That Pat Monahan is a funny fella, and we mean that in the nicest sense!
The smile inducer is heading to Milton Keynes to raise smiles at MK Theatre's comedy night on Sunday (September 10).
He talked Funny Business with Total MK...
When did you first think 'Comedy - that's the job for me'
When I found out that comedians worked nights only and could have a lay in every morning, I realised this is the job for me. And also the constant travelling and free rider's at gigs that involve tea and cake.
Which comedian first piqued your interest, and why?
Dave Allen was a classic influence cos of his Irish charm and storytelling and then Robin Williams blew me away every time I watched him on telly with his 150mph energy!
And then Richard Pryor was the cherry on top of the cake with his amazing delivery and heartfelt stories.
All of my comedy heroes are dead but there's no evidence to prove that I killed them.
If you weren't working raising the smiles, what would you be working as?
I'd probably be working in a supermarket in the kiosk chatting to everyone as they come into the shop and then using the tannoy so I could speak to everyone else - making sure everyone knows about the latest bargains.
What's the best heckle you've ever had?
At a kids show one of the kids shouting "Your my dad".
Tell us about your worst gig so far
When you first start out every gig is a gamble because you've not got a lot of experience to deal with situations, heckling or drunk people, because you've not had to deal with that before, but the more gigs you do the slightly easier it becomes.
The worst gig for me was years ago when I was very new and in the middle of my routine the microphone lead fell out of the microphone.
Instead of acknowledging it and making a joke of it I carried on talking into it as if nothing had gone wrong.
...and the one which still send shivers for all the right reasons?
Every time I do my first preview of my brand new tour show, that buzz off going on stage with a couple of sheets of new ideas and routines, and not really being sure which ones will work and which ones won't survive the night.
Are there any subjects which are off limits?
Because of the explosion of the internet there is not one single joke you can't make, but because I always like playing to a live audience and my age range at my shows range from eight years old to 88, I always keep my material relatable, fun and non-threatening, so you can bring your partner, your kids and your grandparents.
What can we expect from your visit to Milton Keynes?
I'll be fresh from spending a month long of doing shows at the Edinburgh festival for my brand new "rewind selector 90's" show.
It is all about growing up as a teenager in the 1990's compared to teenagers today.
I reckon I will be talking a lot about that plus some Milton Keynes themed jokes about roundabouts.
We've got to finish with a joke, so over to you - but keep it family friendly...anyone could read this!
Here's one of the first jokes I ever wrote.
"My mum is from the Islamic republic of Iran and me dad is from the Republic of Ireland and they met at an arms fair in Geneva. And we spent most of our family holidays in customs."
To book tickets for the Milton Keynes Theatre show click here
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