Interview: Sam Simmons
Victoria Nangle finds out more about the groundbreaking Antipodean comedian who was the first to win both the Edinburgh Fosters Award and the Australian Barry in the same year
Hi Sam – how are you today?
Great thanks! Sitting in a cafe in Edinburgh replying to too many emails whilst eating a very nice sandwich.
With surreal bread shoes, Ikea flatpack wrangling and the like in your comedy back catalogue, could you give us a smattering of hints as to what to expect from ‘Not A People Person’?
It’s BIG! That sounds ruder than what it actually is… or is it?
This show has everything – roller-skates, burritos, euthanasia, karate and birds.
You’re constantly surprising your audience with twists and tone changes that can be seen as demanding that your audience step up and engage. What do you think are key ingredients to make up a good audience?
That’s a good question… As I have no real idea how to answer it. Comedy is so subjective but I guess funny shines through no matter what. There is a bit of challenging stuff going on in this show but it’s not a lecture, it’s really just an idiot who loves what he does, ticking about for an hour.
This has been billed as your first UK tour. What are your expectations of a Brighton audience?
I have a good mate who lives amongst you and I’ve been done there a few times now, I love the joint – if I was to live on the UK it would be my home.
I would like to be able to make pigless ham
Who makes you laugh the most in your life – and what was it they did that last tickled you?
I have to say my wife, she is hilarious. She’s tall and graceful, yet as clumsy as hell. Imagine a buttered up swan in bathtub. Hilarious. She couldn’t say ‘thermometer’ properly this morning.
Who would you most like to serve up a Wilhelm scream to out of left field?
Beautiful people with pug dogs, Boston terriers etc! Dogs are not fashion accessories.
Good lord, now the beautiful people think they can own ugly as well.
Your television work as a writer and performer (Problems, The Urban Monkey, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown) gives the impression of delivering without compromise on your own humour. What advice would you give to other comics hoping to emulate your career?
Be yourself, make mistakes, have a go, and do it for you and no one else.
You’re not going to be everything to everyone, if you know what I mean.
If someone gave you a TV production company/movie studio/theatre of your own – without any budgetary limit – what dream projects would you green light before anything else?
A sitcom set in an Australian zoo.
If you could have any superpower what would it be – and what would you do with it?
I would like to be able to make pigless ham.
What plans do you have for the next 12 months?
Back to Oz, back to the States, make some more TV, write another show, bring a baby in to the world.
And what plans do you have for the next 12 hours?
Work, work, work I am shockingly busy, which is a nice problem.
What is the best impromptu present anyone could get you?
A massage, I’m a sucker for a deep tissue hard core thai massage!
Sam Simmons: Not A People Person, The Old Market, Monday 3 October 2016, 8pm, £12
theoldmarket.com
