, leave it to 2025. That's what I'm thinking. You're a busy man. You just had a baby. Yeah, I might just enjoy this year. You have just had a baby. Well, your wife's just had a baby. So it's nice just to be bobbing around for the first year, I think.

Yeah, okay, that's good advice. This is some feedback here. She's like a guru. She's like a life coach. She is. She is a baby skinned. guru. I have.

That's your next show title. No babies were skinned in the in the making of this lesbian. And we've got a photograph here. We don't have any pictures from when you're a baby. We've got a picture here from when you are pretty young. How old are you in this picture here? So yeah, that wonderful photo. You don't, I don't think you'll know the person in the middle.

No, I don't. You know both of the others. Yeah. Who's the one on the right, Kerry? Why can't I don't I know who that is Who's that?

I can't think of their name Who is that person on the right? Oh don't This is really bad I feel like just someone Who's memory's gone I'm going to say this I'm going to say this to both of you

Yeah And it's going to blow Your goddamn dicks off Go Who is it It's Tom Allen Oh my God Oh my God

Tom Tom With hair What happening It's mad, right? Yes. Because I couldn't place him. I was like, I know him, I know him, I know him.

And I do know him, but not with hair. It's mad. So that's where I first met Tom. Tom looks like he's 44. What's going on? He looks younger now. Yeah, that's the mad thing. He looks like older there than he does now.

He looks 20 years younger now. And where are you? What's the circumstance? So that is in National Youth Theatre. So we went a National Youth Theatre was basically the first time I'd ever really been to London. I auditioned from where? Where did you grow up? Bristol. Right. And I was sort of interested in like the thing that I enjoyed most at school was was doing the theatre drama stuff. Yeah. And so my my drama teacher sort of said you should like you should do a thing for National Youth Theatre just go and audition and I went in an audition for it. And I got into. to go and do their summer course, which was in London in Tuffnell Park. And it was a two-week course.

And so you just go to London for like two weeks. And I hadn't been away for that long, away from my parents. I just can't think of another time where I would have been away from my parents for that long. And you were how old? 19, I think. Right. And so went to London and stayed in Tuffield Park. And I just felt like it was amazing because I met.

suddenly these people where I was like, oh, these are like my people, like my people. Like different weird. It's the first time where I ever came away from school where it's all a mix, mash of loads of different people with different interests going somewhere. We're like, oh, all these people have the same interest. We're all fucking narcissists. But really interesting narcissists. And we, I met Tom Allen there.

Tom had been there a couple of years, I think. and he was sort of like basically like helping out and helping with like the classes and stuff. And honestly it was just the most amazing time. I met someone there called, his name was Tobin. He was like he was just immediately the coolest person there. Like yeah, in this class, he had it. He was very cool. He's from southeast London and he sort of had tattoos when he was like 19.

and I was just like you've just had a really... Someone who can just wear a hat. Oh my gosh, to wear a hat. And just not look like a twat. Exactly. And anyway as well. Sideways, backwards, frontways. All the angles.

Naked, just covering his dick. Like, it's unbelievable. He carries it anyway. And that is a tricky look. And so he was the... I met this guy Toby and I was like, this guy's so cool. I like gravitated towards... He had a real like.

like southeast London accent. Like he just like, it was just the coolest guy. And so I sort of basically just ended up getting, becoming friends with him. And then I eventually said to him like, oh, I don't know. I broke up with a girlfriend, I think, in Bristol. And I was, I was like, I'm moving to London. Gonna do it. Wow.

So I did just, I moved to London. With a plan? What I was going to do? No plan. So you didn't. You didn't have like a, like you weren't going to start a course. You hadn't got a place in drama school or? Nothing.

I could, I tried to get into drama school and I didn't like do it. Like none of them wanted me. So like I, um, uh, so I, I just, I moved into Toby's house. That was all, that was the only thing I'd thought about. What was his living arrangements? He just lived in a house show or with his mom and dad at a house. And he lived in a house where his mom had moved to a different house down the road. or something.

What? And yeah, it was like really... Sounds very bohemian. Yeah, it was like... And so I moved into a spare room in his house. And I didn't have a job. Didn't have a job. And I rented his spare room for 60 pounds a month.

What? Flipping egg. That's not rent. That's how he landed on your feet, Joel. And I remember at the time thinking that was expensive. And like, I remember, Well, it is when you haven't got a job. Yeah, yeah.

And so I sold my car, I think, in Bristol. And so I knew that I sort of had like a decent amount of like a six months straight. Six months or something. Yeah. And and so I lived, I lived in London and I had no idea what was doing. All I used to do was basically I used to go to like the two places that I thought London was. And that was, uh, Leicester Square and Camden. Camden. I knew Camden would be one of them.

I just used to go that. There's any two places. Just used to like sit. And where? Just by the road. Honestly, I used to just sit by the road. And like, and I, I, you shouldn't hang around in Camden. You can end up with a web face tattoo or a drug habit.

Anything can happen if you loiter in Camden. And that's where the story starts. And stand up's not in the. picture at this point. Not in the picture at this point at all. I was very interested in comedy, I think, and that sort of came, and I suppose I sort of came from having that time. I just was doing nothing. So I kind of, I remember I used to just watch, I used to go to Lester Square. I used to just walk around Lester Square and then go home. And then, and then watch Anchorman once a day. Did you get sad? Not really. No. You are a lucky man that this didn't get you.

down because this is sounding bleak. I mean, I think rituals are important. I think it's good to have a sort of a sort of basic kind of timetable but this is this is, this is seems like it's slipping into somewhere dark. I just walk around.

Just walk around Lester Square. What were you doing? Phases of my life where I've walked around London and I've been sad. Yeah, I've realised that I was 60 pounds away from being a homeless person. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. I'm so close to being like a complete...

How are you feeding yourself? What were you feeding? I was, at the start, my dad used to give me a massive Christmas cake at Christmas because I once said I liked Christmas cake. And you know what dad's do? And then you're like, oh, I kind of like Christmas cake. I kind of like it, but I don't like it that much. Exactly.

For the next 15 years, massive Christmas cake. But you were living on it? He used to give me this massive Christmas cake. And I used to just take a chunk off every day and then just used to eat that. And I know it sounds like I'm lying. It sounds like I'm lying, but I genuinely used to live off that for at least a month. Joel, you... Were they worried about you?

Not really. I just kind of lived my life. Did you not, like, mix it up with a couple of slices of toast, or was it... Did you have... What about diabetes? Well, it's got... There's fruit in it. There's fruit, isn't it?

Yeah, that's five a day. One of your five a day. Yeah. It's five a day and sort of, you know, doused in brandy. Just speaking as a parent, if my kid... that I'd be like oh shit Joel's gone down to London and he's living on Christmas cake and he hasn't got a job I was trying I was plan I was trying to I sort of did have a goal I suppose and the goal was like the acting thing because like that's what Toby did

and I was obsessed with him and I was like I want to try and get into drama school so he was kind of helping me go he got into Rada oh wow and I was like obsessed with like I was like where is he now though where is he now I think he direct stuff Just because you don't know where he is, Jen. It doesn't mean that he's not successful. Where are any of us to be there? This is what I find a lot. Me and my husband are like, where is Flim Flam?

What happens to Flim Flam? And then we Google Flim Flam and they're in a Netflix. Like they're on season 10 of a really successful TV show. That's true. It's a, he was like, he was so cool. But was he a good mentor? Was he like someone useful? Yeah.

Yeah, he was really nice. And but because he was successful, he got into Rada. In my head, in my 19 year old head, I was like, I have to be like him to be successful and to be a good actor. So I then, for the next year and a half, started to speak with a full South East London accent. Because you haven't got a Bristol accent. So some of it stayed with you. How did it sound, Joel? It's right. Now, this is the bad thing, because I've got a recording of it. And it's not, it's not that funny. So I wouldn't even like play it for you. Because it's just genuinely like the most excruciating thing to hear. But I for my 21st birthday

party, I went, I had a 21st birthday party in my garden back home in Bristol. And bear, right, I got my friends from Bristol there, my granny's there, all of my people from Bristol, my family. I've got a recording of the speech I did that. And it's about 10, minutes long and the entire thing is in a southeast London action. Oh no job. That is excruciating. I'm like talking, I'm from Bristol. Everyone in that, in everyone at that party knows that I'm from Bristol.

And you didn't kind of draw attention to it? I just didn't even think it. I think it was a thing because that was. Yeah. And I'm out there just going, I just want to like thank my granny. She's like here tonight. She's like, well good man. Like she's just been there for me.

and my dad he's like bought me like he's made like piqu and pies for tonight dad shout out to the peaking pies like he's saying wicked all the time i'm like oh man this so wicked like tonight and no one gave you any shit for it nobody nobody wow that's the first person do you not have any siblings this is this is this is i've got a brother who's so bristolian it's unbelievable and so I've, um, the only person who brought me, who sort of brought attention to it and, and stops me from doing this is the, this is the day that I stopped having a South East London accent. Um, he, Toby had an agent and he got an agent and it was Curtis Brown. I think it's quite a big agent now. And, uh, and it was like, obviously it's a huge thing to get an agent,

isn't it? When you're like trying to be an actor or all this stuff. And so, uh, Toby got me a meeting with his agent and I was like oh my god this is my opportunity this is like that is big this is you I was like oh my god this is like my opportunity this is going to be wicked this is going to be wicked man I cannot wait like Curtis Brown yeah um and so I went to this meeting at Curtis Brown I remember it so well this meeting and as he was sort of looking through my CV and those that massive headshot that you have of that point and um he was like you're from brist it says you're from Bristol. Like why? And he knows Toby. So he's like, why are you speaking like Toby if you're from Bristol? And in my 19 year old, 20 year old, 21 year old head, however old I'm like, I'm panicking so

hard and just like, I don't know what to say. I've like been caught out. And I hadn't even been thinking about the fact that I've been doing it. And this is, I then said back to him. And I will cringe about this for the rest of my life. He went, why are you speaking in a South London accent? And there was a long pause. And I just went, I went, I don't know, blood. In full seriousness. What possessed you to do that?

What was you thinking? Joel, I'm so sorry, but I think I need to take a break here to fully take in everything that you've just said. People have shame evoking stories. it is but my god i've come out in hives i can't i can't hear anymore what did he say in response to that just get out get out he did he did end it was literally like that this is over that like i wrote it was so but it was so pivotal in my life because it was that moment where someone like literally like slapped you around the face with a fish and went what the fuck are you doing this isn't who you are what are you doing But like you're so insecure.

You're just like attaching yourself to anyone at that point. And you just don't have no idea. When we're 21, I mean, we were talking about this earlier, Kerry, weren't we? We were like looking back at who we were at 21. So young. Oh my God. And also at 21, you have this idea that you are an adult. Yeah.

When you're not an adult. Like you really don't know anything. You're still pretty much a child. And so. I'm like literally walking around Camden. and like with a South East London accent, eating Christmas case. It was Christmas cake.

It was Christmas cake. You're going to be an actor. And then you get a chance and then you do that. What did you do that for? Is it, Blad? I don't know, Blad. How did you come back from that? You can't.

You didn't. I didn't. I never got, I definitely didn't, they didn't sign me up. That's for sure. Fly the seven-time world's best leisure airline champions, Air Transat. Check out the big stars. big series and blockbuster movies. Streaming on Paramount Plus.

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That was awesome. Now that's a mountain of entertainment. Paramount Wolf. It's hockey season, and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost, almost anything. So no, you can't get a nice rank on Uber Eats. But ice tea, ice cream, or just plain old ice? Yes, we deliver those. Gold tenders, no. But chicken tenders, yes. Because those are groceries, and we deliver those too. Along with your favorite restaurant food, alcohol and other everyday essentials. Order Uber Eats now. For alcohol, you must be legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly. Product availability varies by region. See app for details. Joel, we've got you in London now. So you're 21 and you've been walking around Lester Square for two years eating Christmas cake.

At what point do you decide? Okay, so this acting thing, it doesn't look like it's going to happen. Yeah. Standing on a, sitting on a park bench on Camden Lock. When do you think, right, when does comedy, when does comedy start to emerge? I was like, just turning a living, just getting. a job. Wendy's getting a job.

Wendy's paying for this goddamn room. I managed to get on a play so I did this play at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. Okay. It's quite a reputable. How did that happen?

Actually, it was a part that Toby used to play and then he went to Rada so I auditioned for it and got it. Oh, okay. Well, you were emulating him. Yeah. You were doing him.

They were like, well, this is a perfect fit. is like, is the same. John is Toby's, your understudy in life, literally. Yes, that's it. And, um,

you're born for it. I was born for it, man. I was born for it. I had, in fact, it's another photo that I'm going to send you. Because I had,

uh, I had, right, you're going to love, you're going to love this. You're going to absolutely love this. Right. This is me when I was doing this play.

Um, Oh my God, this is great. This is great stuff. Okay, here we go. Okay. Oh, my God. Jen Brister, I've sent this to you. Okay, I'll forward it.

Right, here we go. This is me when I was doing that play. Oh, my God. Right, put that on the WhatsApp. Fucking hell. Sorry, but what the fuck. Oh, my God. I don't think.

That should ever see the light of day. No, that 100% needs to come out. You've got cornrows. Cornrows. Yeah. That's not okay, Jal. Is it not okay? I don't know what's become sort of, you know, bad and what's acceptable.

Well, you're acting. It's a part. You're acting. It's a part and your part demanded cornrows and you gave it. But that does not, this is like Tom Allen all over again. That is not look like you. No, it's changed your whole. your whole face is completely different.

It is because it stretches it back. It's like I've had a fucking facelift. Yeah, Croydon facelift. And the brows as well. Yeah, the brows. Got like the slices in the eyebrow. The tiny little beard. But you must have felt like a proper like this is it now.

I'm an actor. I'm an actor in London. I'm in a play. I'm on a salary. I assume they paid you. Yeah, they paid me. And I was like, oh my God. And you know, those little bit,

when it was like, well, probably would probably would in like 300 quid a week or something like that. And you're like, oh my God, I'm rich. Like, yeah. Yeah. Especially if your rent is only 60 quid a month. You are. Yeah.

But you can live on Christmas cake. Insane. And prior to this, it was NYT and then this. That was the jump. Basically, there was a few little plays that I did, but like really small ones. Fringe stuff. Yeah. And it just was like, it was like interesting because I was in this like little like thing

of auditioning and trying to do all this stuff. And I was like finding my way in that world. Yeah. And it was interesting. but like I just never felt like I fitted in. Like I really, even though I felt like it was, I'd getting closer to like finding my people. I just felt like everyone took themselves so serious.

And I was like, oh, like, I always felt like I was pretending. I never felt like I was myself. Yeah. Well, looking at that picture, you weren't. Yeah. It's so weird to look at that photo. I think, I'm not myself in that photo. You know what I mean?

It's interesting to look back at that. Yeah, what an observation. Very insightful. And then I went to Edinburgh with a play. Right. And then I watched, then I read, that was sort of the moment I realized I wanted to be a comic because I had, it was at the Pleasance this theater, this, this show. And I had the Pleasance pass. And you're just going to watch loads of stand up.

All I did was watch stand up. I didn't watch one play the entire time I was there. I did that as well. I went with a play early on and was just, I was just watching stand up. Yeah. And you know you're in the wrong gang. You're like, I want to be that gang. Yeah.

I'm in the wrong gang. I'm in the wrong gang. So this picture of you and Susie, is this like early on in that journey? Oh, yeah, that's very early on on that journey. So like, I mean, Susie started a bit after me. So maybe I would have been going a couple of years when she sort of started. So you've seen all this comedy. You're like inspired.

How the hell do you end up on stage? I, um, it was a really, weird one actually because I I went to I went to America so I went to America so like I got I had this money from this play that I did and I was like wow I've never had like one thousand five hundred pounds in my bank account this is incredible because you'd never had a job Joel no I've never had a job you'd never worked I was like think of all the Christmas cake I combined with you Joel, honestly, I would have loved to have met you at like 19, 2021, just this little naive.

Yeah, so naive. Sweet little boy going, I guess I've, I guess with £1,000, I can go to America. That's literally it. I love it. I love it. I don't know how I've got this foreign life without being like murdered. Do you know what I mean? So what, you went to L.A. with it?

Or you thought I wouldn't have a crack at that? I went to L.A. I went to L.A. I had a friend of a friend who had like a house there and he wasn't at that house for like the summer or something. And it was right in West Hollywood. Oh, lovely. I was like, can I just like stay in your house while you're not there? And he was like, yeah, it's fine.

And so I was like, great. So I just bought, I bought the tickets out there. And I couldn't afford a higher car or rental car, whatever they call it there. And so I didn't realize until you sort of get there that you're like, like I can't travel around anywhere because like it's so fucking massive. Yeah. But I couldn't. So I just used to walk everywhere and someone would be like, you know, oh, you should go to this thing at this place.

And then I'd be like, okay, cool. And I'd get my rucksack and three hours later I'd fucking arrive. It's not safe. There's so many parts of L.A. that you could be in a safe part of L.A. and then walk a couple of blocks in one direction. You'd be like, oh, you should not be here. How long are you in Hollywood?

So I was in LA for, I didn't, I didn't buy a ticket home. So I was like, I don't really know what I was doing. Joe. I don't, honestly, and I had no idea. But you can't work there. It's like, I know I haven't got a visa. So how are you going to make money to get your flight back? Because I've got a thousand pounds.

Jesus Christ. This is the most money I've ever had. And so I don't spend much. So you didn't have a lead? You didn't have any agents or meetings or anything? I had, I had, I had an agent. at that point and he said that he was going to set me up with a few meetings. Right.

And it was, but it was at that point, it was either just finished or it was just about to begin. It was bad timing. It was that first strike that had happened. Oh, yeah. Strike or whatever or writer strike. And so basically no one was really like doing that stuff and meetings and things. Great timing. Yeah.

So basically I went to L.A. For like, I think I was there for like two months. During the writer's strike. basically during the writer strike and I had one meeting with someone who told me I should go and get a tan and that was it. That was basically it.

Oh my God. But while I was there, the house was super close to the laugh factory. So the only thing that was walkable distance to the house that I was in was the laugh factory. So I'd go there and I sort of kept on hanging around

and the cheap night that was really like, or it wasn't even the night, it was the bit before the night was the open mic. And so I'd go to that because it was like literally like nothing to get in because they just needed audience members. So I would just go to that and watch that.

And again, I didn't really realize at that point that it was something that you could do until suddenly you watch people who are shit. And then you're like, oh, shit people do this. Maybe I could do this. And so I just would watch these open mics. And I remember every time they would be like, oh, when are you on? And I was like, oh, I'm not. I'm just watching.

and they'll be like, you're watching. I was like, yeah, nobody watches these shows. And I'd be like, oh, I would just sit there for a couple of hours, just watching them pull someone out of the hat and do all that stuff. And then before I came home, I was like, oh, I think I'm going to go home. It's not really like sort of what I imagined this trip was going to be. Weird that.

It was going to be my big breakthrough, you know, weirdly. Just me just, because I imagined that I was going to walk around the streets of L.A. And Steven Spielberg was going to be like, you, you are. You fit my movie. Come with me. Joel, you didn't get a job in Sainsbury's walking around Lester Square. So how are you going to get? Mind you, he did get a play.

I mean, you do see, like, there is, I know it's, but you have also been very lucky as well. These are kind of amazing experiences, aren't they? It's ridiculous. You've got to throw yourselves into these ridiculous things. Yeah. Then I said, I thought, I had, so I bought a plane ticket home. I think it was in two weeks. And I was like, I haven't achieved anything.

I can't go home. having not achieved anything. Yeah. And it felt like I was like a failure, you know, because I was like, I'm going to go to America and break America. During the actor's strike with a thousand pounds. And I, uh, so I thought, you know what? I'm going to do stand up before I go home.

And then so I went to this other place. I sort of Googled open mic stuff and then, um, I went to this one that was again just right up the road, uh, called the Rainbow in. on Sunset Boulevard and you go there and you pay your $10 or whatever it is like it was $5 or something

and then you, I was on in between music acts so you'd have a music act and then a comedian and a music act and comedian and a music act and comedian. Yeah. And it was like a pay to play thing

and there was no one there watching like there was people would literally like the band would go on and then they would all just leave. And like so there was no one really there. And which makes it less scary. Less scary. Yeah.

Yeah. But equally. harder. It's harder to do a game. At this stage, you've never done it in the UK. So you're starting out in the States. Yeah, so I did that. What was your set? I remember practicing it all day and it was all like, I remember it started out with me doing an American accent and then being like, ha ha, I'm actually English. And I was like, oh, that's fucking shit, isn't it? But like, I don't know, it's probably all of overtly, you know, when people first start, it's all about sex and poo essentially, isn't it?

Yep. And nothing's changed, really. So, great to be. They're the best jokes. And then I went back the week after and did it again. I felt like it went well enough that I was like, oh. And it made you excited. Maybe excited.

Real cheesy thing. I remember walking back along Sunset Boulevard, there's like stars on the pavement, you know, sort of vibes. Yeah. To the point, it's far enough down Sunset Boulevard that it's stars of people that you don't recognize. But I remember walking along, Santa Boulevard after doing this first gig and be like,

this is the missing piece of the puzzle. This is what I've always wanted to do. It felt like to me, acting was really hard because I was like, I didn't feel like I was working towards anything. There was nothing that like I could learn. I wasn't like, I felt like I could try and do like lessons and stuff.

But then a six-year-old kid would come along and be better than you, you know? So I was like, you have no control, do you at all? No. I just felt like as soon as I started to start and I was like, oh, this is it. I can, this is something I can get better at and learn how to do. Yeah. And, you know, just enjoy, and just enjoy the process of it, whether it leads to anything or not. Can you explain this picture of you, Anish?

That is me, a niche. We did this weird travel show. Was that for, um, was that for Dave? It was for Comedy Central. Comedy Central. And it was just one of those weird things, which like... You both look really confused. Very confused.

Very confused. Welcome to telly. Stick this hat on. Go to Peru. This is the job. We just had this mad thing where I couldn't believe they made two series of it. We end up, I probably been doing stand up for, well, that's it. I must have been doing stand up for like eight years by that point.

Again, it's that weird thing where you feel like it's, overnight success, but it's just like, it takes so long, you know, eight years, stand up, you know, laughing, eight years is a long time, doing all your Edinburgh shows every year and trying to do all that and trying to figure out what it is you want to do. And, and actually, for me, it was really interesting because I felt like I had that initial little bit, you know, when you're a new act and you have excitement around you and you had like, it felt really exciting. I did Russell Howard's Good News when I've probably been doing it for about three or four years. And I was like, oh my God, this is happening. I'm on 10.

Whoa. And then I just kind of like suddenly I wasn't new anymore. Well, we were just talking about this. We feel like you go from hot newcomer and now we feel like veteran. Yeah. And we're like, where is. Where's the bit in between, John? Where's the bit in between?

It's the same as, it's the same as porn, isn't it? Is that right? You have young or milf. Where's the bit in between? Yeah. We're very much leaning into milf. We've gone. We're over.

So you did two series of that. And I've seen some other photographs over the years. And that's that as well, is it? Yeah, that's us in a back of the truck with a AK-47. Don't you, like I seem to remember there was one where you were wrestling. You had to wrestle. Yeah. What was that?

I had to, it was basically that the idea for the show was we went all around the world, finding the toughest tribes in the world. And we would live with them for a week. And I would do all the tough things. and then Nish would do all the sort of more sort of like stuff, lifestyle stuff with them. And it was so fun. And I was part of the process of coming up with the show.

So I remember in my flat in London at this point, I saw I had a flat. We did a teaser for the show where we had some, some Mongolian wrestlers come to my flat. And we wrestled on the floor of my flat. And they filmed it. This is where we're going on, Kerry. Of course this got picked up. Of course this got picked up.

If I saw that as a toaster, I'd be like, yeah, commission that. 100%. I want more of that. I love it. I would love to see that teaser now. It's literally on the flat. My neighbour came up halfway through and complained because I was making so much noise. But was that in the teaser as well?

I hope so because they literally knocked on the door. And then they came in and there's two massive Mongolians in these tiny little blue pants. And we're like, oh, we're making a teaser. But that's telegold. That's exactly why it works because it isn't all glossy and like not real. It's it's exactly what's brilliant about it. We went to you so you when you thought, okay,

this is going to be the transition now from live stand up into the kind of work you do now. Yeah, I suppose so. I was just like what was I suppose the sort of big the big sort of transition point was then because we did the first episode was Mongolia. So we went to Mongolia and made this first episode. And then the second episode was going to be in Kenya. And that was like just after, it was like December something, like December 12th or

something like that. And then my agent was like, look, would you be interested in doing the jungle? And as in now, I'm a celebrity jungle. And I was like, oh. I completely forgot about this. Of course you did the jungle. Yeah. Were you like one of the first comedians to do it? Sorry, my voice has got very high pitched. Jen's really excited. No, because it set a precedent.

You going into the jungle and everything that happened afterwards, which will obviously get to. But was there anyone that went in before you? Not really. Basically, no comedians have done it since Rona Cameron. And like, Rona. Wow.

So it was like this big thing because like, it became this big sort of like no-no in the comedy world that you don't do reality television because it had kind of just been very difficult for people earlier on and it basically it was this hiatus where it genuinely it was about 10 years where no one did did any reality television from the comedy world you just don't mix those two things and and so everyone would always turn you know people would turn it down because you'd be like ha ha I got offered it No, you know, it was always a funny thing. And I remember, I went to Melbourne Comedy Festival and I watched this guy called Joel Creasy do a show.

It was this huge theatre. And I was like, who is this guy? What's he done? Like, who is the? And someone said to me like, oh, he did the Australian version of the jungle last year. And that's why he's playing this room. And I was like, oh, my God. Like, why is no one in the UK doing this?

And like, I get it. But that snobbery, you get that. It's interesting though, isn't it? Because now everyone's putting stuff on socials and they're all want like, now it's like, fuck it, I'll do what I have to do. Yeah. And I say, I just like, well, maybe we should do it.

And I said maybe I don't know whether we can actually fit it in in terms of the schedule because of the, I was in Mongolia and then I was here and I was all that shit. And he was like, weirdly, it fits in exactly in the middle. It's like you would have to go straight from Mongolia, but you could go straight from Mongolia to Australia. and then you come home for three days and then you go straight to Kenya.

How do you reckon? What do you reckon you should do it? And I was just like, fuck it, yeah, let's do it. And I did it. And I remember sort of saying to a few people that I did it. I remember it was like a comedian's football and people were like, oh, and everyone was just like, ha ha, ha, you shouldn't do it.

Like, what are you doing, man? Like, it's just, this is going to, everyone was like, this is going to ruin your career. And, um, and I just... Comedians are great, aren't they? Yeah. So, encouraging. What a supportive network of people.

But then as soon as I was on it, everyone was like, oh, there you go. You played a blinder, mate. Yeah. Tim's new Cravable Raps are made for the times your boss said the what now? Or your teacher mentions that thing I'm a bob. Need to pick me up. Snack back to reality with Tim's new craveable wraps available in Chipotle or Ranch. Plus tax at participating restaurants in Canada for a limited time.

We're going to wrap up with this. We've got this. I'm going to do a three in one photo. We're going to do three photos in one. Just because Kerry's got to go to her show. This has been ages. I'm sorry. No, no.

This has been. Thank you so much, John. This has been absolutely fantastic. So I want to talk about, firstly, we're looking at this photograph, which is you getting married to your wife, Hannah, which was where was that? There was a mickinous. Oh, it looks like on the set of Survivor. It looks fantastic. That's a great picture.

I mean, what a great picture. This looks like it could be from Hello. Hello magazine. Do you know what I mean? Is it from Hello magazine? Is it from Hello magazine? It was offered, but we decided to do it. Was it?

You don't need to take it. No, we wanted to, because, you know, it's a nice publication or that. But it gets to the point where they start sort of going like, oh, we'd like these people to be on the guest list. I've heard this before they tell you who to invite and suddenly your mum's out and they're like, how did that happen? To be honest, if that was the choice, I would say absolutely. You're going to be fine about it yet. You know what I mean. Just to let you know, my mum is now Noel Gallagher.

Then we see the picture of the Athena poster here. Oh my God. When was your son born? September last year. September last year. So he's like four and a half months old. It's still a blob. In terms of the full circle of the story, I'll tell you the story.

And then we can be done. Okay. I feel like I was really. lucky that Wilde at this point in my life. And I, um, you know, for various reasons and Hannah, Hannah, Hannah's had like a rocky through years with her mom having a stroke and all of this. It's been like a mad, mad couple of years of COVID and all this craziness. And so it felt like Wilde was like the absolute light at the end of the tunnel really. And, um, and, uh, we decided and feel very lucky in the position that we, we went privately and had the birth privately.

for various reasons, but also like, I don't want people to shout, take it off, take it off as a-combe. And so we were very lucky in that regard, but it was the most money I've ever spent on anything in my entire life. And I am incredibly tight. I'm so tight, right? Well, you've had to be prudent when you're only, you know, living on Christmas. Yeah, right?

Exactly. I've learned through my career that, you know, I'm so, so, so. I spent, most money I've ever spent on anything that's not a house. And so, but it was an amazing experience. And the birth was very long. And it ended up being about 30 hours long or so. And it was absolutely incredible in the middle of it.

And it was all happening in this room and it was all crazy and, you know, contractions and madness. And I was helping my bed of massaging. I was like 10 machine, all going mad. About sort of 10 hours in this lady. sort of comes in and gives me a sheet of paper and it's a menu and um and i sort of during away from hannah just to make sure she doesn't hear i was like just is this included and um she was like yes it's included and i was like okay cool so i like looked down and then i just basically ticked

what looked like the most expensive thing i'll take the lobster right and uh and then i got got Hannah what I thought was acceptable for her to eat while she was having contractions. And then a couple of hours later was really starting to hot up in there. Like it was really the contractions were coming really thick and fast. She was like the gown had gone. She's on the floor. It's just like just all like like piss everywhere. It goes primal, yeah.

Primal, right? And that's the point where this lady comes back in holding a duck with red wine ju. And she literally looks at it just like, what the fuck is that? And I was like, and I had to say in this voice like, um, it's a duck with a red wine ju. Oh, Joel. And I got her a couple of sandwiches.

I got her ham sandwich. And she was like, you've got me a ham sandwich. And I was like, yeah, because you can hold it. Oh, so considerate. I've been held to it. And I made the whole room. Did you end up wearing the red wine juice? Did you eat it or wear it?

Yeah. I like bunged it in my mouth. And I made, and she hate because for the next four hours, the room just stunk of duck and red wine juice. Listen, you've got to get your money's worth. Got to get money's worth.

You've got a story out of it as well. Well, that's it. That's it. And then so the birth went off for ages. And then she ended up having an epidural and we managed to have like a tiny little sleep. Did you ask when they administered the epidural, is this included? Is this included?

And let me tell you, Kerry, it absolutely was not. Absolutely was not. Those people really charge for their time. Yeah. There's a lot of excellent. And so when Hannah was asleep and I had a little sleep and then I woke up and I was like, I was, I was like, I've just got to get out of this room. I've been in this room for like 30 hours.

Yeah. And they were like, when we wake up Hannah, we're going to go for it. I was like, okay, no worries. And so I just woke up before her and I left the room. I thought, I'm going to get some more food. And this time I'm not going to make the mistake of doing it in the room anymore. I'm just going to get some food next door. They woke up Hannah.

I didn't know that I was next door. They woke Hannah up. And they were like, right, it's time to go. It's time to go. We're doing it. We're doing it. And she was like, okay, cool, cool, cool, cool. And she's epiduraled up and all of that stuff.

And they're like, okay, come and I'm going to push. And she's suddenly like, where's Joel Where is Joel Where is Joel? And then a nurse came in And then a nurse came in and went He's next door having a lamb shank

Oh Joel Thank you so much It's a pleasure It's been so great having you on here Before you go Is there anything else you want to Is there anything you want to promote or talk about It's all right

If you're He doesn't need He doesn't need it It's fine My podcast is nice The mine and my wife's podcast that we do together is really fun. It genuinely just uses it as sort of a way of listening to talk to each other. Yeah.

To talk. And so we do, we have a little trap and it's always nice. What's the podcast called? It's called Never Have I Ever. Never have. Oh, yes, of course it is. Never have I ever. I see the clips up on my Insta.

Never have I ever. Check it out wherever you get your podcast. Joel Domit. It's been such a pleasure to have you. Thank you. Thank you. It's been an absolute pleasure. speak to you both of you. I love you both. I'm huge fans. And I'm very proud of you. Both doing so well.

Thank you. Thank you, my love. I'm Max Rushden. I'm David O'Darney. And we'd like to invite you to listen to our new podcast. What Did You Do Yesterday? It's a show that asks guests the big question. Quite literally, What Did You Do Yesterday? That's it. That is it. Max, I'm still not sure. Where do we put the stress? Is it what did you do yesterday? What did you do yesterday? You know what did you do yesterday? I'm really down playing it. Like, what did you do yesterday? Like, I'm just a guy just asking a question. But do you think I should go bigger? What did you do yesterday?

Every single word this time I'm going to try and make it like it is the killer word. What did you do yesterday? I think that's too much, isn't it? That is over the top. What did you do yesterday? wherever you get your podcasts every Sunday.