11th August 2006
LIFE ON THE FRINGE
I'm doing three shows a day and one of them, Square Street, is a sketch show with my daughter Ashley. The only thing ashley does that annoys me is take the lids off things and never put them back on. But, having a mother that never puts a lid on her mouth, that's fair enough. I've been offered more drugs as a comedian than when I ran a pub in the most despicable heroin street in Glasgow. But a lot of the comedians in Edinburgh have cleaned up now. They think they have to be hard-drinking and rock 'n' roll but they don't. It's about sharing with an audience and you can't do that if you're wasted. I ran a pub for 15 years and I hate drunk people. Ashley's not a big drinker - she was raised in a pub. I need my downtime. We're staying in a brand new flat in Fishmarket Close and we have a series of The Gilmore Girls. It's a crazy sitcom that we love. Ashley's studying for her exams as well. |
Doing three shows a day, it's hard to get to see other people's stuff, although I went to see Paul Provenza's show. In my spare time, I read, I write my blog, I catch up with friends. I don't do drugs, I don't drink and I'm not a party animal. I write on a lapto in my apartment. There'll be music blaring, dinner being made, pots being banged. Chaos. It was how I wrote my book Handstands in the Dark. I'm uneducated Glasgow scum. One of my shows is based on my blog. I write it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. It's just life. Like, last night I was wearing tights but not knickers and under the lighting I had a bit of a Sharon Stone moment. I was like: 'Tell me you didn't see my naan bread.' Edinburgh destroys hierarchy. I love watching big established acts play alongside new acts. And there's so much to learn from so many intelligent people. |