That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Chris McCausland

Episode Date: October 31, 2023

Comedian Chris McCausland joins Gaby for a joyous chat about his brilliant life and career. They chat about his early Cbeebies career in TV, his competitiveness, how he preps for live telly and his upcoming tour (which lasts about 10 years!) You can find out more about him - and his upcoming tour - hereAnd we hope you enjoy this joyous chat! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thank you so much for listening to Reasons to Be Joyful. This week, my guest is a complete and utter joy spreader. He is brilliantly funny. He's a joy to be around. He is Chris McCausland. If you don't go and see him on tour, what are you doing with yourselves? But before you book your tickets, have a listen to this. I hope you enjoy it as much as I loved being with him.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I cannot tell you how excited I am, Chris. Because Chris McCawood, my children suddenly think, I'm all right because I'm talking to you. And they were saying to me, do you know, you know, okay, so he's done this, he's done this. And my elder daughter used to watch you on CBB, no, CBB. Yeah, CBBs, CBBs, and your daughter's now a grown adult, which makes me feel ridiculously old. So, yeah, thanks for that. They were talking to me as if they owned you.

It's really funny how people do that with, actually with comedians. It seems to be that people like ownership of a comedian that they found, somebody that they found really funny. And the minute you say, oh, no, no, I've watched them, I know them, I see them, I've seen their shows. Oh, but you haven't known them as long as I have. It's really funny. Did people like that with you?

I used to, on this kid show that we're talking about, back on CBBs, when your daughter would have been probably about four or five years old, I was a character that ran a market stall on this program called Me Too, which in hindsight is the most inappropriately named kids show in history. That was the next conversation I was going to have with you. Yeah, and the thing is now is if you, honestly, if you go on to Google and type in my name, one of the suggestions that comes up with is, do you mean Chris McCorsland, Me Too? And people who don't know the show, they must go, oh my God, what's he done?

Dirty bastards. Okay, we mean two different things. This was the kid's show that you did. Maybe I've got a reputation from people who don't know what the show is. They must think, oh my God. What's he done. But also, sort of coming up to date, the things that were on Channel 4. So wonders, not the, wonders of the world you'll never see.

Wonders of the world, I can't see. You can't see. And also scared of the dark. Yeah. Now, it suddenly brought you to a whole new audience. both of those things and I okay

I'll just put it out there saying it once not going to get too gushy but I loved them and you are so real on television you're so honest and so funny

but that bit doesn't we'll talk about the funny bit after but you're so real oh good I'm glad it's difficult for me to appreciate it because I can't bear to watch myself

you know I've got that thing that most comedians have got where you're watching, you go, why did I say it like that? Why did I? Why did I? Do you really? You do that? You're very critical.

It makes me, yeah, sometimes makes me want to bang my head against the wall, you know? Because you sound, especially when, you know, when I'm, if I watch myself on something to see how I did on it, you know, I'm hearing myself the way I don't usually hear myself. So in your, you know, as you know, in your head, you always sound different. So when you hear yourself on the telly, oh, God, do I really sound like that? Yes, you do, because I've now made you in real life, and that's how you sound on the telly. But can we talk about Scared of the Dark?

Yeah. Because that, it just made us think. And I know it was extraordinary to be a part of, and it was extraordinary to watch. But it made us all think. And how, I mean, for you, it seemed almost life-changing, or is that me being too dramatic? Yeah, so, I mean, just for people listening, Scared of the Dark was on Channel 4 and it was, it was, it ran over six consecutive nights and it was, it was me and seven other people.

Paul Gascoe and Chris Eubank, Scarlett Moffat and a few others in a bunker for eight solid days in complete pitch black. And it was a, you know, a celebrity reality show, I suppose, in the how will we all cope? I was the only one that really, I think I was like the control group, you know, in that. I was the one most adjusted because I can't say anything anyway. But I don't think what we realised is how, you know, how much the others would struggle with it and how kind of how much depth it would have as a program. It surprised us all really the amount of emotion in it, you know.

And it was a real, like a real privilege to be part of it and to get to work with Paul Gascoigne and, you know, as divisive as he is, I will never forget in my life, you know, spending that time with Chris SchuBank. I was extra. Yeah, there's so much I could say, but I'm not going to, because I want to make this about you. But what was so extraordinary was that none of us can imagine

what you went through, when you went through it, and yet these people are going through what you went through. Suddenly can see, can't see. And you're, but you're, the way you mothered them, the way you cared for them. And you kept your humour throughout. And obviously the others didn't, as we witnessed. Yeah, it was a real experience for me as well.

I mean, going into it, I thought, well, as I said, I'll just be the control group. I'll be the most easily adjusted and won't it be funny to see how much they all struggle. But, you know, for me to have the tables turned and to be the most able out of a group of people, and to be somebody who often needs other people's help and assistance and to suddenly be the one who can provide the help and assistance

wasn't really something that I anticipated being such a huge part of the show or the experience and I kind of I reveled in that I think I said in it it felt like a holiday from dependents because usually I'm the one dependent on others, but you've got, you know, world champion Chris Eubank who I have to take the toilet when he needs a wee.

You know, somebody who is so alpha male, who is so, you know, independent, who is so, you know, independent, who is such a big stature of a person who you take this one sense away and he just kind of, you know, almost crumbles into this, into this small. more terrified, more anxious, more embarrassed human being. You know, I think he was scared to make himself look silly at times. And he really struggled. And I mean, it was a real, real experience, you know. But I didn't anticipate what it was going to be before doing it, really.

Do you, I hate it when people ask this. I'm going to ask the question. I hate it when people ask. But do you feel changed after doing that? that show? I would hope that it, it, um, I don't know if I feel changed. I feel like I've experienced something I'll never forget. Okay.

But it's, but I return to normality afterwards, you know. Yeah. And whereas I, I would hope that maybe the others feel more changed because it, it, I think to have, um, have, have a, have a sense. taken away from you in the way that they did is quite humbling, isn't it? You know, to return to normality from their perspective.

So to go back to being able to see and back to being able to doing everything, maybe it changes their perspective and the people watching's perspective on people who are blind. Because going into it, I didn't really think that that's what the show was going to be. It was about halfway through when I was there.

I was like, wow, this is actually going to be a show that is, going to create such a level of awareness in terms of blindness that I don't think you could have done if you'd set out to do it. I don't, if you'd set out, oh, we're going to try and make a show that really creates a level of awareness

about what it's like to be blind. I think it would have been crass. I think it would have been banging the message over the head and wouldn't have had any impact. But because it was almost like a natural byproduct of this experience that we didn't plan on, they kind of just organically materialised. You know what I mean?

It was, I think it was really powerful. And so, you know, I remember being part of that, you know, for the rest of me days. It was, and to have Gaza in me contact list. To be mates with Paul. I was 13 in 1990, you know, and the greatest footballer in the world back then. And now we're in touch, you know.

And, oh, what a joy. What a smile you've got when you mentioned that as well, That's so fabulous. People are never sure. I mean, there are many people who don't know how to interact or how to treat or how to behave or how to be with somebody who is blind. And I think that's what it did. Because you were being so honest, like I said, and with your travel show as well, you're so honest about it. And when we met outside, I just said, you need to take my arm.

And for a second, did you say, no, I don't. don't need help or, you know, nobody's ever quite sure what to say. My friends who are also who are deaf, they say to me, just, I am deaf. So now that's how you treat me, because that is what I am. And I think that people are slightly scared. People don't know whether to overstep or understep the mark. Yeah. It's, I think always, I think really always just ask, you know, Some people will go into, you know, not offer help because they're worried about offering help, whether they're overstepping the mark. And some people will go in too hard and kind of just move you around, just grab you.

Going too hard. I love that. You know, I think you need to be here and just kind of, you know, shuffle you off somewhere else. So I think always just ask, you know, because I need help. You know, I often need assistance and I'm grateful for it a lot of the time. And sometimes I don't, but it's always nice to be asked, you know. So when you went through, you were very young, when you went through losing your sight, I mean, none of us can imagine going through that. And yet here you are on top of it all. You're this celebrated and loved comedian. You made a, you just came out on top from this, Chris. It's fantastic. That's why I'm a super fan. just because also you're very, very, very funny.

So, I mean, I've been doing stand-up for over 20 years now. 20 years, yeah. And so I was blind when I started doing stand-up. And I got into stand-up because I was a fan of comedy. And not because I kind of thought, well, I'll just talk about being blind. So when I started doing stand-up, I didn't mention it, really. And I just did massive Eddie Isard fan. I talked about random stuff.

And my kind of thought in my head was that I kind of, I want to make the audience forget about that aspect of me. And I suppose in one sense, I felt like I was challenging preconceptions that, you know, an audience would think, oh, this is going to be 20 minutes, 30 minutes, a blind joke. So I'll do the opposite. And I will leave them going, oh, that wasn't what I thought it was going to be.

And I think as I got older as well, and you become a dad and you just get a bit more comfortable in your own skin. I look back and I go, well, maybe that was part of it and maybe back then I wasn't as comfortable in my own skin and it was also about making me forget

and make me pretend as that was normal, you know. And but I think that's always, that's always being my aim with everything I've done over the last 20 years and especially now on the telly is, is I like the idea of leaving, of sending out that positive message without sending out a message, if you know what I mean. I do.

People see you on the telly. I think it's more powerful to make people forget about disability than remind them all the time. And so for people to see me getting to do what I lie to you and have I got news for you and all these things, hopefully that kind of sends people away thinking a bit more positively about other people with, you know, disadvantages,

but without actually having to bash them over the edge with it all the time. So I think that's always been quite important to what I've, you know, the approach I've tried to take really. It's quite a, you've got to have big balls, quite frankly, to do stand up. All of, every comedian that I've ever spoken to and everyone who does it. I mean, I always say the same thing, so apologies,

but how the hell? I mean, it's terrifying. What happens if people don't laugh? I mean, you know, so when I started doing it, like, as I said, I was always a huge comedy fan. Stand-up was, I just loved it. I didn't decide to get into stand-up as a, like, oh, I'm going to be a comedian.

I did it as a one-off bucket list there to say that I'd done it. That was literally my only goal was to write five minutes. I went to open mic gigs and real kind of lower end of the circuit, newcomer gigs.

Because when you think of comedy, especially through the 90s for me, your exposure to it is just the people you see on the telly who were at the top of their game. You think I could never do that. And you're terrified of giving it a go and being rubbish

because you kind of think people will be pointing me in the street for years to come going and that was the fella that was the, it was him, it was him and I went to watch these kind of low-end open mic gigs and I saw people

dying on their ass and by the time I left I couldn't even remember their name and I thought well that's how safe it is it's even if it's so interesting that's how you thought of it even if it's terrible it's terrible for 10 minutes

and then no one's going to remember they even saw me so that was the approach to having a go now even when it came around to the first day of doing it I've got no performance skills going into it before this apart from early school nativities you know and so I was I mean I took two days off work I was so sick

what beforehand oh yeah yeah yeah yeah I was you know but it was just something I wanted to say I'd done and I got enough laughs and I thought you know what I'll do that again and then again and and and it'd be became a hobby then. So, okay, so after the first one, you just thought I enjoyed that so much, I'm going to do it again.

It was as simple as that. Yeah, it was literally, that wasn't that bad. That was quite fun. I got enough laughs. Let's have another go. With the same stuff at the same place? Or different new? Different place.

And I think, you see, back then, back when you're new, you think that you, in order to be a successful, in order to be good a comedy, you need to be doing different things every gig and you're constantly writing these new ideas and I suppose you're really you're underplaying yourself

because you're not home in anything you're going well well I've done that once now I should write something else whereas that's not what the game is really you need to you know you need to just you know get it work in the material that you've got but it just became

you can't avoid bad gigs as a comedian I've had them everyone's had them Frank Skinner's had them Eddie Isard's had them everybody's had bad gigs but I suppose I was lucky that I didn't have one until I was into doing it as a hobby I've had gigs where in my first year maybe

where I go well if that was the first one I never would have done it a second time so really so you did okay because by the time I'd add one I'd add enough good ones and gone well this just must happen from time to time this must just be a thing that happens rather than if it's the first one

Oh God, I can't do it. Run for the hills. So I was lucky from that perspective that I, you know, the first time I had a bad one, I'd add at least 12 or 13 good ones or whatever. You love what you do then, don't you? Love it. Yeah. Yeah. It's such highs and such troughs, you know, peaks and troughs.

and it's it's it's it's um it's joyous and it's difficult and it's it's difficult because you know i'm very self-critical as i think a lot of people you know who are in creative things can be um you're you're exposed to critique you're especially with social media in terms of you know reviewers and and the internet now even if you get a bad review is there for everybody It's not just the people that were in Scunthorpe on a certain night, you know, it's on the internet. You know, everything I do now is that is, is, you know, in terms of TV stuff, is there for everybody to see. And part of that fear of failure, I think makes me prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare. And I really put the work into things.

So how do you prepare then? It depends what it is You know if it's You know For example I mean I'm doing the tour starting in January Yeah you're doing a tour that's going everywhere For the whole of the year

I don't think you've got a second off So well at the minute I'm doing a work in progress tour And so that work in progress tour I'm doing 20 day tour A small date to get the show ready for that tour But even before the work in progress tour I did some

Work in Progress Work in Progress Dates to prepare myself for that. And then before that, I spent the last four months doing clubs getting the material. So you're doing work in progress for working progress for working progress. Yeah, absolutely. Just, at all levels.

I'm knackered already for you. Making sure that everything works because I want to be good. But how does it work? So I'm not a stand-up. Absolutely, couldn't be further from it. But I know how I prepare for TV shows and for podcasts and for radio shows. But for stand-up, you're having to do it. You're practicing to see whether.

somebody find something funny. If they find that funny, do you then keep it in or do you hone that? Or, I mean, I don't know the process. Yeah, so, like, I haven't got the personality that can turn up and do an hour of new stuff as a, oh, I'm just going to go and do an hour and see if any of this is funny.

I need to go into an hour knowing that I've tried most of this out in clubs. Wow. So I will, I'll do, you know, if I'm doing 20 minutes at a club, I will drop in new bits, you know, and I will, if they get laughs, I will try and add more laughs, and I will try and make it longer,

and I will try and make it better. So by the time I get to do these work in progress things, which I'm doing like an hour 20 on stage at the minute, I'm turning up knowing that most of this has been tried and tested, and people in clubs have been laughing when they have turned up, not to watch me, but to have a night out, and it was funny enough to make them laugh

rather than people that have turned up to watch. watch me specifically, you know. And I'm still writing at the minute and still getting the tour together, but it's probably 95% of there at the minute. But as you say, with TV as well, it depends what it is. If I'm doing,

have I got news for you? I will read two papers a day for the week and I will, I don't take notes on with me or anything like that. You don't take any notes? No, no. You must have a very big brain to hold it all in.

Do you know what it is? I will read the papers. I will have an awareness of everything that's gone on that week. I'll have some killer jokes, what I think in my head, and I will forget half of them during the show. But I will remember some of them. And I think the key with that show is to not be too much of a stickler

for jokes you want to crowbar in, but to listen to everybody else and banter. And comedy will happen, you know. But if I'm doing QI, the best thing you can do is watch QI to get yourself in that frame of mind because you turn up and you don't know what's going to happen. And so if I'm doing QI, I'll spend the day watching all the episodes of QI.

Oh, that's fantastic. But 8 out of 10 cats, when you did that, and they blindfolded the content. That was so clever. So the countdown one, yeah. So this is what I'm talking about. I am like I'm so competitive. So when I did Cats count... Oh, you really?

Yeah. So when I did 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown for the first time, I knew that they, you know, they thought, well, this would be funny, won't it? Because it's a very visual game. Chris will make it funny of his rubbish at it. So I am not exaggerating here. I must have watched 60 episodes of countdown. Right?

And I came up with ways of building the words in my head. I came up with ways of doing the number round in my head. And these strategies of remembering the numbers. I remember the numbers in like a telephone keypad pattern. You're never going to have Alzheimer's because your brain is working 20 times faster than anybody else's. Well, I came up with these methods and I went on. and I battered everybody. And I thought, wouldn't it be,

what would be funnier than the blind guy being rubbish was if the blind guy was really good at it? So I went on and then. But the one bit I couldn't prepare was the conundrum because they don't tell you like what the letters are for the conundrum. So I never practiced that. And I went on. And just by fluke, I got the conundrum.

And I nearly had a panic attack. I didn't know what to do with my arms. My arms can play. I love that. Yeah. So prepare, prepare, prepare. So you prepare for everything. Are you like that at home?

With the family? I mean, are you, Mr. organised and prepared at home? I have this sort of picture of you being the one that, you know, right, this is it. It's now 825, we're doing this. Are you very prepared and organised? Absolutely not. No, I'm a nightmare. I can never remember where I've left anything.

No, I prepare for things where there's opportunity that I need to make the most of. and where there's a chance that I could look stupid if I don't. Okay, so you don't mind looking stupid with your family? No, no, no, no. That's it, you see. There you go. There we go. And I don't mind looking a bit silly on the telly.

You've got to ride with it. Oh, but you don't want to be, I don't want to be unprofessional on the telly. Yeah, but not taking yourself seriously is so important. And I get the feeling that, I mean, even though you say you prepare, you prepare, that you're quite happy to not take yourself too seriously. No, you've got to take your job seriously. and don't take yourself seriously. I think that's the balance, isn't it? I could not agree more.

Can we just talk about then travelling? Yeah. So for you as a blind person, traveling is tricky, let's be honest, but yet you, well, that series, I'm going to say the title of it wrong again, aren't I? Because I keep saying, The wonders of the world that I can't see.

Oh, there's no that either. No! I'm putting a thumb and a back. If I was better at English, I'd be able to tell you you're putting in too many prepositions or what I don't even know what they are. I'm always putting in too many words. That's me. Everything is always fabulous, amazing, fantastic.

But it was just incredible. I loved that show. Yeah, it was... Did you love doing it? I was made up how it turned out, you know, because I was really heavily involved in all of the posts of us well in terms of putting it together with the director and the producer in the edit

and doing all the voiceover for it and stuff like that and I think we were all really happy with how it turned out and what we managed to create really because it's a as I said it's a very fine line

between creating a show that shows what it's like for myself to go travelling whilst you know not taking itself too seriously really creating an entertainment show that's funny to everybody and not bashing people over the head

with the same thing all the time time, you know. And to get to get to do it with, I mean, to get to go away with Harry Hill and Lisa Tarbock. Well, I mean, it's nuts, isn't it? Are you going to do more? I'd love to, yeah. Is it happening? I hope so. Yeah, and I mean, I hope so. I would if I could, but I'm waiting to hear. So it's... Make it happen. No, I was listening. Do it. There are people with a far higher pay grade than me who need to to make the mind of. And if people haven't seen it.

it then they can go on to channel four yeah it's on there there's four episodes and um it's um honestly i was so made up with um with the feedback from it from the viewers in terms of uh you know how it was received it just really seems to it you know made people laugh in all the right words oh it was it was joyous but i i loved it i absolutely loved it i sort of i feel now now we're talking about i want to go and watch it again it's that good i want to go watch it all over again i got to spend five days in Niagara Falls with Leesartour book. And that for me was... What could be better?

Oh, she's so much... She's so much fun. She's fantastic. Yeah. But so, look, listen, it was you as well. You're just... It's a fun... I'm going to use a really old-fashioned term.

I think you're really charming. Oh, thank you. You have real... I'd rather sexy. Okay, I was going to do sexy. You can have sexy as well. You can have sexy charm. You can have...

Yeah, yeah. No, that's good. about the tour. So just mentioned, I'm going to get it up here, the list of places. You're going, I mean, it's everywhere. You start at the beginning of January next year, 9th of January. And the last one that you've got on here so far is the 13th of December. I mean, okay, I'm not, I can do the months of the year.

That's a whole year on tour. Yeah. That's just extraordinary. Yeah, well, I mean, we stopped for the summer. We've got a few months off over the summer. A couple. Only a couple. if they've told you, it's only a couple.

I've got it here. January, you're starting in Banbury. February, you're in Hirm Bay. You're many other places too. March, April, May. Then September, October, November, December. And we'll carry on to 2025, as well. Is it 2020,

2020? I've lost the track of the years. That's 24. Yeah, and then 2025 we'll carry on. And it's, I mean, basically... That's a lot, Chris. Do you know what? I mean, as I said, I've been doing this 20 years in terms of you know, clubs up and down the country

and the fact that people, I mean, I finished my last tour in May that was delayed because of the COVID stuff and all that. And the fact that people are turning up and buying tickets to come and watch me doing a show is just mind-blowing to me and I love it.

And so just make haywall while the sun shines, as they say. Oh, completely. So where, okay, so for people, I'm actually looking because I'm going to book for London Apollo next December. Oh my word.

So you go to Chris McCorm, Chris McAawesland.com. Is that it? This is the thing. This is the thing. This is my own personal anxieties, right? I've always had an anxiety over will people turn up? Will I sell tickets, right?

So the last tour, I mean, was pretty much sold out across the board and I was delighted. And I was like, oh my God, this is amazing. We've got there. People are, the venues are full. And then you do the next one. They go, let's make the venues bigger. And you go, oh, I hope people are. They will, Chris.

It's like when you go to the gym, you know, you go to the gym, and you get used to lifting the weight and you go, I can't do it. And they go, let's make it every year. And you know, I can't do it. I get that. I completely get that. But there is the fear thing. Yeah.

For all of us as performers, there is that fear. Are they going to, listen, are they going to watch? Are they going to buy the book? Whatever it is. And there's that fear behind. And I don't think people understand. They think, what can you be scared? Or, you know, everyone knows you, Chris.

But there is. That's just you. That's you as a person. just the performer. You as a person thinking, oh my God, I hope people turn up. Yeah, absolutely. It's like if somebody has a party. So somebody who's not a performer, but if they have a party, they always say, oh, I hope people come. Yeah. It's why a lot of people don't like their own birthdays, because you enjoy yourself more at other people's birthdays because you haven't got any of that stress, you know? Also, other people's sandwiches always taste better than yours.

Are you eating other people's sandwiches? No, I can't because I'm gluten-free, but you know what I mean? Oh, you mean sandwiches they've made for you? You're not stealing sandwiches. I'm not going around the feeling. I wouldn't know if it was gloom. Hello, is that gluten free? I'll take that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Why are you asking?

No reason. No reason. Just carry on. Do you know, years ago, there was a TV show called Candid Camera. Yeah. Do you remember it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there was a sketch on it, which is still my most favourite sketch,

and I have done this thing where you sit... This is so pathetic for me to admit this. I don't know if I'd ever admitted it before. There was a sketch where somebody would be sitting there having chips and then strangers would just lean over and take a chip and they'd carry on and they think, what, and I've done it because it made me laugh when I was a child so much.

I've done it as an adult. Oh my goodness, I don't remember that sketch. Oh, it's properly funny. I do things like that. I'm a bit naughty. My favourite, because I used to be able to see, obviously, my favourite kind of visual kind of sketch of that type was on her.

You've been framed. Yeah. I just always remember this sketch. of this little toddler with an Easter basket, trying to pick an egg up and put it in the basket. And every time they stood up to put it in, the basket swung and it kind of went through the gap of the handle in the basket. And they put it in, and then they looked down

and see it was still on the floor. And the confusion on this kid's face as they did it over and over again. Heaven. Heaven. Still one of the funniest things I've ever seen. They should do a candid camera with you setting people up. Yeah, what would I do? Let's come up with it now.

Yeah. But it'd be so funny. Because they wouldn't expect you to do those things. I know, but then I'd put people off ever helping someone who can't see ever again, wouldn't they, just in case they've got a terror, they're terrified they're on camera. That man is a sick man. Why have you let him do this on television? So for going on tour with the family, how does that work with real life and going all around the country?

I know you've got lovely Graham who's with you today and he drives you. What a nice man. What's a nice man Graham is. We're like an old married couple who's been driving me for over 10 years now. I love that you ordered his coffee. You knew exactly how he liked his coffee.

Perfect. But how do you do it with family and touring all the time? You must just get knackered. You know what? It's not as bad as people think. Once the show's done, the real kind of mentally draining bit,

is getting the show ready, is doing things, trying to work it out, trying to write it at the minute I'm doing the work in progress shows and writing the tour and making sure once it works, you know, we sit in the car, we put a book off audible, we listen to music, we go and do the show, we have some food, we move around. And especially in this country, you know, most of it, you're back home that night. Oh, that's good. Probably about 40% of it.

We do hotels. And it's really not as. bad as people think. I mean, I probably, you know, I'm used to doing gigs anyway, you know, across the circuit, across the country. So this for me is a more rewarding, more laid back, enjoyable version of 15, 16, 17 years slugging it up and down the country, you know, on the circuit. And you know, when you talk about it each time you just have the biggest smile in your face.

And I love that when there's that reaction from somebody. You said you're listening to music on the road I want to know what you listen to now I'm very nosy Okay so I mean I love music so much And I think most comedians Would drop it all today If they could be a front man in the rock band

Or whatever I grew up with the I grew up with the Seattle scene of the 90s You know So I'm massive into You know all the grunge bands Pearl Jam Soundgarden Nirvana

Alison Chains That was me That was me You know What I grew up with Through my teenage years And then, you know, since then, you know, I love a bit of everything, but I love a bit of metal, love a bit of 60s, 70s, but...

So you just love music. Bands, you know. Do you go to gigs? Do you go to? Yeah, yeah, tons, yeah. Not as many as they used to. Because you're so busy, traveling the country, doing your thing. Yeah, and I don't drink anymore either, so I'm the boring one in the group now.

Yeah, but it doesn't make this and I don't drink either. And everybody always thinks, oh, it's so funny. people's reaction if you don't drink. It's very odd, isn't it? Do people treat you differently now you don't drink? Yeah, my mate's telling me I'm boring. Really? Every time. Tell them to come and talk to me because I think you're not at you. Yeah, yeah. I'm not going to put that word with you at all. Love live music though. You know, last summer, favourite bands, Pearl Jam, last summer I saw both, both high park concerts. As a band should, they did two completely different shows each night and that's what you want. I mean, that's what you want from a band.

Oh, I love that. I love that you get so much enjoyment out of what you do and where you go. Chris, I think you are a complete nutter delight. Channel 4, if you're listening right now, give this man another series. Give him another three years of that. Yeah, Channel 4. Yeah, let's do that. And give you some more stand-up specials and things as well.

Yeah. I mean, without the standard, I mean, we filmed the last one. The last stand-up tour is on Channel 4 as well, so we filmed it. It's up there, people can watch it. That's why I said more. But yeah, so keep on, keep on, you know, film the next one as well. Yeah. But it's the doing it, that's the fun, you know.

It's the, it's the travelling round and playing the different places. It's just joyous really. We should get Graham here and ask him how he feels. He's behind the glass. Should actually ask him how he feels about. Don't ask him how he feels about watching the same show every night. It'd be the opposite. He's all right.

You're smiling. Chris, you're a joy. Thank you very much. What a pleasure. Cheers, Gap.