Comedy: Big Cheer for Amaze
Award-winner and headliner at the parent-supporting charity Amaze’s fundraiser, Jenny Eclair chats to Victoria Nangle about why it’s good to give
First off the bat, how did you find out about Amaze?
“Through my ancient friend Annabel Giles, whom I have worked with a few times over the years, Annabel is one of those people who looks too beautiful to be funny, but is hilarious. I once became almost incontinent on a camel while we filmed a travel show together because she was making me laugh so much.”
What’s the best advice you were ever given as a parent?
“‘Let them get on with it’, interfering is my biggest problem, I am pathologically nosey and an awful catastrophist.”
What’s the best advice you were ever given as a comic?
“Get on with it, there is no advice apart from the old, ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail,’ adage, I’m not a great improviser, I wish I was.”
How annoying is the label ‘female comic’, when you’re introduced to the stage, as opposed to plain ‘comic’?
“I’d rather ‘female’ than ‘rubbish’, the title doesn’t bother me, I’m proud to be a lady comic, but the treatment of us enrages me, there is still a lot of sexism and don’t start me on ageism – still, being an ageing female comic gives me a great excuse to be crap, if people aren’t laughing it’s because they’re sexist and ageist, ha-ha, I win.”
You helped develop and regularly appear in BBC2’s Grumpy Old Women. What was the last thing that made you wig out with a grump?
“A rude shop assistant, the warning battery in my smoke alarm going off at 4am, a cold bath, a moth hole – that was yesterday.”
Are you now best pals with Shaun Ryder after going into the jungle in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here?
“I actually see more of Dom Joly, but if I was up North, I’d love to bump into Shaun and family – Dom tells me where to go, literally, he’s the best travel agent I know.”
What surprised you most about that whole experience?
“How cold and damp Australia could be, they might as well have done it in Wales.”
What three things would you save from your burning house, and why?
“Apart from the three of us, my computer with my work on it, my iPad and my handbag.”
Invisible for the day. What would you get up to?
“Oh listen, I’m invisible every day, I’m 51.”
What’s the best reason to get involved in a charity event?
“Because a mate asks you and the reason she asks you is because the charity is a good one and you want to help.”
Big Cheer For Amaze features Jenny Eclair, Simon Evans, Ian Moore, Justin Moorhouse, MC Jason Cook and more. Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, Thursday 1 March, 7pm, £25/19.50, www.brightondome.org
